Sambodhi 2006 Vol 30

Author(s): J B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 46

40
RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA
SAMBODHI
1.2 pseudo-Sankara says, “ By svabhāva is meant the power invariably belonging to the material objects, as for instance (the radiation of] heat by fire...By yadrcchā is meant purely fortuitous origin” (p. 43).
Sankarānanda (thirteenth century) in his sub-commentary, Dipikā, explains the difference more elaborately: "By svabhāva is meant the inherent nature of the respective material objects, i.e. their unique causal efficacy. For instance, burning in the case of fire and flowing downwards in the case of water....Chance (yadrccha) is a certain power that conveys in the manner of the crow and palm-fruit (as in the fable of the fruit of the palm falling accidentally at the moment of the alighting of a crow]."37
Amalānanda (thirteenth century) in his sub-commentary on the BS, Kalpataru, distinguishes them as follows: "yadrcchā means random occurrence without regard for the law of fixed causation; by contrast svabhāva is that which exists as long as the thing exists, for example, respiration etc. [in the case of living beings]."'38
Sāyaṇa-Mādhava aka Vidyāranya, too, posits svabhāva as opposed to yadrccha and identifies svabhāva with the Cārvāka doctrine (or at least, as forming an integral part of it). He first speaks of the doctrine of accidentalism: nanvadrstāniştau jagadvaicitryam ākasmikaṁ syaditi cet, “If you thus do not allow adrshta, the various phenomena of the world become destitute of any cause." To this a Cārvāka is made to reply: na tadbhadraṁ. svabhāvād eva tadutapatteḥ, “But we cannot accept this objection as valid, since these phenomena can all be produced spontaneously from the inherent nature of things."39 Vācaspatimiśra also mentions svabhāva and yadrcchā separately, although he does not distinguish them in any detail.40
In the VPS, too, Vidyāranya identifies the Cārvāka with the svabhāvavādins: sarvaṁ kāryaṁ svabhāvādevotpadyata iti bārhaspatyo manyate, "the Bārhaspatya thinks that all effects are produced by svabhāva." The Medical Tradition The SS (before the tenth century), śārirasthāna, 1. 11 mentions svabhāva and yadrochā separately as two distinct entities.