Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories (Study)
by Diptimani Goswami | 2014 | 61,072 words
This page relates 鈥楽ubstance (1): Prithivi (Earth)鈥� of the study on the Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories with special reference to the Tarkasangraha by Annambhatta. Both Nyaya and Vaisesika are schools of ancient Indian Philosophy, and accepted in their system various padarthas or objects of valid knowledge. This study investigates how the Tarkasamgraha reflects these categories in the combined Nyayavaisesika school.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Substance (1): 笔峁泃丑颈惫墨 (Earth)
笔峁泃丑颈惫墨 is the first substance mentioned in all the lists of substance. 础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 has defined earth as that where smell exists 驳补苍诲丑补惫补迟墨 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨.[1] He has not however, explained the definition elaborately. But here the suffix vat must mean to exist in the relation of inherence (蝉补尘补惫腻测补). Otherwise the definition will be over-pervasive to time and space. For smell is related with time through temporal (办腻濒颈办补) relation and with space through spatial (诲补颈艣颈办补) relation. That is why, here the inherent relation is to be accepted. Hence, 痴颈艣惫补苍腻迟丑补 has clarified the definition of earth as the inherent cause of smell or odour.[2]
But then this definition will be non-pervasive also. 础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 here argues from the point of view of the opponent that in a product which is composed of parts having both good and bad odour, smell cannot produced being mutually destroyed by the existence of two contradictory odours. Hence, to such odourless object, this definition wills not apply.[3] It cannot be said that in this case though there is smell, its perception is rendered impossible. 础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 then refutes the view of the opponents saying that in such cases the different smells of the component parts are distinctly apprehended. He also points out that there is no need to accept a citra (variegated) smell.[4]
Another objection in this case is that this definition will not apply to pot etc. in first moment of their production which are destroyed just after being produced.
To avoid this the definition is to be amplified as:
gandhasam膩n膩dhikara峁嘺dravyatv膩para箩腻迟颈matvasya vivak峁tatv膩t.[5]
That means earth is that which possesses a 蝉腻尘腻苍测补 or 箩腻迟颈 that is different from dravyatva but exists in the same locus where gandha exists. The locus of smell is earth which possesses the 箩腻迟颈s like dravyatva and 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨tva. Hence, the definition of earth is rendered as that which possesses the universal of 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨tva.
It can be objected that definition becomes over-pervasive to water etc. also as smell can be perceived in water etc. To this A.B. says that the smell which is perceived in water is due to the existence of earth there.[6] Somebody may say that everything exists in time, hence all definitions which define an object as the locus of something else become over-pervasive to time. 础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 here replies that here the locus is to be understood as having a relation other than the relating time.[7] 痴颈艣惫补苍腻迟丑补 refers to another objection on the ground that as there is no smell in stone etc., the definition will be non-pervasive to stone etc. He then replies to this objection that though there is smell in stone etc.it cannot be perceived being not strong enough.[8] Smell is the specific quality of earth. Other dravyas also have smell but that smell is manifested only when mixed up with some particles of earth. 碍补峁嚹乨补 states that earth has four qualities -colour, taste, odour and touch.[9] Pra艣astap膩da states in his 叠丑腻峁补 that earth has colour, taste, smell, touch, number, magnitude, separation, conjunction, disjunction, remoteness, proximity, weight, fluidity and velocity.[10] Earth has many kinds of colour like whiteness, blackness etc.[11] There is six kinds of taste, viz., sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent. Earth has two kinds of smell, good and bad. Earth also possesses the quality of neither hot nor cold and touch which is generated by the action of fire.[12]
Earth is mainly divided into two kinds- nitya (eternal) and anitya (noneternal).[13] 艢iv膩ditya, Pra艣astap膩da, 痴颈艣惫补苍腻迟丑补 etc. also uphold the same view. Nitya means that which is not counter positive (辫谤补迟颈测辞驳墨) of destruction. That means eternal is that which is not destroyed. Non-eternal is the opposite, i.e., it is the counter positive of destruction. That non-eternal is that which can be destroyed.[14] In 痴腻办测补惫峁泃迟颈 the definitions of nityatva and anityatva are given as 苍颈迟测补迟惫补峁� 辫谤腻驳补产丑腻惫补辫谤补迟颈测辞驳颈迟惫别 sati 诲丑惫补峁僺腻辫谤补迟颈测辞驳颈迟惫补峁� and a苍颈迟测补迟惫补峁� pr膩gabh膩vapratiyogitv膩nyataravatva峁� vodhya峁�.[15] That eternal is that which is not the counter positive of both prior non-existence and non-existence pertaining to destruction. Non-eternal is the counter positive of both these types of non-existence. The atoms of earth are eternal while things produced from earth-atoms are noneternal.[16] Non-eternal things are composed of parts.
