________________
(b)
these particles. As mentioned on page 160 f.n. the discharge of electricity between the clouds has been attributed, by the author of Sarvartha Siddhi, to the same property of Snigdhatva and R"uk]satva. Referring to the phenomenon of atomicinterlinking Dr. B.N. Seal in his book The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus (London), suspects that “the crude but immensely suggestive theory of chemical combinations (of the Jains) is possibly based on the observed electrification of smooth and rough surfaces as the result of rubbing. (Mark that the words Snigdha and R"uk sa have been translated as smooth and rough). In S"utras 33-36 the laws of these combination are discussed in detail and in Shutra 37 the formation of neutral atoms from positive and negative charges, the formation of positive and negative ions and as to how the same atom behaves sometimes as electropositive and sometimes as electro-negative are explained.” J.S. Zaveri and Muni Mahendra Kumar, Microcosmology: Theory of Atom in Jain Philosophy and Modern Science, pages 159-160 “The four additional touch are formed by combination of four basic touch as follows: (i) The negative charge (i.e. r"uk]sa) is associated with light
ness. (ii) The positive charge (i.e. snigdha) is associated with heavi
ness. (iii) Combination of cold spar«sa and positive charge results in
production of soft spar«sa. (iv) Combination of hot spar«sa and negative charge results in
production of hard spar«sa. Thus, there are two classes of material objects (i) those possessing four touch i.e., catu]hspara«s$û and (ii) those possessing eight touch i.e., a]s_tspar«si. Out of the eight varga]n"as (categories) of pudgala which intereact with the psychical existence, the last four are chatujhspar«s$û while the first four are a«s_taspar«s$û. Out of the last four categories, the category of «svāsocchaw"as is considered to be a]staspar«s$û by some "ac"aryas. The eight touch which can be grouped into four pairs refer to the following four physical properties of modern science: (i) Hot, cold correspond to temperature.
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