The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s1.t2.60

c4.s1.t2.60

A substance is an aggregate of the former kind, and may be divided into two classes: (1) the Bhútas and their “isomeric” modifications (भूत, भूतभेद, and भूतविकार), and (2) chemical compounds (मिलितद्रव्य, संहतभूतार्थ). Chemical compounds, again, may be subdivided into two classes: (1) those composed of atoms of the same Bhúta class, *i.e.* of different isomeric modifications of the same Bhúta, and (2) those composed of atoms of different Bhúta classes. In the first case, there is contact between “isomeric” atoms (सजातीय-संयोग), in the second case between heterogeneous atoms (विजातीय-संयोग). The first contact leads to intimate union (सङ्गः,—सङ्गाख्यः यः संयोगविशेषः तेनैव द्रव्याणां विकारो भवति—विज्ञानभिक्षु, प्रवचनभाष्य): the isomeric atoms by a peculiar liberation of Energy (सजातीयेापष्टम्भ—the action of similars on similars) are attracted towards one another, and being riveted, as it were, form the so-called material cause (उपादानकारण) of the compound product. The second kind of contact (that between unlike atoms of heterogeneous Bhútas) begins with a liberation of Energy (उपष्टम्भ), which breaks up each of the Bhútas; and taking particles (or atoms) of one as nuclei or radicles, groups particles of the rest round these radicles in a comparatively free or unattached condition. In this case, one Bhúta, that which serves to furnish the radicles, not necessarily that which is numerically or quantitatively predominant, gets the name of material cause (उपादानकारण), and the others, which by their collocation cause the liberation of Energy (उपष्टम्भ, अवष्टम्भ, or विष्टम्भ), are called efficient causes (निमित्तकारण)—(एवमेकैकगुणसम्भवात् प्रधानगुणं चाश्रित्य अप्रधानगुणाः परिणामभेदान् प्रवर्तयन्ति—वाचस्पति, कौमुदी on Káriká 16). The illustrations given (viz. the Rasas as modifications of Ap, water, with Earth-accretions) show that this process applies not only to the Guṇas, but also to the Bhútas. (यथा चाकाशादेकरसं सलिलं पतितं नानारूपात् संक्षेपात् भिद्यते—गौड़पाद on Káriká 17. तत्र चापि (तैजसे शरीरे चापि) बहुतरपार्थिवावयवा-वष्टम्भात्, अत्यन्ते च अनुपभोगात् —अनिरुद्ध on Sutra 112, Chap. V. जातिसाङ्कर्यस्य अस्माकमदोषत्वात् सामग्रौसमवधाने अनेकैरपि इन्द्रियैः एकदा एकवृत्त्युत्पादने बाधकं नास्ति।—विज्ञानभिक्षु, प्रवचनभाष्य।)