Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 8.1.6, 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 (‘genus and species are causes of...’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Presentative Cognition—of Book VIII (of ordinary cognition by means of conjunction or combination).
Sūtra 8.1.6 (Genus and Species are causes of...)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 8.1.6:
सामान्यविशेषापेक्षं द्रव्यगुणकर्मसु ॥ ८.१.६ ॥
sāmānyaviśeṣāpekṣaṃ dravyaguṇakarmasu || 8.1.6 ||
sāmānya-viśeṣa-apekṣaṃ—dependent upon genus and species; dravya-guṅa-karmasu—in respect of substance, attribute and action.
6. (Cognition which is produced) in respect of Substance, Attributes and Action, (is) dependent upon genus and species.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
[Full title: Genus and Species are causes of cognition of Substance, Attribute and Action]
It may be asked: As, in consequence of the non-existence of genus and species, cognition of genus and, species is absolutely independent of them, is it likewise absolutely independent of them in the case of substance, attribute and action also? He says, No:
[Read sūtra 8.1.6 above]
“Cognition is produced”—this is the subject in discourse. In respect of substance, attribute and action, there is no doubt cognition specialized with the content of substance-ness, attribute-ness and action-ness. Such specialized cognition, again, cannot be produced without the contact of the subject specified, that which serves to specify, and the sense. Hence dependence upon genus and species is there necessary. For there is such specialized cognition as “This is substance,” “This is attribute,” “This is action.” This is the import.—6.