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96
Scientific Vision of Lord Mahāvīra
(A) Mono or Single Type
We have already seen that non-absolutist Jains do not find any contradiction in the basic unity and the diversity of an existent. This is the reason why in regards physical reality, infinity of the diversity of its quality and modes do not contradict its inherent unity. It is in the sense that all the physical reality is composed of atoms. Thus, there is only one or single class of Pudgala i.e. atom.
Here, it should be remembered that this unity is substance-wise (dravyārthika) and not modification-wise (paryāyārthiku). Jains do not accept the concept of 'absolute monism' in which all atoms are absolutely
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(B) Two Types
Paramanu is the ultimate building block of the physical reality. It can exist in a free state and because it has innate capacity to combine with other atoms, it unites with others and produces composite bodies that are called skandha. Every modification takes place because of fission or fusion of atoms. On this basis the physical reality is classified into following two ways: [i] paramāņu i.e. freely existing ultimate atom [ii] Skandha i.e. aggregate composed of two to infinite number of atoms
Composite aggregates are again of two types: (i) catusparsi and (ii) astasparsi, "16 Catusparsi, as the name indicates, has only four kind of touch, viz., hot or cold, dry or viscous. Astasparsi bodies, on the other hand, have in addition heaviness or lightness and hardness or softness (or roughness or smoothness). This means that catusparsi bodies are agurulaghu i.e. neither heavy nor light. In other words, they are massless. The quality of mass is acquired when the material bodies become astasparsi clusters.
From another point of view Pudgala can be classified into two categories, viz; (I) sukṣma i.e. subtle and (ii) bādara i.e.gross.117 One type of Pudgala that cannot be an object of sensory perception is subtle. While those aggregates that are perceivable by the sense organs are called gross. It should be noted here that the former is not devoid of sense data, but it is so miniscule that normal sense organs are incapable of being stimulated by them. For example, catusparsi bodies and atoms are out of sense organs power of perceiving and therefore they fall in this category i.e. subtle. Again, all aggregates composed of two to innumerable atoms are also under this category if they are subtle. The aggregates that are composed of infinite particles and astasparsi are both gross as well as subtle.
Pudgala is, again, classified into two categories on the basis of capability of being associated with jīva i.e. consciousness. There are some groups Pudgala, which interact with jiva and become associated with it. Thus, there are two types of Pudgala---(i) capable of interaction or association and (ii) incapable of interaction or association.'18 All atoms in their free state
