Vaisheshika Sutram

Author(s): Jambuvijay
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 48

Vais'eṣikasūtra
The Vaisesika system-its relation with other speculations.
4
The Vais'eṣika-dars'ana of Kaṇāda has been acclaimed as beneficial to the study of all other S'astras just like the grammar of Panini. This system is known as Aulukya or Kāṇāda according to the name of its propounder. It is again called Kasyapiyadarsana on the basis of the Gotra-name of the same." But the title Vais'eṣika dars'ana is more often used. Serveral explanations have been adduced for its origin. It is generally held that the title comes from visesa (particularity), the sixth category in the system which is accepted by the Vais'esikas alone. Udayana derives the title from the word 'vis'eṣa' in the sense of vyavaccheda ascertainment of the true nature of entities." Wi gives a different tradition from Ci-tsan's commentary on the S'atas'astra of Deva in Chinese: "Vaiseṣika the name of the Sutra, means superior or excellent and distinguished (or different). The origin of the name is in the fact that the system is distinguished from and superior to the Samkhya". Durvekamis'ra gives still different origin of the Title. According to him, substance, quality, action, universal, particularity and inherence are the special categories (padarthavis'esāḥ) meant here. The S'astra dealing with them is called Vais'eṣika or the
1. Cf. काणादं पाणिनीयं च सर्वशास्त्रोपकारकम् ।
2. Cf. Nyayavarti kata paryaṭīkā, Cal. Sans. Series, p. 845. 3. Cf. faa Dharmottarapradipa, KPJï; p. 240. 4. ÌÈ Ħal sz¶Î± Îà -Nyayavartika, Cal. Sans. Series, p. 836.
Gf. कगादः । रूढिवशाच्चायं शब्दः काश्यपे मुनौ वर्तते Dharmottarapradapa, p 228.
5. नित्यद्रव्यवृत्तयोऽन्त्या [ विशेषाः, ] विशेषा एव वैशेषिकं विनयादिभ्यः स्वार्थे इक । तद् वैशेषिकं विदन्त्यधीयते वा तद्वत्त्वधीत इत्यणि वैशेषिकाः । तेषामिदं वैशेषिकम् -Saddars'anasamuccayavṛtti (of Gunaratna) p. 23. Cf. Nyayavutāraṭippaṇı (Ed. Dr. P. L. Vaidya ), p. 9.
6. विशेषो व्यवच्छेदः, तत्त्वनिश्चयः तेन व्यवहरतीत्यर्थः Kiranavali, Bibl. Ind., p. 613.
7. Wi-Vaiseṣika Philosophy: Intro. p. 4.