Sūtra 2.1.12 (Air is a Substance,—continued)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.1.12:

क्रियावत्त्वात् गुणवत्त्वाच्च ॥ २.१.१२ ॥

kriyāvattvāt guṇavattvācca || 2.1.12 ||

kriyā-vattvāt—because of possession of Action; guṇavattvāt—because of possession of Attribute; ca—and.

12. (Air is a substance), also because it possesses Action and Attribute.

Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:

(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)

Bringing forward two (more) marks or grounds of establishing the Substanca-ness of the ultimate atoms of Air, he says:

[Read sūtra 2.1.12 above]

‘The ultimate atom of Air is a Substance’—this is the complement of the aphorism. Although there is this mutual dependence or correlation that Substance-ness being proved, the possession of Action and the possession of Attribute are also proved and in their proof the proof of Substance-ness lies, yet the possession of Action is proved by this that the ultimate atom which is the constituent element of the composite whole which is the foundation of the Touch which is being perceived, cannot be established otherwise than by the Conjunction of the non-combinative cause; and the possession of Attribute is proved by the rule that the Touch, Colour, etc., of the composite whole are preceded by like Attributes in its cause; and by these two Substance-ness also is proved; so that here there is no fault, namely repetition or vicious circle. Of these the possession of Action extends to a portion of the objects of the same ascertained class, while the possession of Attribute pervades all the objects of the same ascertained class, which the possession of Attribute pervades all the objects of the same ascertained class. The word ‘ca’ brings forward the characteristic of being combinative cause, which proves Substance-ness.

If it be objected, “There is no proof (of the existence) of the ultimate atoms themselves. Thon the Substance-ness of which is being proved?,” we reply that by the maxim of the division, etc., of the action of dense effects, a body which is being divided and sub-divided becoming smaller, smallest, etc., that than which no smaller unit can be obtained, tḥe same is the ultimate atom. If the relation of part and whole were unlimited, then it would follow that the mountain Sumeru and a mustard seed, etc., will have the same Measure or Mass, because in that case they would resemble one another in possessing infinite parts, and because without the distinction of the number of causes (i.e., constituent elements), measure and magnitude, mass and volume, do not rule the difference of Measure. It cannot be said that this relation of part and whole continues only up to the limit of destruction for that which remains at the end having no parts, its destruction is not possible; and if it contains parts, then non-finality will be the result, and its defect has been already pointed out. If it is said, “Truṭi (i.e., a minute part) is the limit, because it is visible and there is no reason for the supposition of something invisible,” we rejoin that as it is a visible Substance it must possess extension or largeness and many Substances.

Hence as in the case of Earth, etc., so also in the case of Air, the part of the part of a combination of three atoms, is really the ultimate atom. Thus the ultimate atom of Air is proved.—12.