Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
Out of five astikāyas (extended substances), dharma, adharma and ākāśa are numerically single entities.[1] But souls are infinite in number. Single soul has innumerable space units (points). If we count each soul as one unit of jīvāstikāya, then jīvāstikāya can be called as anantapradeśī (conglomeration of infinite units). The conglomeration of those infinite souls is called as jīvāstikāya in Bhagavatī.[2] Even pudgalāstikāya has been stated as the possessor of infinite units in Bhagavatī.[3] There are two divisions of pudgalāstikāya in Jain philosophy -
paramāṇu (atom) and skandha (aggregate). Atoms are infinite in number but even skandha are also infinite. Conglomeration of these is called as pudgalāstikāya. Dharmāstikāya, adharmāstikāya and ākāśastikāya are counted as 'one' entity in respect to skandha. They always remain in skandha form and never split into divisions. In respect of the number of units, dharma and adharma has innumerable and Ākāśa has infinite units.
From the spatial point of view, jīvāstikāya and pudgalāstikāya are cosmos-pervasive.[4] Similar is the case with dharma and adharma.[5] Jīva (single soul) is a part of jīvāstikāya.[6] Each soul has innumerable units individually. Ṭhāṇaṃ refers to dharmāstikāya, adharmāstikāya, loka-ākāśa and each soul to be possessor of innumerable units.[7] Dharma, adharma, loka-ākāśa are clearly described as cosmos-pervasive entities. During the fourth instant (smallest time unit) of kevalī samudghāta (expansion of soul-units outside the body by omniscients), soul also becomes cosmos-pervasive[8], but this law is applied only to the souls that undergoes the process of kevalī samudghāta which is an occasional phenomenon. Bhagavatī has stated jīvāstikāya as cosmos-pervasive but here 'Cosmos pervasion' is used not in the context of single soul, but it means that there is no space point in the cosmos, which is devoid of existence of souls. Similar law is applicable to pudgalāstikāya (matter) also. In the process of acitta mahāskandha (that largest skandha, ultimate aggregate of paramāṇus) of the pudgala (physical substance), which occupies the entire cosmic space and which consists of the greatest number of paramāṇus and is catuḥsparśī (possessed of four touches), one cluster of matter spreads in the whole cosmos, but Bhagavaī states that 'cosmos pervasivenesss' of pudgalāstikāya means that there is no space point in the cosmos which is devoid of the existence of matter. It means that matter exists all over the cosmos. In Bhagavatī, it is stated that the four astikāyas are cosmos-pervasive and the ākāśastikāya exists in both cosmic and trans-cosmic region. It is clear from above discussion that all the astikāyas are 'cosmos-pervasive' but their pervasiveness is not similar in nature.
