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INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
accepted the existence of Isvara. After quoting the beginning of Padārthadharmasangraha Prof. E. Frauwallner writes : "It has always been noticed that these words echo the beginning of the Sūtras but it was seen as Prasastapāda's dependence on the Sūtras. Now we would rather judge the relation the other way round." There is another sūtra, viz. 'saññākarma tv asmadviśistānāṁ lingam' (2.1.18) where the commentators wrongly find the implied reference to Isvara (=God). They explain the term 'asmadviśistānām' as meaning "Mahesvarasya'. According to Upaskāra the meaning of the sūtra is : 'Name and effect are the mark of the existence of īśvara (=God).' He explains how naming is a mark of the existence of Isvara as also how effect too is a mark of the existence of Isvara. Earth etc. must have a creator, because they are effects like a pot etc. Thus according to Upaskāra, the sūtra adduces two logical reasons to prove the existence of God. While criticising the above interpretation presented by Upaskāra, Prof. S. N. Dasgupta writes : 'Upaskāra's interpretation seems to be farfetched. He wants to twist it into an argument for the existence of God's According to Dasgupta the meaning of the sūtra is : ‘The existence of others different from us (asmadviśistānám) has to be admitted for accounting for the giving of names to things (sañjñākarma). Because we find that the giving of names is already in usage (and not invented by us)'.' The sūtra has been explained by Candrānanda as meaning 'creation of nine names only by Maheśvara serves as a mark of the existence of nine substances only? 10 Prof. Dasgupta's above criticism applies to this interpretation also. As matter of fact, the term 'asmadviśistānām' is to be understood in the sense of 'of those distinguished from us' or 'of those superior to us. In Prasastapādabhāsya at one place we find the term 'asmadviśistānām used as an adjective qualifying “yogināni'." One important tenet upheld by the later NyāyaVaiseșika thinkers is that the initial motion of atoms is caused by Isvara (God)." But Kanāda explicitly states that it is caused by adrsta (a special quality generated in souls by their own actions).'3 Another equally important tenet upheld by them is that God gives living beings the fruits of their merits and demerits in the shape of enjoyments and afflictions.!* But Kaņāda recognises no intermediary between merits and demerits on the one hand and their fruits on the other. Still another important tenet upheld by them is that the author of the Vedas is Isvara (God).But Kanāda says only this much that creation of the Vedas presupposes Intellignce, that is, the Vedas are created by an intelligent
