Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 2.1.29, English translation, including commentaries such as the Upaskara of Shankara Mishra, the Vivriti of Jayanarayana-Tarkapanchanana and the Bhashya of Chandrakanta. The Vaisheshika Sutras teaches the science freedom (moksha-shastra) and the various aspects of the soul (eg., it's nature, suffering and rebirth under the law of karma). This is sutra 9 (‘ether is one’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Earth, Waters, Fire, Air, and Ether—of Book II (of substances).
Sūtra 2.1.29 (Ether is one)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.1.29:
तत्त्वम्भावेन ॥ २.१.२९ ॥
tattvambhāvena || 2.1.29 ||
tattvam—that-ness, One-ness, Unity; bhāvena—by existence.
29. The unity (of Ether is explained) by (the explanation of the unity of) Existence.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
Is there then one Ether or are there many Ethers? To this he replies:
[Read sūtra 2.1.29 above]
The agreement of the words in the aphorism is with ‘vyākhyātam’ (or explained), i.e., the same word, as in the last aphorism, with the inflection changed. The meaning is that as ‘Bhāvaḥ,’ i.e., Existence, is one. so also Ether is only one and not many.—29.