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Hermann Kuhn
ments 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 (pradesha), yet has no spatial dimension on its own and does not react or combine with other units of time or any of the other elements.
- The medium that supports movement (dharmạ), may
appear strange at first, 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.
Chapter 5 of the Tattvarthasutra contains an extensive description of the non-living (ajiva) elements. Therefore their characteristics are not elaborated here.
Matter, space and time are the only three elements Western science is concerned about at present.12 Science
12 Though there are branches of science that are interested in the mechanisms of learning, sense-perception and motivation, modern psychology is mainly content to collect statistical data about behavior and perception to predict future behavior (often for the purpose of commercial advertisement and the promotion of products). Yet this empirical endeavor does not represent an independent concept that would go beyond the matter-oriented theory of evolution.
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