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Bṛhaddeśī · Volume I
pp. 164–165folio 091
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Devanāgarī (Bṛhaddeśī)
52. Abhivyañjakatā means the process of manifestation of something that is already in existence. In Grammar Philosophy śabda is eternal and its subtle and imperceptible element called sphota (lit. 'bursting' or flash on the mind) is vyangya (object of vyanjanā). Matanga seems to be influenced by this line of thought which later culminated in the dhvani theory in literature. 53. The visista dharma (specific quality or nature) i.e. the differentia of a thing is svalakṣaṇa. This is understood at two levels, one is the specific nature of a thing i.e. it is related to the vyakti or particular or individual, the other is the dharma or nature that is common to many i.e. the generic nature or jāti. The first one is according to the Bauddha system and the second one is according to all those systems that accept jāti, e.g. Mīmāṃsā. Bauddha logic has given elaborate treatment and discussion of svalakşana in the context of pratyakşa (perception ). It does not seem probable that Matanga was influenced by this system, because non-existence of a common quality or attribute or nature of a thing accepted in majority of the schools of Bauddha logic could not perhaps be congenial to the explanation of the perception of sruti and svara which would require a 'continuity' of their common features. 54. Nabhaḥpuṣpa i.e. a flower grown in the sky is a classic example of an absurdity or impossibility just like vandhyāputra, the son of a sterile woman. 55. Arthāpatti is one of the pramāņas i.e. means of valid knowledge propounded specially by the mimāmsā system and accepted by Advaita Vedānta. Nyāya includes it under anumāna. It has been defined as -
अर्थापतिरपि दृष्टः श्रुतो वाऽर्थः अन्यथा नोपपद्यते इत्यर्थकल्पना ।
( Śabarabhāṣya on Mīm Sū I, 1.5 ) When a seen or heard thing is not proved right in another way, then the imagination of something is known as arthāpatti. For example, if Devadatta is alive and is not at home, it is imagined that he is outside, or, the classic example is that if Devadatta is fat, but does not eat during the day, then it is imagined that he eats at night, because his fatness that is seen could not be explained or proved through non-consumption of food. Hence arthāpatti is translated as negative inference. 56. All the systems of Indian philosophy except the Carvaka system, accept anumāna as a pramāņa. The Nyāya system has given its elaborate treatment. It has to be preceded by perception ( pratyaksa ). One who has not seen the concomitance of smoke and fire, could not infer fire on the basis of the perception of smoke. The classic example of anumana is —
पर्वतोऽयं विश्वमान् धूमवत्त्वात् ।
This hill is fiery because of there being smoke. This inference presumes or is preceded by vyāpti-graha (apprehension of universal concomitance) which is thus expressed -
यत्र यत्र धूमस्तत्र तत्र बह्निः ।
English — Sharma (Vimarśa)
Wherever there is smoke, there is fire. This vyāpti-graha is accompanied by an udāharaņa (illustration) which is like this-
यथा महानसे ।
As it is in the kitchen. The syllogism is completed in five steps known as avayavas (parts) as follows - (i) Pratijā (proposition) - the hill is fiery. (ii) Hetu (reason) - because of being smoky. (iii) Udāharaņa (example) - wherever there is smoke, there is fire, just as in the kitchen. (iv) Upanaya (application) - 'it is so here' or 'the hill has smoke which is a concomitant of fire'. (v) Nigamana (deduction) - therefore the hill is fiery.9 57. Sound is accepted as the guṇa (attribute) of ākāśa (space, ether) - शब्दगणमाकाशम् ।10 (Tarkasamgraha, Arthanirūpaņa Section, p. 354) 58. For parināma see note no. 51 above. In parināma, there is total change, whereas in abhivyakti, there is no change; a thing that is already present is manifested as it is. Hence both these propositions are mutually contradictory and could not be accepted together; they could only be accepted as alternatives.11 59. Mātṛkā is a word with two major contexts of usage. One is the context of mother-goddesses whose number is seven (Märk Pur, 88. 11-20; 38), eight, fourteen (Gobh Smr I, 11, 20), eighteen (MBh 219, 26-41), or thirty-two (Mat Pur 179) and the other is the primary unit of language. NŚ (III, 30 and 45) speaks of Nāţya-mātr in plural number in the context of ranga-daivata- pūjana (worship of the god of the stage). This text also uses the word nata- mātṛkā (NŚ IV, 31 b) for the primary constituent unit of nṛtta (dance). This idea of primary unit is basic in the second context of mātņkā referred to above. Matanga has referred to mātrkā as the primary unit of syllabic sound (vide verse 5, 6 ante). Here he is referring to the mātṛkās of śrutis which would mean the primary unit of tonal sound, which is more subtle than śruti. 60. The inseparable relationship of ādhāra (container) and ādheya (contained) is generally accepted between dharmin and dharma; here śruti could be equated with dharmin and svara with dharma.12 61. The existence of śrutis is said, here, to be proved or comprehended by negative inference, inference or (direct) perception. Since srutis are perceptible in the form of svara alone, svara being the manifest state of śruti, the mention of the perception of sruti seems to be somewhat incongruous and hence it becomes necessary to probe into the possibility of there being another meaning attached to śruti and this enquiry leads to a reference to Abhinavagupta's following statement and its paraphrase in S R- (i) ------श्रुतिस्थानाभिघातप्रभवशब्दप्रभावितोऽनुरणनात्मा स्निग्धमधुरः शब्द एव स्वरः - (Abhi Bhā on NS XXVIII, 21, p. 11) -------------------------------------- . - THE WORLD
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Sanskrit attestations (1)
8.[definition] ⇄Vyāpti-graha (apprehension of universal concomitance) is a necessary presupposition of anumāna, expressed as 'wherever there is smoke, there is fire'यत्र यत्र धूमस्तत्र तत्र बह्नि ।
English attestations (12)
1.[attribution]The dhvani theory in literature represents a culmination of Matanga's line of philosophical thought on manifestationMatanga seems to be influenced by this line of thought which later culminated in the dhvani theory in literature.