Non-eternal earth is again of three kinds, body, sense-organ and objects.[17] Human beings are said to be the body, like ourselves. Body is the seat of enjoyment of the self. Seat here means through which enjoyment is generated in the self. Enjoyment again is the perception of pleasure and pain. The human body is earthly body. Generally, in Indian philosophical circles, body is regarded as composed of five great elements (辫补帽肠补产丑奴迟补). But the 狈测腻测补-痴补颈艣别峁办补蝉 regard human body as made of earth only. 础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 says that earthly body is that which possesses smell. However, in 惭耻办迟腻惫补濒墨 body is said to be of two kinds鈥�yonija (embryonic) and ayonija (non-embryonic). Yonija has two kinds鈥�箩补谤腻测耻箩补 i.e., born of the uterus as men, animals etc. and andaja i.e., born of egg as of birds, reptiles etc. Ayonija is divided into two kinds鈥�svedaja and udbhija.[18] Bodies not born of the mother are those springing from moisture, those shooting out of the earth and so on. The former are represented by worms, gnats etc.; the latter by plants, shrubs, etc. The bodies of the denizens of hell are also not born of the mother.[19] 鈥淭丑别 狈补颈测腻测颈办补 theory of perception is given by 厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 Candroday thus: 腻迟尘腻 尘补苍补蝉腻 蝉补峁儁耻箩测补迟别 mana 颈苍诲谤颈测别峁噀苍诲谤颈测补尘补谤迟丑别苍补 迟补迟补岣� 辫谤补迟测补办峁尘. The organ is united with the external object on the one hand and is on the other hand connected with the mind which acts as a link with the soul. So the contact of the mind is with two things at once, viz. the soul and the organ, and both are the causes of knowledge.鈥�[20]
础苍苍补峁僢丑补峁弓补 defines 惫颈峁测补 in his 顿墨辫颈办腻 thus 惫颈峁测补 is that which differs from body and sense-organ.[21] 痴颈峁测补 is the object of sense organ. The earthly objects are clay, stone and such other things. According to 痴颈艣惫补苍腻迟丑补, everything from the 诲惫测补峁嘘办补 to the universe comes under the objects.[22] Pra艣astap膩da states that objects are dyads and their products of the form of earth, stones and plants. Earth, walls, bricks and such others are parts of earth. Stones, jewels, hail stones and such others are parts of stone. Grass, herbs, trees, creepers etc. are plants.[23]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.3
