Vaisheshika

Vaisheshika or Vaieika (Sanskrit: ) is one of the six Hindu schools

of philosophy (Vedic systems) of India. Historically, it has been closely associated with the
Hindu school of logic, Nyaya.
Vaisheshika espouses a form of atomism and postulates that all objects in the physical
universe are reducible to a finite number of atoms. Originally proposed by the
sage Kada (or Kana-bhuk, literally, atom-eater) around the 2nd century BC.[

Overview[edit]
Although the Vaisheshika system developed independently from the Nyaya, the two eventually
merged because of their closely related metaphysical theories. In its classical form, however,
the Vaishesika school differed from the Nyaya in one crucial respect: where Nyaya accepted
four sources of valid knowledge, the Vaishesika accepted only perception and inference.
Although not among Kanada's original philosophies,.[2]
An alternative view would qualify the above in that the holism evident in the ancient texts
mandate the identification of six separate traditional environments of philosophy, consisting of
three sets of two pairs.

Literature of Vaisheshika[edit]
The earliest systematic exposition of the Vaisheshika is found in the Vaieika
Stra of Kada (or Kaabhaksha). This treatise is divided into ten books. The two
commentaries on the Vaieika Stra, Rvaabhya and Bhradvjavtti are no more
extant.Praastapdas Padrthadharmasagraha (c. 4th century) is the next important work of
this school. Though commonly known as bhya of Vaieika Stra, this treatise is basically an
independent work on the subject. The next Vaisheshika treatise,
CandrasDaapadrthastra (648) based on Praastapdas treatise is available only in
Chinese translation. The earliest commentary available on Praastapdas treatise
is Vyomaivas Vyomavat (8th century). The other three commentaries
are ridharas Nyyakandal(991), Udayanas Kiranvali (10th century)
and rivatsas Llvat (11th century). ivdityas Saptapadrth which also belongs to the
same period, presents the Nyya and the Vaieika principles as a part of one whole. akara
Miras Upaskra on Vaieika Strais also an important work.[3]

The Categories or Padrtha[edit]

According to the Vaisheshika school, all things which exist, which can be cognised, and which
can be named are padrthas (literal meaning: the meaning of a word), the objects of

experience. All objects of experience can be classified into six

categories, dravya(substance), gua (quality), karma (activity), smnya (generality), viea (p
articularity) and samavya (inherence). Later Vaieikas (rdhara and Udayana
and ivditya) added one more category abhava (non-existence). The first three categories are
defined asartha (which can perceived) and they have real objective existence. The last three
categories are defined as budhyapekam (product of intellectual discrimination) and they are
logical categories.[4]
1.Dravya (substance): The substances are conceived as 9 in number. They
are, pthv (earth), ap (water), tejas (fire), vyu (air), kaa (ether), kla (time), dik (space), tm
an (self or soul) and manas (mind). The first five are called bhtas, the substances having
some specific qualities so that they could be perceived by one or the other external senses.[5]
2.Gua (quality): The Vaieika Stra mentions 17 guas (qualities), to
which Praastapda added another 7. While a substance is capable of existing independently
by itself, a gua(quality) cannot exist so. The original 17 guas (qualities)
are, rpa (colour), rasa(taste), gandha (smell), spara (touch), sakhy (number), parima (si
ze/dimension/quantity), pthaktva (individuality), sayoga (conjunction/accompaniments), vibh
ga (disjunction), paratva (priority), aparatva (posteriority), buddhi (knowledge), sukha (pleasur
e),dukha (pain), icch (desire), dvea (aversion) and prayatna (effort). To
these Praastapda added gurutva (heaviness), dravatva (fluidity), sneha (viscosity), dharma (
merit), adharma (demerit), abda (sound) and saskra (faculty).[6]
3.Karma (activity): The karmas (activities) like guas (qualities) have no separate existence,
they belong to the substances. But while a quality is a permanent feature of a substance, an
activity is a transient one. ka (ether), kla (time), dik (space) and tman(self), though
substances, are devoid of karma (activity).[7]
4.Smnya (generality): Since there are plurality of substances, there will be relations among
them. When a property is found common to many substances, it is called smnya.[8]
5.Viea (particularity): By means of viea, we are able to perceive substances as different
from one another. As the ultimate atoms are innumerable so are the vieas.[9]
6.Samavya (inherence): Kada defined samavya as the relation between the cause and
the effect. Praastapda defined it as the relationship existing between the substances that are
inseparable, standing to one another in the relation of the container and the contained. The
relation of samavya is not perceivable but only inferable from the inseparable connection of
the substances.[10]

Epistemology and syllogism[edit]

The early Vaieika epistemology considered only pratyaka (perception)
and anumna (inference) as the pramas (means of valid knowledge). The other two means
of valid knowledge accepted by the Nyya school, upamna (comparison) and abda (verbal
testimony) were considered as included in anumna.[11] The syllogism of the Vaieika school
was similar to that of the Nyya, but the names given by Praastapda to the 5 members of
syllogism are different.[12]

The atomic theory[edit]

The early Vaieika texts presented the following syllogism to prove that all objects i.e. the
four bhtas, pthv (earth), ap (water), tejas (fire) and vyu (air) are made of
indivisible paramus (atoms): Assume that the matter is not made of indivisible atoms, and
that it is continuous. Take a stone. One can divide this up into infinitely many pieces (since
matter is continuous). Now, the Himalayan mountain range also has infinitely many pieces, so
one may build another Himalayan mountain range with the infinite number of pieces that one
has. One begins with a stone and ends up with the Himalayas, which is a paradox - so the
original assumption that matter is continuous must be wrong, and so all objects must be made
up of a finite number of paramus (atoms).
According to the Vaieika school, the trasareu (dust particles visible in the sunbeam coming
through a small window hole) are the smallest mahat (perceivable) particles and defined
as tryaukas (triads). These are made of three parts, each of which are defined
as dvyauka (dyad). The dvyaukas are conceived as made of two parts, each of which are
defined as paramu (atom). The paramus (atoms) are indivisible and eternal, they can
neither be created nor destroyed.[13] Each paramu (atom) possesses its own
distinct viea (individuality).[14]
The measure of the partless atoms is known as parimaala parima. It is eternal and it
cannot generate the measure of any other substance. Its measure is its own absolutely.[15]

Later developments[edit]
Over the centuries, the school merged with the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy to form the
combined school of nyya-vaieika. The school suffered a natural decline in India after the
15th century.

Views by the Vedanta School[edit]

The Vaisheshikas say that the visible universe is created from an original stock of atoms (janim
asata). As Kada's Vaieika Stra (7.1.26) states, nitya parimaalam (that which is of
the smallest size, the atom, is eternal), he and his followers also postulate eternality for other,

nonatomic entities, including the souls who become embodied, and even a Supreme Soul. But
in Vaieika cosmology the souls and the Supersoul play only token roles in the atomic
production of the universe. The Brahma Sutra (2.2.12) saysubhayathpi na karmatas tadabhava. According to this stra, one cannot claim that, at the time of creation, atoms first
combine together because they are impelled by some karmic impulse adhering in the atoms
themselves, since atoms by themselves, in their primeval state before combining into complex
objects, have no ethical responsibility that might lead them to acquire pious and sinful
reactions. Nor can the initial combination of atoms be explained as a result of the residual
karma of the living entities who lie dormant prior to creation, since these reactions are
each jiva's own and cannot be transferred from them even to other jvas, what to speak of inert
atoms.