119. 136 CHAPTER II

136 CHAPTER II

number of Âbhasas, each of which requires a separate mental process to cognise, and that its causal efficiency (Artha-kriya kāritva) depends on its determinate cognition and the latter also depends upon the inclination, immediate need and cognitive capacity of the individual. Âbhasavadin holds that human mind is so constituted that it begins its cognitive activity with apprehension of and reaction to isolated constituents of the presented. Each constituent, as it is apprehended separately, is an Âbhasa, a universal, which marks the farthest limit of cognitive activity. But practical1 life is entirely dependent on the unifica- tion of Abhasas. The isolated Abhasa has no practical utility. In order that it may be an object of action, as distinct from that of mere primary cognition, it must be united with some other Abhasas, at least the external time and space. UNCHANGING NATURE OF THE ÂBHÂSA The2 Abhasa does not change even when it is united with others. It is of generic form. For instance, the Âbhasa, for which the word "Jar" is used, does not imply any matter, such as clay or silver, of which it may be made. Therefore, even when it is united with other Âbhasas e. g. red, earthen and high etc. and appears as distinct from the generic form, because it is looked upon as the substantive of the attributes "red" etc., it,does not change its essential nature of generic form. TIME AND SPACE AS THE BASIS OF PARTICULARITY./ The common basis, on which the constituents of multi- plicity unite when the object is purposively viewed, is constituted by external time and space. They do not figure 1. I. P. V., Vol. II. 90. 2. B. V.2-3-7.

SHAIVA BASIS OF ABHINAVA'S ÆSTHETICS 137

in free and conventional cognitions (Yatharuci, Yatha vyut- patti). They figure only in the purposive cognition. They do not figure when we are visualising the conventional meaning of a linguistic expression, for, according to the philosophy of grammar, the linguistic symbol stands for the universal alone. Even the word "this" (Ayam) stands for the universal 'This' which is common to all that is objective (Sarvabhavagatedanta samanya) and not for the particular. And the free cognition would cease to be free if it be limited by time and space.

THE IMPLICATION OF UNIVERSALISATION (SADHARANI- KARAŅA), ACCORDING TO ÂBHĀSAVĀDA. We have discussed above, the essential nature of the universal and the particular. Particularity consists in the temporal and spatial relations of the Abhasa. And the uni- versal, the isolated Âbhasa, is free from such relations. The particlar is a configuration, a unity in multiplicity, (Ekāneka- rūporthah). And the Abhasa is the universal, not such as is due to the generalisation, based on the perception of a persis- tent element in a number of different objects, but such as, united with others, constitutes the very being of a particular object.

But, we have shown above, that unification of an Âbhasa with temporal and spatial conditions, is due to the purposive attitude of the cogniser. Therefore, if the cog- niser is free from such an attitude, his cognitive activity will terminate at its primary stage and will not proceed to relate the apprehended to temporal and spatial conditions. Thus, the æsthetic object, as it figures in the consciousness of an æsthete, is universal, because he approaches it disin- terestedly, because his attitude is not practical but æsthetic. 18