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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 49
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (11) [continued] 
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
-----   

        After saving the sAttvika jIvas from the un-Vedic
religious onslaught, the Lord turns towards those
religious systems which accept the authority of the
Vedas. SwAmi, Desikan mentions the Vaishika system as
the first one in the list. We shall look into the
tenets of this religion.
        This system derives its name from the term ?visheSha?
, meaning characteristic. It is mainly a system of
physics and metaphysics. Initially it adopted a
sixfold classification of objects of experience
(padArthas), namely, substance, quality, activity,
generality, particularity and inherence, to which
later a seventh, non-existence was added. Of these,
three, i.e., substance, quality and activity possess
real objective existence, which ca ne be intuited. 
The others, i.e., generality, particularity and
inherence are the products of intellectual
discrimination. They are logically inferred, not
directly perceived. The existenc of soul is inferred
from the fact that consciousness cannot be a property
of the body, the sense-organs, or the mind. The soul
is all pervading, but its capacity of knowing, feeling
and willing resides only where the body is. Many are
the souls is inferred from their differences in status
and their various conditions.  This system also
believes that each soul experiences the consequences
of its own deeds and this is taken as a proof for the
plurality of souls. According to this system, things
are composed of invisible eternal atoms which are
capable of division. There are four kinds of atoms:
earth, water, light and air. The VaishEShikas are
non-believers of theism. KanAda, or KAshyapa, is the
author of the VaishEShika sutra does not mention God,
but later commentators felt that the immutable atoms
could not by themselves produce an ordered universe
unless a presiding God regulated their activities.
They say, the Vedas were the creation of God, that is,
they are paurusSheyam.  They adopted the concept of
God following the emergence of the NyAya system. 
        The second AdhikaraNa, namely,
?MahaddeerghAdhikaraNam?, of the second quarter of the
second Chapter of the Brahmasutra deals with the
combination of NyAya-VaishEShika systems and refutes
their theory that atoms are the cause of the universe.
There are seven sutras in this. This AdhikaraNa
follows the first one which proved the un-tenability
of the SAnkhya system. 
        The first Sutra, ?MahaddeerghavadvA
hrasvaparimaNDalAbhyAm? says, ?The views of others
like the one that accepts the production of big and
long from the short and the atom, are untenable.?
        SrIbhAshyakAra refutes this twin-system as follows:
This combined NyAya-VaishEShika theory that the
joining of two smallest atoms and this combination
gives rise to tertiary particle and thus evolves the
world, is incompatible, because the primeval cause is
not established.  
        This inconsistency is explained in detail in the
following sutras of this AdhikaraNa. 
        It is impossible to accept that the first motion can
originate in the atoms. Therefore the conjunction of
two or more atoms is impossible to accept. The Lord
cannot be proved by inference. Hence, it is impossible
to argue that the atoms can create the world bnder the
direction of the Lord. This doctrine is not compatible
on account of the acceptance of ?samavAya? (union) as
a separate category. There results the fallacy of
regressus in infinitum. Because samavAya is considered
eternal, the world also will have to be eternal, and
so the doctrine is untenable. As the atoms are said to
have colour etc., the doctrine becomes contradictory
because it is so observed in the world. The doctrine
is untenable because other defects also. Thus the
NyAya-VaisheShika system is altogether disregarded. 

(To continue)
dAsan
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
---------  

   
    
 
        






      
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