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प्रवचनसार
and individual soul (jīva dravya)- are measured with this unit of measurement. The indivisible atom of matter (pudgalaparamāņu) does not have two or more space-points (pradeśa); it occupies just one space-point (pradeśa). The atom (paramāņu) is the source of space-points (pradeśa).
Explanatory Note: The indivisible atom (paramāņu) is the smallest unit of measurement and the space it occupies is one space-point (pradeśa). The substance of space (ākāśa dravya) has infinite (ananta) space-points (pradeśa). The medium of motion (dharma dravya), the medium of rest (adharma dravya) and the individual soul (jīva dravya), each, occupy innumerable (asamkhyāta) space-points (pradeśa). The medium of motion (dharma dravya) and the medium of rest(adharma dravya) are, by nature, stationary in their form but the individual soul (īva dravya) undergoes expansion and contraction. Still, the number of its space-points (pradeśa) does not change. How does the soul, which is without form (amūrta), undergo expansion and contraction? The answer is that when a stout man becomes skinny and the skinny man becomes stout, the space-points (pradeśa) of his soul must contract and expand. As the child becomes adult, the space-points (pradeśa) of his soul must expand. Thus, the expansion or contraction of the space-points (pradeśa) of the soul is common experience. The indivisible atom of matter (pudgalaparamāņu) occupies one space-point (pradeśa) but its atoms have the power of union. On union, these atoms form molecules comprising two or more atoms. Therefore, with reference to its modes, the substance of matter (pudgala dravya) has numerable (samkhyāta), innumerable (asamkhyāta) and infinite (ananta) space-points (pradeśa).
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