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THE JAINA PHILOSOPHY
and eternal unit 93
It is truly infinitesimal Its beginning, the middle and the end are identical with the whole of itself Hence the sages have observed that of which the start the centre and the end is the same ie which itself is the beginning itself is the middle and itself is the end, that which is not perceptible (cognised by sensual perception) and that which is indivisible is called paramānu 95
In the Panchāstıkāya-sāra, paramānu is defined by some other characteristics Viz, its innate qualities thus 'the substance which has a single taste, a single colour, one smell and two kinds of sparsa, which is the cause of sound but is not sound itself, which is not the same as skandhas (composite) though constituting them, is the paramāuu
According to the above definitions, four sense data VIZ, touch, taste, odour and colour are intrinsic qualities of a paramāņu Sound, being an attribute of skandhas is not associated with paramānu
The qualities possessed by a paramānu are one of the five primary colours, one of the two smells and one of the five tastes and two of the four touches i e either hot or cold and either dry or unctuous
In the commentary to the canons the paramānu is defined thus Paramānu is the fundamental substance and the cause of formation of aggregates i e it 15 the ultimate elementary particle in every material object, it is the smallest indivisible particle of matter, it is indestructible, it existed in the past, exists in the present and will continue to exist in the future It
93 Tartvārtha Rājvārska 525 i
94 Saukşmyādālmādayah ātmamadhyāh âtmanläscha Taltvārtha Sūtra with Sarvarthsiddhi commentary 5-25
95 Ibid
