The Vaisesika Sutras by Kanada PDF book translated by Nandalal Sinha
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| The Vaisesika sutras by Kanada |
Excerpt:
The Vaisesika Sutras of Kanada, with the Commentary of Sakara Misra and extracts from the gloss of Jayanarayana and the Bhasya of Chandrakanta, was first published in tho years 1910 and 1911. The Vaisesika Sutras (वैशेषिक सूत्र), also known as the Kanada Sutras, are a foundational ancient Sanskrit text of the Vaisheshika school of Hindu philosophy. They are attributed to the sage Kanada (कणाद), also known as Kashyapa.
Here's a breakdown of what the Vaisesika Sutras are about:
Foundation of Vaisheshika Philosophy: The Sutras lay out the core tenets of the Vaisheshika school, which is known for its naturalistic atomism and its systematic realism. It is one of the six classical schools of Hindu philosophy.
Atomic Theory: One of the most significant aspects of the Vaisesika Sutras is its early exposition of an atomic theory. Kanada posited that all physical objects are reducible to minute, indivisible, and eternal entities called anu (atoms). These atoms combine in various ways to form the macroscopic world we perceive.
* Categories of Reality: The text outlines a system of categories (padarthas) to understand reality. Traditionally, these are:
Dravya (substance): Earth, water, fire, air, ether, time, space, soul, and mind.
* Guna (quality/attribute): Color, taste, smell, touch, number, size, etc.
* Karma (action/motion): Upward motion, downward motion, contraction, expansion, etc.
Samanya (generality/universal): What makes things belong to a common class.
Vishesha (particularity/individuality): What distinguishes one eternal substance from another.
Samavaya (inherence): The intimate relation between a substance and its qualities, or between a whole and its parts.
Later, a seventh category, Abhava (non-existence), was generally accepted within the Vaisheshika school.
Epistemology and Metaphysics: The Sutras also touch upon epistemology (the theory of knowledge), the nature of the self (Atman), dharma (duty/righteousness), and the concepts of yoga and moksha (liberation).
Emphasis on Physics: Some scholars consider the Vaisesika Sutras as one of the earliest texts on physics in Indian philosophy due to its focus on motion and the fundamental constituents of matter.