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- 51 - The distinctions of relationships, their names, and the subjects of each are almost verbatim similar to those of Nyaya and Vaishesika philosophy. The descriptions of earthly, watery, fiery, and aerial bodies in Vaishesika philosophy, as well as the descriptions of subtle body and gross body in Samkhya philosophy, appear to differ from the descriptions of bodies in Tattvartha; however, they actually signify different aspects (pashvo) of the same experience. Tattvartha describes a lifespan that cannot be cut or broken, and the rationale given for it is verbatim similar to the aphorism of Yoga Sutras and its commentary. The geography elaborated in the third and fourth chapters of Tattvartha has not been touched upon by any other philosophical founder. Nevertheless, the commentary on Yoga Sutra 3.26 contains a detailed description of the hellish realms, the fundamental elements such as earth, water, air, space, the beings residing in those hells, the middle world, Mount Meru, mountains such as Nishadha and Neela, regions such as Bharata and Ilaavrita, islands and oceans like Jambudvipa and Lavanasamudra, various heavens related to the upper world, the deities residing there, their lifespan, their indulgences, families, etc., which seems lesser in comparison to the tri-lokya-description of Tattvartha's third and fourth chapters. Similarly, the descriptions of the adorned islands, oceans, netherworld, cold and warmth, hell, and various deities in Buddhist texts are also more succinct than the tri-lokya-description of Tattvartha. Nonetheless, seeing the verbal similarities and the commonality in the thought processes, one is inspired to research a single origin of the various branches of Arya philosophies.
1. Nyaya Sutras, 1.1.12 and 14. 2. See Tarka Sangraha for the exposition from earth to air. 3. Samkhya Karika, chapters 40 to 42. 4. Tattvartha, 2.37-49. 5. Tattvartha, 2.52. 6. Yoga Sutras, 3.22; for elaboration, see the present introduction, pp. 11-12. 7. Dharmasangraha, pp. 29-31 and Abhidhammaṭṭhasangho, paragraph 3 onwards. 8. In the introduction (p. 86) of the commentary by Pandit Mahendra Kumar on Tattvartha, the extensive description of the world from Buddhist, Vedic, and other texts is notable for those interested in ancient geography and astronomy.