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Jaina Theory of Skandhas or Aggregations : 199
proposed by Jainas and discussed later and elsewhere32. When small number of atoms combine, they form sense-imperceptible aggregates. When many atoms or aggregates combine, they may form gross aggregates. It is stated that aggregatal combination may take place by three mothods33 :
(i) By division or dissociation of bigger aggregates to smaller ones in size. This ultimately produces atoms in the end.
(ii) By association or sharing of atoms together.
( ili ) By a mixed process of association and dissociation.
The dissociation may take place internally or externally as in the case of radioactivity or process of ionisation ( not mentioned in canons ). We also know today that it may also take place thermally, by application of pressure or particle bombardment. It has been shown later that the atomic aggregation takes place by three methods akin to the three types of valency or bonding of current science.
Canons aim at spiritual development on the basis of law of karma -- a form of law of cause and effect with a prospect of mutation. In this connection, canons mention that there is bonding uni-spatially of the living and kārmic matter by the activities - mental, vocal and physical. This bond is continued in later times in succession by two more stages34. However, this type of bonding is not subject of physical exploration.
Umāsvāti and Pūjyapāda35 have pointed out that sense perceptible aggregates are formed by the mixed method of association and dossociation. The latter has illustrated this point by saying that a fine aggregate may be split and its parts may combine with other bigger units to form a gross aggregate. However, Shastri 36 has raised a point whether Umāsvāti's aphorism, Bheda-sanghātabhyām Cakşuśāh, should mean a mixed process or two individual processes. Grammatically, the dual number in aphorism should mean two processes rather than a single one, otherwise, there should be singular number
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