Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 2.1.30, 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 0 (‘above continued’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Earth, Waters, Fire, Air, and Ether—of Book II (of substances).
Sūtra 2.1.30 (Above continued)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 2.1.30:
शब्दालिङ्गाविशेषाद्विशेषलिङ्गाभावाच्च ॥ २.१.३० ॥
śabdāliṅgāviśeṣādviśeṣaliṅgābhāvācca || 2.1.30 ||
śabdaliṅgāviśeṣāt—because them is no difference in Sound which is the mark; Viśeṣaliṅgābhāvāt. because there exists no distinguishing mark. ca—and.
30.(Ether is one), because there is no difference in Sound which is its mark, and because there exists no other distingushing mark.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be asked, “The unity of Existence is proved by the virtue of a similative experience. How will unity be proved in Ether, by comparison with that?” So he says:
[Read sūtra 2.1.30 above]
The sense is that the unity of Ether is proved. Ether being ubiquitous or universal, all Sounds are explained by their having that one and the same foundation or seat. Therefore to suppose a different basis will be shewing an exuberance of imagination. Besides the very same Sound must be the mark of the different Ether which is to be supposed, and that, i.e., Sound, is undifferentiated; nor is there any other mark which can prove the differentia or the difference or division. It will be stated afterwards (III.ii.20) that although the mark. e.g., knowledge, etc., of Souls is really non-differentiated, still the plurality of Souls is proved by other marks, according to ‘difference of conditions’ or circumstances.—30.
Commentary: The Vivṛti of Jayanārāyaṇa:
(English extracts of Jayanārāyaṇa Tarkapañcānana’s Vivṛti or ‘gloss’ called the Kaṇādasūtravivṛti from the 17th century)
Plurality of Souls is proved by the differences of the products of the Soul, viz., pleasure and pain, seeing that at one and the same time an effect in the form of pleasure is produced in one Soul, while in another Soul am effect in the form of pain is produced. But in the case of Ether there is no d differenciation [differentiation?] of Sound which is its mark, whereby a multiplicity of Ether might be established. Nor is there any other mark which can establish a plurality of Ether. So that no account of the absence of proof, and no account of simplicity, Ether is one and not many.