Classical Indian Philosophy Purva-Mimamsa Epistemology: Sabd-Nityavada, Jati-Salti-Vada and Dharma
Doorsteptutor material for competitive exams is prepared by world's top subject experts: get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.
Classical Indian Philosophy: Purva-Mimamsa Epistemology (Philosophy)
The Concept of Sabda-Nityavada
- According to Jaimini, words are eternal, part-less and uncaused.
- Sabdanitya-vada means the theory of eternality of words.
- Words are not produced at any place or time because they transcend space and time.
- Sabda (words) are not perceived sounds or dhvanis.
- According to Jaimini, words are ever present, they are only spoken for the purpose of manifesting them to others.
- They are beyond creation and destruction.
The Concept of Jati-Sakti-Vada
- According to Jaimini, universals or jati are eternal.
- Jati has the potency or sakti to manifest akritis or particulars. Hence, universals are different from particulars.
- According to him, sabda refers to jati or universals, alone.
- There is an eternal connection between the word and its meaning. Or, there is an eternal relation between sabda and the meaning of the sabda.
- So, jati means universals which are eternal and sakti means potency give rise to particulars which are eternal too.
- For example, word or sabda denotes a class or universal or jati for when we say bring a cow- this means not a specific cow or a particular cow.
- Rather, an animal which possesses cow-ness.
The Concept of Dharma
- The goal of the school of Purva-Mimamsa is to ascertain the nature of dharma.
- Dharma is an injunction.
- It compels us men to act or perform an action.
- In other words, it is categorically imperative in nature (Kant՚s categorical imperative - duty for duty՚s sake) .
- Artha and Kama deal with ordinary common morality which is learnt by worldly intercourse.
- On the other hand, dharma and moksha deal with true spirituality which is only revealed to us or which can only be learnt via the Vedas.
- According to Jaimini, actions performed by the soul measure the dharma and a-dharma or happiness and pain, because they have an unseen potency or Apurva which accordingly bears fruits or results.
- This Apurva or potency is the link between the action and the result.
- According to Jaimini, there are three kinds of actions;
Obligatory actions
- They need to be performed every day.
- Their performance yields in no merit but the non-performance of such actions result in sin.
Optional Actions
- They are dependent on one՚s choice.
- Their performance leads to merit and their non-performance leads to no sins.
Prohibited Actions
- Those actions which are simply prohibited.
- Their performance leads to sin and their non-performance lead to no-merit.
- Earlier Purva-Mimamsa believed in only dharma. Not moksha. Their ideal was attainment of heaven (svarga) and not liberation.
- Later Mimamsikas believe in moksha and the substitute the ideal of heaven by the ideal of liberation (apavarga) .
- Purva-Mimamsa accepts the authority of Vedas alone and the Vedic deities.
- According to them Vedic deities are immortal entities, they are beyond space and time and are eternal. They are described in the Vedas alone.
- In anxiety to maintain the supremacy of Vedas and Vedic deities, Mimamsa School relegates God to an ambitious position.
- Jaimini accepts three pramanas or sources of knowledge, namely, Perception, Inference and Verbal testimony.
Questions
1. ________ actions when performed leads to sin and their non-performance lead to no-merit.
A. Obligatory
B. Optional
C. Prohibited
D. Both b and c
Answer: C
2. ________ is an injunction
A. Karma
B. Dharma
C. Both A and B
D. None of these
Answer: B
3. Earlier Purva-Mimamsa believes in
A. Moksha
B. Karma
C. Dharma
D. All of these
Answer: C
4. Jamini accepts ________ number of pramanas
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six
Answer: A
#Epistemology
#Purva-Mimamsa
#Jamini
✍ Manishika