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Atom in Jain Philosophy
is the end, that which (though possessed of sensual qualities) is not perceptible (cognised by sensual perception.), and that which is indivisible is called paramāņu1.
Paramāņu is defined by some other characteristics viz., its innate qualities thus2, "the substance which has a single taste, a single colour, one smell and two kinds of sparsa, which is the cause of sound but is not sound itself, which is not the same as skandhas (composite) though constituting them, is the paramāņu."
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B. CHARACTERISTIC ATTRIBUTES
Earlier, it had been stated that colour, smell, taste and touch are the characteristics (lakṣaṇa) of physical substance (pudgala). This means that these qualities are innate in all forms of pudgala. Paramāņu, being a form of pudgala, therefore, must possess these qualities. Thus four sense-data viz, touch, taste, odour and colour are intrinsic qualities of a paramāņu. Sound, being an attribute of skandhas, is not the characteristic quality of paramāņu.
The qualities possessed by a paramāņu are: one of the five primary colours, one of the two smells, one of the five tastes and two of the four touches i.e. either hot or cold and either dry or gluey3. However, it can never be an object of sense- perception. By itself it transcends the sense-experience though it is the basic constituent of the entire perceptible physical universe.
It can be perceived only by its effects i.e. a single free paramāņu is invisible not only to the naked eyes but also to any other physical instrument. Its existence is to be inferred by the collective action and reaction of infinite paramāņus. Only the omniscient (kevala jñānī) and those who possess superlative visual intuition (paramāvadhi jñāni) can perceive and cognise the nature of a free paramāņu1.
1. Ibid. 5/25
2. Pañch. Sār., verse 81.
3. Bhag. Süt. 20/6/26.
4. Bhag. Süt. 18/8/178-181.
