Book Title: Jainism by Vividus
Author(s): Ramnik V Shah
Publisher: Ramnik V Shah Canada

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Page 205
________________ Paramanu' the unit of Pudgala, Pradesha' the unit of space and 'Samaya' the unit of time explain all cosmical and physical phenomena. A.Samaya' is time required for a 'Paramanu' to traverse a Pradesha' which is capable of being occupied even by an infinite number of Paramanus' under abnormal condensations. We have so far talked of absolute time and talking about the relative time, apparent time, we talk of it as conventional time which can be measured in units of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. This time again is unidirectional that it has only longitudinal extension, no spatiality in reference to space having more than one dimension. Samayas, that is Instants of time are so arranged in space that they are a series of only linear order turning cyclic different from other substances which require a multi-dime series to represent their surface extension. According to Jainism, grains of time are mixed up with space, Kals-anu in each space point lying static and permeating every iota of Loka-akasha. In infinite pure space that is Aloka-akasha there is no time, no Pudgala, no Dharma, no Adharma and no conciousness; only space alone. Points. instants and particles, thus have important functions in Jaina philosophy. Jiva and Ajiva, that is living and non-living objects in the universe become active i.e. causal and non-active i.e. not causal when determined by cer conditions: Jiva because of Karmic matter and Ajiva because of time. Akasha, Dharma and Adharma and time itself are not active-not causal. There can be no change in Jiva without karmic matter and no change in matter without time. In practical terms it is aptly described as Nature's device to prevent all from happening at once. Thus after understanding these two Tattvas' of Jiva and Ajiva, we can now go ahead with the understanding of the remaining five 'Tattvas' which as distinct from 'things' are only happenings i. e. processes. Grouped together, under one caption they will form the important aspect of Jainism viz Kärmavad', the theory of Karma. It is unique to only this religion and 89

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