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The Jaina world of Non-living
combination while 'aggregation' refers to physical combination also along with the chemical ones. The texts have more illustrations for physical effects and combinations rather than chemical ones. Thus, 'aggregate' is a better coin. Newer authors are adopting it for its wider applicability. 3. Vidyānanda points out that the two-fold classification of mattergy in 5.25 refutes the absolutist views of atomism or aggregatism accepted by other systems like Buddhists. This refutation is based on two facts : (i) The aggregates are mostly perceived directly as composed of smaller particles. They cannot be called confused forms as otherwise, all our knowledge and popular ways based on them will also have to be called false. However, their divisibility can be inferred :
The octa-atomic or other entities are divisible (upto single atomic entities) because they are composites along with perceptibility. (ii) The existence of ultimate atom is proved by its effects and scriptures. Thus, two-fold mattergy is an established fact. 4. The aphorism 5.25 contains the word 'ca' in the end. By giving plural number to the two terms, it has been pointed out that the word 'ca' indicates that the aggregates have also touch etc. along with aggregations. 5. The aphorism 5.25 or its commentary does not deal with many purposeful descriptions about atoms. Many current researchers have delved deep into Jaina scriptures and found out valuable informations about atoms contained therein. Mahendra Muni, Sikdar, G. R. Jain, N. L. Jain and others have books and articles on this subject. The details could be summarised under four heads- (a) conservation properties (b) dynamic properties (c) varieties and (d) bonding (this will be dealt with under aphorisms 5.33-37 later).
The conservation properties include the substantive properties of mattergy in general and atoms in particular. They have been described under 1(d) above. The apparent atom has a size of 10cm while the ideal atom may have a size of 10 cm as per Triloka-Prajnapti. A-heavy-alightness is another property for continuity.
The dynamic properties include (i) the natural and efforted motion of atoms (ii) the elastic and non-elastic collisions between atoms
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