कार्यकारणवाद एवं अध्यास। On Causality & Paradoxes – 2

कार्यकारणवाद एवं अध्यास। ON CAUSALITY AND PARADOXES – 2 – Basudeba Mishra

हेतुर्निमित्तं प्रकृतिश्च योनिः प्रारब्धमूले प्रभवोद्भवौ तथा ।
विवर्तसञ्चारिरसप्रवाहिकप्रकृत्यपूर्वं समवायिका मताः ॥

Classification of cause-effect relationship.

What is a cause?

That without which something does not happen or cannot be done, is a cause (कार्यतेऽनेन । येन विना यन्न भवति तत्). It is immediately antecedent to the effect (नियतपूर्ववर्ती). Many things do not happen till a particular object arrives or event occurs, though other factors that are essential for the effect, exist. This implies existence of multiple causes to create the specific effect. Till all such causes combine together, the effect does not take place (कारणाभावात् कार्याभावः । न तु कार्याभावात् कारणाभावः – कणादः 1-2-1&2). The moment all causes arrive at here-now, the effect takes place without any other condition. Broadly, the cause can be divided into three categories:

1. Material cause that goes into making the effect and continues as long as the effect exists (समवायी कारणम् – कर्म ब्रह्मस्थम्).
2. Other catalytic causes that helps making the effect but doesn’t continue after that (असमवायी कारणम् – ब्रह्म कर्मस्थम्).
3. The operator (निमित्तकारणम्– ब्रह्मैव कर्म).

The causes can also be divided into 13 categories based on their function. In the absence of equivalent English words to convey the proper meaning, the original words are being used. These are:

1. HETUH (हेतुः) – primary cause, without which the effect can’t come into existence. For understanding something, we must not only have an impulse being received by our sense organs (इन्द्रियार्थ सन्निकर्षः, प्रत्यक्षप्रमाणम्), but also we must have previous knowledge about that from our experience (उदाहरणम्). This takes a form “It is like that. Hence it is that”. This similarity of “it (साध्यः)” with “that (साधनम्)”, is called Hetuh (उदाहरणसाधर्म्म्यात् साध्यसाधनं हेतुः). For example, all tools are made of metals or of something having similar properties. Hence, metals are the type of cause called Hetu (हिनोति व्याप्नोति कार्यमिति) for tools. Without metals, no tools are possible. For this reasons, Hetuh is sometimes called inducer (प्रवर्त्तकः).
2. NIMITTAM (निमित्तम्) – While Hetuh remains spread out all over the effect, that which induces – provides the energy input (नोदनाबल) necessary for the effect, but itself is not part of the effect, is called Nimittam (नि + मिदँ स्नेह॑ने).
3. PRAKRITIH (प्रकृतिः) – nature. Everything in the universe has its own special characteristics (गुणः) or properties (धर्मः). It is the individual inherent characteristics other than the totality of its fundamental constituents (which is Hetuh) and other than the net effect itself (द्रव्याश्रय्यगुणवान् संयोगविभागेष्वकारणमनपेक्ष). Action is induced based on this characteristics.
4. YONIH (योनिः) – that which connects the cause to the effect (यु मिश्रे॒णेऽभि॑श्रणे च). For example, when a string is disturbed at a point (बिन्दूः) by a force (वातः), it generates heat (अग्निम्), which pushes the air in front. The air resistance pushes the string back, which rebounds to the next position in space (अम्बरम्). This generates longitudinal waves in space which cause sound (बिन्दुवातग्न्यम्बराणाम्). If the air is drained out from that area, the heat transmission is affected and the sound dries up. Thus, the force applied at a point on the string, the heat generated and the space beyond are causes and the sound is the effect. The sound is perceived in space and travels in space. Hence, space is called the YONIH – place of origin for sound. On being disturbed, the string moves in space. Which is like fall in different directions. Hence it is also called SAMPATIKAM (साम्पातिकम्), which means fall of effect from cause.
5. PRARABDHAMOOLAM (प्रारब्धमूलम्) – nature of the initial factor in a chain reaction. The universe is never static and continuously moves on inertia (संस्कारः), modified due to interaction with other objects and forces. Each interaction begins a new chain of events. But each chain follows a guided path based on the nature of the object at the beginning of the chain. Such initial factor that determines the limitations of the chain reaction, is the cause for such restricted reaction and is known as Prarabdhamoolam.
6. PRABHAVAH (प्रभवः) – the place of origin. Everything is not found everywhere. Specific objects are found only in specific places and in specific forms due to various physio-chemical reasons (like metals in ores in mines). Hence the first place of origin is also a cause for the specific objects (आद्योपलब्धये प्रथमज्ञानार्थं यत् स्थानं देशः सः).
7. UDBHAVAH (उद्भवः) – the reaction chain. Every action takes place in a specific chain reaction. The previous reaction involving specific causes (ingredients – औपादानिकम्) leads to creation of specific objects with inherited characteristics (प्रत्युपादानकारणत्वात्). This is universal from atomic reactions to reproduction to inanimate objects. This chain of formation of similar effects from specific causes (अवयव-अवयवी प्रवाहः) is known as SANTANAH (सन्तानः – सन्तनोति विस्तारयति).
8. VIVARTAH (विवर्तः) – Time evolution/transformation. With time and motion, objects evolve due to interaction with other objects/forces. In this process, it may appear different from the original object (समवायीकारणविसदृशकार्योत्पत्तिः). For example, a child becomes a man with time. If we take a circular plate with the seven colors painted on it and rotate very fast, the plate will appear white (प्रातिभासिकविवर्तः). Thus, time evolution is also a cause.
9. SANCHAREE (सञ्चारी) – Non-uniform restricted motion. Everything in the universe is ever moving in fixed paths. But when we examine their motion, we can’t physically observe any path circular or elliptical path other than their motion through space. The inter-planetary super-highways are not physical highways. Such these paths are also not uniform but wobble due to the effects of others present in the neighborhood. Yet, the gravitational pull of planets are used by space-crafts to gain additional speed proving their existence. Such apparent non-uniform motions cause transitions from one state to another and are called Sancharee (सम्यक् चारो गतिभेदोऽस्त्यस्या). Since these are described through alternative symbolism of the boundary objects, these are also known as mental constructs (वैकल्पिकः).
10. RASAH (रसः) – The field (रसः). There is no field without forces and no force without field. The field is static, but the forces are ever mobile. Due to their mutual interaction, sometimes the field appears to be locally confined. This gives the field local characteristics of existence that mimic the nature of the force. The apparently confined field is named after the force so displayed.
11. PRAVAHIKAH (प्रवाहिकः) – the forces (बलम्) that cause reaction. The interaction of the force to such apparently confined fields leads to structure formation and chemical reactions. This goes on repeating (प्रवाही) due to inertia and time evolution (रसानुवृत्तिकः or रसप्रवाहिकः). Thus, the interaction of the forces with the apparently confined field is a cause for all effects.
12. 12) APURVAM (अपूर्वम्) – unprecedented and unexplained. Though every object produces effects based on its properties, sometimes the peculiar combination makes unprecedented or unexpected effects. Though they follow natural principles, all factors influencing the effect may not be apparent. Such unknown factors that cause particular effects are called Apurvam.
13. SAMAVAYAH (समवायः) – inherence. When the cause and effect are inseparable complements and appear as the container (base)-contained (अयुतसिद्धानामाधार्याधारभावेनावस्थितानामिहेदमिति बुद्धिर्यतो भवति) like a particle and its charge, such cause-effect relationship is called Samavayah.

