365bet

Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories (Study)

by Diptimani Goswami | 2014 | 61,072 words

This page relates ‘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.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

[Full title: 3. ṛtپԾ峾첹 sambandha (Occurrent-Exacting relation) (1): ṃyDz (Conjunction)]

ṃyDz is the one kind of ṛtپԾ峾첹 sambandha. It is a ṇa. The special cause the usage of two things as conjunct is known as ṃyDz.[1] In the ī辱, ԲԲṃbṭṭ clarifies that when there is the usage in the form that these two things are conjoined then the special cause of this usage is called ṃyDz.[2] In the ī辱, we find that the word ‘special cause� is added in this definition of ṃyDz to remove the defect of پپ in case of space, time, number etc.[3]

He mentions two types of ṃyDz,

  1. karmaja and
  2. ṃyDzja.

The karmaja ṃyDz is arises when a book comes in contact with the hand because of the activity of the hand in taking a book. The ṃyDzja ṃyDz arises when as a result of the contact of the book with the hand, there is contact of the book with the body.[4]

Karmaja ṃyDz is again divided into two kinds�

  1. karmaja and
  2. ubhayakarmaja.

The example of the anyatarakarmaja is that the conjunction of the bird with mountain. In this example, only the bird moves but the mountain remains static. The example of the ubhayakarmaja is that the conjunction of the flying birds. In this example both birds move.[5]

վśٳ defines ṃyDz as the contact of two things which were first removed or separated from each other.[6] That means conjunction is the relation between two separable (yutasiddha) things. Hence, there cannot be any conjunction between two all-pervading things which are never separate from each other. Thus, conjunction is the relation of two relata which can exist separately when they are not related. As ṃyDz is a quality, so there can be conjunction between two substances only and ṃyDz resides in both these substances. According to վśٳ, conjunction is of three types. Actually վśٳ has mentioned the two types of karmaja ṃyDz, discussed above, as two different kinds of ṃyDz itself. In this view, first type of ṃyDz is due to action in either of the two relata (anyatara karmaja); the second is due to action in both (ܲ󲹲ⲹᲹԲⲹ) and third is due to conjunction (ṃyDzja). The example of the first is the contact of a bird with the mountain. The example of the second kind is the encounter of two fighting birds, where both move. The conjunction of a jar and a tree because of the conjunction of the one part of the jar and the tree is the third kind of conjunction.[7]

According to վśٳ, karmaja ṃyDz is again of two kinds, viz.,

  1. impact (󾱲) and
  2. contact (nodena).

Of these two the first is the case of sound, while the second is not the cause of sound.[8]

ṃyDz is a quality and it is ⲹṛtپ (non-pervasive).[9] That means it covers only a part of the things conjoined. But Dinesh Chandra Guha opines that ṃyDz may be ⲹṛtپ also.

He says,

“This relation is generally known as a relation of incomplete occurrence (ⲹṛtپ) because when a contact takes place between two substances (dravyas), it occurs only in a part of them, if of course, the two substances have got parts. But there may be instances in which a contact may be of complete occurrence (ⲹṛtپ) also. As for example, in the case of contact between two atoms () or between the mind and the soul or in similar other cases, the contact cannot be of incomplete occurrence, because, the atoms have got no parts or the soul also is considered partless. So also the mind in the system is considered as having no part.�[10]

From the point of Mathematical Logic, relation may be dyadic, triadic, etc. In Navya-ⲹ, a relation is usually dyadic, although there are other types of relation also. ṃyDz is dyadic when it happens between two dravyas. When a dravya becomes conjunction with two more dravyas, there may be triadic relation.

In the words of Guha:

“Mathematical Logic conceives relations as triadic etc. When A comes in contact with C through B. But in the above stated causes A and B simultaneously come in contact with C or A simultaneously comes in contact with B and C.�[11]

In ⲹ-Vaiśeṣika terminology the first case may be described as A and B are ṃyDz پDzī (counter-correlate of ṃyDz) and C ԳܲDzī (subjunctive). For the latter casse, A is پDzī and B and C are ԳܲDzī of ṃyDz. There are two relations here–direct relation (ṣāt sambandha) and indirect relation (貹貹 sambandha). That is known as direct relation in which it directly comes in contact with two or more dravyas. On the other hand, that is called indirect relation in which relation happens among the component parts.

վ岵 is the opposite of ṃyDz. ԲԲṃbṭṭ defines it as the destroyer of the conjunction.[12]

It has also two kinds-

  1. karmaja and
  2. 岵Ჹ.

Karmaja is the separation of a book from the hand. վ岵ja is the separation of the book from the body because of the disjunction of the book from the hand.[13] Moreover karmaja is divided into two types - anyatarakarmaja and ubhayakarmaja. It is anyatarakarmaja in which disjunction is caused due to the action of one of the two things. For example, disjunction of a bird from the constant tree, ubhayakarmaja is that in which disjunction is caused because of the action of the both things e.g., two flying birds.[14]

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

ṃyܰٲⲹٳ� ṃyDz�. ղ첹ṃg, p. 18

[2]:

ī辱 on Ibid.

[3]:

Ibid., pp. 18-19

[4]:

Ibid.

[5]:

cf. ղ첹ṃg, p. 165

[6]:

ṣāp岹, p. 207

[7]:

Ibid., pp. 207-208

[8]:

Ibid.

[9]:

ī辱 on ղ첹ṃg, p. 18

[10]:

Navya-ⲹ System of Logic, p.59

[11]:

Ibid., p. 60

[12]:

ī辱 on ղ첹ṃg, p. 18

[13]:

ādyo hastakriyayā hastapustakavibhāga�. dvitīyo hastapustakavibhāgātkāyapustakavibhāga�. Ibid, 19

[14]:

Sinha, J., Indian Philosophy, Vl. I., p.433

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: