Deformity Elimination Science MohanDas Vaidya 1. Introduction The characteristics of all that can be conceptualized and hence named and defined in the world through comparison and contrast, is the science of Vaisheshika [1], [2]. This includes a conceptual representation of space, and the gross visible matter, which is taken to be constructed out of the varying motions of anu, the most fundamental particle of matter. Vaisheshika approaches basic concepts in a characteristic manner. For example, the division of time as past, present and future as understood by the observer is said to be a consequence of the fact that time is a function of movement. Vaisheshika is observer centric but it acknowledges that certain entities are necessary within the conceptual framework although there is no direct way of experimental verification of these entitites. For example, anu - the fundamental particle of matter - is said to be beyond direct perception irrespective of the kind of instrument that is used to view it. Nevertheless, its presence can be inferred indirectly. In this paper, our emphasis is to examine Vaisheshika through the sutras of Kanada (we use the English translations by Sinha [3]), although the important commentary by the fifteenth century scholar Sankara Misra [4] will also be used for clarification, wherever necessary. Other important sources on Vaisheshika are references [16-21]. An early overview of Vaisheshika is to be found in the book by Seal [5]. 2. Dravya - The building blocks Kanada in his sutras enumerates real entities irrespective of whether they can be perceived through the sense organs or not. These are conceivable by the mind of the observer who is central to his world. These are the nine dravyas and these alone describe everything existing in the universe. These are the building blocks of Kanadas world described through their gunas / attributes and karma / motion. Space is one among these nine and Kanada recognizes it as an independent positive entity which is neither absence of matter nor an abstract concept. Every dravya has an identifier - Ì - linga, which helps identify the specific dravya, besides which it has a unique set of guna / attributes associated with it. å] Å Prithvi, earth Apas, water Tejas, Fire vayus, Air Akasam kalah, Time Dik, Space × Atma Manas, mind Iti, only] å Dravyani, dravyas. Earth, water, Fire, Air, Akasa, time, Space, atma, mind are the only nine dravyas 1.1.5. Commentary: All the nine mentioned dravyas in the sutra although are translated as earth, water, etc are not to be understood as the planet earth or the drinking water, etc. These nine dravyas have specific gunas / attributes associated to them like the dravya earth has smell associated as the primary guna / attribute to it. An understanding of dravyas can be arrived at by analyzing their attributes and their interactin with the rest of the world. The dravyas shall not be analyzed in this paper but it is important to understand the division of the dravyas. The first four dravyas: earth, water fire and air are associated with a sense organ each as sense of smell, taste, sight and touch respectively. Although sound is mentioned as the identifier of akasa - the fifth dravya, which is not translated here as ether for specific reasons, that shall be dealt with separately. Time, space, atma and mind are the eternal or nitya dravyas and none of them are perceivable by any of the sense organs is a basic definition in Vaisesika. Although, these four eternal entities can only be conceived by the mind, they are real existent dravyas or entities. Time, space and akasa are incapable of motion (by sutra 5.2.21) and it is only the first four dravyas and mind which are capable of motion. The mind is also not visible (Because it is by nature an anu like-fundamental particle, which is not visible by sutra 01/07/23). It is only the first four dravyas which compose the matter world. A sort of 3 motion is applicable only to the matter section of dravyas which are the first four among the nine. The dravyas are both perceivable and possess motion represent matter. Among nine dravyas, the first four compose the non-eternal matter, mind is the eternal but invisible dravya and the remaining four are eternal and incapable of motion. 3 Definition of Dik (Space) and Kala (Time) Ì itah, from this. idam, this. iti, such. yatah, whence. tat, that. disyam, relating to space. Ì lingam, mark. That which gives rise to such (cognition and usage) as This (is remote, etc.) From this, - (The same is) the mark of space 2.2.10. Commentary: Space is identified through the fact that it can provide the context to describe objects as being separated spatially. Spatial separation can only apply to matter since eternal dravyas which are incapable of motion can neither be separated nor brought together. Although mind can move, it is invisible. Therefore all that remains in Kanadas classification of dravyas is matter. The separation is an identifier and the identification is with reference to the observing mind. It is also significant that the displacement of matter is observed relative to another piece of matter. The essence of this sutra may be rephrased as: mind recognizes space when matter is displaced relative to another piece of matter. In Sankara Misras commentary of this sutra an argument is built about the similarity of space and time in terms of their guna / attributes and a question is raised about the requirement of a new entity called space to be recognized. Both space and time are characterized by their guna / attribute of - partva-aparatva / being together - separated. In Kanadas definition, the dravyas are understood and defined through their gunas / attributes and each of these dravyas is non-repetitive and unique. Therefore time and space can be recognized as two separate entities if and only if their difference is established. The guna / attribute of partva-aparatva / being together - separated, in time signifies two objects co-existing at the same point of time or being separated in time and the simultaneity in time is defined as a function of the movement of the sun. But that reflects a dependency of time on suns movement whereas a dravya has to have an independent existence by definition. It is explained that the concept of simultaneity in time (in sutra 2.2.6 commentary) indicates the movement in sun and not vice-versa. 4 On the other hand the guna / attribute of partva-aparatva / being together - separated, in space is reflected by conjunction and disjunction of matter and to be understood as / Samkalina - simultaneity in Time, ie the relative spatial separation of matter in the same time frame (same time frame = time measured for the same sun movement). Questions: The commentary raises certain questions. 1. Spatial separation for objects being defined also with respect to same time frame - Does this imply that time is to be understood as changing with different suns and such different suns and time measures exist? 2. Simultaneity in time reflects the movement of sun - It means that for the observing mind, suns movement is a logical conclusion from the concept of what we call at the same time in our day-to-day life. If simultaneity in time is relative to the position of observer (meaning with reference to the same sun) and spatial separation of objects is not, does it mean that space is absolute but time is relative. Time is said to be \ / A specific outcome of state of motion - which means time as a larger concept is a function of motion and therefore indicates the general state of motion of the entire cosmos (in the commentary of sutra 2.2.10 of Sankara Misra). In Yoga Vasistha [6] which discusses Indian cosmological perspective correlated with many other works, a similar concept of varying time with different universes is mentioned. Space for Kanada is devoid of motion and therefore it is only the matter in motion when the cosmos is mentioned and space is still. This fits with the idea of Indian cosmological model in which time is said to collapse in the rest period between the cosmic creation and dissolution, and that must be true if time is a function of state of motion of the cosmos which comes to a rest in this period between creations and dissolutions [7-13]. 4.1 Space as dravya ] Å × × × å É ] Å × × × Dravyatva-nityatve, Dravyatva and eternality Vayuna, by Air å É Vyakhayate, explained. Dravyatva (being a dravya) and eternality (of Space are) explained by (the explanation of the same in) Air 2.2.11. Commentary: Space is eternal (explained later). It is concluded to be a dravya and that encompasses hypothesis like - Space is an independent entity 5 It is existent It is unique It is a padartha It has guna / attributes associated with it It can give rise to another dravya. It is incapable of motion. It is homogenous. 4.2 Space homogeneity à Tattvam, Unity. Bhavena, by Existence. The unity (of space is explained) by (the explanation of unity of) existence (sutra 2.2.12). Commentary: Here is a discussion of unity of space which is explained in the commentary by Sankara Misra as - × / Eka-pritaktvam. × is a guna / attribute of space and in Shankara Misras commentary, he defines it as that which differentiates one from two, or it is that kind of a guna / attribute which gives a sense of discretion about the state of dravya discussed. In the case of space, × / Eka-pritaktvam must refer to the fact that space is found in one state - what ever that is, and shall always be in the same state irrespective of which point in space is considered or even which point in time is considered. This refers to the homogeneity of space. Such a guna / attribute fits in with Space being nitya / eternal or unchanging. 4.3 Directions in Space [ × [ karya - visesena, owing to difference or distinction of effects × nanatvam, multiplicity or diversity. The diversity (of space) is due to the difference of effects 2.2.13. Commentary: [ - Karya visesena means an outcome the specific kind of work under consideration, and because space is by definition incapable of motion, work in question can only refer to the work done by matter in space. Due to the nature of matters behavior in space, it appears that space itself is diverse in nature. The diversity is explained in the following sutras. 4.4 Space Time as the fundamental matrix 6 × [ Í × aditya-samyogat, from the conjunction of the sun [Bhuta- purvat, past and gone bhavisyatah, future bhutat, what has taken place or come in to existence; present cha, and prachi, east. (The direction comes to be regarded as) the east, from the past, future, or present conjunction of the sun 2.2.14. Commentary: East is recognized as the direction from which the sun rose and therefore it is in the past. The past present and future divisions of time as a result of the movement of sun are also connected to the spatial directions which are named based on suns movement. The directions in space are explained as relative to the position of the observer. In this sutra space and time are connected by the motion of sun which observation is also found in many commentaries. In the commentary of sutra 2.1.5 ( Ú Û ) Sankara Misra while defining the attributes of akasha states that not only is akasha absolutely color-less but based on the same argument even time and space are devoid of the attributes of rupa, rasa, gandha and sparsha. Time and space have the same attributes associated to them (Number, magnitude, pritakathva / separateness, conjunction and disjunction). He concludes the commentary of this sutra stating that it follows that time and space are the fundamental entities of everything - [ È . The space and time matrix are said to be fundamental because the mind perceives the world through matter which is identified through the four senses of touch, smell, taste and visibility (the eternal dravyas can only be conceptualized by the mind and not perceived). These four guna / attributes exist in matter which always exists in a certain space and time combination. The absence of either space or time indicates absence of motion and as is later established in this paper, no guna / attributes can exist in absolute rest or when time collapses to zero. Space and time has to be the fundamental matrix of the matter world, and the observing mind can never escape either Space or Time during the process of observing the universe. In the Kanadasiddhantachandrika of Gangadharasuri Sastri says [14] å × × È This division of time is said to be caused by the / Intelligence and in Space it results from conjunction and disjunction of real matter and so the intelligence of the observer plays a secondary role. In the footnote of Udayavir Shastri s book [15, page 103], it is mentioned that Chandrakant Bhattacharya is of the opinion that space, time and even akasha are the 7 same which are seen as different entities because of the nature of the effects as observed by the mind in their interactions with matter. 4.5 Directions ¢ tatha, similarly ¢ daksina, south pratichi, west udichi, north cha, also. South, west, and North also are similarly (distinguished) 2.2.15. Û å É etena, by this Û digantarani, intervals of space or direction å É vyakhyatani, explained. By this, the intervals of directions in space are explained 2.2.16. Commentary: In these last two sutras the four main directions east, west, north, south besides which four more directions between these four directions are accounted for as relative to the position of the observer as concepts which arise only because of the nature of motion of matter in Space. Hence Space itself is homogenous and has no division of direction inherent in it. 5.1 × - Eternality The nature of both Space and, anu - the most fundamental particle of matter (sutra 7.1.8 - explained later) in Vaisheshika are said to be explained in the chapter that discusses nitya / eternal. Û × sat, existent akaranavat, not having a cause × nityam, eternal The eternal is that which is existent and uncaused 4.1.1. Commentary: In this sutra Kanada begins his definition of × / nityam or the eternal but this terim is a very imprecise translation of his × / nityam. The term / Existent has a lot of significance in the school of Vaisheshika because Kanada - a realist, has set himself the task to enumerate everything in the universe through - [/ Predicable - all that which can be named, expressed through words or conceptualized by the mind. Hence all that he describes are not mere theoretical concepts, but true existing entities of the real world. 8 The term / Not having a cause - is two fold. In terms of the time one must remember that Indian cosmology constantly discusses two kinds of cosmic dissolution: the primary and the secondary. There are time periods mentioned for the creation and dissolution process besides the rest period in between. The way in which Kanada links matter, space, time and mind with state of motion, the question is raised whether anything other than the anu persists through the rest period of universe when time collapses to zero and there is absolute stillness. Questions: The question raised is, since matter, space, time and mind are all connected to one or the other kind of motion, does × / eternal refer to an existence beyond these dissolutions? Is anything transferred from one process of creation-dissolution to another which are said to be cyclic in nature? Since anu cannot be reduced any further, it must exist as is through all creations and dissolutions, but since time and space are linked to Motion are they recreated after each rest period? 5.2 Anu in Real Time á Ì tasya, its á karyam, effect Ì lingam, mark The effect is the mark (of the existence) of the ultimate anu 4.1.2. Commentary: Kanada has stated in a later chapter (sutra 7.1.8) that both anu and mahat are explained through the nitya / eternal, which must be the reason from Prashastapada to Shankar Misra all scholars explain this sutra with an extension to mean the fundamental particle - the anu. Although in no sutra is the term paramanu mentioned by Kanada, all the other scholars talk of paramanu as the most fundamental particle of matter. We will not focus on the term, instead try to understand what anu in Kanadas sutras is and for the purpose of this work we shall use the term anu for the fundamental particle of matter. Literally the sutra translates to - The work done by it is its identifier. Here it refers to nitya / eternal as this is a section on the same. By the sutra 7.1.8 which states that both anutva and mahatva are explained by the eternal, this sutra should also refer to the two - anutva and mahtva. These terms shall be explored in detail in a later section, for now anu - Refers to the most fundamental particle of matter and mahatva refers to space (mahatva - Is used in the context of Vaisheshika for more than one dravya, but space is definitely one of them) Therefore anu and space are identified by the mind or observer through the work done by these or through their effects. This must be the only way they can be identified by the ________________________________________
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:23:18 +0000
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