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180
TATTVĀRTHA SŪTRA
separate from one another as a result of dissociation. It is on account of this difference that all parts—whether big or small-of a pudgala-aggregate are called avayava or component. By avayava is meant a part that can be separated off.
Though being pudgala an atom too is mūrta, yet it cannot be further divided into parts; for like a pradeśa of ākāśa it is the smallest part of pudgala. The magnitude of an atom is the smallest possible magnitude and hence it too belongs to the category indivisible part.
When it is here said that an atom is not divisible into parts, then what is spoken of is an atom in the form of an instance of substance not that in the form of modes. For so far as an atom in the form of modes is concerned parts are posited in its case too. Certainly, in one and the same atom there exist numerous modes like colour, smell, taste, etc., and in relation to this substance they all behave like parts of the form of bhāvas or modal states. Hence it is maintained that to a single atom there belong numerous bhāva atoms or atoms of the form of modal states.
Question : What is the difference between a pradeśa of dharma etc. and an atom of pudgala ?
Answer : So far as magnitude is concerned there is no difference. For that much area which is occupied by an atom is called pradeśa. And since an atom is an indivisible part the area occupied by it too will be but indivisible. Hence so far as their magnitude is concerned an atom on the one hand and the area called pradeśa occupied by it on the other are mutually similar. Even so, they differ from one another insofar as an atom can be separated from the aggregate of which it is a part while the pradeśa of the substances dharma etc. cannot be separated from their respective aggregates.
Question : In the aphorism 9 there occurs the word ‘ananta'—on the basis of which it can be made out that the substance pudgala can possibly be made up of ananta pradeśas. But what word yields the meaning-derived above—that it can
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