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[[Dayananda Saraswati]] writes that the [[Sutra]]s of Kanada and '' Padarthadharmasanghra '' of Prashastapada do not show much influence of the [[Nyaya]] System.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dayananda’s Outline of Vedic Philosophy|author=Satya Prakash|publisher=Dayanand Sansthan|page=43|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=l9ccAAAAMAAJ&q=Prashasta+pada+bhashaya&dq=Prashasta+pada+bhashaya&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aovMU8mVEZOVuAS54YLADg&redir_esc=y }}</ref> '' Prashastapada Bhashya '' is actually not a commentary but an independent compendium of the tenets of the Vaisheshika School. <ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Oriental philosophy and Religion|publisher=Global Vision Publication House|page=386|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=0TBTVPax4E8C&pg=PA386&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ru_MU9nhOcK8ugSqkYDwBQ&ved=0CEkQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> [[Udayana| Udayanacharya]] of the [[Navya-Nyāya]] School, the author of '' Lakshanavali '' which gives the definitions of Vaisheshika terms, and '' Nyaya Kusumanjali '' which is a systematic account of Nyaya Theism, who also belonged to [[Mithila, India|Mithila]], had written '' Kiranavali '' which is a commentary on '' Prashastapada Bhashya ''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Indology|author=Vishnulok Bihari Srivastva|publisher=V&S Publishers|page=323|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=gZuNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT323&dq=Prashasta&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CIrMU-3cIdigugSBrYLABQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Prashasta&f=false }}</ref>
[[Dayananda Saraswati]] writes that the [[Sutra]]s of Kanada and '' Padarthadharmasanghra '' of Prashastapada do not show much influence of the [[Nyaya]] System.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dayananda’s Outline of Vedic Philosophy|author=Satya Prakash|publisher=Dayanand Sansthan|page=43|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=l9ccAAAAMAAJ&q=Prashasta+pada+bhashaya&dq=Prashasta+pada+bhashaya&hl=en&sa=X&ei=aovMU8mVEZOVuAS54YLADg&redir_esc=y }}</ref> '' Prashastapada Bhashya '' is actually not a commentary but an independent compendium of the tenets of the Vaisheshika School. <ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Oriental philosophy and Religion|publisher=Global Vision Publication House|page=386|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=0TBTVPax4E8C&pg=PA386&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ru_MU9nhOcK8ugSqkYDwBQ&ved=0CEkQ6AEwCTgK#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> [[Udayana| Udayanacharya]] of the [[Navya-Nyāya]] School, the author of '' Lakshanavali '' which gives the definitions of Vaisheshika terms, and '' Nyaya Kusumanjali '' which is a systematic account of Nyaya Theism, who also belonged to [[Mithila, India|Mithila]], had written '' Kiranavali '' which is a commentary on '' Prashastapada Bhashya ''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Indology|author=Vishnulok Bihari Srivastva|publisher=V&S Publishers|page=323|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=gZuNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT323&dq=Prashasta&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CIrMU-3cIdigugSBrYLABQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Prashasta&f=false }}</ref>


Prashtapada lived in the 4th century BC. The Vaisheshika philosophy recognizes twenty-four '' [[Guṇa |guna]]s '' or qualities that are inherent in substances; these include seventeen gunas listed by Kanada and seven gunas – '' gurutva '' (heaviness), '' dravatva '' (fluidity), '' sneha '' (viscidity), '' dharma '' (merit), '' adharma '' (demerit), '' shabda '' (sound) and '' samskara '' (faculty) - added by Prashtapada. '' Vyomavati '' of Vyomashekhara, '' Nyayakandali '' of Shridhara, '' Kiranavali '' of Udayana and '' Lilavati '' of Shrivatsa are well known commentaries on his works.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|author=Roshen Dalal|publisher=Penguin Books India|pages=151,314|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA314&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref>
Prashtapada lived in the 4th century AD. The Vaisheshika philosophy recognizes twenty-four '' [[Guṇa |guna]]s '' or qualities that are inherent in substances; these include seventeen gunas listed by Kanada and seven gunas – '' gurutva '' (heaviness), '' dravatva '' (fluidity), '' sneha '' (viscidity), '' dharma '' (merit), '' adharma '' (demerit), '' shabda '' (sound) and '' samskara '' (faculty) - added by Prashtapada. '' Vyomavati '' of Vyomashekhara, '' Nyayakandali '' of Shridhara, '' Kiranavali '' of Udayana and '' Lilavati '' of Shrivatsa are well known commentaries on his works.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|author=Roshen Dalal|publisher=Penguin Books India|pages=151,314|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA314&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref>


