Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

Page 59

Parmanu is eternal, indestructible, ungraspable and ultimate particle.
Parmanu is so subtle in physical nature that its characteristic qualities cannot be experienced through senses. Owing to the fineness of its structure by which it eludes observation, it is beyond the grasp of tools.
Parmanu is very subtle and cannot be seen but Jains have termed parmanu as Murta dravya i.e. with form because of its characteristic qualities of colour, taste, smell and touch; hence parmanu can be perceived through intuition or superior apprehension.
The parmanus give rise to different species of skandh, parmanu has no physical parts (pradesa), whereas a material body - skandh necessarily has.
Another peculiar feature is that an infinite number of parmanus can find room in the same space-point that is occupied by a single parmanu. Scientifically it is perhaps due to the existence of curvature in space-points. The reason provided in Jain literature is that - every pudgala has a minimum and maximum of expansion. The maximum expansion is equal to the innumerable space-points of Lokakash and the minimum expansion is equal to the one space point i.e. one pradesa.
Skandh - Clusters
Parmanus are necessarily the ultimate constitutive cause of compounded material bodies. Parmanus of any number beginning from two upto infinity result in forming a cluster. These compounds are known as Skandhs. Two atoms may combine to form two pradesi skandh, three atoms may combine to form three pradesi skandh and numerable, innumerable and infinite atoms combine to form sankhayata, asankhayata and ananta pradesi skandh. Skandhs can also be produced by disintegration of a bigger skandh into smaller skandh.
Skandh are categorized in three divisions:
• Skandh - Aggregate
• Skandh desa – Aggregate related to Area
• Skandh predesa - Aggregate related to continuity with similar atoms.
Skandh formation depends upon the process of bonding where the intensity of smoothness (snigdha) plays in important role whereas in disintegration or separation process, the attribute of roughness becomes important.
There is a classification of matter based on size of the pudgala.