History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c24.s2.17

c24.s2.17

The atom of Buddhism is not eternal, as in the other three systems, since Buddhism dogmatically asserts the impermanence of all things. It is conceived as " flashing into being ; its essential feature is action or function and therefore it may be compared to a focus of energy ".¹ The atoms constitute molecules (*saṃghāta*, *paramāṇu*, *kalāpa*), which must include at least one atom of all four elements, and which acquire their characteristics according to the atoms predominantly composing them. As well as atoms of the four elements, the molecules also contain atoms of a special type related to the five senses, which are responsible for their perception by the sense organs. They cohere by virtue of the atoms of water in each.²