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Nagin J. Shah
Time substance is constitutionally dynamic in the sense that it continuously undergoes changes by virtue of its intrinsic nature like other substances. Changeless time substance cannot assist changes in other substances. So, time substance is not changeless. Thus time qua substance is one, but time qua modes is many. Though time substance is cbanging, it never loses its identity. It permeates and pervades all its modes. Thus time qua substance has termporal extension (ürdhva pracaya) also. 44
The ultimate measurable unit of time is called samaya (instaat). It is measured by the movement of a material atom over the space-point. Hence it is defined as the time taken by a material atom to traverse one spacepoint by slow movement. Time substance has Infinite samayas. As a samaya is an ultimate measurable unit of time substance, it is devoid of temporal parts. A samaya is not bereft of time substance. But the time substance contained in it is indivisible. Hence a samaya is devoid of substantial parts also, But as a samaya pervades the entire cosmic space of innumerable space-points, it may be conceived as possessed of spatial parts. As it is possessed of a plurality of spatial parts, it is capable of being characterised as an astikaya. Again, it has manifold of capacities with which it agsists various changes proper to infinite number of subsances. These capacities may also be conceived as its parts.45 All the samayas are not absolutely discrete ; they are related to one another by an underlying time substance. 48
6. Relative Subtlety of Units of Time, Space and Matter It is interesting to have some idea of the relative subtlety of units of time, space and matter. A space-point (pradeša) is subtler than a timepoint (samaya). It is contended that the numbers of space-points of a small space of one angula is equal to the number of time-points of a countless number of cycles of time. But an atom of matter is substler than even a space-point. An infinite number of atoms can be accommodated in one space-point. Thus a materlal atom is subtler than a space-point and a space-point is subtler than a time-point 47
44 द्रव्यार्थरूपेण प्रतिपर्यायमुत्पादव्ययधर्माऽपि स्वरूपानन्यभूक्रमाक्रमभाव्यनाद्यपर्यवसानानन्तस
ङ्ख्यपरिणामपर्यायप्रवाहव्यापिनमेकमेवात्मानमातनोति, अतीतानागतवर्तमानावस्थास्वपि
काल काल इत्यविशेषश्रुतेः । सिद्धसेनगणिटीका, पृ० ४३०-४३१ 45 यथा कालकृतदेशैरनवयव एवं द्रव्यकृतदेशैरपि, क्षेत्रतो भावतश्च सावयव एव । सिद्ध
सेनगणिटीका, पृ० ४३४ 46 न पुनरेक एव विच्छिन्नमुक्तावलीमणिवद् विद्यमानपूर्वापरकोटिर्वर्तमानः समयोऽभ्युपेयते ।
PENGHANTOTEST, go 838 47 Braganayii (MCT), 30
