Jain Journal 1988 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 30

Indian Atomism
J. C. SIKDAR
Part-I
Introduction
The thought of Indian atomism reflects a stage of the emergence and development of Indian philosophy of a period in the field of metaphysical knowledge, when the daring flight of imagination of speculative human mind with logical nicety went on to search out the basic principle of dissolution and creation of the material universe. In this speculation the Samkhya, Yoga, Vaisesika, Nyaya, Mimamsaka, Bauddha, Vedanta and Jaina systems of thought have attacked the problem from their respective angles of vision and made attempts at the explanation and interpretation of the root cause of atomism. The Carvakasl admitted four or five elements of matter (bhūtas) as the basis of creation, having a support for atomism.
The Samkhya-Yoga philosophy has conceived the idea of atom as produced from tanmātrā (infra-atomic potential) by advocating Prakrtivāda (Doctrine of Primordial Matter) as the fundamental cause of the material universe. The Nyaya-Vaisesika3 has propounded the atomic theory on the basis of avayava (constituent element) and avayavi (composite whole), so its atomism is based on Sthirat vavāda (Doctrine of Permanence) and Avayavavāda (Doctrine of Constituent Elements) while atomism of the Buddhist schools of thought like the Vaibhasikas
1 Tattvopaplavasimha by Jayarasi, ed. by Pandit Sukhlalji, published by Gaekwad
Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1940, pt. I. 2 Sankhya-pravacana-bhasya by Vijnanabhiksu, ch. I, sutra, 62; vide the Positive
Sciences of the Ancient Hindus, Dr. B. N. Seal, published by Motilal Banarasidass, Delhi (reprinted), 1938, p. 29; Vyasa-bhasya on Yogasutra of Patanjali, ed. and published by Sri Jivananda Vidyasagara, B. H. Sanskrit College, Calcutta, second
edition, 1895, pada IV, sutra 14, p. 91. 3 Vaisesika-darsana by Kanada, Haridas Sanskrit Granthamala 3, published by
Chowkhamba Sanskrit Pustakalaya Office, Kasi, 1923, adhyaya IV, ahnika I, sutras 1-2 ; Nyaya-darsana by Gautama, published by Chowkhamba Sanskrit Pustakalaya Office, Kasi, 1920, adhyaya IV, ahnika II, sutra 15; adhyaya II, ahnika I, sutra 35 ; see Vatsyayana-bhasya on them.