Vaisheshika - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vaisheshika orVaieika (Sanskrit: ) is one of the six Hindu schools of philosophy (Vedic systems)of India. Historically, it has been closely associated with the Hindu school of logic, Nyaya.

Vaisheshika espouses a form of atomism and postulates that all objects in the physical universe are reducible

to a finite number of atoms. Originally proposed by the sage Kada (orKana-bhuk, literally, atom-eater)

around the 2nd century BC.[1]

1 Overview

2 Literature of Vaisheshika

3 The Categories orPadrtha

4 Epistemology and syllogism5 The atomic theory

6 Later developments

7 Views by the Vedanta School

8 See also

9 Notes

10 References

11 External links

Although the Vaisheshika system developed independently from the Nyaya, the two eventually merged

because of their closely related metaphysical theories. In its classical form, however, the Vaishesika school

differed from the Nyaya in one crucial respect: where Nyaya accepted four sources of valid knowledge, the

Vaishesika accepted only perception and inference. Although not among Kanada's original philosophies,[2]

later Vaishesika atomism also differs from the atomic theory of modern science by claiming the functioning

of atoms(or their characterization because of which they function in their way) was guided or directed by the

will of the Supreme Being or Supreme Concept.

An alternative view would qualify the above in that the holism evident in the ancient texts mandate theidentification of six separate traditional environments of philosophy, consisting of three sets of two pairs.

The earliest systematic exposition of the Vaisheshika is found in the Vaieika Stra of Kada (orKaabhaksha). This treatise is divided into ten books. The two commentaries on the Vaieika Stra,Rvaabhya and Bhradvjavtti are no more extant. Praastapdas Padrthadharmasagraha (c. 4thcentury) is the next important work of this school. Though commonly known as bhya of Vaieika Stra,this treatise is basically an independent work on the subject. The next Vaisheshika treatise, Candras

Daapadrthastra (648) based on Praastapdas treatise is available only in Chinese translation. Theearliest commentary available on Praastapdas treatise is Vyomaivas Vyomavat(8th century). The otherthree commentaries are ridharas Nyyakandal(991), Udayanas Kiranvali (10th century) and rivatsasLlvat(11th century). ivdityas Saptapadrthwhich also belongs to the same period, presents the Nyya

heshika - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaisheshika

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and the Vaieika principles as a part of one whole. akara Miras Upaskra on Vaieika Stra is also an

important work.[3]

According to the Vaisheshika school, all things which exist, which can be cognised, and which can be named

arepadrthas (literal meaning: the meaning of a word), the objects of experience. All objects of experience

can be classified into six categories, dravya (substance),gua (quality), karma (activity),smnya

(generality), viea (particularity) andsamavya (inherence). Later Vaieikas (rdhara and Udayana andivditya) added one more category abhava (non-existence). The first three categories are defined as artha(which can perceived) and they have real objective existence. The last three categories are defined as

budhyapekam (product of intellectual discrimination) and they are logical categories.[4]

1.Dravya (substance): The substances are conceived as 9 in number. They are,pthv(earth), ap (water),

tejas (fire), vyu (air), kaa (ether), kla (time), dik(space), tman (self) and manas (mind). The first five

are called bhtas, the substances having some specific qualities so that they could be perceived by one or the

other external senses.[5]

2.Gua (quality): The Vaieika Stra mentions 17 guas (qualities), to which Praastapda added another 7.While a substance is capable of existing independently by itself, a gua(quality) cannot exist so. The original17 guas (qualities) are, rpa (colour), rasa (taste),gandha (smell),spara (touch),sakhy (number),

arima (size/dimension/quantity),pthaktva (individuality),sayoga (conjunction/accompaniments),

vibhga (disjunction),paratva (priority), aparatva (posteriority), buddhi (knowledge),sukha (pleasure),

dukha (pain), icch (desire), dvea (aversion) andprayatna (effort). To these Praastapda addedgurutva(heaviness), dravatva (fluidity),sneha (viscosity), dharma (merit), adharma (demerit), abda (sound) and

saksra (faculty).[6]

3.Karma (activity): The karmas (activities) like guas (qualities) have no separate existence, they belong tothe substances. But while a quality is a permanent feature of a substance, an activity is a transient one.

ka (ether), kla (time), dik(space) and tman (self), though substances, are devoid ofkarma (activity).[7]

4.Smnya (generality): Since there are plurality of substances, there will be relations among them. When a

property is found common to many substances, it is calledsmnya.[8]

5.Viea (particularity): By means ofviea, we are able to perceive substances as different from one

another. As the ultimate atoms are innumerable so are the vieas.[9]

