Science & Technology
Padārtha (पदार्थ): The Fundamental Physical Quantity
Vaiśeṣika (वैशेषिक) considers that the whole world consists of Padārtha (pada + artha, पद +
अर्थ), i.e. physical quantity – a technical term used in physics.
The Six Padārthas of Vaiśeṣika:
(i) Dravya (द्रव्य) – the basic or elementary physical quantity
(ii) Guṇa (गुण) – the property
(iii) Karma (कर्म) – motion
(iv) Sāmānya (सामान्य) – set
(v) Viśeṣa (विशेष) – partlessness
(vi) Samavāya (समवाय) – concomitance
(i) Dravya (Basic physical quantity):
1. Solid (pṛthvī , पृथ्वी), 2. Liquid (ap, अप्), 3. Energy (tejas, तेजस्), 4. Gas (vāyu वायु), 5.
Plasma (ākāśa, आकाश), 6. Space or Length vector (dik, दिक्), 7. Time (kāla, काल), 8. Soul
(ātman,आत्मन्) and 9. Mind (manas, मनस्).
(ii) Guṇa (property):
It does not have another property and is not an independent cause of
conjunction and disjunction.
1. Colour (rūpa, रूप), 2. Taste (rasa, रस), 3. Smell (gandha, गन्ध), 4. Temperature (sparśa,
स्पर्श), 5. Number (saṅkhyā, संख्या), 6. Unit (parimāṇa, परिमाण), 7. Separateness (pṛthaktva,
पृथक्त्व), 8. Conjunction (saṁyoga, संयोग), 9. Disconjunction (vibhāga, विभाग), 10. Priority
largeness (paratva, परत्व), 11. Posteriority smallness (aparatva, अपरत्व), 12. Gravity (gurutva,
गुरुत्व), 13. Cohesion (dravatva, द्रवत्व), 14. Adhesion (sneha, स्नेह), 15. Wave aspect (śabda,
शब्द) 16. Intellect (buddhi, बुद्धि), 17. Pleasure (sukha, सुख), 18. Pain (duḥkha, दुःख), 19.
Desire (icchā, इच्छा), 20. Aversion or Malice (dveṣa, द्वेष), 21. Volition (prayatna, प्रयत्न), 22.
Cosmic order (dharma, धर्म), 23. Cosmic degeneracy or entropy (adharma, अधर्म) and 24.
Force –mechanical, elastic, and emotional, (vega, वेग).
(iii) Karma (motion):
It is dependent on basic physical quantity, but it does not possess
property and is independent of conjunctions and disjunctions.
1. Motion against gravity (Utkṣepaṇa, उत्क्षेपण)
2. Motion along gravity (Avakṣepaṇa, अवक्षेपण)
3. Motion causing shear stress (Ākuñcana, आकुञ्चन)
4. Motion causing tensile stress (Prasāraṇa, प्रसारण)
5. Linear motion (Gamana, गमन)
(iv) Sāmānya (set):
The cause of assimilative cognition.
1. Universal set (parasāmānya, परसामान्य)
2. Subset (parāparasāmānya, परापरसामान्य)
3. Element (aparasāmānya, अपरसामान्य)
(v) Viśeṣa (partlessness):
The cause of ultimate differentiative cognition.
1. Quantum (finite) – Paramāṇu (परमाणु)
2. Continuum (infinite) – Vibhu (विभु)
(vi) Samavāya (concomitance):
Non-conjunctive existence between inheritor and the
inherited.
In Vaiśeṣika, the physical quantities (padārthas) have been classified in two categories:
i. Those of real existence (sattājātiya padārtha, सत्ताजातीय पदार्थ)
This categorization is done on the principle of dependent and interdependent character (ādhārādheya, आधाराधेय) of physical quantities.
The physical quantities of real existence are grouped as basic physical quantities (dravya), their properties (guṇa), and motion (karma).
ii. Those of logical existence (buddhigamya, बुद्धिगम्य)
These are Sāmānya, Viśeṣa, Samavāya, and Abhāva (अभाव) – absence (added at a later stage by Praśastapāda (प्रशस्तपाद), a commentator on Vaiśeṣikaśāstra. A method has been adopted to express these four logical quantities in the form of a mathematical equation; without which the expressions would require the use of intricate language and yet, the whole description remains qualitative only. The use of such expression of mathematics not only lessens the huge literary space but begins to speak quantitatively as well. In our treatises we have tried and have applied this methodology to all physical quantities except metaphysical ones, to show and prove how wonderfully Vaiśeṣikaśāstra is a ‘Book of Physics’. See all our books listed in Bibliography.
Vaiśeṣika as material science:
According to Vaiśeṣika, ‘Padārtha’ should include quantities related to basic matter and metaphysical matter (ātman and mana), where basic matter (bhūta, भूत) is perceivable directly by physical sensory organs (jñānendriya ज्ञानेन्द्रिय). The ātman or soul is the cause for sense and feeling, as the observer and mind or mana is its instrument of gaining experience.
Here the definition of physical quantity (padārtha) shall be restricted to basic matter, specific knowledge pertaining to it, or both. Basic matter itself is defined by identity, conjunctive relation of identity and cognition of cognizant even in a totally different relation with sensory organs. Specific knowledge will mean its inheritor, its conjunction to non-concomitant cause and its relation to other than its inheritor. Therefore, solid, liquid, energy, gas, plasma are ‘basic matters’ or the matters in different states as they are perceivable through the sensory organs that establish the identity of relation with basic matters; space (dik) and time (kāla) bear conjunctive relations with them. Property, motion, set, partlessness, and concomitance have cognitive relation with basic matter. If soul and mind, which have conjunctive relation with non-concomitant cause e.g. the basic matter, are either included as physical quantities (bhautika rāśayaḥ, भौतिक राशयः) or labelled separately as metaphysical quantities (abhautika rāśayaḥ, अभौतिक राशयः), the Vaiśeṣika philosophy in relation to physical quantities will not be affected.
When the various principles of Vaiśeṣikaśāstra following their arrangement in accordance with that of Praśastapādabhāṣya (प्रशस्तपादभाष्य) are transcribed into proper mathematical expressions and are analysed and examined with modern scientific instruments, wherever necessary, it will result in the scientific study of Vaiśeṣika. Moreover, the inclusion of soul (ātman) and mind (manas), which are elements of the rational world in this study may further widen the scope of this kind of research.