Vaiśeṣika Sūtra 1.2

1.2.1

kāraṇābhāvāt kāryābhāvaḥ |

kāraṇābhāvāt—From the non-existence of cause; kāryabhāvaḥ—non existence of effect.

1. Non-existence of effect (follows) from the non-existence of cause.

Whereas it is seen that in spite of earth, wheel, water, potter, thread, etc., being brought together, there is non-existence of the pot, if there is non-existence of the potter’s stall, and that in spite of earth, water, etc., being brought together, there is non-existence of the shoot if there is non-existence of the seed: it (i.e., non-existence) cannot be explained without the relation of effect and cause between the potter’s staff and the pot or between the seed and the shoot. Otherwise there will he non-existence of the pot even on the non-existence of the loom, etc., and there will be non-existence of the shoot even on the non existence of pieces of stone, etc. Moreover it is seen that the pot, a piece of cloth, etc, exist for a time only. That even cannot be explained without the relation of cause and effect. For they being non-existent at one time, their temporariness in the form of existence at another time is not possible but by the dependence of existences upon causes. For if there were no dependence upon causes, then a thing could only be or not be; but could not be for a time only; since an existing thing cannot be non-existent, nor can it come into existence from that which is not its cause, nor can it come into existence from one knows not what, nor can it come into existence from unreal things such as the horn of a hare, etc., but from a really existing limit or beginning like the potter’s staff, the loom, etc., as is seen in such effects as a pot, a piece of cloth, etc. Now the limit or beginning is nothing but the cause.

Thus if the relation of effect and cause did not exist, there would be no inclination or disinclination to activity. Then the world would become desireless, inert. For there can be no activity without the knowledge that this is the means of attaining that which is desired; nor can there be forbearance without the knowledge that this is the means of avoiding that which is not desired.—1.

Non-existence of the effect, e.g.. the faults (namely, desire, aversion, and infatuation), etc., (results) from non-existence of the cause, e.g., false knowledge (e.g., the idea of the Self in the Not-Self), etc. “Thus, Pain, birth, activity, faults, and false knowledge,—on the successive annihilation of these in turn, there is the annihilation of the one next before the other,” (Nyāya Sūtra, I. i. 2), the ultimate consequence being Emancipation, the return of the Self into its own nature.

1.2.2

na tu kāryābhavāt kāraṇābhāvaḥ |

na—not; tu—but; kāryābhāvāt—from non-existence of effect; kāraṇābhāvaḥ—non-existence of causes.

2. But non-existence of cause (does) not (follow) from the non-existence of the effect.

1.2.3

sāmānyaṃ viśeṣa iti buddhyapekṣam |

2. But non-existence of cause (does) not (follow) from the non-existence of the effect.

1.2.4

bhāvaḥ sāmānyam eva |

2. But non-existence of cause (does) not (follow) from the non-existence of the effect.

1.2.5

dravyatvaṃ guṇatvaṃ karmatvaṃ ca sāmānyāni viśeṣāś ca |

2. But non-existence of cause (does) not (follow) from the non-existence of the effect.

1.2.6

anyatrāntyebhyo viśeṣebhyaḥ |

anyatra—elsewhere; antyebhyaḥ—final; viśeṣebhyaḥ—than species.

6. (The statement of Genus and Species has been made) with the exception of the final Species.

[Read sūtra 1.2.6 above]

1.2.7

sad iti yato dravyaguṇakarmasu |

sat—existent; iti—thus; yataḥ—whence; dravyaguṇa-karmasu—in respect of Substance, Attribute, and Action; sā—that; sattā—existence.

7. Existence is that to which are due the belief and usage, namely ‘(It is) existent,’ in respect of Substance, Attribute, and Action.

[Read sūtra 1.2.7 above]

1.2.8

dravyaguṇakarmabhyo 'rthāntaraṃ sattā |

dravya-guṇa-karmabhyaḥ—from Substance, Attribute, and Action; arthāntaram—a different object; sattā—existence.

8. Existence is a different object from Substance. Attribute, and Action.

[Read sūtra 1.2.8 above]

1.2.9

ekadravyavattvān na dravyam |

[Read sūtra 1.2.8 above]

1.2.10

guṇakarmasu ca bhāvān na karma na guṇaḥ |

guṇa-karmasu—in Attributes and Actions; ca—and; bhāvāt—from Existence; na—not; karma—Action; na—not; Guṇaḥ Attribute.

9. And as it exists in Attributes and Actions, therefore it is neither Attribute nor Action.

[Read sūtra 1.2.9 above]

1.2.11

sāmānyaviśeṣābhāvāc ca |

sāmānya-viśeṣābhāvena—by reason of the absence of Genus-Species; ca—and.

10. (Existence is different from Substance, Attribute, and Action), also by reason of the absence of Genus-Species in it.

[Read sūtra 1.2.10 above]

1.2.12

ekadravyavattvena dravyatvam uktam |

aneka-dravya-vattvena—by means of its containing more than one Substance; dravyatvam—Substance-ness; uktam—explained.

11. Substance-ness has been explained by means of its containing more than one Substance.

[Read sūtra 1.2.11 above]

1.2.13

sāmānyaviśeṣābhāvena ca |

sāmānya-viśeṣbhāvena—by reason of the absence of Genera-Species; ca—and.

12. (Substance-ness is distinct from Substance, Attribute, and Action) also by reason of the absence of Genera-Species in it.

[Read sūtra 1.2.12 above]

1.2.14

guṇe bhāvād guṇatvam uktam |

tathā—in like manner; guṇeṣu—in Attributes; bhāvat—from its existence; guṇatvam—Attribute-ness; uktam—explained.

13. (That Attributeness is distinct from Substance, Attribute, and Action is) explained from its existence in Attributes.

[Read sūtra 1.2.13 above]

1.2.15

sāmānyaviśeṣābhāvāc ca |

sāmānya-viśeṣabhavena—by reason of the absence of Genera-Species; ca—and.

14. (Attribute-ness is distinct from Substance, Attribute, and Action) also by reason of the absence of Genera-Species in it.

[Read sūtra 1.2.14 above]

1.2.16

karmaṇi bhāvāt karmatvam uktam |

karmasu—in Actions; bhāvāt—from its existence; karmatvam—action-ness; uktam—explained.

15. (That) Action-ness (is distinct from Substance, Attribute, and Action is) explained from its existence in Actions.

[Read sūtra 1.2.15 above]

1.2.17

sāmānyaviśeṣābhāvāc ca |

sāmānya-viśeṣābhāvena—by reason of the absence of Genera-Species; ca—and.

16. (Action-ness is distinct from Substance, Attribute, and Action) also by reason of the absence of Genera-Species in it.

[Read sūtra 1.2.16 above]

1.2.18

salliṅgāviśeṣād viśeṣaliṅgābhāvāc caiko bhāvaḥ |

sat—existent; iti—this; liṅgāviśeṣāt—from the non-particularity or uniformity of the mark; viśeṣaliṅgābhāvāt—from the absence of a particular or distinctive mark; ca—and; ekaḥ—One; bhāvaḥ—Existence.

17. Existence is one, because of the uniformity of the mark viz., that it is existent and because of the absence of any distinguishing mark.

[Read sūtra 1.2.17 above]