An Analytic Study of Dharma in Vaiśeṣika Philosophy As a Source of Integrated Thought

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "An Analytic Study of Dharma in Vaiśeṣika Philosophy As a Source of Integrated Thought"

Ashlynn Maxwell
5 years ago
Views:

1 KAAV INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTS,HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES An Analytic Study of Dharma in Vaiśeṣika Philosophy As a Source of Integrated Thought VANDANA UPADHYAY Research Scholar, SCSS/CSS, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Abstract Keywords:Dharma, abhyudaya, niḥśreyas, jῆāna, tattva etc. VaiśeṣikaSchool is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy that talks much about human integration. Its concept of dharma is very peculiar and somewhat idiosyncratic from other systems of Indian philosophy. Kaṇāda in the Vaiśeṣikasūtra defines dharma as a source of worldly achievements and spiritual advancement. Yatoabhyudayaniḥśreyassiddhiḥsadharmaḥ. VS, 1/1/2. This paper constitutes an effort to show the integrated human approach of Vaiśeṣikasystem through its concept ofdharma. The Vaiśeṣikasūtra and the Padārthadharmasaṃgraha along with other well- 154

2 known commentaries on it would be explored to describe and analyse the concept of dharma that comprises the sense of human integration. Main Paper Dharma in Vaiśeṣikaphilosophy seems to have a prominent place and role as this system of Indian philosophy embarks on with Kaṇāda s proclamation of explaining dharma i and by defining it as the cause or the source of abhyudaya (worldly achievements) and niḥśreyas (salvation or final release). ii The term getsmore significance when it is said that the exact knowledge of all the six categories (later, the added one seventh category abhāva ),in this system (which especially get their origin from dharma), is the cause of niḥśreyasor salvation. iii The aphorism 1/1/4 of VS iv process in the following way: indicates towards the cosmological Dharma (Dharmaviśeṣa) DravyaGuṇa Karma SāmānyaViśeṣaSamavāya Here, it is worth noting that in the definition of dharma, it is said that dharma is the source of both abhyudaya as well as of niḥśreyas. In the following aphorism, the process of niḥśreyashas been narrated which 155

3 conveys that the true knowledge of all the categories leads one to niḥśreyas, but it is silent about the nature and process of abhyudaya. If dharma is the root of abhyudaya as well as niḥśreyas, what is abhyudaya according to Vaiśeṣikasystem? Ifabhyudaya is worldly achievement, how does dharma here become helpful to acquire these worldly achievements? What is the nature of abhyudaya and if the definition of dharma comprises of both abhyudayaas well asniḥśreyas, how does abhyudaya help in the origin of six categories? How does dharma become coherent with both abhyudaya andniḥśreyas? What type of nature may it (dharma) have that includes the both qualities? These are the general questions that arise in mind when one goes through the second and third aphorisms of first chapter of Vaiśeṣikasūtra. In this paper, an effort is constituted to bring forth the clear view ofdharmaas per VaiśeṣikaSchool and toget the answer of these questions. In this connection, apart from the Vaiśeṣikasūtra of Kaṇāda, the other works of this school mainly PDS of Praśastapāda and its renowned three commentaries by Śrīdhara, Vyomaśiva and Udayanaand other later direct commentaries on VS would be brought in to consideration. Though there are few direct commentaries on VS that answer these raised issues clearly. To begin with VS, the second āhnika of sixth chapter of VS more or less is the subject matter of the narration of abhyudaya. Here, it is said that in visible and invisible results of action (karman), which action does 156

4 not have visible results, the invisible results in form of abhyudaya should be inferred. v According to this aphorism, abhyudaya seems such kinds of deeds that are supposed not to bring immediate resultsbut are regarded as good and positive for the welfare of doer. These invisible results of good deeds are called abhyudaya.these invisible results can be achieved by following certain ordained deeds such as having bath in pious rivers, fasting, celibacy, dwelling with teacher for study purposes, performing sacrifices, giving s, the rules of space, time, mantra and constellation vi and by following all four āśramas rules and having pure thoughts etc. vii Apart from ŚankaraMiśra supaskāra that provides the meaning of abhyudaya as tattvajῆāna ultimate knowledge, the direct commentaries available on VS in Sanskrit are such as follow viii : Rasāyanabhāṣya by UttamamūraVīraRāghavācārya; Vaiśeṣikasūtravaidikavṛtti by Pt. Swami Hariprasad; Vaiśeṣikadarśana Brahmamuni bhāṣyam by BrahamuniParivrājakaVidyamārtanḍa; Vaiśeṣikadarśana Vedabhāskara bhāṣyamby Pt. Kashinath Sharma; Sugamā Vaiśeṣikasūtravṛttiḥ by Late DesikaTirumalaiTātācāryaŚiromaṇi. 157

