Satkaryavada
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The
Overview
Satkāryavāda is the Samkhya theory of the pre-existent effect, which states that the effect Karya already exists in its material cause, which is Sat, and therefore nothing new is brought into existence.
This theory uses two basic concepts.
- Sat(सत्) – existence
- Karya(कार्य)- the manifested effect
This theory asserts that something that exists (Sat), cannot originate from non-existence (Asat).
This theory, also associated with the
असदकरणादुपादानग्रहणात् सर्वसम्भवाभावात् ।
शक्तस्य शक्यकरणात् कारणभावाच्च सत्कार्यम् ॥ ९ ॥[1]
- what is not cannot be produced,
- the effect requires a material cause,
- not everything arises from everything,
- the cause produces only what corresponds to its potential
- the effect has the nature of the cause.[2]
Vedic roots
During
Vedanta explanation
From
According to
Sankara defends satkaryavada against asatkaryavada but in the light of vivartavada as distinguished from parinamavada, he posits the infinite and eternal as the goal of human aspirations, distinguishing paramartha and vyavahara and agreeing that the former is timeless and the latter, fundamentally impermanent and insubstantial, differing though in their analysis of empirical things and causality.[7] He states that the sruti speaks of prarabdha from an empirical point of view; prarabdha is accepted for origination (or birth) to account for differences of beings etc., which difference cannot be otherwise produced.[8] In the same context but opposing Sankara’s view-point, Ramanuja, the proponent of Vishishtadvaita, in his Vedarthasamgraha defines creation thus – Brahman whose body is formed by animate and inanimate beings, who in his gross form is divided by distinctions of names and forms, is presented in the effect; this disunited and gross state of Brahman is called creation.[9]
Samkhya delineation
Satkaryavada is the Samkhya theory of the pre-existent effect, that the effect (karya) already exists in its material cause and therefore, nothing new is brought into existence or produced in the process of creation. This theory, also associated with the Yoga school, is the systematic unfolding of Udalaka Aruni’s (Chandogya Upanishad VI.i.4-5) 'substantialism' and 'eternalism'. Ishvarakrishna in his Samkhyakarika (Sloka 9):
- असदकर्णाद् उपादान ग्रहणात् सर्वसम्भवाभावात् |
- शक्तस्य शक्यकर्णात् कारणभावाच्च सत्कार्यम् ||
gives five reasons why the effect has to pre-exist in its material cause – a) asadkarnat - what is not cannot be produced, b) upadana grahanat - the effect requires a material cause, c) sarvasambhavabhavat - not everything arises from everything, d) saktasya-sakya-karnat - the cause produces only what corresponds to its potential and e) karanabhavat - the effect has the nature of the cause.[10]
The followers of the Samkhya school hold that karya ('effect') is sat ('existent') even before karakavyapara ('causal operation') renders avirbhuta ('manifest') from tirohita ('unmanifest condition'). The Samkhyas uphold Parinama-vada, that the cause is continuously transforming itself into effect.
- हेतुमद् अनित्यमव्यापि सक्रियमनेकमाश्रितं लिङ्गम् |
- सावयवं परतन्त्रं व्यक्तं विपरीतमव्यक्तम् ||
Prakrti and its evolutes all serve the purpose of the self which is Consciousness, b) the self whose purpose is served by Prakrti must be different from everything composed of the three gunas, c) experiences suggest a transcendental synthetic unity of pure consciousness to co-ordinate all experiences for knowledge pre-supposes the existence of the self, d) the physical universe needs a sentient purusha to experience it and e) there is the desire to escape from prakrti (Samkhyakarika Sl.10).[12]
Opposition
Asatkaryavada also called the arambhavada or new beginning. Against the asatkaryavada view of causality accepted by the Nyaya and the Vaisheshikas,[13] the Samkhyas aver that if the effect were something totally new, without prior existence in any form, then one would have to admit the production of existence from non-existence, which is not possible. But Sankara questions the Samkhya contention, he asks – if the effect actually pre-exists how can there be genuine change?[14]
References
- ^ "Ishvarakrishna's sAnkhyakArikA" (PDF). sanskritdocuments.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-1178-0.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-0636-6.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-2513-8.
- ISBN 9788120814103.
- ISBN 978-0-14-306445-9.
- ISBN 9788120811041.
- OCLC 633667305.
St.462-463
- ISBN 978-0-7914-1281-7.
- ISBN 978-0-7914-1178-0.
- ISBN 9788120804128.
- ISBN 978-0-19-532899-8.
- ^ "nyAya vaisheShika Philosophy". www.kamakotimandali.com. Dec 28, 2008. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
- ISBN 978-1-136-69685-5.