Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 7.1.15, 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 5 (‘above continued’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Colour, Taste, Smell, and Touch, and Magnitude—of Book VII (of the examination of attributes and of combination).
Sūtra 7.1.15 (Above continued)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 7.1.15:
कर्मभिः कर्माणि गुणैश्च गुणा व्याख्याताः ॥ ७.१.१५ ॥
karmabhiḥ karmāṇi guṇaiśca guṇā vyākhyātāḥ || 7.1.15 ||
karmabhiḥ—by actions; karmāṇi—actions; guṇaiḥ—by attributes; ca—and; guṇāḥ—attributes; vyākhyātāḥ—explained.
15. Actions have been explained (to be void) of Actions, and Attributes, of Attributes.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be urged that as Attributes are possessed of Attributes,—and how else could there be such uses as “Large (i.e., extensive) Sound,” “Two Sounds,” “One Sound,” “Twenty-four Attributes,” etc.?—and as Actions appear to be possessed of Actions,—and how else could there be such uses as “It goes quickly,” “It goes swiftly”? so minuteness and magnitude must also be possessed of minuteness anḍ magnitude.
[Read sūtra 7.1.15 above]
With this in view, he says:
By Actions, Actions are not possessed of Actions. By Attributes, Attributes are also not possessed of Attributes. In like manner, minuteness and magnitude are also not possessed of minuteness and magnitude. The usage, however, is, in all these cases, derivative. This is the meaning.—15.