Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 2.2.24, 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 4 (‘nor an action’) contained in Chapter 2—Of the Five Bhutas, Time, and Space—of Book II (of substances).
Sūtra 2.2.24 (Nor an Action)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.2.24:
नापि कर्माचाक्षुषत्वात् ॥ २.२.२४ ॥
nāpi karmācākṣuṣatvāt || 2.2.24 ||
na—not; api—also Karma, action; acākṣnuṣatvāt—not being visible.
24. Nor (is Sound) an Action, because it is not an object of visual perception.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be said, “Action is surely uni-substantial. Therefore Sound may be an Action.” So he says:
[Read sūtra 2.2.24 above]
Because the intuition of perception of Sound is not visual, i.e., is produced by an external sense-organ other than the eye. So that the import is that, like the quality of Taste, etc., Sound-ness also does not reside in Actions, because it is a ‘class’ which does not reside in the objects of visual perception.—24.