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Metaphysics, Ethics and Spiritual Development
229
ākāśāstikāya (Space) pudgalāstikāya (Matter), jīvāstikāya (Soul) and addhāsamaya (Time).
In this scriptural passage at the end, the term 'addhāsamaya' is used for Time. May be this term does not denote the real Time. On the contrary, it is quite possible that it denotes merely the conventional time of the form of samaya, āvalikā, etc. This is suggested by the description of time, we meet with in the Viseșāvasyaka-bhāsya. Its verses 2027, 2032 and 2033 describe time of the form of modes or changes of various types (vartanā, etc.) and declare that it is manifested through the movements of the sun, the moon, etc. Even those who do not accept time as an independent substance regard addhāsamaya of the above description as conventional time; in reality, for them time is essentially mere modes or changes of the sentient and insentient substances.
There is yet another view which accepts Time as an independent substance and yet is different from the one just dealt with. According to this view, time is atomic. There are innumerable time-atoms. They are confined to cosmic space only. They are not present in the space beyond cosmos. They are motionless. Hence they eternally remain there only where they are. So each time atom eternally occupies the same spacepoint of the cosmic space. Each time-atom occupies a separate spacepoint. This is the reason why they do not combine to form molecules as the material atoms do. Hence they have no spatial extension. Only those substances that have spatial extension are called astikāya. So Time is not counted among astikāyas. Time-atoms go on assuming different modes all the while without any interruption. The smallest measurable mode of time-atom is called samaya. Each time-atom has infinite such modes. These modes of time-atoms serve as an auxiliary cause of the modes of other substances. And all the states like oldness-newness, anteriority-posteriority, etc., arise depending upon the samaya' modes of time-atoms.
1. Samaya is defined as the time taken by a material atom to traverse one space-point by slow movement. Compare this Jaina conception of samaya with the Yoga conception of kșana, Study the following passage from the Vyāsabhāsya on the 52nd aphorism of the third chapter of the Yogasutra of Patañjali: yathā'pakarsaparyantam dravyaṁ paramānuḥ, evan paramäpakarsaparyantah kalaḥ kṣanaḥ/yāvatā vā samayena calitaḥ paramānuḥ pūrvadeśań jahyād uttaradeśam upasampadyeta sa kalaḥ kṣanah / Meaning: Just as an atom is the ultimate minutest unit of a substance even so a kșana is the ultimate minutest unit of time. Or, kşana is that much time which is taken by a moving atom to reach the space-point immediately next to the one it leaves.
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