5 Among all these commentaries, the commentary of Brahmamuni elaborates and discusses the concept of dharma. In this commentary, the commentator refutes the views of ŚankaraMiśra and Jayanārāyaṇa. He says that in the definition of dharma, the term abhyudaya neither stands for tattvajῆāna(true knowledge) as ŚankaraMiśra propounds, nor it is used in the sense of svargaormokṣa-mārga-cintana the idea of salvation ; rather it combines the nature of both (ubhayasahabhāvasvarūpa). It should also be noted equally that among six (later seven) categories of VS, the second category is guṇa quality which is of twenty four types. Though in VS, there are seventeen enumerated guṇas, ix but in the PDS, Praśastapāda adds seven more qualities, guṇas. x Thus there are twenty four qualities approved and maintained by the system. Among these twenty four qualities, adrṣṭa is enumerated as twenty third quality that comprises of dharma and adharma. Here, the term dharma comes again in a disguise of quality. In its definition, Praśastapādasays that dharma is an attribute of a man (puruṣa). Dharmaḥpuruṣaguṇaḥ. xi Dharma becomes the cause of priya (pleasure), hita (its means) and mokṣa-sādhana (the means of salvation). It is imperceptible and comes in to origin by the conjunction of soul and intellect and gets annihilated by true knowledge of ultimatepleasure. xii 158

6 Praśastapāda sfurther exposition ondharma is important from the ethical point of view as he describes dharma in the form of social orders such as varṇa and āśrama. Śrutis and smiritis are the means of acquiring and managing this social order. Praśastapāda divides dharma as common and specific. Common i.e. sādhāraṇadharma are that which can be applied to and followed by all human beings equally. The common sādhāraṇadharmaare such as faith, non-violence, welfare of all beings, veracity, honesty, celibacy, immaculate thoughts, abandonment of anger, bath, pious food, devotion for a deity, fasting and abandonment of laziness and sloth in work. xiii Praśastapāda mentions specific dharmathat are divided among four varṇas and four āśramas respectively. Praśastapādaelaborates dharma for Brāhmanas, kṣatriyas, vaisyas and śūdras along with its respective narration for brahmacarya, grihastha, vānaprastha and sanyāsaāśramas. xiv All these dharmas are as per their circumstances and should be followed strictly without any lethargy. The commentator Vyomasiva, very exhaustively and vividly describes all these specific rules of varṇasand āśramas. xv In the sanyāsaāśramasthat is the result of complete renunciation, when a man or seeker who is already free from all worldly bondages and having the eligibility to attain ultimate truth contemplates over the nature of the categories along with their common and uncommon abstract attributes, he immediately gets established in samādhi deep 159

7 meditation xvi that is called yoga in VS by Kaṇāda. xvii In this state, there is no connection between soul and mind as all the attributes of soul gets destroyed, as result soul becomes free from pleasure and pain because it is the mutual connection of these channels that is the cause of pleasure and pain. xviii And this is the state of mokṣa xix or niḥśreyas according to Vaiśeṣika philosophy. Thus, with regard to the termsdharma, abhyudaya andniḥśreyas, from the observation of the exposition given by Kaṇādaand Praśastapāda, it comes forth that dharma is in root for abhyudaya and niḥśreyas. In Vidyodayacommentary of VS, xx UdayaviraShastri has provided a very convincing interpretation of the term dharmaofvs 1/1/ Conclusively he states that the term dharma of VS is quite different from that of Mīmāmsā philosophy and Kaṇāda sdetermination to reveal the true nature of dharma is quite in a different perspective. According to UdayaviraShastri, in Kaṇāda sstatements, the term dharma refers to the contituents/ attributes (dharma) of categories (dharmin) that account for their (of dharmin) nature and characteristics. UdayaviraShastri asserts that Kaṇāda sintention was to describe thatdharma by which one is able to know the real nature of categories and by knowing their real nature one is able to get both abhyudaya as well as niḥśreyas. Clarifying his views, he further says that recognizing and knowing the true nature/ form of categories enables one s inventing and innovative skills. The 160

