Dharmakirtis Sambandha Pariksa

Here's a comprehensive summary of Erich Frauwallner's analysis of Dharmakīrti's Sambandhaparīkṣā based on the provided text:

This document is an academic work by Erich Frauwallner, presenting the Sanskrit text and a German translation of Dharmakīrti's Sambandhaparīkṣāprakaraṇam (Examination of Connection) and its commentary, the Sambandhaparīkṣāvrttiḥ. Frauwallner meticulously details the textual sources and the complex process of establishing a reliable text.

Key Textual Information and Methodology:

• Dharmakīrti's Work: The Sambandhaparīkṣā is a significant work by Dharmakīrti, a prominent Buddhist philosopher, written after his major work, the Pramāṇavārttikam. It delves into the doctrine that there are no real connections between things.
• Commentaries: Dharmakīrti himself wrote a commentary (Vrttiḥ). Vinitadeva wrote a sub-commentary (Țikā) on Dharmakīrti's Vrttiḥ, which, while not exceptionally profound, significantly aids understanding. A later commentary, the Sambandhaparīkṣānusāraḥ by Sankaranandana, also exists, adhering to Dharmakīrti's verses but treating the subject independently.
• Source Material: The original Sanskrit texts of these works are not yet found. Frauwallner's work relies heavily on Tibetan translations preserved in the Tanjur. He identifies specific sections within the Tanjur for each text.
• Sanskrit Fragments: While rare, some Sanskrit fragments exist. The most significant is found in Devasūri's Syādvādaratnākaraḥ, which not only reproduces some of Dharmakīrti's verses but also offers explanations closely following Dharmakīrti's Vrttiḥ. However, Devasūri's treatment is noted for its freedom, occasional inaccuracies, and the arbitrary inclusion of Sankaranandana's ideas, potentially confusing readers unfamiliar with the original sources.
• Frauwallner's Contribution: Frauwallner presents the Tibetan translation of the Sambandhaparīkṣāprakaraṇam and its Vrttiḥ alongside a German translation. He includes Tibetan translations of verses from the Sambandhaparīkṣānusāraḥ and surviving Sanskrit verses. His German translation is informed by the relevant sections of Devasūri's Syādvādaratnākaraḥ. He consciously refrains from offering extensive content explanations, assuming the reader's familiarity with Dharmakīrti's philosophy.
• Textual Corrections: Frauwallner notes the prevalence of printing and translation errors in the Tanjur and details the necessary textual alterations he made, primarily by cross-referencing versions and consulting the Țikā for the Vrttiḥ. He also aimed to correct translation errors in his German rendering.

Core Philosophical Argument of the Sambandhaparīkṣā:

The central thesis of Dharmakīrti's work, as analyzed by Frauwallner, is the rejection of inherent and real connections between phenomena. The text systematically refutes various proposed definitions of "connection" (sambandha).

Key Refutations of Connection:

1. Connection as Dependence (Pārātantrya/Parāpekṣā):

   • If connection is dependence, then for something to be dependent, it must be either existent or non-existent.
   • If it's non-existent, it cannot be dependent.
   • If it's existent, and already fully formed and independent (in its own nature), how can it be dependent?
   • Therefore, there is no real connection based on dependence.

2. Connection as Fusion/Combination of Essence (Rūpasleṣa):

   • If connection is the fusion of essences, how can this occur between two distinct things (a duality)? Fusion implies unity of essence, which is incompatible with multiplicity.
   • If two things become a single entity (ekābhāva), then there are no longer two things to be connected, and connection presupposes at least two.
   • Even if fusion is interpreted as mere proximity (nairantaryam), this is not a real connection. True connection would imply that even separated things are connected, which contradicts the very notion of separation.

3. Connection as Causality (Kāryakāraṇabhāva):

   • Dharmakīrti questions how a relationship of cause and effect can be a real connection, as cause and effect are not simultaneous. The cause exists when the effect does not, and vice versa.
   • Even if one argues for a serial connection, where one is present after the other, this doesn't constitute a true connection because the connection itself would have to be dependent on something else, leading to an infinite regress.
   • The concept of causality is based on perceived regularities, often expressed through language (words like "cause" and "effect"), rather than an inherent, real link.

4. Connection as Co-presence (Samavāya, Samyoga, etc.):

   • The text refutes various other types of connection like inherence (samavāya), conjunction (samyoga), etc.
   • For instance, a property like "whiteness" inherent in a cloth is not truly connected because they do not mutually act upon each other; they do not cause each other's arising or cessation. If they did not act upon each other, they are not connected.
   • The examples of cause and effect, or inherence, are ultimately reduced to conceptual constructs or linguistic conventions.

Dharmakīrti's Conclusion:

Dharmakīrti concludes that all phenomena, when analyzed in their ultimate nature, are without any inherent connection. The perceived connections are merely conceptualizations or linguistic conventions (vikalpa or vyavahāra) superimposed upon reality. These conventions are useful for practical purposes and communication but do not reflect an ultimate reality of connection. The words we use to describe relationships (like cause, effect, relation, separation, movement) are designations that depend on the speaker and are established by convention, not by inherent properties of the things themselves.

In essence, the Sambandhaparīkṣā is a sophisticated philosophical argument that dismantles the notion of real, inherent connections between entities, ultimately asserting the fundamental interconnectedness of all things is a product of our conceptual framework.