Vaisheshika Sutram

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

Page 55

Introduction
Dr. M. Winternitz’ is of the opinion that “ there is little doubt that Rohagupta adopted Vais'eșika theories for the purposes of his own systematical teachings." The Buddhists are highly critical about the views of the Vais'eşikas. We have seen that the Lankavatara sutra shows knowledge of the Vais'esikasutras". The Sutralankara attributed to As'vaghoșa confutes the Vaiseșika doctrines. Nāgārjuna in his Ratnavali (as quoted in the Madhyamakortti (p. 275 ) refers to the system of Ulūka. Kimura informs us that in his Ekas'lokas'astra, Nāgārjuna mentions Ulūka along with Kapila“. Āryadeva deals with the Vais'eșika conceptions at a greater length in his Cutuhsataka. The Tattvopaplavasimha of Jayarās'i, the only extant work of the Laukāyatika system also quotes and refutes the Vaiseșika views.
The Problems of the Vais'eşikx system and the lost Vuiseșika literature.
The Va s'esikasūtras are thus a very important document. of ancient Indian Philosophical thinking. They are supposed to be pre-Buddhistic in date. But as the early works are mostly lost various problems confront a student of this system which defied any solution so long. The problems have been classified as (a) historical, (b) textual and (c) exigetical. In the broadest
अंता । इहपच्चयहेऊ य समवाओ। एए छत्तीसं भेया, एत्थ एकेके चत्तारि भंगा भवंति, तं जहा-भूमी, अभूमी, नोभूमी, नोअभूमी । एवं सव्वस्थ । तत्थ कुत्तियावणे भूमी मग्गिया, लेठुओ लद्वो, अभूमीए पाणियं, नोभूपीए जलायेव तु, नो राश्यन्तरम् , नोअभूमीए लेठुए चेव । एवं सव्वत्थ । ...ततो निग्गहिओ छलूगो, गुरुणा से खेलमल्लो मत्थए भग्गो । ततो निद्धाडिओ, गुरुवि पूतिओ, णगरे य गोसणय कयं वद्धमाणसामी जयइत्ति । अमुमेवार्थमुपसंहरन्नाह----
वाए पराजिओ सो निविसओ कारिओ नरिंदेणं ।
घोसावियं च णगरे जयइ जिणो वद्धमाणोत्ति ॥ १५० ॥ [ भा० ] निगदसिद्धा । तेगावि सरकवर डिएणं चेत्र बइ सेसियं पणीयं, तं च अण्णमण्णेहिं खाई णीयं, तं चोलूयपणीयंति वुच्चइ, जओ सो गोत्तेगोलूओ आसि । -Avasyakasutravrtti by Haribhadrasuri, Agamodayasamiti edition, Surat, pp. 318-321.
1. Jainus in the History of Indian Literature, p. 26. 2. Vais'eşikadars'ana ( Mithila Institute ), Intro. p 1. 3. Sutrālamkūra, Ch. I. 4. Hinayāna and Mahāyāna, p. 23.