Vaisheshika-sutra with Commentary
by Nandalal Sinha | 1923 | 149,770 words | ISBN-13: 9789332869165
The Vaisheshika-sutra 4.1.10, 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 (‘gravity, not perceptible’) contained in Chapter 1—Of Atoms—of Book IV (of the origin of bodies).
Sūtra 4.1.10 (Gravity, not perceptible)
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 4.1.10:
तस्याभावादव्यभिचारः ॥ ४.१.१० ॥
tasyābhāvādavyabhicāraḥ || 4.1.10 ||
tasya—of this, i; e., the genus of colourness—etc; , and development or appreciability. abhāvāt—because of the non-existence Avyabhicāraḥ, non-deviation; No breach of uniformity or the rule.
10. Because of the non-existence of this, there is no violation (of the above law of perceptibility in the case of Gravity.)—166.
Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:
(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)
It may be asked, “Since Gravity also is combined with a compound of more than two substances (i.e. atoms), and appears in the same substratum with colour and magnitude, why then it is not perceptible;” Hence he says:
[Read sūtra 4.1.10 above]
Gravity is not perceptible, because of the non-existence, in Gravity, of this, viz., the genus of colourness, etc., and development or appreciability. It might be said that granted that, colourness, etc., do not exist there, yet there may be perception of Gravity. To prevent this, he adds ‘avyabhicāraḥ.’ There is ‘non-deviation’ i.e., unbroken uniformity of the five ‘classes’ or universals, e.g., colourness, etc., towards. apprehensibility by each individual sense. Whenever there exists one or another of the pentad of colourness, etc., there also exists apprehensibility by the respective external senses, as shown by the method of difference (that where the former are not, there the latter does not exist). This is the meaning.
Gravity, by reason of its being left obscure in the sūtra, as the topic of discussion, by Praśastadeva classed among things supersensuous, is by Vallavācārya said to be perceived by touch.—10.