Preface

The Darshanas in the form of sūtras are short aphorisms, easy to remember, providing the essence of Vedic knowledge, and simultaneously preserve the secrecy with their cryptic form. They were created to preserve the six complementary views of Vēdas. The Sankhya sūtras provide inside-out metaphysics. Yōga sūtras provide the practices to be undertaken to realise the truth. The Nyaya sūtras give the logic and method to validate arguments in a debate. The Vaisesika sūtras give outside-in metaphysics. The Mimamsa sūtras throw light on epistemology and hermeneutics. The Vēdanta sūtras, also called Brahma sūtras, elucidates the nature of ultimate reality, the Brahman.

Nyāya and Vaishēshika are categorised as 'samānatantra' darshanas i.e., complementary. While Nyaya focuses on logical debate, Vaisheshika expands and elaborates on the object of senses, pramēya, one of the categories of Nyāya. Vaisesika is outside-in metaphysics, more a modern scientific view of the world. The Vaisesika recognizes the following seven topics:

1. Substance (dravya)
   
   1. Five Elements
   1. Earth (prthivi)
   2. Water (āpaha)
   3. Fire (tējas)
   4. Air (vāyu)
   5. Ether (ākāsa)
   2. Time (kāla)
   3. Space (dik)
   4. Spirit (ātman)
   5. Mind (manas)
   1. Quality (guna)
   2. Activity (karma)
   3. Generality (samānya)
   4. Particularity (visēsa)
   5. Inherence (samavaya)
   6. Non-being (abhāva)

It brings out the particle theory of substances consisting of a particle (paramanu), dyad (dvyanuka), and triad (tryanuka). The concept that a particle and a dyad are non-perceptible while a triad is perceptible is far ahead of its times, with a striking similarity to modern-day particle physics. It also positions quality as a static and permanent feature of a substance, while the action is a dynamic and transient feature.

- Madhukrishna Sudhindra