8 advancement in the field of science and technology is an exact example of this exposition. This is the essence of abhyudaya. Apart from this, the proper knowledge of the categories along with its common and uncommon abstract attributes enables one to realize the truth of reality. Seeing and experiencing their essence-less-ness, one may move towardsa higher goal. This is the purpose and endeavour of Vaiśeṣika philosophy. Here, in this regard, it can be said that though Vaiśeṣika School is realistic in its approach, but making one to move towards higher goal by exposition of the constituents of the world, its exact understanding and by sensitizing one towards the higher mystic approach, it fulfils its both philosophical as well assoteriological purposes. Thus, UdayaviraShastri, in his commentary explains the term dharma. It is noteworthy that for the term dharma, he approves the meaning constituents or attributes of categories ; while in the next aphorism, he interprets the term dharmavisesa as special or particular capability of soul to understand the nature of categories along with its similar and dissimilar abstract attributes. xxi Shastri s this presentation of dharma seems very justifiable and adorable; but the same time it should also not be forgotten that the term dharma, not only in Vaiśeṣika philosophy but in entire Hindu wisdom occupies a very prominent place. It would not be an exaggeration at all if 161

9 it is said that dharma is a kind of term that has the widest and the deepest meanings ever. In Hindu philosophical thought, dharma does not only stand for different religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc., but it is used in the wide sense of duties, nature, human values, morality and also in the sense of cosmic law and order (the concept of ṛta).in this context, The History of Dharmaśāstra, the celebrated magnum opus on dharmaśāstra by P. V. Kane should be seen to understand the various implications of the term dharma. It is peculiarity of dharma that even karmamīmāmsā (Pūrvamīmāmsā philosophy) starts with dharmajijῆāsā. So in this context, if, in the same manner, Kaṇāda intends to bring in his philosophy or dogma with that of dharma, it should not be ridiculed or criticized by blaming that it is the deviation of subject. xxii It seems that the term dharma developed in such a significant term that each and every enterprise thought it necessary to start with the enunciation of dharma and dharma, like incessantly flowing water kept taking shapes and meanings in its respective contexts as Ṛgveda proclaims dharma as the base of whole universe. Dharmoviśvasyajagataḥpratisṭhā. Ṛgveda, 1/187. In the vast Hindu literature, whether it is from the Vedas to Upaniṣads, or from the Dharmaśāstras to philosophy or from the grammar to poetics literature, dharma has the most crucial place in most of these fields of study. Here, in this paper, the description of the etymological meaning of dharma and its various implications have been 162

10 avoided because of the fear of expansion and repetition as the references given at the end of the article narrate explicitly on the concept ofdharma. Conclusively, in a nutshell, it can be said that Kaṇāda s intention to embark on his dogma with the enunciation of dharma seems very much influenced by the abovementioned wider aspect of dharma. His enunciation of dharmain VScan be said idiosyncratic as UdayaviraShastri affirms, but the same time, it is also a holistic integrated approach that talks and includes both aspects the physical growth and spiritual advancement of the human beings as Veda Prakash Verma, a modern thinker, xxiii too asserts this very motive of Vaiśeṣika philosophy. End-notes: i Athātodharmamvyākhyāsyāmaḥ. VS, 1/1/1. ii Yatoabhyudayaniḥśreyasasiddhiḥsadharmaḥ. VS, 1/1/2. iii Dharmaviśeṣaprasūtāddravyaguṇakarmasāmānyaviśeṣasamavāyānāmpadārthānā msādharmyavaidharmyābhyāmtattvajῆānānniḥśreyasam. VS, 1/1/4. iv Ibid. v Dṛṣṭādriṣṭaprayojanānāmdrṣṭābhāveprayojanamabhyudayāya. VS, 6/2/1. vi Abhiṣecana- upavāsa-brahmacarya-gurukulavāsa-vānaprastha-yajῆa-dānaprokṣana-diṅnakṣatramantrakālaniyamāśca adṛṣṭāya. VS, 6/2/2. vii Cāturāśramyamupadhāanupadhāśca. VS, 6/2/3. viii This description is based on the 8 th chapter of the book Vaiśeṣika-Darśana- Pariśīlana by Prof.Shashiprabha Kumar. VDP, pp ix Rūparasagandhasparśāḥsamkhyāḥparimāṇānipṛthaktvamsamyogavibhāgauparatv āparatvebuddhayaḥsukhaduḥkheicchādveṣauprayatnāścaguṇāḥ. VS, 1/1/6. 163

