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PHILOSOPHY
ATOM IN JAIN
CLASSIFICATION (OF MATTER)
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Different types of material composite bodies con stituting the physical order of existence can be classified from various aspects Substantially matter is infinite' ie there are infinite number of composite bodies as well as infinite elementary particles and is conversely, therefore fissionable into infinite components Spatially it is infinite because each space point of loka is occupied by infinite bodies and paramānus Temporally it is infinite because it is indestructible And because infinite qualities inhere in matter it is qualitatively infinite also 17 Thus there could be infinite types of matter 18 And since each of these infinite types are capable of infinite mutations and transformations the entire physical existence is infinitely infinite 19
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A UNIQUE SUBSTANCE
Non-absolutist Jains, therefore accept the infinite diversity of physical existence and do not find any contradiction in the fundamental (basic) unity and the infinite multiplicity of the material world On the contrary according to their non-absolutist attitude the reality of infinite multiplicity emphasises the substantial unity of matter Since the whole material universe is composed of the ultimate elementary particles viz paramānus, substance-wise it is a unity All matter in its ultimate analysis is nothing
16 Davao nam poggalathukāje anantayım day yaim-Bhagavati sitru 2-10-57
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17 Dava desena savse poggalā sapavesă vi appayesa vi anantā khera desena vi evam cheva, häla desena vi bhāva descna xi evam cheva-Bhagavan Sūtra 5-282
18 Ananāta bheda api pudgalāh-Tattvärtha Rāpartikam
5-25-3
19 Bhagavan Sutra 254-41 and 25-4-66
