Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 1.1.23, English translation, including commentaries such as the Upaskara of Shankara Mishra, the Vivriti of Jayanarayana-Tarkapanchanana and the Bhashya of Chandrakanta. The Vaisheshika Sutras teaches the science freedom (moksha-shastra) and the various aspects of the soul (eg., it's nature, suffering and rebirth under the law of karma). This is sutra 3 (‘difference between substance and action’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Substance, Attribute, and Action—of Book I (of the predicables).
Sūtra 1.1.23 (Difference between Substance and Action)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 1.1.23:
द्रव्याणां द्रव्यं कार्यं सामान्यम् ॥ १.१.२३ ॥
dravyāṇāṃ dravyaṃ kāryaṃ sāmānyam || 1.1.23 ||
dravyāṇām—of many substances; dravyam—a single substance; kāryam—effect; sāmānyam—common.
23. A single Substance may be the common effect of more than one Substance.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Having stated that one may be the originator of many, ho now states that of one effect there may be many originators:—[Read sūtra 1.1.23 above]
Of Substances, i.e.. of two Substances as well as of more than two Substances. Thus by two threads a piece of cloth consisting of two threads is originated, so also by many threads one piece of cloth is originated. It cannot be said that a piece of doth consisting of one thread is seen where the warp and woof are supplied by one and the same thread, for owing to the non-existence of the Conjunction of a single object there is no non-combinative cause here. Nor again can it be said that the Conjunction of the thread and the fibres is the non-combinative cause, because the relation of such parts and whole being naturally established there can be no Conjunction between them, also because the relation of that which is to be originated and the originated is not perceived, and also because of the impenetrability of condensed bodies. It cannot be said that this is commonly observed. For here, as a matter of fact, cloth is produced by the mutual conjunction of many-small pieces of thread, produced on the destruction of a long thread by the impact of the loom, etc., whereas from the nature of things there arises the false notion of unity in respect of threads which are really many in number.—23.