Siddhanta Sangraha of Sri Sailacharya
by E. Sowmya Narayanan | 2008 | 30,562 words
Siddhanta Sangraha Chapter 1 (English translation), entitled “the classification of the categories” as included in the critical edition and study. The Siddhanta Samgraha is a Sanskrit philosophical text dealing with Vishishtadvaita in five hundred Sanskrit verses. It was written by Shri Shailacarya (18th century) and closely follows the philosophy of Vedanta Deshika (13th century).
Chapter 1 - The Classification of the Categories
3. The tattva is two fold namely, substance (dravya) and non-substance (adravya). Of these the substance is the substratum of a specific state (avasthā) while the non-substance is not so.
4. An avasthā is that which is impermanent in that substance and at the same time is inseparable from it.[1] It may be questioned as to how this definition could be applicable in that the case of Brahman it is replied that though there is no modifications in Brahman, yet the state mūrtatva is present in it and hence it can be admitted to be a substance.
5. The insentient matter gets modified in its essential nature and hence it is defective whereas the sentient principle, namely, the individual soul and the Supreme Lord doesn’t under go any change in their essential nature.
6. The substance is two fold namely jaḍa (inert) and ajaḍa (not inert). The jaḍa is not self-luminous and the ajaḍa is a self-luminous principle.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
See also Nyāya Siddhāñjana. P.3. Nyāya Siddhāñjana Comm. Ibid
Conclusion:
This concludes The Classification of the Categories according to Vishishtadvaita philosophy explained by Shri Shailacarya. This book follows the model of Vedanta Deshika although the Vishishta Advaita school was originally expounded by Shri Ramanuja. Vishishta-Advaita is one of the various sub-schools of Vedanta which itself represents one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu Philosophy. They highlight the importance of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras.