Sūtra 3.2.2 (Mind is a substance, and is eternal)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 3.2.2:

तस्य द्रव्यत्व नित्यत्वे वायुना व्याख्याते ॥ ३.२.२ ॥

tasya dravyatva nityatve vāyunā vyākhyāte || 3.2.2 ||

tasya—its, of the mind; dravyatva-nityatve—substance-ness and eternality; vāyunā—by Air; vyākhyāte—explained.

2. The Substance-ness and eternality of Mind are explained by (the explanation of the Snbstance-ness and eternality of) Air.

Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:

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

Now, it may be asked, “The perception of pleasure, etc., is producible by an instrument, because it is an act, like the perception of Colour: from inference in this way, or by the non-production of simultaneous cognition, Mind is proved as the instrument of that perception. But whence does it derive its Substance-ness, and eternality?” Hence he says:

[Read sūtra 3.2.2 above]

As the ultimate atom of Air, inferred from Substance made up of parts, is a Substance, because it possesses attribute and action; so Mind, inferred by the non-production of simultaneous cognition, is a Substance, because it possesses attribute. For it is not productive of cognition, without conjunction with the sense, whereby it might appear that possession of attribute does not belong to it. Moreover the presentation of pleasure, etc., (to the Soul) must have a sense as its instrument, because it is a presentation, like the presentation of Colour, etc. Hence Mind is proved as an instrument or sense. And the being a sense means the being the foundation or seat of the conjunction of the Mind which is the instrument of cognition; so that the Subtance-ness of Mind is proved without much ado. And its eternality follows from its not being made up of any other Substance. And this latter characteristic follows from the absence of any proof for the supposition of its being made up of parts.—2.