Concept of Inherence (Samavaya) Depicted in Vaisesika School of Philosophy

Abstract

Vaisesika Philosophy accepts Samavaya (inherence) as a sixth category. When two things cannot exist separately the close relationship between them is known as inherence. This has to be seen differently from conjunction (samyoga) which is but a separate relationship between two separate things which can exist separately. This is an instance where the soul-knowledge and ether sound relationship is an intimate_connection between the two inseparable things. The action of these two things is absent unlike as in conjunction, the union does not come to an end in disjunction. It is imperceptible to the senses, it is one, and it is eternal. Entities related to inherence cannot be separated (ayuta-sidda) and since they are intimately connected, the one cannot exist without the other.A Similar definition is given by Prasastapada also. He treats inherence as the relation that subsists between two inseparable things related to each other. e.g the substance and the content. He further holds that it is the cause leading to the idea "This subsists in this abode.". Inherence is not a productive agent and it is super sensuous. Inherence is something established by inference and is different from substance, quality, activity, generality and particularity. It exists between five kinds of inseparable entities as follows: action and substance; substance and attribute; genus and species; eternal and particular substances; and the whole and parts. Sridhara argues that, though virtue and pleasure reside in the self they are not related by inherence because their relation is not like that of the container and the contained. A conjunction of two things can be separated apart. But inherence is inseparable. In the case of conjunction, it comes to an end as soon as the conjoined members are disjoined while connection remains indestructible. Conjunction links two independent substances. The members linked through inherence cannot be separated and they stand in the relation of the container and the contained. Two things related by inference cannot be separated, unless at least one of them is destroyed. The relation between two things conjoined is external, while inherence is an internal relation. In the case of a samyoga (conjunction) two different entities are joined together without forming a real whole which entering into each samavaya (inherence) is a real coherence. According to Nyaya, samavaya(inherence)is cognized through Perception (pratyaksha). But for the Vaisesika point of view it is inferential. it must be accepted as constituting 'its own relation and consequently, super sensuous in character. The senses are capable of cognizing positive categories only through one of the relations recognized in the system.