Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 594

Sec. 17
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
569
Physical contact of Atoms and Aggregates of Atoms
Atoms and aggregates of atoms exist mutually touching one another. An atom touching the other one touches its whole by the whole of it, while touching a skandha, having two parts, it touches the part and the whole of that skandha by its whole." The duration of touching of one atom by the other one is one samaya in the minimum and innumerable samayas in the maximum.
Vibration of Atoms
Atoms are stated to be in a state of flux, always vibrating, moving and combining with other atoms to get transformed into skandhas (aggregate of atoms). Thus it is explained that an atom may or may not vibrate and get transformed into the state of vibration, etc.
Movements of Atoms
Atoms are moving and non-moving from the point of view of time (siya sēe siya nirēe).' The duration of moving of an atom is one samaya in the miuimum and innumurableth part of an āvalikā in the maximum and that of its non-moving is one samaya in the minimum and innumerable samayas in the maximum. An atom is sauveya and nireya (wholly moving and non-moving), while skandha, having two to infinite parts may be desuija (partly moving), sarvaija (wholly moving) and nireja (non-moving).
The Bhs throws light upon the intermediate times of the vibration of matter, atom and aggregate of atoms, e. g. matter immersed in one point of or innumerable points of space exists vibrating for one samaya in the minimum and innumerableth part of an avalikā in the maximum in the case of vibration and innumerable samayas in the case of non-vibration from the point of view of time, etc.?
It is stated that an atom goes from one last border of the Universe to its other last border by one samaya. The movement
i Bhs, 5, 7, 216. 4 Ib, 23, 4, 744. 7 16, 5, 7, 217.
72
· Ib, 5, 7, 217. $ 16, 5, 7, 217. 8 I6, 16, 8, 585.
3 16, 5, 7, 213.
16, 25, 4, 744,