अभावः- abhāva

 

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Blog author Jayaraman Mahadevan

 

अभावः- abhāva  

 

 

Etymology

This is a compound term. The compound split has been shown earlier.

न भावः, अभावः (नञ्तत्पुरुषः)

na bhāvaḥ, abhāvaḥ

Not presence/absence

न  Na is an indeclinable

भाव Bhava is derived when the suffix घञ्  ghañ  is added to the root भू – सत्तायाम्

  bhū – sattāyām- to be. It is based on the grammatical rule (भवतेश्चेति वक्तव्यम् (काशिका), विभाषा ग्रहः  bhavateśceti vaktavyam (kāśikā), vibhāṣā grahaḥ aṣṭādhyāyī  3.1.143). The suffix is used in the sense of kartṛ - the doer.

The derivative statement would be  - भवतीति भावः. bhavatīti bhāvaḥ. – that which is/exists.

 

Lexicon - The term अभाव is not found in the Lexicon.

 

Textual Occurrences

Yogasūtra

The word Abhāva is found to be used four times in this text. The five occurences are elucidated briefly below -

अभावप्रययालम्बना वृत्तिर्निद्रा ॥ १.१० ॥

abhāvaprayayālambanā vṛttirnidrā ..

ततः प्रत्यक्त्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च ॥ १.२९ ॥

tataḥ pratyaktcetanādhigamo'pyantarāyābhāvaśca ..

तदभावात्संयोगाभावो हानं तद्दृशेः कैवल्यम् ॥ २.२५ ॥

tadabhāvātsaṃyogābhāvo hānaṃ taddṛśeḥ kaivalyam ..

हेतुफलाश्रयालम्बनैः संगृहीतत्वादेषामभावे तदभावः ॥ ४.११ ॥

hetuphalāśrayālambanaiḥ saṃgṛhītatvādeṣāmabhāve tadabhāvaḥ ..

Summary: Sūtra 1.10– This the first occurrence where as part of the definition of the Vṛtti – activity of the mind called sleep/nidrā we find the word Abhāva. Here Deep sleep is defined as that which has Tamas which is the cause of absence (of the waking and dream states) as its content. Sūtra1.29 ..- – The second reference in the context of explaining the outcomes of japa and meditation on the meaning of the Praṇava (oṅkāra). Realization of indwelling consciousness and abhāva- absence of obstacles in the path of Yoga are the outcomes. Sūtra 2.25 states that by the absence of avidyā - wrong understanding about the nature of oneself – the conjunction of the draṣṭā and dṛśya ceases and Kaivalyam where the Purusha is free from the conjuction of the drshyam (the material world and its cause) is attained. It is to be understood that Vivekakhyāti – clarity that the draṣṭā (consciousness) is separate from the dṛśya (the matter) – is said to eradicate the wrong understanding. The Vivekakhyāti in turn, is attained by the practice of Aṣṭāṅga yoga etc. Sūtra 4.11 .. – Here it has been clarified that the absence of (impact of) the Vāsanas can be attained. By achieving the absence of the factors of accumulation of Vāsanas – absence of Vāsanas can also be achieved. Hetu (cause- kleśa & karmas), phala (outcomes – Jāti, āyus & Bhoga), āśraya (the substratum – the mind) and ālambana (the support – the objects of the senses) are stated as the sources of accumulation of Vāsanas. (based on the commentary of Sadāśiva Brahmendra’s commentary)

 

 Bhagavadgītā

There is just one reference to this term is found in this text.  

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।

उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥ २.१६ ॥

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ .

ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ .. 2.16 ..

The lone reference from Bhagavadgītā clarifies that ātman – the self/consciousness is Sat- truly existing and hence it will never go into non-existence (abhāva).

Haṭhayogapradīpikā -  There is no entry in this text

 

Tabulation of References

Abhāva	Yogasūtra 4 references	Bhagavadgītā 1 reference	Haṭhayogapradīpikā -
	Chapter 1 Sūtras 10, 29  Chapter 2  Sūtra  25 Chapter 4  Sūtra 11	Chapter 2 Verse 16	-

 

Observations

It is interesting to note the utilization of the word Abhāva is in various contexts involving the absolute and relative connotations.

In the absolute sense the Bhagavadgītā clarifies that there will no Abhāva/ absence of that which true/ really existent. Further in the removal of Avidyā and consequently attaining the absence of connection of the draṣṭā and dṛśya that leads to Kaivalya is also to be noted in this higher sense.

In the relative sense of the term we see that -  in defining the state of deep sleep, overcoming obstacles of Yoga, rendering the Vāsanas ineffective the word Abhāva is used.

Thus it becomes useful to understand these various references to inform ourselves about the shades and contexts of utilization of the term - Abhāva. 

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