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Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories (Study)

by Diptimani Goswami | 2014 | 61,072 words

This page relates ‘Asatkaryavada (a): Arambha-vada� 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.

Aٰⲹ岹 (a): Ārambha-vāda

According to the ٰⲹ岹, the effect is a new beginning (arambha), a new creation; it is different from its cause and it can never be the same with cause. The effect is not the transformation of the cause. The main point of this doctrine is that the effect is not existent in its material cause before its production. If it pre-exists, then there will be no sense in saying that the effect is produced. If the jār already exists in the clay, the cloth in the threads and curd in milk, then how it is said that the potter makes the jār from the clay, the weaver makes cloth from threads etc. , ղśṣi첹, Buddhists, Materialists and some followers of īṃs are ٰⲹ徱Բ. The ⲹ, ղśṣi첹 theory is also known as 󲹱岹, i.e., production is a new beginning. The ٰⲹ徱Բ have refused the ٰⲹ岹. Śī󲹰 gives different arguments in his ⲹkaṇḍalī to refute the view of ٰⲹ岹. At first Śī󲹰 has discussed the five arguments which are given to establish, ٰⲹ岹. He states that if the effect exists in the cause before its production then why the effect is not seen in it, though all conditions are found for the perception of the effect. He explains it with the example of cloth (i.e., the effect) and the threads (i.e., the cause).[1] To this, the ٰⲹ徱 may reply that it is not seen because of the non-manifestation of the effect. Śī󲹰 here asks what is the meaning of this non-manifestation? If non-manifestation means the absence of power of producing an effect which is capable of perception, then it follows that this power of producing the effect is first non-existent in the cause and comes into existence only afterwards. This actually vindicates the theory of ٰⲹ岹. Again if the manifestation of the causal activity is said to be unmanifested at first and becomes manifest afterwards, then also ٰⲹ岹 will hold good. For here the effect is not first perceived in its material cause and then it is perceived later. Therefore, the ٰⲹ岹 is acceptable, as this perceptible form is non-existent before the production of the effect and afterwards it comes into existence.[2]

The ٰⲹ徱s point out that the cloth, i.e., the effect is not perceived in the cause, i.e., thread because there is the absence of the activity of the weaver etc. (i.e., the cause). Śī󲹰 argues here that if, according to the ٰⲹ徱s, theactivity of the cause (ṇa) is existent, then the cloth also will always be perceived. If on the other hand, the causal activity is non-existent then the effect will also have no existence.[3]

The ٰⲹ徱s again say that which is non-existent cannot be produced by any activity of the cause e.g. the sky flower. But according to Śī󲹰, there is difference of nature between a jar and sky-flower. The sky-flower has no existence in nature, whereas the jar has the nature of both existence and non-existence. Before their production, they are non-existent and after production, they are existent.[4] Refuting the ṃkⲹ view that if the effect is not related to the cause, any effect would be produced from any cause, Śī󲹰 says that for a particular kind of effect there is the efficiency (śپ)in a particular kind of cause. The restriction of a particular material cause producing a particular effect depends upon the nature of the things. The pre-existence of any effect in its cause is not required. A particular cause produces only that effect for which it has the capacity. The thing which being present, the effect is produced, and which being absent the effect is not produced is the material cause of that effect.[5]

Śī󲹰 also does not accept the non-different of the effect with the cause. He argues that our perception testifies to the difference of the cause and the effect. It is perceived that a cause and its effect are different in their nature. Otherwise it will be possible to wear threads instead of a cloth. Hence, effect does not pre-exist in the cause.[6] Gautama maintains that an effect is non-existent before it is produced because it is witnessed to have both origination and destruction.[7] Origination means being existence and such origination is impossible in the ٰⲹ岹. According to ٲⲹԲ, if the effect is pre-existent in the cause before its production then it cannot be produced.[8] Uddyotakara, Vācaspati Miśra, and others also do not accept ٰⲹ岹 and have given arguments to establish ٰⲹ岹.

The ⲹ-ղśṣi첹s directly reject the ṃkⲹ-Yoga and ձԳٲ view of ٰⲹ岹. According to this theory, the effect () is non-existent (asat) in the cause before its production It is a new beginning (), a fresh creation. In this view, cause is different from the effect.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

yadi kāraṇavyāpārātprāgapi paṭastantuṣu sanneva kimityupalabdhikāraṇeṣu satsu satyamapi jijñāsāya nopalabhyate? ⲹkaṇḍalī. p.341

[2]:

cf. athopalabdhi yogyasyārtha kriyānivartanakṣaṇasya rūpasya viraho’nabhivyaktih tadānī� ٰⲹ岹� tathābhutasya rūpasya prāgabhāve paścādbhāvāt. Ibid., p.341

[3]:

cf. Ibid., p.342

[4]:

cf. yaccoktam asadaśakyakaraṇa� vyomakusuma vidite, tatra svabhāvabhedāt, asadekasvabhāvam gaganakusuma� sadasatsvabhāva� tu ghaṭādikam. Ibid., p.342

[5]:

anvayavyatirekābhyā� tajjātīyaniyamena tajjātiyasya śaktyavadhāraṇāt. Ibid., p.343

[6]:

cf. Ibid., p.343

[7]:

ܳٱ貹ٳپⲹⲹ岹ś. ⲹsūtra, 4.1.49

[8]:

ⲹbhāṣya, 4.1.50

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