Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories (Study)

by Diptimani Goswami | 2014 | 61,072 words

This page relates ‘Qualities (8): Samyoga (Conjunction)’ of the study on the Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories with special reference to the Tarkasangraha by Annambhatta. Both Nyaya and Vaisesika are schools of ancient Indian Philosophy, and accepted in their system various padarthas or objects of valid knowledge. This study investigates how the Tarkasamgraha reflects these categories in the combined Nyayavaisesika school.

Qualities (8): Saṃyoga (Conjunction)

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The Nyāya-Vaiśeṣikas accept saṃyoga (conjunction) as the general quality, which exists in all dravyas.

According to Praśastapāda the cause of the notion of being conjoined is called saṃyoga—

saṃyogaḥ saṃyukta pratyayanimittam.^[1]

He also gives another definition of saṃyoga thus:

aprāptayoḥ prāptiḥ saṃyogaḥ.^[2]

So conjunction is the contact of two things which were first separate. Viśvanātha also gives similar definition of saṃyoga.^[3] Annaṃbhaṭṭa defines saṃyoga as the special cause of the usage that two things are conjoined.^[4] In the Dīpikā, we find that the word ‘special cause’ is used in this definition of saṃyoga (conjunction) to remove the defect of ativyāpti in case of space, time number etc.^[5] A detailed discussion of saṃyoga will be given in a separate chapter where different types of relation will be discussed. Here only an idea of saṃyoga as a quality is given.