Volume-II, Special Issue, March 2026
Novel Insights A Peer-Reviewed Quarterly Multidisciplinary Research Journal |
Volume-II, Special Issue, March 2026 |
Dik, Kāla, Ākāśa: A Critical Appraisal of the Nyāya–Vaiśeṣika Doctrinal Lineage with reference to Padārtha-tattva-nirupaṇam of Raghunātha Bhaskar Paul, Research Scholar, Dept. of Philosophy, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, India Email: bhaskarpaul306@gmail.com |
Received: 25.03.2026 | Accepted: 30.03.2026 | Published Online: 31.03.2026 |
Page No: 165-176 | DOI: 10.69655/novelinsights.vol.2.issue.specialW.100 | |
Abstract | ||
The objects with which this world is comprised of, are described as ‘padārthas’ in Vaiśeṣika ontology. The Vaiśeṣika thinkers spoke of seven fold classification of those possible padārthas namely, ‘Dravya’, ‘Guṇa’, ‘Karma’, ‘Sāmānya’, ‘Viśeṣa’, ‘Samavāya’ and ‘Abhāva’. Dravya again is subdivided into nine types viz. ‘Kṣiti’, ‘Ap’, ‘Teja’, ‘Marut’, ‘Vyom’, ‘Dik’, ‘Kāla’, ‘Ātmā’ and ‘Mana’. This classification of categories has been strongly advocated in classical Vaiśeṣika tradition. This tradition however is not maintained by some modern scholars. It is Raghunātha in particular, who deviated from the tradition by enumerating a new list of categories. He is not also in agreement with the realistic account of dik, kāla and ākaśa that the ancient thinkers are seen to adopt. This paper is a humble attempt to judge the veracity of Raghunātha’s claim in this regard. Keywords: Raghunātha, Padārthatattvanirūpaṇa, ākāśa, space (dik), time (kāla). | ||