Prashastapada refers to a type of perception that is the simple intuition ('' alochana '') of the proper form ('' svarupa '') of an entity, which is the apprehension of an undifferentiated ('' avibhktam '') whole arising from cognition of its specific universals. This is the preliminary stage. He differs from [[Dignāga]] for whom the determinates of cognitions are subjective constructs imposed upon the given, and constructive cognition is not a perception; Prashastapada, who was a realist, avers that the determinates are objective constituents of reality and their conceptual co-relates are not inter-subjective fictions.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Asian Philosophy|publisher=Routledgpage=419|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=qunYrHJTf9sC&pg=PA419&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> Prashastapada by redefining substance as per se a possessor of attributes opened new turf by separating the cosmological from the logical dimensions of concepts. His commentary overshadowed the Vaisheshika Sutras and became the main vehicle for later commentaries.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Socialogy of Philosophies|author=Randall Collins|publisher=Harvard University Press|pages=234|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=2HS1DOZ35EgC&pg=PA234&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> Prashastapada describes the dissolution of the earth, water, air and fire in terms their atomic constitutents but excludes space because space is non-atomic. With regard to the conjoining and disjoining of atoms he includes a higher will or order as the guiding principle of universal dissolution which over-rides the natural karma of atoms.<ref>{{cite book|title=Nayaya-Vaisheshika : The Indian Tradition of Physics|author=Roopa Hulikal Narayan|publisher=arxiv.org|url= http://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0701/0701077.pdf }}</ref>
Prashastapada refers to a type of perception that is the simple intuition ('' alochana '') of the proper form ('' svarupa '') of an entity, which is the apprehension of an undifferentiated ('' avibhktam '') whole arising from cognition of its specific universals. This is the preliminary stage. He differs from [[Dignāga]] for whom the determinates of cognitions are subjective constructs imposed upon the given, and constructive cognition is not a perception; Prashastapada, who was a realist, avers that the determinates are objective constituents of reality and their conceptual co-relates are not inter-subjective fictions.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Asian Philosophy|publisher=Routledgpage=419|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=qunYrHJTf9sC&pg=PA419&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> Prashastapada by redefining substance as per se a possessor of attributes opened new turf by separating the cosmological from the logical dimensions of concepts. His commentary overshadowed the Vaisheshika Sutras and became the main vehicle for later commentaries.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Socialogy of Philosophies|author=Randall Collins|publisher=Harvard University Press|pages=234|url= http://books.google.co.in/books?id=2HS1DOZ35EgC&pg=PA234&dq=Prashastapada&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-TMU4DfL46yuASw_YHwDA&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Prashastapada&f=false }}</ref> Prashastapada describes the dissolution of the earth, water, air and fire in terms their atomic constitutents but excludes space because space is non-atomic. With regard to the conjoining and disjoining of atoms he includes a higher will or order as the guiding principle of universal dissolution which over-rides the natural karma of atoms.<ref>{{cite book|title=Nayaya-Vaisheshika : The Indian Tradition of Physics|author=Roopa Hulikal Narayan|publisher=arxiv.org|url= http://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0701/0701077.pdf }}</ref>

