The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s1.60

c4.s1.60

Before explaining the genesis of atoms it is necessary to say something about Ákása, which is the link between the infra-atomic particles (Tanmátras) and atoms (Paramánus). Ákása corresponds in some respects to the ether of the physicists, and in others to what may be called proto-atom (protyle). In one aspect Ákása is all-pervasive (विभु), and devoid of the property of impenetrability which characterises even the infra-atomic potential units (Tanmátras). In another aspect Ákása is described as having originated out of the mass, or inertia, in Prakriti (Bhútádi) when the latter became charged with the first potential (the sound-potential). Vijñána-bhikshu, in the Yoga-Vártika, boldly tackles the difficulty. Ákása, he explains, has two forms—original and derivative, non-atomic and atomic. The original Ákása is the undifferentiated formless Tamas (mass in Prakriti, matter-rudiment—Bhútádi), which is devoid of all potentials, and is merely the all-pervasive seat or vehicle of the ubiquitous original Energy (Rajas). This Ákása must not be confounded with vacuum, which is merely negative (आवरणाभाव—un-occupiedness), though it must be conceived as all-pervasive, occupying the same space as the various forms of gross matter (समानदेशकम्—अवकाशस्वरूपम् आकाशं—योगवार्त्तिक), and therefore devoid of the property of impenetrability (मूर्त्तान्तरसमानदेशत्वं—योगवार्त्तिक) which characterises atomic matter. But when the original equilibrium (साम्यावस्था) comes to an end, unequal aggregations form collocations in different groups and proportions of the three Guṇas (न्यूनाधिकभावेन अन्योऽन्यं संयोगविशेषः संहननं—विज्ञानभिक्षु, प्रवचनभाष्य and योगवार्त्तिक). The transformation of Energy now begins—working on a collocation of mass (with Essence) (गुणान्तरोपसृष्टं संदंशतः—विज्ञानभिक्षु, योगवार्त्तिक); it first gives rise to the sound-potential (शब्दजननयोग्यbodyरूपेण परिणमति—विज्ञानभिक्षु), and the atomic Ákása (proto-atom, protyle) is but an integration of the original unit of mass charged with this vibration-potential. This vibratory (or rather rotary) ether-atom (आकाशाणु) is integrated, limited (परिच्छिन्न), and as such cannot occupy the same space with other (subsequently integrated) atoms. But this proto-atomic integration of Ákása (कार्याकाश) is formed everywhere, and, itself residing in the ubiquitous non-atomic Ákása (कारणाकाश—अवकाशरूपमाकाशं), forms the universal medium in which air or gas atoms, light-and-heat corpuscles, and other atoms move and float about.