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अध्याय-५
lamps in a room intermingle without causing obstruction to each other, in the same manner, the material (mūrta) objects can get accommodated in the same space at the same time. It should be understood in this manner from the authority of the Scripture also: “The universe is densely (without inter-space) filled with variety of infinite-times-infinite forms of matter (pudgala) of subtle (sūksma) and gross (sthūla) nature in all directions.”
What is the nature of accommodation (avagāha) of souls (īva) in the space?
असंख्येयभागादिषु जीवानाम् ॥१५॥
[ जीवानाम् ] जीवों का अवगाह [ असंख्येय भागादिषु ] लोकाकाश के असंख्यातवे भाग आदि में है।
The souls (jīva) inhabit one of innumerable (asamkhyāta) parts, etc., of the universe-space (lokākāśa).
The universe-space (lokākāśa) is taken over from sūtra 5-12. The universe-space is divided into innumerable (asamkhyāta) parts. Each part is one of innumerable (asamkhyāta) parts. This part is the starting point. The souls occupy from a single such part to innumerable (asamkhyāta) parts. For instance, one soul inhabits one unit of space. Similarly, one soul can permeate two, three, four units of space up to the extent of the entire universe. But all the souls taken together permeate the entire universe. Now a contention arises. If one soul occupies one unit of space, how can infinite-times-infinite souls with their several bodies find room in the universe-space, which is only of the extent of innumerable (asamkhyāta) units of space? It should be understood that the souls dwell in subtle (sūksma) and gross (sthūla)
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