0422 Verse 549

Original

क्षित्यादिभेदतो भिन्नं नवधा द्रव्यमिष्यते ।
चतुःसङ्ख्यं पृथिव्यादि नित्यानित्यतया द्विधा ॥ ५४९ ॥

kṣityādibhedato bhinnaṃ navadhā dravyamiṣyate |
catuḥsaṅkhyaṃ pṛthivyādi nityānityatayā dvidhā || 549 ||

Substance has been held to be of nine kinds—divided under the different heads of ‘earth’ and the rest; of these, the four beginning with the ‘earth’ are of two kinds—eternal and non-eternal.—(549)

Kamalaśīla

With a view to refuting the category of ‘Substance’, the Author sets forth the subdivisions of ‘Substance’ (as postulated by its exponents):—[see verse 549 above]

The idea underlying this setting forth of the subdivisions is that when the subject has been thus stated, it is easier to find fault with it.

‘Nine kinds’,—as stated in the Sūtra (Vaiśeṣika)—‘Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ākāśa, Time, Space, Soul and Mind’, From, among these, Substance in the form of the first four—i.e. Earth, Water, Fire and Air—is of two lands, being eternal and non-eternal.—(549)

These two kinds are shown in the following—[see verse 550 next]