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II, 46:]
PRAVAUANASARA.
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43. The souls, material bodies, principles of motion and 1est, and space: all these possess innumerable space-points; but time has no space-points.1
*2. These five substances, leaving aside the time, are called astikayas or magnitudes: the word kaya signifies the collection of space-points.2
44. The sky or space pervades Loka and Aloka; Loka is occupied by the principles of motion and rest, by time which rests with the other two (viz., soul and matter) and by soul and matter.
45. Just as there are points of space, so are there of the remaining (substances); a primary atom is without space-points, because (being an unit) it gives rise to the (measure of) space-point.3 46. The moment of time is without space-points it is equal to the time required by that unit of substance measured by one prades'a to traverse one space-point of the sky.substance.*
We can think of a beginning and an end in connection with things limited; but we cannot posit these for nature as a whole. Space extends infinitely, so its extension is infinite. Besides extension there is another characteristic of space, namely, to give room or the capacity to contain. The second is not an independent characteristic, because it needs certain other things for which the room is to be given. The six substances including space as well are there in space to a certain extent, and that much extent is called lokakās'a, the physical space; and the rest, where there is nothing but mere space, is called alokákäs'a, super-physical or nonphysical space. The experience of this empty space is possible for the omniscient, since our ordinary experience is always relative. And since omniscience is capable of comprehending even empty space, there is no propriety of calling empty space as a mere theoretical abstraction thus the Jaina authors accept the possibility of empty space. On gāthās 41-42 see P. 23-24, 85-86, 90 etc, TS. V, 17-18, 22.
1. TS. V, 8-9.
2. On astikaya see P. 5.
3. TS. V, 11.
4. It is an interesting feature of Jaina physics that it has accepted Time and Space as realities, as much facts as matter, and even their ultimate units are recognised with their mutual relation settled. A primary atom, an ultimate indivisible unit of matter, is an unit of matter; the space occupied by an atom is prades'a or space-point, which is the unit
of
space, and finally, the time required for an atom to traverse one spacepoint is samaya, instant or moment, which is an unit of time. The co-ordination of these three fundamental and ultimate facts of physical universe shows the insight with which the Indian mind pursued the analysis of any subject,
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