Vaisheshika Sutram

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

Page 62

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Vais'eṣikasutra
on them grew bulky. Hence the crave for a compendium at the time of Prasastapāda. This explains the popularity of the Padārthadharmasampraha which drove the earlier works on the Sutras into oblivion. It will, indeed, be a miracle if any of the lost works prior to Prasastapāda in date is ever discovered.
That Prasastapāda wrote a commentary on the Vaiseṣikasutras is clearly attested by the Vaiseṣikasūtravyakhya also. It shows that the Sarıgıî: qîqəzi qaac VII. 1. 10, has been split up into two by Atreya and Pras'astapāda1. As the Palarthadharmasamgraha does not mention this sutra some other work of this author commenting on these sutras must have been referred to here.
S'rayaska, mentioned in the Vis'alamalavati may be a Vais'eşika author, because his view is referred to in connection with the examination of the definition of the direct perception as accepted by the Vaiseṣikas. But nothing about him or his work is known. It should be noted that the Tibetan writers sometimes distort the original Sanskrit tytles.
B. The Vaisesikasūtrapatha
The above account shows that the Padarthadharmasamgraha belongs to the line through which the Vais'eşika system flourished and though the work is not a direct commentary on the sutras it preserves the results of investigations spread over a long period.
Through the overwhelming popularity of the Padarthadharmasamgraha, all the important and ancient works of the Vaiseşika system went out of use. Even the Sutras of Kanāda receded to the back-ground. The Vais'eṣikas for long centuries were occupied with Prasastapāda's shorter work. It was studied in the Vais'eṣika seminaries and series of sub-commentries were written on it. It was, and is generally regarded as the Vais'eṣikabhasya and
1. आत्रेय प्रशस्तपादादयस्तु कारणगुणपूर्वकाः पृथिव्याम् इति सूत्रं कार्य पृथिवीरूपादीनां कारणगुणपूर्वकत्वप्रतिपादकम् । वह्निसंयोग [त् पाक ] जाश्चेति सूत्रं तु परमाणुपृथिवीरूपादीनां पाकजत्वप्रतिqzfafa sagà | Vaiseṣikadarsana, Mithila Institute, p. 65.
2. Cf. Vyomavati, pp. 20 Ca, 462; Nyayalilavati NSP, pp. 23 & 31 & Citsukhi, Kasi Ed., 1956 p. 515. etc. etc.