Paramanu

In the Vaisheshika school, all the substances of the universe are categorised into seven padarthas. They are dravya, guna, karma, samanya, vishesha, samvaaya and abhava.^[1]

The synthesis of action is called dravya. There are nine dravyas. They are prithvi, jal, tejas, vayu, aakasha, kaal, dika, atman and manas. The gunas reside in dravya. The four dravyas prithvi, jal, tejas and vayu have two forms. These two forms are nitya (eternal) and anitya (non eternal). The nitya (eternal) form of these four dravyas is called as paramanu. The collective term used for these four dravyas along with aakasha is bhuta.^[1] Paramanu is that smallest part of these bhutas which is indivisible, indestructible and whose existence is eternal. Their eternal existence is Akāraṇavat.^[5]

The anitya (non eternal) form of these four bhutas is called as Karya.^[1]

In Jainism it is one of the two types of Pudgala (matter), the other being Skandha.^[6][7] It also helps to define smallest measure of space. All the Parmanus occupy exactly same amount of space. The measure of the space occupied by one Parmanu is called Pradesha.^{[citation needed]}