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CHAPTER FIVE
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of the form of astikāya or a collection of pradeśas. However, it was not mentioned there as to what is the particular number of pradeśas to be found in each case; it is this number that is mentioned here.
In the case of the two substances dharmāstikāya and adharmāstikāya the number of pradeśas is asankhyāta each. By pradeśa is understood a subtle constituent-part in whose case it is not possible even to posit through intellect a further constituentpart. Such an indivisible subtle part is also called partless part. Dharma and adharma—these two substances are of the form of one instance each, and in their case the number of pradeśas or partless parts in asankhyāta each. This amounts to saying that these two substances are of the form of such an impartite aggregate in whose case an asarkhyāta number of indivisible subtle parts can only be posited through intellect but cannot be taken out of the objectively existing aggregate concerned.
The substance jīva is of the form of ananta instances. And each particular jīva is an impartite entity which, like dharmāstikāya, is made up of asankhyāta pradeśas.
Of all the substances ākāśa constitute the biggest aggregate, for in its case the number of pradeśas is ananta.
The aggregates pertaining to the substance pudgala—unlike the other four substances dharna, adharma etc.,--are not of a definite form; for one pudgala-aggregate might be made up of sankhyāta pradeśas, another made up of asarkhyāta, a third made up of ananta, a fourth made up of anantānanta.
There is one difference between pudgala and the other substances—viz. that the pradeśas of pudgala can be separated from the aggregate concerned while the pradeśas of the other four substances cannot be so separated. For the four substances other than pudgala are non-murta and it is the nature of a non-murta entity that it is not broken into pieces. As for the substance pudgala it is mūrta and a mūrta entity can well be broken pieces; for the mūrta substances are found to possess the capacity to join together as a result of association and the capacity to
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