Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 6.2.9, 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 9 (‘self-restraint alone, again, is not sufficient for the purpose’) contained in Chapter 2—Of the Production of Dharma and A-dharma—of Book VI (of the investigation of dharma and a-dharma.).
Sūtra 6.2.9 (Self-restraint alone, again, is not sufficient for the purpose)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 6.2.9:
अशुचीति शुचिप्रतिषेधः ॥ ६.२.६ ॥
aśucīti śucipratiṣedhaḥ || 6.2.6 ||
asati—non-existing; ca—and; abhāvāt—because of non-existence.
9. (Self-restraint alone is not the cause of exaltation), for there is non-existence (of exaltation), where (the eating of pure food) does not exist.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be objected, “If self-restraint alone is the governing element, then eating is not a governing element at all,” Accordingly he says:
[Read sūtra 6.2.9 above]
‘Of exaltation’ is the complement of the aphorism. ‘Abhāvāt,’ i.e., since exaltation does not exist, ‘asati,’ i.e., where the eating of pure food does not exist, although there is self-restraint. The meaning, therefore, is that it is both of them, namely self-restraint and eating, which is the cause of merit. The word, eating, is illustrative Yama and Niyama, i.e., self-restraint, external and internal, are accessories also of sacrifice, charity, ablutions, oblations, and other actions prescribed by the Veda and the Smṛti.—9.