Jain Metaphysics and Science: 3.1.3 The Alienated Modes of Pudgala

There are ten important alienated modes of the physical substance.

1. Sound (Sabda).

Sound is produced by collision or separation of two or more physical objects. It is the agitation set up by knocking together or splitting of two aggregates. It is of two kinds – (i) natural or spontaneous, e.g. thunder and (ii) that produced by conscious effort. The later is again of two kinds – (i) lingual and (ii) non-lingual. The lingual sound is again o two kinds- (i) articulate i.e. made up of alphabetical composition, and (ii) inarticulate i.e. sound produced by subhuman animals. Non-lingual sound is produced with the help of (musical) instruments.

From a different aspect, sound may be divided into three kinds.

1. Sound produced by animate organisms.
2. Sound produced by inanimate objects.
3. Sound produced jointly by both.

Thus sound is not a quality but modification of pudgala. Sound is in the form of waves produced by the vibrations of sounds – producing bodies and is propagated by material medium such as air or water but not by space,i.e. vacuum.

2. Integration (Bandh)

All the physical objects are produced either by integration (bandh) or by disintegration (bheda). The integration is of two types – (i) natural (vaisrasika) and (ii) made by animate organisms (prayogika). The natural kind is again of two types – (i) with a definite beginning and (ii) without a beginning. Some instances of natural integration, which have a beginning, are clouds, lightening, rainbow etc. The only instances of eternal or beginning less integration are dharma, adharma and akasa.

Integration made by living organisms is necessarily with a definite beginning and can be divided into two kinds.

1. Integration of one kind of matter with another, e.g., production of chemical compounds.
2. Combination of matter with living beings.

The last one is again of two types – (i) karma-bandh, bondage of Karma-vargana (with soul), and (ii) no-karma-bandh, combination of other groups of pudgala with soul in vital functions.

Jain philosophy provides elaborate rules for bonding between paramanus. The bonding takes place due to positive and negative charge of paramanus. The charge of a paramanu varies in a range. Let M be the minimum charge and that the charge increase in steps of 1, 2 or 3 etc. units. The paramanu can have a charge M, M+1, M+2, M+3 etc. The rules for bonding between paramanus are given in table 1. It is seen that there is some variation is the rules in Swetambara and Digambara traditions. In both traditions a paramanu having a minimum charge does not bond with other paramanu. If charge is more than minimum value and differs by two units and more then the two paramanus can bond according to both traditions. These rules are also applicable to bonding between an aggregate and a paramanu or between two aggregates.

Table 1 Bonding rules for paramanus

The qualities of the aggregate produced by bonding depend on the qualities of the constituent paramanus or aggregates. For instance one degree black paramanu on combining with higher degree white paramanu becomes white. When one degree black paramanu combines with one degree white paramanu a grey colour shall be produced in the aggregate.

3. Micro and Macro sizes (Sauksmya and sthaulya)

The physical universe is composed of innumerable varieties of physical objects, from a paramanu to a giant star. Both these opposite qualities are special attributes of pudgala. Largeness and minuteness are, however, mostly relative terms. Largeness of an object is relative to the minuteness of another object. The paramanu is the minutest object and the greatest aggregate (acitta maha skandha) is that which pervades the entire cosmic space (loka). Between these two extremes all other objects are relatively minute or large. There is a special process defined in Jain philosophy as kevali samudghat, which means expansion of soul's space points just before attaining the omniscient state, by a monk. In this process the pudgala paramanus attached to the soul spread and fill the entire cosmic space. This pudgala formation is also called the great aggregate. 

4. Shape/Configuration (Samsthana)

This is also an important attribute of the physical existence. It is related to the capability of the physical objects to extend in the space. Shapes have infinite varieties, but they can be divided broadly into two groups.

1. Regular or symmetrical. A shape that can be compared with other shapes is regular e.g. sphere, cube, pyramid etc.
2. Irregular or asymmetrical. A shape that is indefinite is irregular e.g. clouds, rocks etc.

Large and complex objects break up into smaller and simpler components. Division or disintegration is of two types (i) natural, and (ii) made by living organisms. Natural disintegration is the spontaneous decay of the physical substance. Natural forces such as internal stress, earthquake, wind, rain, flow of water, etc may cause this.

Disintegration produced by living organisms is of many varieties depending upon the method of division and separation. Division by sawing or splitting (utkara), division by breaking into smaller pieces (khanda), division by grinding (curna), layer-by-layer separation (pratara), division by fissures (anutatika), etc. are some examples of division.

5. Darkness (Andhakara)

Light is an attribute of pudgala and is the cause of visibility. Darkness, the anti-thesis of light and the cause of invisibility are also an attribute of pudgala. Darkness, according to Jain belief, is not merely absence of light but is a specific combination of physical bodies in which black colour is predominant.

Scientifically, darkness is absence of light. A dark object reflects fewer visible photons than other objects, and therefore appears dim in comparison. Most objects that absorb visible light reemit it as infrared light. So, although an object may appear dark, it is likely bright at a frequency that a human being cannot see. The scientific definition of light includes the entire electromagnetic spectrum, not just visible light, so it is physically impossible to create perfect darkness. The Jaina view that darkness is an attribute of pudgala is thus verified by science.

6. Shadows (Chhaya)

Shadows and image are also produced by light, and are, therefore, physical things. Every object emits radiations. These radiations when incident on a reflecting surface produce an image. The image is clear when the reflecting surface is mirror like and blurred when the reflecting surface is rough.

7. Hot Effulgence (Atapa)

Hot effulgence is the sunlight or light from a fire or a lamp etc. The emission from such sources is composed of both the heat radiations and light, the sun light carries less light radiations (35%) and more heat radiations. The fire is hot and its radiations are also hot.

8. Cold Effulgence (Udyota)

Cold effulgence is predominant in light radiations, and there is very little heat. Reflection of sunlight by moon etc falls into this kind. Light radiated from the tiny body of a glow-worm is mostly light (99%) and only little heat (1%).

9. Luster (Prabha)

Luster is a light ray emitted by certain gems and the like.