________________
140
PERVASION OF SPACE BY THE LIVING
objects, as these are capable of immersion or condensation and of taking subtle forms. For instance, the lights from several lamps in a room intermingle. It should be understood in this manner from the authority of the scriptures also. It has been said as follows.
“The universe is densely (without inter-space) filled with several varieties of infinite times infinite forms of matter of subtle and gross nature in all the directions (i. e. horizontally and vertically)."
What is the nature of penetration of souls in space ?
असंख्येयभागादिषु जीवानाम् ॥ १५ ॥
Asamkhyeyobhāgādişu jīvānām (15) 15. The Souls inhabit from one of innumerable parts of the universe-space.
'In the universe-space' (lokākāśe) is taken over from sutra 12. The universe-space is divided into innumerable parts. Each part may be taken for a unit of space. The souls occupy from a single unit of space? onwards. For instance, one soul inhabits one unit of space. Similarly, one soul can permeate two, three, four, five units of space up to the extent of the entire universe. But all the souls taken together permeate the entire universe. Now a contention arises. If one soul occupies one unit of space, how can infinite times infinite souls with their several bodies find room in the universe-space, which is only of the extent of innumerable units of space? It should be understood that the souls dwell in subtle and gross forms. The gross ones possess bodies which offer obstruction. But even infinite times infinite souls in a subtle state (the lowest category of souls with one sense only) along with their subtle bodies dwell even in the space occupied by a single one-sensed nigoda jīva. There is no obstruction among thems
hemselves and between them and the gross ones. So there is no contradiction in the fact of infinite times infinite souls residing in the innumerable units of space of the universe.
1 Light is a form of matter according to the Jaina view.
j. e. onelinnumerable part of the universe-space,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
