Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 14

Philosophy - Origin and Subject-matter
from doubt and error. Not only that, what is done is that the thing known is preserved in memory, is examined over and over again and new questions arising in connection with it are investigated in sequel. Such roots of the urge for life are what have made man to think of himself in the spirit of the wise man must aspire after learning and wealth as if he were to suffer no old age, no death'. It is owing to this spirit that man has made endeavours to turn into something comprehensible what was hitherto incomprehensible. A decorative chain of such endeavours is indeed what constitutes a science (=scientific discipline).
The Meaning of the word "Tattva' (occurring in the word 'tattvavidya' meaning philosophy or the science of the first principles)
A dictionary-author briefly mentioning the meanings of the word 'tattva' says 'tattvam brahmaņi yātbarthye' - that is the word 'tattva' means brahman on the one hand and the real nature of a thing on the other. Of course, at numerous places and in different contexts the word 'tattva'3 is found empleyed in so many different senses, but the two meanings in
stion well manage to comprehend the shades characterizing those senses as well. Here if the word 'brahman' is taken to mean originating cause and by the real nature of a thing is understood the true situtation - that is, situation lying in conformity with the originating cause - of any thing or event whatsoever, then it becomes easy to grasp the idea lying behind these remaining different seoses as well.
3 Aparapratyayam śāntam prapanicair aprapancitam
Nirvikalpam anānärtham etat tattvasya lakṣaṇam 11 Evam tävad äryānām jātijarămarapasamsārapariksayāya krtakāryānam tattvalaksanam. Laukikam tu tattvalaksanam adhikštyocyatePratitya yad yad bhavati na hi tävat tad eva tat/ Na cânyad api tat tasmān nocchinnam näpi śāśvatam //
- Madhyamikakārikā 18.9,10 Kim punas tattvam ? Sataś ca sadbhāvo'sataś căsadbhāvah. Sat sad iti grhymā. nam yathābhūtam aviparitam tattvam bhavati. Asac cäsad iti gshyamanam yatha. bhutam aviparitam tattvam bhavati.
-Nyāyabhasya 1.1.1 Kim punas tattvam ?.. Tattvam padārthānäm yathävasthitätmapratyayotpattinimittam. Yo yathāvasthitaḥ padärthaḥ sa tathābhutapratyayotpattinimittam bhavati yat tat tattvam.
-Nyayayārtika 1.1.1
Dray yasya hi tattvam avikriyā, parānapekṣatvät. Vikriya na tattvam, parāpeksatvät.
-Taittiriyopanişad, Sārkarabhäșya. p. 381 Prakrtyapekṣatvät pratyayasya bhāvasāmānyasampratyayah tattvavacanät J/SI Tad ity esa prakrtih sämänyabhidhayini, sarvanämatvät. Pratyayaś ca bhāve utpad. vate. Kasya bhave ? Tad ity anena yo'rtha ucyate. Kas cäsau ? Sarvo'rthah. Atas tada peksatvād bhāvasya bhävasämänyam ucyate tattvasabdena. Yo'rtho yathāvasthitah tathā tasya bhavanam ity arthaḥ,
-Tattvärtharäjavārtika 1.2.5