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8. PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES
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directly connected with the Vaiseșika system. Somadeva himself, as we shall see, mentions their view of salvation separately.
The Tärkika Vaišeşikas, who do not seem to have been Saivas, held that salvation results solely from the knowledge of the categories based on an understanding of their similarities and dissimilarities; and the categories are Substance, Quality, Action, Generality, Particularity, Inherence and Non-existence. Strictly speaking, this is not an accurate presentation of the Vaiseșika view. According to that system, salvation is the result of Dharma and knowledge of the categories is only a means to that end inasmuch as such knowledge produces Dharma, of which the essence is nivịtti or renunciation; and this cannot be realised unless the nature of all objects, external and internal, is comprehended and the evils inherent in them grasped. Besides, Dharma cannot bring about salvation unless it is supported by the will of God. This is the interpretation of Sridhara in his Nyāyakandali," Udayana says in his Kiranävali that salvation results from the realisation of the ultimate truth, revealed by the continuous practice of Dharma or renunciation according to the principles laid down in the Veda and other sacred texts, the knowledge of the categories being a preliminary discipline.
It is interesting to note that Somadeva, like Sivāditya, the author of Saptapadārthi, definitely includes Abhāva or Negation among the categories. It is wellknown that Kaņāda recognised only six categories, but from about the tenth century onwards writers on the Vaiseșika system such as Sridhara and Udayana have emphasized the importance of Abhāva ;' and others have given it its legitimate place among the categories.
Somadeva attempts to define with precision the nature of salvation propounded by the Vaiseșika system. He says that the followers of Kaņāda hold salvation to be the absolute cessation of the nine attributes of the Soul, namely, knowledge, pleasure, pain, desire, aversion, effort, virtue, vice and
1 'द्रव्यगुणकर्मसामान्यसमवायान्त्यविशेषाभावाभिधानानां पदार्थानां साधर्म्यवैधावबोधतत्रात् ज्ञानमात्रात् इति तार्किक
darenr: 1' Ibid. 2 The Prasastapāda Bhäşya says 'faqitu: 957 4: Frünkiai gei wat madalat
ATTATT....(see below). Sridhara says 'afa: ia fa fanfara a fillorar निःश्रेयससाधनमित्यभिप्रायः। तत्त्वतो ज्ञातेषु बाह्याध्यात्मिकेषु विषयेषु दोषदर्शनाद्विरक्तस्य समीहानिवृत्तावात्मज्ञस्य तदर्थानि कर्माण्य कुर्वतः तत्परित्यागसाधनानि च श्रुतिस्मृत्युदितानि असंकल्पितफलान्युपाददानस्यात्मशानमभ्यस्यतः प्रकृष्टविनिवर्तकधर्मोपचये सति परिपकात्मज्ञानस्य आत्यन्तिकशरीरवियोगस्य भावात् । ......."धर्मोऽपि केवलं तावत् न निःश्रेयसं
करोति यावदीश्वरेच्छया नानुगृह्यते तेनेदमुक्तम्-ईश्वरचोदनाभिव्यक्तात् धर्मादेवेति ।' 3 'शास्त्रेण पदार्थान् विविच्य श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहासपुराणोपदिष्टयोगविधिना दीर्घकालादरनैरन्तर्यसेवितान्निवृत्तिलक्षणाद्धर्मादेव
ona qatstuga i... Ya T14177! 4 Udayana says 31+T retaraf 94131 alfee: 1 fautetta A697710 17 7 Tagar.'
Sridharu says ara er gertata:T: RAAT 17894141'. 24
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