Vaisesika Darsana

 Vaisesika Darsana

• Mainly deals with 'Exposition of reality'
• Systematic framework to describe all the 'Nameable and knowable' entities
• Kanaada gave 370 sutras to describe the 'second stage of creation' (First stage of creation, as per Indian Tradition, involves creation of ether, time, space and elements- earth, water, fire and air. Second stage of creation involves creation of multitude of physical entities)
• Three-pronged approach
• Uddhesa: Classification framework
• Lakshana: Definition of properties
• Pariksa: Examination using perception and inference
• Framework of Vaisesika school

• Dravyas, guna and karmas have general and special aspects, as given below
  

• Dravya constitutes the basic building block of the physical reality. It can be roughly translated as substance or matter, with more broader scope
• Classification on the basis of extent

• Classification based on occurence as singular or in classes

• Attributes of substances

Attributes are inherent properties associated with the substances (DRAVYA). 

They do not have independent existence nor cause for conjunction or disjunction process

17-24 attributes are identified and classified into three sets.

1)  Attributes related to finite substances- color, taste, smell , touch, fluidity, viscidity, etc

2) Attributes related infinite substances - cognition, pleasure, pain, desire, aversion, volition, merit, demerit, impression and sound

3) Attributes associated with both finite and infinite substances- number, quantity, separateness, conjunction and disjunction

From the above table, we can understand the general properties and special properties. Earth has a special property of smell. Ether has a special property of Sound. Water has a special combination of taste-color-touch

 

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