Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 9.2.10, 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 0 (‘causes of avidya or incertitude’) contained in Chapter 2—(? Inferential cognition)—of Book IX (of ordinary and transcendental cognition...).
Sūtra 9.2.10 (Causes of Avidyā or Incertitude)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 9.2.10:
इन्द्रियदोषात्संस्कारदोषाच्चाविद्या ॥ ९.२.१० ॥
indriyadoṣātsaṃskāradoṣāccāvidyā || 9.2.10 ||
indriya-doṣāt—from imperfection of the senses; saṃskāra-doṣāt—from imperfection of impression; ca—and; a-vidyā—false knowledge; Incertitude.
10. False knowledge (arises) from imperfection of the Senses and from imperfection of Impression.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Now, referring to the series (of doubt, dream, incertitude) he says
[Read sūtra 9.2.10 above]
The word ‘A-vidyā,’ though a general term, applies to incertitude, according to the context, doubt, dream, and incertitude having been mentioned. Therein imperfection of the senses is inefficiency caused by predominance of the bile, etc. Imperfection of impression is the being accompanied with non-observation of distinctions; for under such non-observation, false cognition is produced.—10.
Commentary: The Vivṛti of Jayanārāyaṇa:
(English extracts of Jayanārāyaṇa Tarkapañcānana’s Vivṛti or ‘gloss’ called the Kaṇādasūtravivṛti from the 17th century)
Understanding according to another mode is divided into two kinds, certitude and incertitude. Of these, he states the cause of incertitude.
‘Indriya-doṣa,’ is such as opthalmia, etc. ‘Saṃskāra-doṣa’ is the being the effect of erroneous experience, etc. The word ‘and’ implies the addition of such imperfections as remoteness, etc., and also sub-sumptions of false marks or middle-terms, etc. The cause, then, of false knowledge or incertitude is imperfection; and imperfection, as consisting of biliousness, remoteness, etc., is of diverse kinds.