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A CRITIQUE
105
I INNATE QUALITIES OF MATTER
A) THE WORD PUDGALA
The almost exclusive usage of the word pudgala, derived from pud=fusion and gala=fission, emphasises the Jain sages' deep insight into the structure of matter The discoveries of immense sources of nuclear energy have thrown the words fission and fusion into popular limelight But quite apart from this comparatively recent knowledge of the nuclear physics we have seen that there are innumerable instances of both fusion and fission of matter even in everyday life Both are essential whenever energy is released as in the common case of lighting of the match-stick. The cellulose of the match fissions into its components of carbon and hydrogen which are then fusioned with the oxygen of the air, to burn and release the chemical energy, the same thing happens when the coal catches fire The continuous processes of emission and absorption by the radio-active elements are also example of self-activated pud and gala. Use of this unique property of the substance in its nomenclature reveals the profoundness of knowledge B) DEFINITIONS
According to the Jain canonical literature, every paudgalıc (material) object does possess colour, taste smell and touch Conversely matter is the only substance which is the object of sensuous cognition The other five substances are devoid of sense-data Thus only matter is 'rūpi' while the others are 'arūpı The term rip does not mcan visible but perceivable and significs the concurrent existence of all the four sense-data The physical order of existence, accord
