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88
TATTVÄRTHA SUTRA
5.15: Asankhyeyabhägädishu Jeevänäm 5.16: Pradeshsanhärvisargäbhyäm Pradeepavat
(They stay in cosmic universe; Dharma and Adharma occupy the entire cosmic universe; Pudgal can occupy one or more parts; a soul can abide in innumerable parts by virtue of its capability to expand and contract like the light of a lamp.)
These sutras describe the location and the space occupied by different substances. Dharmästikäy and Adharmästikäy pervade the entire cosmic universe. All Jeevs together pervade the entire universe, but the extent of an individual Jeev also can range from innumerable Pradeshas to the entire cosmic universe. This is due to the fact that its Pradeshas are subject to expansion and contraction. That property is here compared with the property of a lamp. A lamp can spread its light in the entire area to which it is exposed. The lamp, which can illuminate a small room, can also illumine a bigger one, if it is moved to a bigger place. On the other hand if it is placed under an inverted bowl, its light would be confined within the area of that bowl. Similarly, a soul stays within a large or a small body, which it gets.
It is easy to understand that the size of Jeev varies from body to body. The question may, however, arise how its minimum size can be of innumerable Pradeshas even when it occupies a tiny body and how the maximum can extend the entire cosmic universe. It is of course true that a Jeev assụmes the tiny size, when it abides in a tiny body. But the concept of Pradesh is so subtle that even the size of an ant is equivalent to the innumerable Pradeshas. As such, its minimum size also extends to innumerable Pradeshas.
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