Verse 5.24 - The modes of the matter (pudgala-paryāya)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Tattvartha sūtra 5.24:

शब्दबन्धसौक्ष्यस्थौल्यसंस्थानभेदतमश्छायाऽऽतपोद्योत वन्तश्च ॥ ५.२४ ॥

śabdabandhasaukṣyasthaulyasaṃsthānabhedatamaśchāyā''tapodyota vantaśca || 5.24 ||

Sound (śabda), union (bandha), fineness (sukṣmatva), grossness (sthūlatva), shape (saṃsthāna), division (bheda), darkness (andhakāra), image/shadow (chāyā), warm light (ātapa) and cool light (udyota) also are modes (paryāya) of the matter (pudgala). (24)

Hindi Anvayarth:

अन्वयार्थ: उक्त लक्षणवाले पुद्गल [शब्द बन्ध सौक्ष्य स्थौल्य संस्थान भेद तमश्छायाऽऽतपोद्योतवन्तः च] शब्द, बन्ध, सूक्ष्मता, स्थूलता, संस्थान (आकार), भेद, अन्धकार, छाया, आतप और उद्योतादि वाले होते हैं, अर्थात् ये भी पुद्गल की पर्यायें हैं।

Anvayartha: ukta lakshanavale pudgala [shabda bandha saukshya sthaulya samsthana bheda tamashchaya''tapodyotavantah ca] shabda, bandha, sukshmata, sthulata, samsthana (akara), bheda, andhakara, chaya, atapa aura udyotadi vale hote haim, arthat ye bhi pudgala ki paryayem haim |

Explanation in English from Ācārya Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi:

The particular modes (paryāya) of the matter (pudgala) are mentioned in this sūtra.

Sound is of two kinds. One partakes of the nature of languages and the other is different from it. The first again is of two kinds, sounds which are expressed (indicated) by letters–with the script, and sounds which are not expressed by letters–without the script. Languages having the script are rich in literature. The well developed languages serve as means of intercourse among civilized persons, and other languages among primitive peoples. The latter kind of sounds (i.e. sounds not having the script) is the means of ascertainment of the nature of superior knowledge amongst creatures with two or more senses. Both these kinds of sounds are produced by the efforts of the living beings, not by nature. Sounds not partaking of the nature of languages are of two kinds, causal and natural. Natural sounds are produced by the clouds, and so on. The causal sound is of four kinds–tata, vitata, ghana, and sauṣira. Sound produced by musical instruments covered with leather, namely, the drum, the kettle-drum, the large kettle-drum, etc., is ‘tata’. Sound produced by stringed instruments such as the lute, the lyre, the violin, and so on, is ‘vitata’. Sound produced by metallic instruments, such as the cymbal, the bell, etc. is ‘ghana’. Sound produced by wind-instruments such as the flute, the conch, etc., is ‘sauṣira’.

Union (bandha) is of two kinds, natural and that produced by the efforts of human beings. The first kind of union (bandha) is caused by the mixing of smooth and rough particles of matter (positive and negative electric charges) in lightning, meteoric showers, rainfall, fire, rainbow, etc. Union produced by the efforts of human beings is twofold, union of the non-living things, and union of the living and the non-living. Instances of union of the non-living things are resin, wood, and so on. The second kind of union consists of bondage of karma and nokarma with the soul (jīva).

Fineness (sukṣmatva) is of two kinds, extreme and relative. Extreme fineness is found in the indivisible atoms. Instances of relative fineness are the wood-apple, myrobalan, plum, etc. Grossness (sthūlatva) also is similarly of two kinds, extreme and relative. The instance of extreme grossness is the biggest molecule of matter pervading the entire universe. Instances of relative grossness are the plum, myrobalan, wood-apple, palmyra fruit, etc.

Shape (saṃsthāna) is of two kinds, that which can be defined and that which cannot be defined. The regular geometrical shapes such as the circle, the triangle, the rectangle, the square, the globe, etc., are instances of the first variety. The shapes which are haphazard and irregular, e.g., of the clouds, are those which cannot be defined.

Division (bheda) or separation is of six kinds. Illustrations of these kinds are:

1. sawing a piece of wood,
2. grinding barley, wheat, etc. into flour,
3. breaking a pitcher, etc., into potsherds and other fragments,
4. threshing out black gram, green gram, etc.,
5. dividing mica into many layers, and
6. emission of sparks of fire on hammering a red-hot iron-ball.

Darkness (andhakāra) is the opposite of light; it obstructs vision.

An image/shadow (chāyā) results from obstruction of light by an object. It is of two kinds, images as seen in a mirror and uninverted images like the shadow. In the first of these, the left side becomes right and the right side becomes left.

Warm light (ātapa) is heat and light combined, emanating from the sun, etc. Cool light (udyota) is the light issuing from the moon, the firefly (glowworm), jewels, etc.

Al these, sound (śabda), etc., are modes (paryāya) of the matter. And those in which these modes (paryāya) are produced are forms of the matter. Other modes (paryāya) of the matter, such as the impulse, the blow, etc., as described in the Scripture, are included by the particle ‘ca’ in the sūtra.