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“Apūrva,” “Devatā,” and “Svarga”: Arguments on Words Denoting Imperceptible Objects

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Abstract

We cannot directly perceive and experience objects of words such as “apūrva” “devatā,” and “svarga,” while objects of words such as “cow” and “horse” are perceptible. Therefore in the Indian linguistic context, some assert that there are two categories of words. However, a grammarian philosopher Bhartṛhari (450 CE) in the second book of his Vākyapadīya, introduces a verse stating that there is no difference between them. Other Indian thinkers as well deal with this issue in various contexts. This paper aims at exploring the ideas expressed in Bhartṛhari’s verse and the related arguments found in other treatises of different schools. It consists of discussions of the followingt: (1) Bhartṛhari’s Vākyapadīya 2.119 and its commentarial texts; (2) Kumārila’s Criticism; (3) The Nyāya context; (4) The Sāṃkhya and the Buddhist context; (5) Related grammatical passages and the background of the Vākyapadīya 2.119; and (6) Conclusion.

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Abbreviations

MD:

Mahābhāṣyadīpikā: Bronkhorst (1987)

MH:

Madhyamakahṛdaya: Lindtner (2001)

NC:

Dvādaśāra-Nayacakra: Jambuvijaya (1966)

NV:

Nyāyavārttika: Nyayatarkatirtha et al. (1985)

SK:

Sāṃkhyakārikā: Larson (1969)

TS:

Tattvasaṃgraha: Krishnamacharya (1984)

TV:

Tantravārttika: Subbāśāstrī (1929); Joshi (1981)

VP:

Bhartṛhari’s Vākyapadīya

VPI:

Vākyapadīya, Kāṇḍa 1: Iyer (1966)

VPII:

Vākyapadīya, Kāṇḍa 2: Iyer (1983)

VPwr:

Vākyapadīya: Rau (1977)

YD:

Yuktidīpikā: Wetzler and Motegi (1998)

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  1. Department of Indian Studies, Graduate School of Letters, Nagoya University Furocho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

    Toshiya Unebe

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Unebe, T. “Apūrva,” “Devatā,” and “Svarga”: Arguments on Words Denoting Imperceptible Objects. J Indian Philos 39, 535–552 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-011-9134-z

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