Tharkasastra 4

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Jai Srimannarayana!

 

The substances classified:-

 

Further to the classification of padarthas into seven;

now the first category namely the substances are classified into

nine in number.

 

 

Thathra dhravyaani prthivee ap thejah vaayu akasa kaala dhik aathma

manaamsi nava eva

 

 

Of the seven categories the substances are only nine, namely - earth,

water, fire, wind, aakaasa, time, space, soul and mind.

 

A dravya is an independent entity unlike guna, karma etc. which can

exist only in a substance and not independently. Also the dhravyas

possess gunas. Hence dhravya is defined as that which possesses

substances and also attribute apart from the existence.

 

gunasamaanaadhikaranya satthaabhinna jaathimatthvam.

The word jathi denotes the saamaanya , the general characteristics of a

particular species. It is guna saamnaadhikaranya meaning- it co exists with the

attributes. But it is sathabhinna, meaning that this excludes the existence

which is common to all padaarthas. Jaathiamathhva means belonging to the

particular class of objects, here it is dhravyathva.

 

So the whole definition is, a substance is that which possesses the

generic attribute of dharvayathva different from the existence,

sathaabhinna, and which coexists with guna in the same substratum.

 

To cite an example, a pot has dhravyathva, substanceness and qualities

like colour, shape etc., which coexist in the same substratum that is

pot which also has existence but this does not come under the

definition because it covers all padhaarThaas.

 

Only thing to be noted here is that the soul or aatma is also a

substance according to the Nyaya school and should not be confused with the

aathma of Vedanta.

 

Doubt:

 

Doesn't akasa means sky or space and dhik means direction?

 

Answer:

 

The definition of each of the substances follows in a subsequent lesson where

this is made clear. Akasa is the element which is all pervading and which is the

substratum of sound while dhik is the cause of conventional expressions like

east, west etc. So the former is with reference to the entity whereas the latter

is with reference to place.In common usage space means only aakaasa but to

differentiate it from the dhik which is enumerated as a different substance by

nyaayaika, it is given as aakaasa and the dhik is denotes as space.

 

The opponent comes out with an objection that the substances are nine

only. He says that there is a tenth substance namely darkness, thamas.

He argues that the darkness has a form and movement. We see the

darkness and we say the darkness has come and it is gone etc. It cannot be

included among the five elements. , earth, water, fire wind and space becase it

has no smell, taste, colour . touch or sound. Hence it should be treated as the

tenth substance.

The Nyayaika replies thus.

 

Thamas or darkness is only the absence of light. It has no colour

because colour needs light to be perceived, whereas darkness is seen

only when there is no light. So it should come under the category

abhava, non existence and not under dhravya,substance.

 

 

Jai Srimannarayana!