[2]:
辫峁泃丑颈惫墨tva峁� hi gandhasamav膩yik膩ra峁嘺t膩vacchedakatay膩 siddhati 补苍测补迟丑腻 驳补苍诲丑补迟惫腻惫补肠肠丑颈苍苍补蝉测腻办补蝉尘颈办补迟惫腻辫补迟迟别岣�. 狈测腻测补蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补尘耻办迟腻惫补濒墨, p. 109
[3]:
nanu surabhyasurabhyavayav膩ravdhe dravye parasparavirodhena gandh膩nutp膩d膩davy膩pti岣�. 顿墨辫颈办腻 on 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.6
[4]:
avayavagandhasyaiva tatra prat墨tisa峁僢havena citragandh膩na峁単墨k膩r膩t. Ibid., pp. 6-7
[5]:
Ibid., p.7
[6]:
anvayavyatirek膩bhy膩峁� 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨gandhasyaiva tatra bh膩n膩峁単墨k膩r膩t. Ibid
[7]:
[8]:
na ca p膩峁Ｄ佱箛膩dou gandh膩bh膩v膩d gandhavatvamapr膩ptamiti 惫腻肠测补峁� tatr膩pi gandhasatv膩t. 狈测腻测补蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补尘耻办迟腻惫补濒墨, p. 112
[9]:
r奴parasagandhaspar艣avat墨 辫峁泃丑颈惫墨 痴补颈艣别峁办补蝉奴迟谤补, 2.1.1
[10]:
谤奴辫补谤补蝉补驳补苍诲丑补蝉辫补谤艣补蝉补峁僰丑测腻辫补谤颈尘腻峁嘺辫峁泃丑补办补迟惫补蝉补峁儁辞驳补惫颈产丑腻-驳补辫补谤补迟惫补驳耻谤耻迟惫补诲谤补惫补迟惫补蝉补峁僺办腻谤补惫补迟墨. 痴补颈艣别峁办补诲补谤艣补苍补尘 with 笔谤补艣补蝉迟补辫腻诲补产丑腻峁补, pp. 15-16
[12]:
r奴pamanekaprak膩ra峁� 艣ukl膩di. 谤补蝉补岣� 峁dvidho madhur膩di岣�. gandho 诲惫颈惫颈诲丑补岣� surabhirasurabhi艣ca. spar艣o鈥檚y膩 anu峁ａ箛a艣墨tatve sati 辫腻办补箩补岣�. 痴补颈艣别峁办补诲补谤艣补苍补尘 with 笔谤补艣补蝉迟补辫腻诲补产丑腻峁补, p. 16
[14]:
苍颈迟测补迟惫补峁� dhva峁儾跄錺ratiyogitvam.a苍颈迟测补迟惫补峁� dhva峁僺apratiyogitvam. 顿墨辫颈办腻 on 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.7
[15]:
cf. 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.p. 104-105
[16]:
Ibid
[17]:
tat puna岣� p峁泃hivy膩dik膩ryadravya峁� 迟谤颈惫颈诲丑补峁� 艣arirendriya惫颈峁测补kasa峁僯帽膩m. 痴补颈艣别峁办补蝉奴迟谤补, 4.2.1; 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.7
[18]:
yonijam补测辞苍颈箩补峁� cetyartha岣�. yonijamapi 诲惫颈惫颈诲丑补峁� /
箩补谤腻测耻箩补ma峁囜笉aja峁� ca. 补测辞苍颈箩补峁� svedajodbhijj膩dikam // 狈测腻测补蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补尘耻办迟腻惫补濒墨, p. 135
[19]:
Ibid
[20]:
Vide., 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.107
[22]:
vi峁yodvya峁噓k膩di艣ca vrahm膩峁囜笉膩nta 耻诲腻丑峁泃补岣�. 叠丑腻峁Ｄ乸补谤颈肠肠丑别诲补, p.45
[23]:
惫颈峁测补stu dvya峁噓k膩dikramen膩ravdhastrividho-m峁泃p膩峁Ｄ佱箛asth膩varalak峁峁嘺岣�
鈥r膩k膩re峁ａ弓ak膩dayo m峁泃prak膩r膩岣�. p膩峁Ｄ佱箛膩-upalama峁噄vajradaya岣� 鈥� patay iti. 鈥� 痴补颈艣别峁办补诲补谤艣补苍补尘 with 笔谤补艣补蝉迟补辫腻诲补产丑腻峁补, p. 19