6.Samavya (inherence): Kada definedsamavya as the relation between the cause and the effect.Praastapda defined it as the relationship existing between the substances that are inseparable, standing toone another in the relation of the container and the contained. The relation ofsamavya is not perceivable

but only inferable from the inseparable connection of the substances.[10]

The early Vaieika epistemology considered onlypratyaka (perception) and anumna (inference) as theramas (means of valid knowledge). The other two means of valid knowledge accepted by the Nyya

school, upamna (comparison) and abda (verbal testimony) were considered as included in anumna.[11]

The syllogism of the Vaieika school was similar to that of the Nyya, but the names given by Praastapdato the 5 members of syllogism are different.

[12]


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The early Vaieika texts presented the following syllogism to prove that all objects i.e. the four bhtas,thv(earth), ap (water), tejas (fire) and vyu (air) are made of indivisibleparamus (atoms): Assume that

the matter is not made of indivisible atoms, and that it is continuous. Take a stone. One can divide this up

into infinitely many pieces (since matter is continuous). Now, the Himalayan mountain range also has

infinitely many pieces, so one may build another Himalayan mountain range with the infinite number of

pieces that one has. One begins with a stone and ends up with the Himalayas, which is a paradox - so the

original assumption that matter is continuous must be wrong, and so all objects must be made up of a finite

number ofparamus (atoms).

According to the Vaieika school, the trasareu (dust particles visible in the sunbeam coming through asmall window hole) are the smallest mahat(perceivable) particles and defined as tryaukas (triads). Theseare made of three parts, each of which are defined as dvyauka (dyad). The dvyaukas are conceived asmade of two parts, each of which are defined as paramu (atom). The paramus (atoms) are indivisible

and eternal, they can neither be created nor destroyed.[13]

Each paramu (atom) possesses its own distinct

viea (individuality).[14]

The measure of the partless atoms is known asparimaala parima. It is eternal and it cannot generate

the measure of any other substance. Its measure is its own absolutely.[15]

Over the centuries, the school merged with the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy to form the combined

school ofnyya-vaieika. The school suffered a natural decline in India after the 15th century.

The Vaisheshikas say that the visible universe is created from an original stock of atoms (janim asata). As

Kada's Vaieika Stra (7.1.26) states, nitya parimaalam (that which is of the smallest size, the atom,is eternal), he and his followers also postulate eternality for other, nonatomic entities, including the souls

who become embodied, and even a Supreme Soul. But in Vaieika cosmology the souls and the Supersoulplay only token roles in the atomic production of the universe. The Brahma Sutra (2.2.12) says ubhayathpi

na karmatas tad-abhava. According to this stra, one cannot claim that, at the time of creation, atoms firstcombine together because they are impelled by some karmic impulse adhering in the atoms themselves, since

atoms by themselves, in their primeval state before combining into complex objects, have no ethical

responsibility that might lead them to acquire pious and sinful reactions. Nor can the initial combination of

atoms be explained as a result of the residual karma of the living entities who lie dormant prior to creation,

since these reactions are each jiva's own and cannot be transferred from them even to other jvas, what to

speak of inert atoms.

Darshanas

Hindu philosophy

Hinduism

Nyaya (philosophy)

PadrthaVaieika Stra

^ Oliver Leaman,Key Concepts in Eastern Philosophy. Routledge, 1999, page 269.1.


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^ Kevin Burns: "Eastern Philosophy", Enchanted Lion Books, 20062.

^ Radhakrishnan 2006, pp. 180813.


^ Chattopadhyaya 1986, p. 1695.

^ Radhakrishnan 2006, p. 2046.




^ Radhakrishnan 2006, pp. 2161910.^ Chattopadhyaya 1986, p. 17011.

^ Radhakrishnan 2006, p. 75ff12.

^ Chattopadhyaya 1986, pp. 1697013.


^ Dasgupta 1975, p. 31415.

Chattopadhyaya, D. (1986),Indian Philosophy: A Popular Introduction, Peoples Publishing House,

New Delhi, ISBN 81-7007-023-6.

Dasgupta, Surendranath (1975),A History of Indian Philosophy, Vol. I, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi,

ISBN 81-208-0412-8.

Radhakrishnan, S. (2006),Indian Philosophy, Vol. II, Oxford University Press, New Delhi,

ISBN 0-19-563820-4.

A summary of Vaisheshika physics (http://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0310001)

Shastra Nethralaya - Vaisheshika (http://www.shastranethralaya.org)

GRETIL e-text of the Vaieika Stras (http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vaisesik/vaissu1u.htm)

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