Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 7.1.16, 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 6 (‘minuteness and magnitude do not exist in attribute or in action’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Colour, Taste, Smell, and Touch, and Magnitude—of Book VII (of the examination of attributes and of combination).
Sūtra 7.1.16 (Minuteness and Magnitude do not exist in Attribute or in Action)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 7.1.16:
अणुत्वमहत्त्वाभ्यां कर्मगुणाश्च व्याख्याताः ॥ ७.१.१६ ॥
aṇutvamahattvābhyāṃ karmaguṇāśca vyākhyātāḥ || 7.1.16 ||
aṇutva-mahattvābhyāṃ—by minuteness and magnitude; karma-guṇāḥ—actions and attributes; ca—and; vyākhyātaḥ—explained.
16. By minuteness and magnitude, Actions and Attributes also are explained (to be void of minuteness and magnitude).
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be urged that usage such as “Large Actions,” “Minute Actions,” “Large Attributes,” “Minute Attributes,” etc., entails that Actions possess minuteness and magnitude, and also Attributes possess both of them. In anticipation of this, he says:
[Read sūtra 7.1.16 above]
The meaning is that as minuteness and magnitude are not possessed of minuteness and magnitude, so Actions are not possessed of either of them, nor are Attributes possessed of either of them. This treatment as such however, is derivative as aforesaid. This is the import.—16.
Commentary: The Bhāṣya of Candrakānta:
(English translation of Candrakānta Tarkālaṅkāra’s Bhāṣya called the Vaiśeṣikabhāṣya from the 19th century)
Minuteness and magnitude may be predicated of action and attribute.