Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 2.2.23, 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 (‘sound not a substance’) contained in Chapter 2—Of the Five Bhutas, Time, and Space—of Book II (of substances).
Sūtra 2.2.23 (Sound not a Substance)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.2.23:
एकद्रव्यत्वान्न द्रव्यम् ॥ २.२.२३ ॥
ekadravyatvānna dravyam || 2.2.23 ||
eka-dravyatvāt—because it resides in one Substance; na—not; dravyam—Substance.
23. (Sound) is not a Substance, since it resides in one Substance only.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Showing Doubt in this way, he says, in order to eliminate the alternative of Substance-ness:
[Read sūtra 2.2.23 above]
‘Ekadravyam’ is that which has one Substance only as its combinative cause. And no Substance whatever contains a single Substace as its combinative cause. Therefore, owing to this difference in property from Substances, this Sound is not a Substance. This is the meaning.—23.