Comparative Study of Indian Science

Author(s): Harisatya Bhattacharya
Publisher: C S Mallinath

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In 3. 1. 16-17 of the Nyaya Sutras, Gautama, however, distinguishes the Mind from the Soul. The Manas or Mind, according to him, is a real entity that prevents the simultaneous geneses of more than one piece of knowledge. The mental phenomena in other words are so determined by the Manas that they must come one after another. (Vide Nyaya Sutra 1. 1. 16). The Vaiseshika theory of the Manas is exactly the same. (Vide Vaiseshika Sutras 3. 2. 1-3). The Mind is thus a reality according to the Indian thinkers in as much as it is the Inner Sense. Secondly, it is atomic in nature ("Centre of communication," as Spencer says) and not pervasive. The Sankhya theory of the Manas is not essentially different from the Vaiseshika one, although at places (e.g. in 71, Parapakshanirjayadhyaya, Sankhya-Sutras), Kapila holds that the mind is not atomic but pervasive in nature.
It may be said that the description of the Mind as given above is not complete. Vatsayana, the Nyaya commentator explained the process of perception by saying, "The Soul is joined to the Mind, the Mind to the Sense-organ, the Sense-organ to the Object." But the question is: How can the Mind be joined to the Soul on the one hand and to the Sense-organ (Matter) on the other? This explanation is found in the Jaina theory of the Manas. According to it, the 4