Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

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There are six divisions: • Very Gross
Gross • Gross Fine • Fine Gross • Fine • Fine Fine
The gross part of matter is known as badra and the fine part is called the sukshma.
Fine-fine is an example of karmic particles. Between the fineness and its opposite there runs the dividing line which separates this concrete world from the one beyond sensual conceivability.
Combination takes place on the ground of smoothness and roughness only.
A pudgala aggregate does not originate merely from a mutual conjunction of its components like atoms. When smooth and rough components join together, there takes place a combination that is transformation of the form.
(viii) Parmanu and Scientific Atom Though parmanu and the scientific term atom are said to be synonymous, they differ in certain aspects. Atom has been defined as a smallest particle of the element; even then atom is constituted of electron, proton and neutron. Further, an atom can be converted into the form of energy. Hence, the ultimate parmanu cannot be compared to atom.
In Jain literature, we find the reference of two types of parmanus:
1. Ultimate parmanu
2. Formal (vyavharik) parmanu.
The second type of formal parmanu may be equated with the atom of science because formal parmanu is constituted by the combination of infinite ultimate parmanus.
(ix) Exceptions Combination does not take place between smooth and rough components of a minimum degree, that is, between components whose smoothness or roughness - as the case might be - is of a minimum degree. (Minimum means one degree intensity)
When the degrees concerned are equal, combination does not take place between similar components - that is, between one smooth component and another, as also between one rough component and another. Combination well takes place between components whose degrees differ by two units or more.
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