Out of these 13 cause-effect relationships, the first 4 (हेतुर्निमित्तं प्रकृतिश्च योनिः) determine the form of the effect (स्वरूपसम्बन्धः), the next 4 (प्रारब्धमूलम् प्रभवोद्भवौ विवर्तः) determine the interactive properties of the effect (पर्याप्तवृत्तित्वसम्बन्धः), and the next 5 (सञ्चारिरसप्रवाहिकप्रकृत्यपूर्वं समवायः) determine the inertial nature of the interaction (अन्वाभक्तिवृत्तित्वसम्बन्धः).

All interactions take place in time. Time evolves in six steps (षडध्वाकालः):

1. from being as cause (जायते) to
2. becoming as effect (अस्ति), to
3. growth due to accumulation of similars (बर्द्धते), to
4. transformation due to accumulation of harmonious others (विपरिणमते), to
5. transmutation due to the opposite effect (अपक्षीयते), to
6. dissolution and change of form (विनश्यति).

These are universal and can be seen in everything from atoms to the universe itself. The 13 causal effects are covered by these six steps.

1. In the first phase, the cause (जायते) and effect remain distinctly different with the effect in a potential form (कार्यं कारणे).
2. In the second step (अस्ति), the cause manifests itself as the effect (कारणम् कार्ये).
3. In the third step (बर्द्धते), both appear separately (कार्यकारणे भिन्ने).
4. In the fourth step (विपरिणमते), both coexist (कारणमेवकार्यम्).
5. In the fifth step (अपक्षीयते), both appear separately (कार्यं कारणाद् भिन्नं, कारणं तु कार्याद् भिन्नम्).
6. In the final step (विनश्यति), the effect dissolves to merge with the cause to start another evolutionary cycle (कारणे कार्यमध्यस्तम्). The first step can be compared with the big bang, the second step with the first moments of creation till the expansion ceases, the third step with recombination of the back-flow, the fourth step with structure formation, the fifth step is the evolution of structures and the last is the final dissolution of structures to start the process all over again.

The records of the earlier observations, present observation, sequence of events (ऐतिह्यम् – पारम्पर्य्योपदेशः) and inference based on these four (स्मृतिःप्रत्यक्षमैतिह्यम् अनुमानश्चतुष्टयम् – तैत्तिरीयारण्यकम्, प्रथमप्रश्नः) can reveal the nature of creation. Light brings radiation from all parts of the universe (सूर्यो मरीचिमादत्ते सर्वस्माद्भूवनादधि). When these radiations interact with each other, the events give rise to measurable time (तस्याः पाकविशेषेण स्मृतं कालविशेषणम्). It flows like a river of eternity (नदीव प्रभवात्काचित् अक्षय्यात्स्यन्दते यथा). It flow is uni-directional never to return (तान्नद्योऽभिसमायन्ति सोरुस्सती न निवर्तते). These chains go on repeating making the universal time cyclic (एवन्नानासमुत्थानाः कालास्संवत्सरग्गं श्रिताः). From the quanta to the universe as a whole, everything is regulated in this principle (अणुशश्च महशश्च सर्वे समवयन्त्रितम् – तत्रैव). Since space is a fixed frame, we can move forward and backward from any point of reference. But since time is ever flowing uni-directionally, it has no fixed frame of reference other than an event in the past, and successive events move only in a forward direction in time. Time travel is impossible.
(Contd)