[Buddha-l] Moment of individuation

[Timothy C. Cahill]

"VizeSa" as ultimate particularity probably doesn't have that much in
common with SJZ's soul, viz.:

> > A soul is simply the actualizing principle of individuation that
> > determines any particular creature to be what it is.

The VaizeSikas used "vizeSa" to mark the distinctness of individual atoms,
of minds and of souls themselves. So perhaps regarding this as *precisely
the same* is a bit of a stretch. (The term vizeSa also applies to the
unitary entities ether, time & space.)

   Apologies for the antiquated capitalization in place of diacritics.

best,
Tim Cahill

> So it is what the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika folks called a viśeṣa? As I
> recall, the idea of a viśeṣa is precisely the same: an individuating
> principle that makes each individual distinct from every other
> individual, even if it belongs to the same class and has similar
> features to the others from which it is distinguished.