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64
EPISTEMOLOGY OF THE AGAMAS
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points of a countless number of cycles of time. But an atom of matter is still subtler. An infinite number of atoms can be accommodated in one space-point. Again, every atom has an infinite number of modes and as such the modes are conceived as subtler than the atoms. Thus of a time-point, space-point, a material atom and a mode, the succeeding one is subtler than the preceding one.' It, therefore, naturally follows that with the increase of the capacity for penetration into time, there is necessarily an increase in the capacity for extending over space, and comprehending more of matter and modes ; but extension in space does not necessarily involve more penetration into time, nor does comprehension of more matter and modes involve necessary spatial extension and temporal penetration. The rationale of the argument can be brought out as follows: A time-point is more extensive as compared with a space-point and so it is held that it is easier to extend over one space-point than to penetrate one time-point. So it is conceived that temporal penetration is necessarily accompanied with spatial extension. But the reverse is not true. Now as each space-point can contain an infinite number of atoms, and each atom has an infinite number of modes, it is conceived that with the increase of scope in space, there is necessarily an increase in the number of things and their modes that are comprehended, but the comprehension of a greater number of things and modes does not necessarily involve more penetration into time and extension in space. Comprehension of a greater number of things and modes may be due to the clarity of the intuition as well and this is another reason why it does not necessarily involve spatial or temporal extension. Similarly, although the highest type of avadhi can comprehend all the atoms of a space-point, it cannot comprehend all their modes because the comprehension of all the modes is possible only on the attainment of the maximum of clarity which materializes only on the dawn of omniscience.
We have stated that by avadhi one can know only those things which have form or shape. The formless things such as the souls, dharma (substance that helps motion) and adharma (substance that helps rest), space and time, are not intuited by avadhi. It is only the rūpin contents of space and time that are known by it. Its scope and durability is determined by the capacity of the person possessed of it. The Āvaśyakaniryukti gives a detailed description of avadhi from fourteen points of view viz. its varieties, its spatial extension, shape of space it extends over etc.3 The Nandi Sutra, however, gives only six varieties of avadhi that are possible in the case of a meritorious homeless mendicant with a few sub-varieties. We do not enter into details
1 See ĀNir, 37 ; also see Vibh, 621-3.
? See A Nir, 36. See ANir, 26-28.
4 See NS, 9-15 ; see also TSūBh on I. 23.
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