SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
The AchArya now establishes the dhravyathva (substance-hood) of knowledge by giving the reasons for it.
sUthram 70
க்ரியா குணங்களுக்கு ஆஶ்ரயமாய், அஜடமாயிருக்கையாலே த்ரவ்யமாகக் கடவது.
kriyA guNangaLukku ASrayamAy, ajadamAy irukkaiyAlE dhravyamAgak kadavadhu.
Meaning
Knowledge is to be regarded as a substance because it is the substratum of actions and qualities, and because it is non-inert.
Explanation
Knowledge is the substratum of actions and qualities
Knowledge is a dhravya because it serves as the ASraya (substratum) of both kriyA (actions) and guNa (qualities).
Here,
- kriyA refers to sankOcha (contraction) and vikAsa (expansion).
- guNa refers to samyOga (conjunction) and viyOga (disjunction).
Since the definition of a dhravya is:
“क्रियाश्रयो द्रव्यम् । गुणाश्रयो द्रव्यम् ।“
(kriyASrayo dhravyam | guNASrayO dhravyam |)
“A substance is that which is the support of action. A substance is that which is the support of qualities.”
either kriyASrayathva or guNASrayathva alone is sufficient to establish the dhravyathva of knowledge.
ajadathva also establishes dhravyathva
The AchArya also mentions ajadathva.
How does ajadathva establish dhravyathva?
Among jada entities, there are both substances (dhravya) and non-substances (adhravya). However, among ajada entities, there is nothing that is not a dhravya.
Therefore, ajadathva itself establishes the dhravyathva of knowledge.
As stated:
“ज्ञानं द्रव्यम् अजडत्वात् । यदजडं तद् द्रव्यम् यथा आत्मादि ।“
(gyAnam dhravyam ajadathvAth | yadhajadam thadh dhravyam yathA AthmAdhi |)
“Knowledge is a substance because it is non‑inert. Whatever is non‑inert is a substance — such as the self and similar entities.”
Thus, knowledge is a dhravya because it is ajada.
Knowledge is both a substance and a quality
A doubt may arise:
If knowledge is a substance, how can it also be a quality (guNa) of the soul?
The answer is that knowledge is eternally connected with its substratum, the soul.
As ALavandhAr states [in sidhdhi thrayam]
“आश्रयादन्यतो वृत्तेराश्रयेण समन्वयात् ।
द्रव्यत्वञ्च गुणत्वञ्च ज्ञानस्यैवोपपद्यते ॥“
(ASrayAdh anyathO vruiththEr ASrayENa samanvayAth | dhravyathvancha guNathvancha gyAnasyaivOpapadhyathE ||)
“Because the occurrence (vruththi) depends on a locus other than itself, and because it is coordinated with its locus, both ‘substance‑hood’ and ‘quality‑hood’ are applicable to knowledge alone.”
Since knowledge exists independently as a substance while remaining inseparably connected with its substratum, both dhravyathva and guNathva are appropriate to it.
The idea that knowledge resides in its substratum has already been implied while explaining its kriyASrayathva.
The same principle is seen elsewhere
This characteristic is not unique to knowledge alone. It is also found in luminous entities such as the light of a lamp and other luminous substances.
Therefore, both dhravyathva and guNathva are accepted in the case of knowledge.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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