11 x caśabdasamuccitāścagurutvadravatvasnehasamskārādṛṣṭaśabdāḥsaptaivaityeva mcaturvinśatiguṇāḥ. Pbh, p. 27. xi Pbh, p.660. xii Kartuḥpriyahitamokṣahetuḥatīndriyo tyantasukhasamvijῆānavirodhīpuruṣāntaḥk araṇasamyoga-viśuddhābhisandhijaḥ, varṇāśramiṇāmpratiniyatasādhananimittaḥ. Tasyatusādhanāniśrutismritivihitānivarṇāśramiṇāmsāmānyaviśeṣabhāvenaavasthit ānidravyaguṇakarmāṇi. Pbh, p xiii Pbh, p xiv Pbh, pp xv Vy. pp xvi Trayāṇāmanyatamasyaśraddhāvataḥsarvabhutebhyonityamabhayamdattvā, sannyasyasvānikarmāṇi, yamaniyameṣuapramattasyaṣatpadārthaprasamkhyānādyogaprasādhanampravrajit asyeti. Pbh, p xvii Tadanārambhaātmasthemanasiśarīrasyaduḥkhābhāvaḥsayogaḥ. VS, 5/2/16. xviii Ātmendriyamanoarthasannikarṣātsukhaduḥkhe. VS, 5/2/15. xix Tadabhāvesamyogābhāvoaprādurbhāvaścamokṣaḥ. VS, 5/2/18. xx Vaiśeṣikadarśanam, Vidyodayabhāṣyasahitam, AcaryaUdayaviraShastri, pp xxi Ibid, pp xxii Dharmamvyākhyātukāmasyaṣaṭpadārthopavarṇanam Samudramgantukāmasyahimavadgamanopamam xxiii Veda Prakash Verma, Dharma Darśanakāsvarūpaevamkṣetra, Dharma DarśanakīMūlaSamasyāein, p

12 Abbreviations: VS : Vaiśeṣikasūtras PDS : Padārthadharmasamgraha Pbh : Praśastapādabhāṣya Vy. : Vyomavatī VDP : VaiśeṣikaDarśanaPariśīlana Primary Sources: Bibliography VaiśeṣikaDarśana, Praśastapādabhāṣya, Pt. DhundhirajShastri& Narayana Misra,Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, Varanasi, Vaiśeṣikadarśanam, Vidyodayabhāṣyasahitam, AcaryaUdayaviraShastri, Vijay Kumar GovindaramHasanand, NaiSarak, New Delhi, Praśastapādabhāṣyam, Padārthadharmasamgrahākhyam with the commentary Nyāyakandalī of Śrīdhara, ed. & tr. Pt. DurgadharaJha Sharma, Sampurnanand Sanskrit Visvavidyalaya, Varanasi, Vyomavatī, Vyomaśivācārya, ed. By GaurinathShastri, Sampurnanand Sanskrit Visvavidyalaya, Varanasi,

13 MīmāmsāŚābarbhāṣyam, PrathamBhaga, ed. YudhisthiraMimamsaka, Ramlal Kapoor Trust, Bahalgarh, Sonipat, Haryana,1987. Secondary Sources: Kane, P.V.; DharmashastrakaItihasa, Hindi TR. By Arjun ChaubeKasyap, Uttar Pradesh Hindi Sansthan, Lucknow, 1 st ed Verma, Veda Prakash; Dharma Darsana Ki MoolSamasyaein, Hindi MadhyamKaryanvayanNidesalaya, Delhi University, Veena S. Gajendragadkara, Kaṇāda s Doctrine of Padārthas, Sri SatguruPubliationn, Indian Book centre, Delhi, Kumar, Prof. Shashi Prabha; VaiśeṣikaDarśanaPariśīlana, VidyanidhiPrakashan, delhi, Kumar, Pushpendra; Hindu Dharmashastra, Introduction, Text with Eng. Translation & Shloka Index, Vol. 1-5, Nag Publishers, Delhi, Pandey, Rama, A Problematic Analysis of The Elements in Indian Philosophy, MotilalBanarasidas, Delhi,

The Work Of The Holy Spirit

The Work Of The Holy Spirit Introduction. Perhaps one of the most confusing aspects of the Godhead today is the work of the Holy Spirit. If someone has ever asked you about the work of the Holy Spirit,