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The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s6.t1: Parispaṇda:—Resolution of All Physical Action into Motion

The Positive Sciences of the Ancient Hindus c4.s6.t1

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Parispaṇda:—Resolution of All Physical Action into Motion

c4.s6.t1.1.1

Parispanda sometimes stands for motion molar as well as molecular, but more often for the subtile motion of atoms or molecules. The radical meaning of the term is whirling or rotary motion, a circling motion, but it may also include simple harmonic motion (*e.g.* vibration). All action, operation, work (क्रिया, व्यापार) is ultimately traced to this form of subtile motion lodged in the atoms or in the matter-stuff. The Vedánta, for example, speaks of a cosmic vibratory motion (सर्व्वलोकपरिस्पन्दनम्—Saṅkara). Ákása, in the Vedánta, as we have seen, is the first stadium in the evolution of Matter, which gives off Váyu, which gives off Tejas, and so on; but Ákása (ether) itself passes through two stages before the emanation of the Súkshma-bhúta Váyu: (1) the motionless ubiquitous primordial matter-stuff (answering to the Sáṅkhya Bhútádi) called Puráṇam Kham (पुराणं खं); and (2) a subtile integration, the pure un-quintuplicated Súkshma Bhúta called Váyuram Kham (वायुरं खं), answering to the Sáṅkhya Tanmátra stage. It is this subtile Ákása, in its Tanmátric integration, *i.e.* in the derivative form, which is subject to an incessant Parispanda. The gaseous stage of matter (the Vedántic Váyu) is indeed matter in a state of Parispandic motion (वायोः परिस्यन्दा-त्मकत्वात् — Śaṅkara). So also the biomotor and sensori-motor principles apart from the directive intelligence of the Self (प्राणस्य परिस्यन्दात्मकत्वादेव—यद्द्वैतं स्थूलं सूक्ष्मञ्च तत्सर्व्वं मनःस्पन्दितमात्रम् — Śaṅkara).

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The Sáṅkhya also conceives this Parispanda to characterise every process and phenomenon of cosmic evolution (व्यक्तं सक्रियं परिस्पन्दवत् — Váchaspati, Kaumudí). Bhútas, organisms, mental organs, as modes of Prakriti (considered apart from the Intelligence of Purusha) are all subject to this Pari-spanda (बुध्यादयो देहं त्यजन्ते देहान्तरं उपाददते इति तेषां परिस्पन्दः। शरीरपृथिव्यादीनां च परिस्पन्दः प्रसिद्ध एव। — Váchaspati on Ká-riká 10). On the other hand, *Prakriti* as the Avyakta, the a-cosmic, the un-manifest ground, with resolution only of like to like (सदृशपरिणाम), is devoid of all Pari-spandic motion (यद्यपि अव्यक्तस्यापि परिणामलक्षणा क्रिया, तथापि परिस्पन्दो नास्ति। — *ibid.* on Káriká 10). The Nyáya-Vaise-shika finds Parispanda in all forms of matter, except Ákása, which in that system is non-atomic and in-capable of any change or activity (निष्क्रिय). But all atoms, from those of Váyu downwards, are in incessant motion. The world at bottom is an infinitude of con-tinually whirling (or vibratory) particles (अनवरतपरिस्पन्द-मानापरिमितपवनादिपरमाणवः — Raghunátha; compare also Udayana-Kusumáñjali, Stavaka V. — परमाणवः हि गतिशी-लत्वात् पतन्त्रव्यपदेशाः पतन्तीति।). All physical action consists in motion. The Nyáya-Vaiseshika rejects force, power, operation (शक्ति) except as modes of motion. Jayanta, indeed, states: We do not acknowledge any mysterious power or operation which the senses do not and cannot report to us.

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But this denial of Force (शक्ति) and of unperceived and unperceivable operation (अतीन्द्रियव्यापार) is put forward as a philosophical (epistemological and metaphysical) proposition to justify the Nyáya analysis of the causal *nexus* into mere invariable and unconditional antecedence among phenomena without productive power or efficiency (अन्यथासिद्धिशन्यस्य नियतपूर्व्ववर्त्तिता—Bháshá-Parichchheda). It is not, of course, intended to question the existence of Parispanda, which is of the nature of motion, and which, though subtile and therefore infra-sensible (सूक्ष्म and अनुद्भूतरूप, not अतीन्द्रिय), is the ultimate form of all physical activity. (परिस्पन्द एव भौतिको व्यापारः करोत्यर्थः। अतीन्द्रियस्तु व्यापारः नास्तीति ब्रूमहे। ... तस्मात् कारकचक्रेण चलता जन्यते फलम्। न पुनश्चलनादन्यो व्यापार उपलभ्यते।—Jayanta, Nyáyamañjarí, Áhnika 1.) The effect (no less than the action) is, in all cases of material causation, the resultant of the combined motions of the various (material and efficient) causes involved (*e.g.* in the case of पाक, समुदितदेवदत्तादिसकलकारकनिकरपरिस्पन्द एव विशिष्टफलावच्छिन्नः पाक इत्युच्यते। ... अथ व्यापार एवैषः सर्वैः संभूय साध्यते। किं फलेनापराद्धं वः तद्धि संभूय साध्यताम्।—Jayanta, Nyáyamañjarí, Áhnika 1.)

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But, in the Nyáya-Vaiseshika, though all action of matter on matter is thus resolved into motion, conscious activity is sharply distinguished from all forms of motion, as against the Sánkhya-Vedánta, which, as we have seen, considered everything other than Intelligence, the Purusha or the transcendental Self, to arise in the course of cosmic evolution, and therefore to be subject to Parispandic motion. (क्रियाविशेष एवायं व्यापारो ज्ञातुरान्तरः। स्पन्दात्मकबहिर्भूतक्रियालक्षणविलक्षणः।—Quoted in Jayanta's Nyáyamañjarí, Áhnika 4.)

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