Revision as of 12:15, 21 July 2014

Prashastapada wrote the Padārthadharma-sanghra (Collection of Properties of Matter) and a commentary, titled Prashastapada Bhāshya , on the Vaisheshika Sutras of Kanada (Circa 6th Century BCE), both texts are comprehensive books in physics covering a range from general physics to quantum physics. In these texts Prashastapada discusses the properties of motion.[1] Ganganath Jha had translated Prashastapada Bhashya which translation was published in 1916.[2] Prashasta or Praśasta (Sanskrit: प्रशस्त) means praised or praiseworthy, lauded or laudable, commended or commendable or eulogized.[3]

Dayananda Saraswati writes that the Sutras of Kanada and Padarthadharmasanghra of Prashastapada do not show much influence of the Nyaya System.[4] Prashastapada Bhashya is actually not a commentary but an independent compendium of the tenets of the Vaisheshika School. [5] Udayanacharya of the Navya-Nyāya School, the author of Lakshanavali which gives the definitions of Vaisheshika terms, and Nyaya Kusumanjali which is a systematic account of Nyaya Theism, who also belonged to Mithila, had written Kiranavali which is a commentary on Prashastapada Bhashya .[6]

Prashtapada lived in the 4th century AD. The Vaisheshika philosophy recognizes twenty-four gunas or qualities that are inherent in substances; these include seventeen gunas listed by Kanada and seven gunas – gurutva (heaviness), dravatva (fluidity), sneha (viscidity), dharma (merit), adharma (demerit), shabda (sound) and samskara (faculty) - added by Prashtapada. Vyomavati of Vyomashekhara, Nyayakandali of Shridhara, Kiranavali of Udayana and Lilavati of Shrivatsa are well known commentaries on his works.[7]

Prashastapada refers to a type of perception that is the simple intuition ( alochana ) of the proper form ( svarupa ) of an entity, which is the apprehension of an undifferentiated ( avibhktam ) whole arising from cognition of its specific universals. This is the preliminary stage. He differs from Dignāga for whom the determinates of cognitions are subjective constructs imposed upon the given, and constructive cognition is not a perception; Prashastapada, who was a realist, avers that the determinates are objective constituents of reality and their conceptual co-relates are not inter-subjective fictions.[8] Prashastapada by redefining substance as per se a possessor of attributes opened new turf by separating the cosmological from the logical dimensions of concepts. His commentary overshadowed the Vaisheshika Sutras and became the main vehicle for later commentaries.[9] Prashastapada describes the dissolution of the earth, water, air and fire in terms their atomic constitutents but excludes space because space is non-atomic. With regard to the conjoining and disjoining of atoms he includes a higher will or order as the guiding principle of universal dissolution which over-rides the natural karma of atoms.[10]

Kanada does not directly refer toIshvara (God) but Prashastapada sees Ishvara as the cause of the universe[11] but does not explain how God creates.[12]

References

  1. ^ Premendra Priyadarshi. Modern Physics in Ancient India. Scribd.com. p. 7.
  2. ^ Hetukar Jha. Ganganath Jha. Sahitya Akademi. p. 48.
  3. ^ V.S.Apte. The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary. The digital Dictionaries of South Asia.
  4. ^ Satya Prakash. Dayananda’s Outline of Vedic Philosophy. Dayanand Sansthan. p. 43.
  5. ^ Encyclopaedia of Oriental philosophy and Religion. Global Vision Publication House. p. 386.
  6. ^ Vishnulok Bihari Srivastva. Dictionary of Indology. V&S Publishers. p. 323.
  7. ^ Roshen Dalal. Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. pp. 151, 314.
  8. ^ Encyclopaedia of Asian Philosophy. Routledgpage=419.
  9. ^ Randall Collins. The Socialogy of Philosophies. Harvard University Press. p. 234.
  10. ^ Roopa Hulikal Narayan. Nayaya-Vaisheshika : The Indian Tradition of Physics (PDF). arxiv.org.
  11. ^ Roshen Dalal. The Religions of India. Penguin books India. p. 380.
  12. ^ Bulletin of the Ramakrishana Mission Institute of Culture Vol.54. p. 163.