Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 3.1.1, 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 1 (‘objects of the senses’) contained in Chapter 1—Of the Marks of Inference—of Book III (of soul and mind).
Sūtra 3.1.1 (Objects of the senses)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 3.1.1:
प्रसिद्धा इन्द्रियार्थाः ॥ ३.१.१ ॥
prasiddhā indriyārthāḥ || 3.1.1 ||
prasiddhāḥ—universally known, perceived; Indriyārthāḥ object of the senses.
1. The objects of the senses are universally known.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Having thus in the second book completed ‘he examination of the external Substances, the another following the order of enumeration, now proceeds to construct a basis for an inquiry respecting the Soul.
[Read sūtra 3.1.1 above]
The objects of the Senses, e.g., Smell, Taste, Colour, Touch, and Sound, are capable of being apprehended by the several external sense-organs. Amongst them, the universal cognition or experience of Sound having been shown by the aphorism, “Sound is that object of which the organ of apprehension is the ear” (II. ii. 21). it is in like manner demonstrated that Smell, etc., ending with Touch (i.e., Smell, Taste, Colour, Touch) are universally known. Thus Smell is that object of which the organ of apprehension is the olfactory organ; Taste is that object of which the organ of apprehension is the organ of taste; Colour is that object of which the organ of apprehension is the eye alone; Touch is that object of which the organ of apprehension is the organ of touch alone. And by the word, ‘object’ there is, in all these cases,, denoted a real entity possessed of properties, and therefore the definitions cannot be too wide by over-extending to Smell-ness, etc., and to the non-existence of Smell, etc. Hence Smell-ness is the possession of a sub-class of Attribute-ness, appearing in what is apprehended by the olfactory organ. So also with regard to Taste, etc. Consequently, supersensuous Smell, etc., are not left out.—1.
Commentary: The Vivṛti of Jayanārāyaṇa:
(English extracts of Jayanārāyaṇa Tarkapañcānana’s Vivṛti or ‘gloss’ called the Kaṇādasūtravivṛti from the 17th century)
‘Prasiddhāḥ,’ means subject of ascertainment by perception.