Qualities (6): Parimāṇa (Dimension)

Parimāṇa is the sixth quality. It is a general quality. This quality can be perceived through two sense-organs, eye and skin. Praśastapāda gives the definition in his Bhāṣya that parimāṇa is the cause of measurement.213480 According to Viśvanātha, the definition of parimāṇa is that which is the cause of the convention of measurement.^[2] Śivāditya defines parimāṇa is that which has the generality of dimensionness and which is the special cause of the common usage of measurement.^[3]

There are similarities among these definitions. Annaṃbhaṭṭa also states in his work.

Tarkasaṃgraha, the similar definition of parimāṇa as:

mānavyavahārakāra-ṇam parimāṇam.^[4]

Parimāṇa is the cause of the usage of measurement. Viśvanātha points out that cause here means extraordinary cause (asādhāraṇakāraṇa) which is given to exclude Iśvara, kāla, dik and ātmā which are known as the common causes of all products.^[5]

Parimāṇa is divided into four kinds:

1. aṇu (atomic),
2. mahat (large),
3. dīrgha (long) and
4. hrasva (short).

These reside in all the nine substances.^[6]

Again parimāṇa can be:

1. nitya (eternal) and
2. anitya (transitory).

That parimāṇa is nitya (eternal) which subsist in eternal substances and that is anitya (transitory) which is in the non-eternal substances. The parimāṇa of ether, time, space and soul is all pervasive and is the largest. The parimāṇa of these substances is nitya, because these are eternal substances. The parimāṇa of atom and manas is atomic and eternal. The parimāṇa of the composite products like dyad, triad etc. are anitya.^[7] The transitory dimension is produced from number, dimension and accumulation (pracaya).The dimension of a dyad etc. is said to be caused by number. The cause of the dimension of dyad, triad etc. is not the dimension of atoms or dyads, since dimensions produce superior dimensions of the same kind. Hence, if the dimension of dyad is said to be produced by the dimension (i.e., atomic) of the atoms, then that dimension with be superior to that of the atoms, which is not possible. Similar is the case with triad etc. Hence, the number duality that exists in atoms is the non-inherent cause of the dimension of a dyad.^[8]

The dimension of a jar etc. is said to be that due to dimension. Accumulation is that conjunction which is designated as loose. The dimension of a jar etc. is caused by each two parts. So, it is called parimāṇaja. In case of cotton, etc., when they are made loose. The dimension increases hence it is called pracayaja dimension.^[9]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

parimāṇaṃ mānavyavahārakāraṇam. Vaiśeṣikadarśanam with Praśastapādabhāṣya, p. 86

[2]:

parimāṇaṃ bhavenmānavyavahārasya kāraṇam/ Bhāṣāpariccheda, p.201

[3]:

parimāṇatvajātiyogi mānavyavahārāsādhāraṇakāraṇam parimāṇam. Saptapadārthi, p.58

[4]:

Tarkasaṃgraha, p. 18

[5]:

Kārikāvalī–Nyāyasiddhāntamuktāvalī, p.205

[6]:

Tarkasaṃgraha, p. 18

[7]:

Sinha, Jadunath, Indian Philosophy, Vol.I, pp. 437-438

[8]:

Kārikāvalī–Nyāyasiddhāntamuktāvalī, pp. 207-208

[9]:

parimāṇa ghaṭādou tu parimāṇajamucyate/