Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary

by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165

The Vaisheshika-sutra 4.2.3, 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 (‘nor a compound of three elements’) contained in Chapter 2—Of Tangible Atomic Products—of Book IV (of the origin of bodies).

Sūtra 4.2.3 (Nor a compound of three elements)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 4.2.3:

गुणान्तराप्रादुर्भावाच्च न त्र्यात्मकम् ॥ ४.२.३ ॥

guṇāntarāprādurbhāvācca na tryātmakam || 4.2.3 ||

guṇa-antara-aprādurbhāvāt—by reason of the non-appearance of another attribute; ca—and; na—not; tri-ātmakam—tri-substantial; Composed of three elements.

3. And by reason of the non-appearance of another attribute, it is not composed of three elements.

Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:

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

Ho continues the same topic:

[Read sūtra 4.2.3 above]

A body originated by Earth, Water, and Fire only, which are objects of perception, might be perceived, if there were manifested in it another attribute having for its antecedent a like attribute in the cause. But this can never be the case, as it has been already stated that a single smell, etc., is not originative. Therefore the body is not composed of even three elements, i.e., is not originated by the three elements possessing colour.—3.

Commentary: The Bhāṣya of Candrakānta:

(English translation of Candrakānta Tarkālaṅkāra’s Bhāṣya called the Vaiśeṣikabhāṣya from the 19th century)

Candrakānta reads IV.ii.3 as two aphorisms, viz., “Guṇāntarāprādurbhāvācca,” and “Na tryātmakaṃ.”

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