________________
Matter
133
and depth. This is a prejudice of the same kind with the last arising from our experience of bodies consisting of immense multitudes of atoms”. Extension and impenetrability are thus not the essential attributes of the ultimate atom, as conceived by the Greeks and all ideas of definite boundaries to it must be abandoned.
VAIŠEȘIKA THEORY OF AŅU, DVYAŅUKA, TRYAŅUKA, ÇATURAŅUKA, ETC.
We are definitely of the opinion that the Indian theory of atoms is essentially different from the Greek and is nearer to the modern scientific conception. According to the Vaiseșika's the Tryaņuka's or the Çaturaņuka's i.e. combinations of one dyad with one atom or combinations of two dyads are practically the last limits to grossness. They are said to be Mahat i.e. gross; Dirghatva, however, is another characteristic, attributed to them, which makes them resemble the geometrical lines which have length but no breadth. It is said that the Dvyaņuka's or dyads which form their constituents have a mass (Parimāņa) which is not only different from that of the Tryaņuka's and Çaturaņuka's in quantity but also in kind. The mass or Parimāņa of a Dvyaņuka is called Hệasva and Aņu. Its mass is not only subtler than that of a triad but is said to be of a totally different sort. Taking the geometrical analogy again, we may say that while a triad is a geometrical line, a dyad is only a geometrical point which has existence but no magnitude. Paramāņus are the ultimate atoms of the Vaiseșika's. The Parimāņa or mass of these atoms is called Pārimāndalya, which in its turn is said to be different in kind from the Hrasvatya and Aņutva, the quantitative aspects of the dyads. This Pārimāndalya or mass of the ultimate atom is manifestly devoid of extension and in a sense, more immaterial than material.
AN ATOM WITH THE JAINA'S IS LIKE A MATHEMATICAL POINT
Coming to the Jaina theory of atom, we find the author
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
