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Scientific Vision of Lord Mahāvīra
3. Integration (Bandha) and Disintegration (Bheda)
The ultimate atom is the permanent basis of physical existence. All physical objects are constituted by the ultimate atoms which combine together to form composite bodies or aggregates. Smaller and simpler aggregates also combine together to form larger and more complex objects. Conversely, large and complex objects break up into smaller and simpler components. This synthesis or fusion and break-up or fission are eternal phenomena in the physical universe. All physical objects are the result of either integration or disintegration
The integration is of two kinds--(i) Natural (vaisrasika) and (ii) Made by animate organisms (prāyogika). The natural, in respect of time, is again of two types: with a definite beginning and (ii) without a beginning. For example, clouds, lightening, rainbow etc. have beginning in time. As far as the physical existence is concerned, there is no integration without a beginning, either natural or made by organisms. The instances of eternal or beginningless integration are found only in the non-physical world. They are the medium of motion, the medium of rest, space and consciousness.
Integration made by living organisms is necessarily with a definite beginning and can be divided into two kinds from another aspect.
(i) Integration of one kind of matter with another, e g., production of
chemical compounds. (ii) Combination of matter with living beings.
The last one is again of two types: (i) karma-Bandha i.e.bondage or Combination of karma-particles with living beings, and (ii) No-karmabandha i.e. Combination of other groups of Pudgala with living beings.
Disintegration or break-up of physical bodies is also of two kinds:
(i) Natural and (ii) Made by animate organisms.
Natural disintegration is the spontaneous decay of the physical substances e.g. radioactive elements due to their own inherent structural properties. This kind also includes disintegration by natural forces such as wind, rain, flow of water, etc.
Disintegration produced by animate organisms is of many varieties depending upon the methods of division and separation. Some typical methods of break-up are:
(i) division by sawing or splitting (utkara) (ii) division by breaking into smaller pieces (khanda) (iii) division by grinding (cūrna) (iv) layer-by-layer separation (pratara) (v) division by fissures (anutatikā)
