Indian Philosophy

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

Page 31

The Relation of Cause and Effect
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What mutual difference characterizes the diverse effects that are observable there and what element of mulual similarity is experienced in respect for them ?'-this question was answered in one way by a philosopher like Kapila and in this or that entirely different way by the remaining pbilosopbers. Thus Kapila understands the generic element as the element of similarity and maintains that all effects whatsoever - whether gross or subtle - are mutually separate and different but that they yet exhibit some sort of similarity. And with a view to explaining as to wherefrom and how this similarity arose he posited an element technically called 'Prakrti' which is spread over throughout the universe and is also permanent. And to this element he attributed the capacity to assume the form of an effect possessing a limited spatial extent as also the capacity to make appear and eventually to make disappear such transformations as arise in the course of time and in response to a need. Hence it is that even if the originating cause is one and single the (twofold) capacity in question manages to produce multifarious effects possessing their own distinct spatial and temporal features. Within the body of these effects that originating cause remains thoroughly permeated. This originating cause so develops, expands or inflates its constituent-units technically called guņas '- mixed in different proportions in different cases - that even while preserving its pristine form it lends its own stuff to the various particular effects emerging out of itself and yet in the process undergoes no reduction whatsoever. This supposition of Kapila estabishes cause in the form of something-eternal-undergoingchange - as a corollary to which the stuff pertaining to the unmanifest ori. ginating cause continues to exist in the entire lot of manifast worldly multiplicity. It is this existence that accounts for the element of similarity observable over there in the universe. Thus according to the elucidation
Kapila the things spatially and temporally specific are real and so also the similarity observable among these things. This suppo followed also by certain other philosophers - e. g. Rāmānuja, Vallabha etc. These philosophers too attribute transformation to the ultimate originatingcause as posited by them and on the basis thereof they explain as to how both what is generic and what is specific are real.
On the Jaina view the originating cause of the worldly multiplicity is not any single substance but, as on the Nyāya-Vaiseșika view, an infinite number of mutually independent real substances; but since on this view too a real is something eternal-undergoing-change it too explains as to how both what is generic and what is specific are real by supposing that the originating-cause continues to exist in the effects concerned e. g. in the effect technically called 'skandha (aggregate)'.
On the other hand, philosophers like Sankara offer an altogether different explanation for what is generic and what is specific. Thus according to