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The Jaina world of Non-living
6. It must be pointed out that the mattergy is accommodated only in the cosmic space which has innumerable spacepoints. It does not exist in the infinite non-cosmic space. 7. The manifold nature of mattergic spacepoints can be proved by the following inference:
"The mattergy has the stated three varieties of spacepoints as its aggregates are formed through variety of aggregations (like pot, pencil and book etc.,)." 8. The Buddhists point out that aggregates are non-existing entities. They are only a false notion due to immediate adjacentness of many atoms together. Only the atoms are the real entities. Therefore, there could not be different varieties of spacepoints of mattergy. Their contention leads to non-observability of aggregates as the atoms are said to be supra-sensual. Hence, the concept of aggregates must be accepted. It is perceivable and cannot be negated by any logic or means of knowledge.
The aphorism 5.10 states that mattergies, in general, have many spacepoints. Does it mean that atoms will also have many spacepoints ? The next aphorism clarifies this point by contradicting this guess :
Nāņoh 5.11 The atoms (Aņus, the Jainas have generally used the term 'Aņu for atoms) do not have spacepoints (and they are indivisible). 5.11. 1. Q. Why there are no spacepoints in atoms ? A. There are no spacepoints in atoms as they have an extension equivalent to that of only one spacepoint. Just as a single spacepoint of space is denoted as non-spacepointed because of its unitary nature, similarly the atom is also called so because of its similar unitary nature. 2. Moreover, there is nothing smaller than the atom (or Aņu) so that it could be divided into spacepoints. That is why, it is called the beginning and end of extension of itself. 3. The word 'atom' has an etymological meaning of smallest or finest just like the word 'Pradīpa' (lamp) has an etymological meaning of
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