In the Vaisheshika school of Indian philosophy, one of the fundamental categories of reality is abhava, which can be understood as the absence or non-existence of something.
Abhava plays a significant role in Vaisheshika metaphysics, epistemology, and logic, providing insights into the nature of reality and our understanding of it.
According to Vaisheshika, there are six types of abhava:
- Pragabhava: This refers to the absence of a particular object before its creation. For example, the absence of a pot before it is made.
- Dhvamsabhava: Dhvamsa means destruction. Dhvamsabhava is the absence of an object after its destruction. For example, the absence of a pot after it is broken.
- Anyonyabhava: Anyonyabhava is the mutual absence of two entities in each other. It occurs when two things cannot coexist. For example, fire and water cannot coexist, so their mutual absence is called anyonyabhava.
- Pratibandhabhava: This refers to the absence of something due to an obstruction. For example, the absence of light in a dark room due to an obstruction.
- Apratibandhabhava: Apratibandhabhava is the absence of an obstruction that previously hindered the presence of an object. For example, the absence of darkness after removing the obstruction.
- Ativyapti: Ativyapti is the absence of a universal property in particular instances. For example, the absence of heat in a cold substance.
The Vaisheshika school emphasizes that abhava is a real entity and not merely a mental construct. It is considered a distinct category of existence, alongside other categories such as substance (dravya), quality (guna), action (karma), and so on. Abhava is seen as having causal efficacy and can influence other entities and their properties.
The understanding of abhava has implications in various domains. In epistemology, abhava is seen as a valid object of knowledge and can be known through inference and perception. In logic, abhava helps in formulating negation and refutation. It also contributes to the understanding of causality and change, as the presence or absence of an entity can have causal effects on other entities.