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Microcosmology: Atom
CHARACTERIZATION
According to the Jain canonical literature, every pudgala (physical object) does possess colour, taste, smell and touch, Conversely pudgala is the only substance which is the object of sensuous cognitior. The other five substances are devoid of sense-data. Thus, matter alone is up' while the others are arūpi. The term rūpīdoes not mean visible but perceivable and signifies the concurrent existence of all the four sense-data. The physical order of existence, according to the modern science, comprises all existence which can be perceived by means of sense-organs. The physical order does not depend for its existence upon the fact of actually being perceived. Thus the Jain views broadly agree with the modern science insofar as the general definition of the physical existence is concerned.
B. CHARACTERISTIC QUALITIES
The objective and simultaneous existence of the qualities of colour, taste, smell and touch in pudgala have been amply emphasized in the previous chapter. Five elementary colours, five elementary tastes, good and bad smell and four elementary touches - hot, cold, dry and gluey - makes a total of 16 varieties of characteristic innate qualities of all classes of pudgala.
COLOUR
First of all, we should clarify, what is the meaning of the statement 'colour etc., are innate qualities of matter.' Now what is colour? It is some structural peculiarity of a material object which interacts with light and makes the object visible and perceivable by the sensory equipment of vision.
Modern science explains the phenomenon of colour on the basis of the wave-theory of light. According to it, the normal white light from the sun contains the whole visible spectrum. Difference
1. The division of colour into 5 primary types agrees perfectly with the scientfic views. For instance, Colorimetry Committee of the Optical Society of America reported in 1922 as follows:
"Colour is the general term for all sensations arising from activity of the retina and its attached nervous mechanisms. It may be exemplified by the enumeration of characteristic instances as red, yellow, blue, black and white."
