Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 7.2.3, 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 (‘unity and separateness do not exist in unity and separateness’) contained in Chapter 2—Of Number, Separateness, Conjunction, etc.—of Book VII (of the examination of attributes and of combination).
Sūtra 7.2.3 (Unity and Separateness do not exist in Unity and Separateness)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 7.2.3:
एकत्वैकपृथक्त्वयोरेकत्वैकपृथक्त्वाभावो ऽणुत्वमहत्त्वाभ्यां व्याख्यातः ॥ ७.२.३ ॥
ekatvaikapṛthaktvayorekatvaikapṛthaktvābhāvo 'ṇutvamahattvābhyāṃ vyākhyātaḥ || 7.2.3 ||
ekatva-ekapṛthaktvayoḥ—in Unity and Separateness of one, or Individuality; ekatva-ekapṛthakatva-abhāvaḥ—non-existence of Unity and Individuality; āṇutva-mahattvābhyāṃ—by minuteness and magnitude; vyākhyātaḥ—explained.
3. The non-existence of Unity and Individuality, in Unity and Individuality, is explained by 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 argued that inasmuch as there is this?sage [usage?], namely “One Unity,” “Separateness is separate from colour, etc.,” therefore, there is Unity also in Unity, Separateness, and similarly, in other and other instances. Accordingly he says:
[Read sūtra 7.2.3 above]
The meaning is that as minuteness and magnitude do not possess minuteness and magnitude, the application of which to them is derivative, so Unity and Individuality do not possess Unity and Individuality do not possess Unity and Individuality, the application of which to them is derivative.
“By Actions, Actions,” “By Attributes, Attributes,”—these two aphorisms (vii. 24, 25, infra) also, which employ analogy, hero seem to carry the same import as the preceding (i.e., the present) aphorism employing an analogy. The meaning is that as Actions are not possessed of Actions, nor are Attributes possessed of Attributes, so Unity and Individuality are not possessed of Unity and Individuality—3.