Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 129

5. Number System
Quantitatively, numbers are classified in three main categories depending on their accountability - numerate, innumerate and infinite. These are further divided in three sub-categories - Minimum, Medium and Maximum. Amongst these nine categories, only eight were adopted by the mathematicians and the last sub-category of maximal infinity is discarded on similar grounds upon which the zero was discarded. Their further subclasses are twenty, which are as follows:
There are three classes of the numerates :
• Minimum (minimal) • Medium, intermediate, middle or intervening • Maximum (maximal)
There are nine types of the innumerate:
• Minimal Lowest Innumerate • Medium Lowest Innumerate
Maximal Lowest Innumerate Minimal Average Innumerate Medium Average Innumerate
Maximal Average Innumerate • Minimal Highest Innumerate • Medium Highest Innumerate • Maximal Highest Innumerate.
There are eight types of the infinite :
• Minimal Lowest Infinite • Medium Lowest Infinite
Maximal Lowest Infinite Minimal Average Infinite Medium Average Infinite
Maximal Average Infinite • Minimal Highest Infinite • Medium Highest Infinite
The ninth possibility of 'maximal highest infinite' has been treated as absolute infinity and thus discarded as non-existent. This is termed as 'Asadbhav'. This presumption was premeditated as the absolute zero was considered non-existent. By simple analogy, absolute infinity is not possible; anything can just tend to become absolutely infinite.
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