2.[definition]Sphota is the subtle and imperceptible element of eternal sound in Grammar Philosophy, literally meaning 'bursting' or 'flash on the mind'its subtle and imperceptible element called sphota (lit. 'bursting' or flash on the mind)
3.[definition]Svalakṣaṇa (visista dharma) is the specific quality or differentia of a thing, understood at two levels: individual nature (vyakti) and common generic nature (jāti)The visista dharma (specific quality or nature) i.e. the differentia of a thing is svalakṣaṇa. This is understood at two levels, one is the specific nature of a thing i.e. it is related to the vyakti or particular or individual, the other is the dharma or nature that is common to
4.[definition]Arthāpatti is one of the pramāṇas (means of valid knowledge) propounded specially by Mīmāṃsā and accepted by Advaita Vedānta, while Nyāya includes it under anumānaArthāpatti is one of the pramāņas i.e. means of valid knowledge propounded specially by the mimāmsā system and accepted by Advaita Vedānta. Nyāya includes it under anumāna.
5.[definition]Anumāna (inference) is accepted as a pramāṇa by all Indian philosophical systems except the Carvaka system, and requires preceding perception of concomitanceAll the systems of Indian philosophy except the Carvaka system, accept anumāna as a pramāņa. The Nyāya system has given its elaborate treatment. It has to be preceded by perception ( pratyaksa ).
6.[definition]Nabhaḥpuṣpa (a flower grown in the sky) is a classic example of an absurdity or impossibilityNabhaḥpuṣpa i.e. a flower grown in the sky is a classic example of an absurdity or impossibility just like vandhyāputra, the son of a sterile woman.
7.[definition]Mātṛkā has two major contexts of usage: mother-goddesses and the primary unit of language; Matanga refers to mātṛkā as the primary unit of syllabic sound and the primary unit of tonal soundMātṛkā is a word with two major contexts of usage. One is the context of mother-goddesses... and the other is the primary unit of language... Matanga has referred to mātrkā as the primary unit of syllabic sound (vide verse 5, 6 ante). Here he is referring to the mātṛkās of śrutis
8.[definition]Vyāpti-graha (apprehension of universal concomitance) is a necessary presupposition of anumāna, expressed as 'wherever there is smoke, there is fire'This inference presumes or is preceded by vyāpti-graha (apprehension of universal concomitance) which is thus expressed - Wherever there is smoke, there is fire.
9.[enumeration]The syllogism is completed in five steps known as avayavas (parts): Pratijā, Hetu, Udāharaņa, Upanaya, and NigamanaThe syllogism is completed in five steps known as avayavas (parts) as follows - (i) Pratijā (proposition) - the hill is fiery. (ii) Hetu (reason) - because of being smoky. (iii) Udāharaņa (example) - wherever there is smoke, there is fire, just as in the kitchen. (iv) Upanaya (ap
10.[relation]Sound is accepted as the guṇa (attribute) of ākāśa (space, ether)Sound is accepted as the guṇa (attribute) of ākāśa (space, ether) - शब्दगणमाकाशम् ।
11.[relation]In parināma there is total change, whereas in abhivyakti there is no change; these two propositions are mutually contradictory and can only be accepted as alternativesIn parināma, there is total change, whereas in abhivyakti, there is no change; a thing that is already present is manifested as it is. Hence both these propositions are mutually contradictory and could not be accepted together; they could only be accepted as alternatives.
12.[relation]The inseparable relationship of ādhāra (container) and ādheya (contained) is generally accepted between dharmin and dharma, with śruti equatable to dharmin and svara to dharmaThe inseparable relationship of ādhāra (container) and ādheya (contained) is generally accepted between dharmin and dharma; here śruti could be equated with dharmin and svara with dharma.
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