Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
Gautam asked Mahavira - ''Oh Lord! Can we refer one, two or three units of Dharmāstikāya as Dharmāstikāya.''
á'Gautam! No, it cannot be''
á'Oh Lord! Why cannot we refer so!''
á'Gautam! Can we call a piece of wheel as the wheel?''
á'No, Lord! The piece of wheel cannot be called as a wheel. The whole and unbroken wheel only can be called as a wheel.''
Similar questions were asked in the case of Chatra (Umbrella), Carmaratna (a special diamond), a stag etc. In conclusion, Lord Mahavira propounds that 'From 1 Unit to 1 Unit less of Dharmāstikāya, cannot be called as Dharmāstikāya. Complete units in aggregate together are called as dharmāstikāya.
Similar is the condition for adharmāstikāya, akāśāstikāya, pudgalāstikāya and jīvāstikāya.[1]
