Dr. N.L. Kachhara
Some attributes of pudgala were briefly described in chapter 1. Pudgala is the only substance which is murta and perceivable. Rupatva / murtatva or sensory perceptibility is the sum total of the four sensuous qualities mentioned above. All mutation of matter must possess all the four qualities as follows.
- Five types of primary colour: Black, blue, red, yellow, white
- Five types of taste: Sweet, bitter, pungent, sour & astringent
- Two types of odour: Good smell and bad smell.
- Eight types of touch: Cold, hot, smooth (positive charge), rough (negative charge), light, heavy, soft and hard.
Based on above qualities the substances can be of four types.
- Substance having one colour, one smell, one taste and two touches.
- Substance having five colours, two smells, five tastes and four touch.
- Substance having five colours, two smells, five tastes and eight touch.
- Substance having none of these qualities intangible substances.
Based on touch the pudgala is of three types
- Two touch (primary) paramanu.
- Four touch (primary) subtle (suksma) aggregates (skandha) -energy.
- Eight touch gross (badara) aggregates-energy and matter.
Cold, hot, smooth and rough are primary touch qualities of pudgala. The smooth touch is also regarded as positive charge and the rough touch is regarded as negative charge. We shall use these equivalence properties in our study. The other four touch qualities viz. light, heavy, soft and hard are secondary touch qualities. These touch qualities develop when bonding between infinite paramanus produces a gross aggregate. If number of negative paramanus is more in the bonding process the aggregate contains light touch quality and if positive paramanus are more then heavy touch is produced in the aggregate. When positive paramanus are in majority and they bond in cold condition soft touch is produced and when a majority of negative paramanus bond in hot condition hard touch is produced in the aggregate. The mass (or weight) of the aggregate is said to relate to the light and heavy touch qualities. These two qualities always co-exist, they are not found separately in aggregate. The four touch aggregates and paramanu are agurulaghu and mass less. The mass is a property of gross aggregates having eight- touch.
In the true sense the paramanu and aggregates as a class have no beginning; they have always been in existence. But a particular aggregate or paramanu has a beginning and a life. The minimum life of a paramanu as paramanu and that of an aggregate as aggregate can be one 'samaya' and maximum life can be innumerable 'samayas'. Therefore, they undergo change. The pudgala are of two types, subtle and gross, as said earlier. The subtle does not remain subtle and gross does not remain gross for all time. After innumerable 'samaya' the subtle changes to gross and gross changes to subtle form. Similarly, the colour and other attributes of pudgala also change with time. A black colour of one degree can stay in the same condition for a minimum time of one 'samaya' and a maximum time of innumerable 'samaya'. Thereafter, one degree black shall change to innumerable degree black by the internal process of 'sadguna hani vridhhi' described earlier. Intrinsic modification occurs in every substance every moment. Extrinsic modification of gross aggregates is also certain after innumerable 'samaya'.
A subtle aggregate and paramanu are not perceivable in that form but if the same aggregate assumes a gross form on modification it becomes perceptible. It is because of this property that a subtle aggregate is also said to be the subject of sense organs. The mind can perceive the subtle as well as gross objects. The mind does not physically contact the object of its knowledge but perceives it by resolve. The mind with the help of sense organs acquires the cognitive and articulate knowledge. Only some modes of all substances become the object of cognitive and articulate knowledge. The scriptures are pudgala in physical form but are non-physical in the articulate form. With the help of articulate form of scriptures and its own thoughts the mind perceives both the gross and subtle objects. The omniscient knows fully the physical and nonphysical objects including a paramanu. A person with clairvoyance knowledge also has the ability to perceive gross and subtle objects. Common persons know subtle objects by scriptural knowledge and inference.
