Nyaya-Vaisheshika categories (Study)
by Diptimani Goswami | 2014 | 61,072 words
This page relates 鈥楾heory of Causation (Introduction)鈥� 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.
The Theory of Causation (Introduction)
There is an important role of causation in all branches of Indian philosophy. Philosophers accept the concept of causality as one of the main topics of study. The conception of reality of every system of Indian philosophy depends upon the theory of causation. According to Mahesh Chandra Bharatiya, the importance of causality has two types -metaphysical and logical. There is metaphysical importance as it has relation to the conception of reality.[1]
Western philosopher Mill points out that causation is:
鈥淭he sum total of conditions, positive and negative taken together.鈥�[2]
A thing changes into another. This change takes place due to some effort of an active agent, for example, the potter turns the clay into a pot with the help of his stick and wheel. Here, the potter is called the cause and the pot, effect.
In India both the heterodox and the orthodox philosophers explain the cause and effect according to their own views. In Indian philosophical systems, there are four principal theories regarding the cause and effect relation.
These are:
- 厂惫补产丑腻惫补-惫腻诲补 or 驰补诲峁沜肠丑腻惫腻诲补,
- 厂补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补,
- 础蝉补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补,
- 厂补诲补蝉补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补.
M膩dhav膩c膩rya enumerates four theories regarding cause and effect relation. These are 础蝉补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补, 厂补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补 笔补谤颈峁嚹乵补惫腻诲补 and 痴颈惫补谤迟补惫腻诲补
鈥淭here are four principal theories of causation accepted by different Indian philosophers, which are thus summed up by M膩dhav膩c膩rya:
鈥�iha k膩ryak膩ra峁嘺bh膩ve 肠补迟耻谤诲丑腻 vipratipatti岣� prasarati. a蝉补迟补岣� sajj膩yata iti saugat膩岣� sa峁僩irante. naiy膩yik膩daya岣� sato鈥檚ajj膩yata iti.ved膩ntina岣� sato鈥檝ivartak膩ryaj膩ta峁� na tu vastu saditi. 蝉腻峁僰丑测腻岣� 辫耻苍补岣� 蝉补迟补岣� sajj膩yata iti鈥�.[3]
厂补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补 is of two types:
- 笔补谤颈峁嚹乵补惫腻诲补 and
- 痴颈惫补谤迟补惫腻诲补.
础蝉补迟办腻谤测补惫腻诲补 has also two divisions:
- 膧谤补尘产丑补惫腻诲补 and
- 笔谤补迟墨迟测补蝉补尘耻迟辫腻诲补惫腻诲补.
These theories are accepted by 狈补颈测腻测颈办补蝉, 痴补颈艣别峁办补蝉, Buddhists, 厂腻峁僰丑测补蝉, Yoga, Philosophers, Advaita Ved膩ntins, and 惭墨尘腻峁僺补办补蝉.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
cf. Bharatiya, Mahesh Chandra, Causation in Indian Philosophy, p.1
[2]:
Quoted in Gopa, Judhisthir, (ed.) 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p. Introduction
[3]:
Athalye and Bodas, (ed)., 罢补谤办补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补, p.198