Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 2.1.20, 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 0 (‘marks of ether, according to sankhya philosophy’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Earth, Waters, Fire, Air, and Ether—of Book II (of substances).
Sūtra 2.1.20 (Marks of Ether, according to Sāṅkhya philosophy)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.1.20:
निष्क्रमणं प्रवेशनमित्याकाशस्य लिङ्गम् ॥ २.१.२० ॥
niṣkramaṇaṃ praveśanamityākāśasya liṅgam || 2.1.20 ||
niṣkramaṇam—egress; praveśanam—ingress; iti—such; Ākāśasya. of hither liṅgam—mark.
20. Egress and Ingress—such is the mark (of the existence) of Ether.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Having thus finished the section on Īśvara, by the last two aphorisms, and desiring to begin the section Ether, he says:
[Read sūtra 2.1.20 above]
The word ‘it’ [iti?] signifies manner and brings forward Actions, namely, Throwing upwards, etc., also. Egress and Ingress are the movement of Substances possessing Touch. That is the mark of the existence of Ether. which is not an effect. This is the view of the Sāṅkhya philosophers—20.