Bhattoji Diksita On Sphota

This article by Johannes Bronkhorst delves into the understanding and presentation of the philosophical concept of sphota by the 17th-century Sanskrit grammarian Bhattoji Diksita.

Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points:

1. Bhattoji Diksita's Significance in Grammar:

• Bhattoji Diksita is presented as a significant figure in the history of Indian philosophy of grammar, specifically credited with reviving this field after a thousand-year hiatus. He lived in Benares and was related to other prominent grammarians of the era, Kaunda Bhatta and Nāgeśa Bhatta.

2. Evolution of the Sphota Concept:

• The concept of sphota, which posits a word or sentence as an indivisible, unitary entity distinct from the sequential sounds that express it, predates grammar. Early notions can be found in Buddhist scholasticism, and later thinkers like the Yoga Bhasya, Kumarila Bhatta, Sankara, and Mandana Mishra also engaged with the concept.
• These earlier thinkers primarily addressed the ontological question: "What is a word?" or "What is a speech sound?" They aimed to explain how linguistic units, which are composed of parts that occur sequentially and do not coexist, could exist as unified entities.

3. Bhattoji's Unique Contribution: Focus on Expressiveness:

• Bronkhorst highlights a fundamental shift in Bhattoji's approach. For Bhattoji, the central question is not "What is a word ontologically?" but rather "What is expressive?"
• He defines the sphota as the sole bearer of expressiveness. This means that the primary characteristic of a sphota for Bhattoji is its capacity to convey meaning. Ontological considerations, while not entirely dismissed, are secondary to this semantic function.

4. Bhattoji's Eightfold Classification of Sphota:

• Bhattoji, in his work Śabdakaustubha, outlines eight possible points of view regarding sphota:
  • Varṇasphota: Expressiveness resides in individual sounds (or, more accurately, morphemes like stems and suffixes).
  • Padaphasphota: Expressiveness resides in the entire word.
  • Vākyasphota: Expressiveness resides in the entire sentence.
  • Akhandapadaphasphota: The word as an indivisible, ontologically distinct entity.
  • Akhandavākyasphota: The sentence as an indivisible, ontologically distinct entity.
  • Varṇajātisphota: The concept of a sound-type (jāti).
  • Padajātisphota: The concept of a word-type.
  • Vākyajātisphota: The concept of a sentence-type.
• Bronkhorst notes that Bhattoji's first three categories (varṇa, pada, vākya sphota) do not necessarily raise ontological questions about independent existence. They are primarily concerned with where expressiveness lies.
• The categories of akhanda (indivisible) pada and vākya sphota, and the jāti sphotas, do correspond to the more traditional understanding of sphota as an ontologically distinct and eternal entity, comparable to how a cloth is different from its threads.

5. Bhattoji's Use of Tradition and Deviations:

• Bhattoji attempts to support his classifications by citing passages from earlier authoritative texts like Patañjali's Mahābhāṣya and Kaiyaṭa's commentary.
• Bronkhorst argues that Bhattoji's interpretations of these passages are often strained and deviate from the original intent or the traditional understanding. For example, he interprets passages about the eternity of words or sounds in a way that supports his own categories, even when Kaiyaṭa interpreted them differently (e.g., as jāti sphota).
• Bronkhorst points out that while Kaiyaṭa recognized many of the categories Bhattoji enumerates, Kaiyaṭa consistently imbued them with a primarily ontological status, whereas Bhattoji prioritized the semantic function.

6. Bhattoji's Personality and Context:

• The article sheds light on Bhattoji's life and intellectual environment, presenting him not as a distant, ancient scholar, but as an individual deeply involved in intellectual debates.
• Bhattoji was likely from Southern India and studied in Benares. He was a student of Sesa Krsna but later critically engaged with his teacher's work in his own commentaries. This intellectual rivalry and the subsequent criticisms from Bhattoji's relatives and pupils highlight a vibrant, and sometimes contentious, scholarly community.
• The scholarly landscape of Benares during this period is depicted as competitive, with scholars seeking patronage from rulers and merchants. Debates and criticism were common ways to establish intellectual dominance.
• The article suggests that Bhattoji, despite his innovative reinterpretation of sphota, felt the need to present his ideas as rooted in tradition, possibly to gain wider acceptance.

In essence, the article argues that Bhattoji Diksita marks a significant turning point in the philosophy of sphota by shifting the focus from its ontological status to its function as the primary conveyor of meaning. While grounding his ideas in tradition, he also reinterpreted and expanded upon the concept, creating a more nuanced and semantically-oriented understanding that influenced later grammatical thought.