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SUTRAS
THE KEY TO THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE
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- Space (akasha) - The Tattvarthasutra uses the unit pradesha ('spacepoint') to describe spatial dimensions. pradesha denotes the 'smallest possible extent of the element space'10. Yet other elements (e.g. matter) may assume far subtler forms than space and therefore are much smaller than one spacepoint.
According to the Tattvarthasutra space can neither expand nor contract. Its primary purpose is to enable the existence and the expansion and contraction of the other elements. - Time (kala) - is seen from two different perspectives:
From the perspective of practical usage (vyavahara-naya) time is partitioned into present, past and future. Time is the medium that allows the other elements to exist in continuity and to undergo changes during the manifestation of their characteristics. Time supports the movement of the elements and in this context enables the experience of consecutive events.
From the perspective of the all-comprehensive underlying reality (nischaya-naya) time exists as an eternal present. It does not extend into future or past, which are basically only limiting concepts we project onto time. From this perspective time exists in every spacepoint (pradesla), yet has no spatial dimension on its own and does not react or combine with other units of time or with any of the other elements - The medium that supports movement (dharma), may appear strange at first sight, but is easily illustrated by the following analogy: Water is the medium that supports the movement of fishes, but in itself is not their movement. - The medium that supports rest (adharma) is equally illustrated by an analogy: It is pictured as the shadow of a tree that invites for a rest beneath it, but in itself is not this rest.
10 pradesha is defined as the space taken up by an indivisible elementary
particle (paramanu). paramianus are far smaller than an atom.
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