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Units of measurement for mass / weight, space and time and numbers
To start a cognition enquiry and explain cosmic and physical phenomena the three fundamental units of space, matter and time have been chosen corresponding to units of length, mass and time i.e. the C.G.S. (centimeter gram seconds) or the F.P.S. (foot pound second) systems of modern science. A third system called Absolute system is also used when we try to understand abnormal states of an entity. Even in a philosophical tradition, and as a part of its ontological and metaphysical explanations, we always use some units by which we distinguish an entity from others and measure it, its inherent nature, physical characteristics such as space occupied, its weight, its life-span and its various stages, quantity etc. Jain metaphysics and cosmology analyzes and describes every entity from at least four different aspects namely substance (dravya), space occupied (k etra), time (k la), and mode (bh va). We shall look at these units as applied in Jain philosophy.
SUBSTANCE:
A substance is defined in numbers of different manners such as its distinguishing nature, class, composition i.e. smallest indivisible unit comprising the substance as well as its average and the largest values / numbers.
The primary unit of existence of:
Living beings is called j va or soul. There are infinite-infinite souls.
Matter is parm u (the smallest indivisible particle of matter, like the electron or the quark in science). We call it as sub-atom in this book to distinguish it from atom generally used today and to emphasize that parm u is the infinitesimal part of an atom*. The sub-atom is like the geometric 'point', which is considered almost as dimensionless and mass-less having existence and yet not perceptible by senses or any instruments. It is thus almost without mass and volume but definitely has existence meaning miniscule amounts of these two measures of existence.
Medium of motion and medium of rest are one in number and an unbreakable continuum, we do not talk of their primary unit.
Space, even though is one continuum, is first bifurcated as cosmic and transcosmic continuum for enhancing our understanding of the same. The primary unit of cosmic-space is called space-point (prade a) which is the space occupied by one sub-atom.
Time is called kal u which is like a sub-atom, but has the distinction of its existence as kal u always i.e. it has no extension or continues menthe neighboring kal u unlike other substance types.
*Dalton talked of atom as the smallest part of a matter. Later on other scientists talked of electron, proton, neuron, mesons, neutrino, quark etc., as being further sub divisions of atom. Today scientists talk of quark (being 1/3 of proton), being the smallest part of atom. This research if continued may further lead us closer to the parm u defined by
Jain thinkers.
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