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A Critique terms indicate simple vibratory motion, whereas some others denote simple migratory motion. While still others indicate complex mixture of vibrations, oscillation, emission, absorption, spin and wave-propagation in space. By the word ‘so on' it is understood that besides these, there are many other kinds of motion also. It is extremely difficult to interpret each of these terms into modern scientific terminology. We shall, however, attempt to do so in a general way with the assistance of the available commentaries on this Sūtra.
(1) Simple vibrations – Paramānu sometimes merely vibrates.
(2) simple motion - It sometimes migrates, i.e., it goes from one space-point to another.
(3) Complex motion --- It sometimes vibrates and migrates simultaneously.
(4) Complex vibration - It sometimes vibrates and spins simultaneously.
(5) Oscillation - It sometimes oscillates. (6) Collision - It sometimes collides with other pudgala.
(7) Forceful penetration - It sometimes penetrates forcefully into other pudgala, and so on. i.e. it is emitted, absorbed etc. Over and above the above-mentioned motion, revolutionary motion or standing wave in a space-point are possibilities. It probably means linear motion accompanied with vibratory motion or state of vibration with changing frequency.
Linear motion of a paramāņu means moving about from one space-point to another. This motion or change of motion may take place under the influence of outside forces exerted by another paramānu or an aggregate or it may be spontaneous. Jiva, however, can never exert any influence on the motion of a paramānu.
While discussing the movements of a paramānu as described in the Bhagavati Sūtra, we had mentioned that while in some respects movements (gati) of a paramāņu follow definite rules, in
1. See chapter II, pp. 128-130,
