Qualities (10-11): Paratva and Aparatva (Priority and Posteriority)

According to Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika, paratva (Priority) and Aparatva (Posteriority) are also qualities. Both these qualities are general qualities.

Praśastapāda and Viśvanātha discuss about paratva and aparatva in similar ways. Paratva and aparatva are related to far and near. Each of them has two kinds–spatial and temporal. Spatial paratva is known as farness. Spatial aparatva is known as nearness. Temporal paratva is known as oldness. Temporal aparatva is known as youngness.^[1] In the Vaiśeṣikasūtra, it is found: paratva and aparatva are indicated from the nearness and distantness in the time and space.^[2]

According to Viśvanātha, the extraordinary causes of the convention that a thing is far or near are called paratva and aparatva. The non-inherent cause of spatial remoteness and nearness is the conjunction of space with their substratum. Temporal distance arises from a motion of preponderance of the sun’s movement. While temporal nearness arises from a notion of its meagreness. Here the non-inherent cause is the conjunction of time with a limited substance.^[3] The description of paratva and aparatva given by Śivāditya does not clear any speciality as he defines these qualities with the help of their generality. Thus he says paratva is that quality which possesses paratvatva and aparatatva possesses aparatatva.^[4] However, he also accepts the definition given by Kaṇāda.

According to Annaṃbhaṭṭa–paratva and aparatva are the special causes of the employment of words prior or posterior. These paratva and aparatva live in the five substances namely, earth, water, light, air and mind.^[5] Each of them (paratva and aparatva) has two kinds - digkṛta (spatial) and kālakṛta (temporal). In an object which exists at a distance priority caused by space is found. In an object which is near there is aparatva caused by space. In a thing person which is older paratva caused by time is found. Similarly in younger persons there is aparatva caused by time.^[6]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vaiśeṣikadarśanam with Praśastapādabhāṣya, pp. 124-126

[2]:

ekādikkābhyāmekakālābhyāṃ sannikṛṣṭaviprakṛṣṭābhyāṃ paramaparañca. Vaiśeṣikasūtra, 7.2.21

[3]:

Bhāṣāpariccheda, p. 212

[4]:

Saptapadārthi, p.59

[5]:

Tarkasaṃgraha, p. 19

[6]:

te dvividhe dikkṛte kālakṛte ca. dūrasthe dikkṛtaṃ paratvam. samipasthe dikkṛtaṃaparatvam. jyeṣṭhe kālakṛtaṃ paratvam kaniṣṭhe kālakṛtam paratvam Ibid