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Full text of "A Primer Of Indian Logic"

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OSMANIA UNIVERSITY 



Call No. ^5^-^^r^ Accession No. 3> & *& 

Author 

Title 




This book should be returned on or before the date 
last marked below. 



A 
PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



A Primer of Indian Logic 

ACCORDING TO 

ANNAMBHATTA'S TARKASAMGRAHA 



BY 

MAHAMAHOPADHVAYA \ 7 IDYAVACASPATI 

S. KUPPUSWAMI SASTRI, M.A., I.E.S. 

PROFBSJOR OF SANSKRIT AND COMPARATIVE PHILOLOGY 
PRESIDENCY COLLEGE 

AND 
CURATOR, GOVERNMENT ORIENTAL MANUSCRIPTS LIBRARY, MADRAS 



SECOND EDITION 



THE 

KUPPUSWAMI SASTRI RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

MYLAPORE, MADRAS 

1951 



Four EDITION 1932 
SECOND EDITION 1951 



PRINTED AT 

THE MADRAS LAW JOURNAL PRFSS 
MYLAPORE, MADRAS 



PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION 



Pdniniyam ca sarvasastropakarakam. 

"JLogicand grammar are indispensable aids for 
^every branch of knowledge." --.-^* 

This little book, called A PRIMER OF IKDI AW 
LOGIC, is primarily based on Annambhatta's Tarka- 
samgraha and is designed to serve as an introduction, 
not only to the btudy of Indian logic as embodied in 
the Nyaya-Vaisesika literature in Sanskrit, but also to 
the study of Indian philosophy in its diverse systems. 
In preparing this book, the oft-quoted Sanskrit dictum 
given above was borne in mind. This book comprises 
three paits. Part I contains an historical introduction. 
Part II gives the Sanskrit text of the Tarkasamgraha 
in the Dcvanfijjari script and in English transliteration. 
Part III forms the bulk of this work and contains an 
English rendering of the Sanskrit text accompanied by 
a critical and comparative exposition of each topic in 
English. In this exposition, an endeavour is made to 
combine strict fidelity to the original Sastraic texts in 
Sanskrit with an intelligible presentation of the techni- 
cal ideas of Indian systems of philosophy in an English 
garb. In the course of this endeavour, it has become 
unavoidably necessary to coin and bring into vogue 
certain technical terms, which, at first sight, look some- 
what uncouth. 



ft 



Nearly two years ago, I undertook to write this 
book for the benefit of modern University students, 
more especially B.A. students offering philosophy as 
their optional subject, in compliance with a suggestion 
made by my esteemed friend, Prof. P. N. Srinivasa- 
chariar, M.A., Professor of Philosophy in the Pachai- 
yappa's College, Madras. Messrs. P. Varadachari & Co., 
Publishers and Book-sellers, 8, Linga Chett) Street, 
Madras.^SSflfJly undertook to publish this work. The 
printing of parts II and III was finished in January 
1931 and these two parts were separately made avail- 
able to students in the beginning of 1931. The com- 
plete work, with part I also and a very useful Sanskrit 
glossary, is now made available in a complete form; 
and in this form, it is hoped that it will be received 
well by all the students and scholars interested in 
Indian philosophy. 

The bulk of the matter in this book is directly 
based on Sastraic texts in Sanskrit. In the course of 
the preparation of this work, I consulted well-known 
English books on Indian philosophy like Prof. Radha- 
krishnan's ' Indian Philosophy', Dr. Keith's < Atomism 
and Indian Logic', and Dr. Handle's 'Indian Logic in 
the Early Schools'. My thanks are due, in particular, to 
two of my young friends and former pupils to 
Mr. T. R. Chintamani, M.A., Senior Lecturer in Sans- 
krit, Madras University, for preparing the table of 
contents and the Sanskrit glossary, and to Mr. T. 
Chandrasekharan, M.A., (Diploma in German), Profes- 
sor of History of Sanskrit Language and Literature, 
Madras Sanskrit College, and Manager, Journal of 



tts 

Oriental Research, Madras, for reading the proofs. I 
should also take this opportunity to express my thank- 
fulness to the Madras Law Journal Press, Mylapore, 
for its very kind and efficient co-operation in seeing 
this work through the press and to Pandit T. S. 
Subrahmanya Sastri (Sahitya-$iromani) of the M.L.J. 
Press* for the alert and willing assistance which he 
rendered at various stages in getting me to do the work 
in the midst of my multifarious duties. 

S. KUPPUSWAM1 SASTRI 

5, North Mada Street, Mylapore, 
llth March, 1932. 



PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 

The authorities of the Kuppuswami Sastri 
Research Institute have great pleasure in bringing out 
this second edition of the Primer of Indian Logfc by 
Prof. S. Kuppuswami Sastri, and pnMi hint; it on 
the occasion of the Seventh Foundation Day celebra- 
tions of the Institute founded in 'the name of the 
author. 

Dr. A. Sankaran, M.A., PH.D., and Dr. V. Raghavan, 
M.A., PH.D., were in charge of the work of !iri;i;;i,i^ 
out this second edition. 

The corrections noted by the author in his own 
copy of the book preserved in the Institute Library have 
been incorporated here. 

Sri K, Venkateswara Sarma, M.A., was of much 
assistance in the reading of the proofs and seeing the 
work through the press. 

The thanks of the Institute authorities are specially 
due to Sri N. Ramaratnam, M.A., B.L., Proprietor, 
M. L. J. Press, for his continued co-operation in the 
work of the Institute. 

7th Sept. 1951. 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PART I 

Pages. 

Logic in the West and in India : ... iii to v 

TFife meaning of the term Logic ... iii 

Sanskrit Equivalents of the term Logic 
Logic a system of Philosophy ... iv 

Tarkasastra contrasted with other 

sastras ... ... iv & v 

Antecedents and foreshadovvings of the 

Vaisesika and Nyaya v to ix 

Intuitionistic and rationalistic tenden- 
cies ... ... v & vi 

^Origin of the Nyaya system of Philo- 
sophical thought ... ... vi & vii 

Darsanas Astika and Nastika ... vii & viii 

^Beginnings of the Vaisesika and Nyaya 

systems ... ... viii & Jx 

How the Vai : eika and Nyaya schools 
emerged and when the doctrines 
were redacted into sutras ... ix to xx 

Manu and Yajnavalkya: their attitude 

to Tarkasastra ... ... ix & x 

''Rise of pre-Buddhistic logic and meta- 
physics ... ... x & xi 

Anti-vedic Vaisesika ... ... xi & xii 

"'NySLya-sutras and Vaisc$ika-sutras ... xii 



Dill 



Date of the sutras, Jacobi's views 

criticised 

Tarkasastra pre-supposed by Kautalya. 
Nyaya in Patanjali 

The Names Vaisesika and Nyaya; The 
Nature, Aim and Scope of the two 
systems 
Syncretism and Synthesis ... 

Pairs of allied systems 
After the sutras to Udayana ... xxvi to xxxiv 

Is Vatsyayana himself the author of the 

aphoristic statements in the Bhasya? xxviii &xxix 
Uddyotakara and Dharmakirti 
Vacaspatimisra 
Jayanta 
Bhasarvajna 

Udayana and his contribution 
Sridhara 

After Udayana to Annambhatta 
givaditya's Saptapadarthi 
Gangesa and his special contribution 
(The categoristic method replaced 
by the epistemological) ... xxxv to xxxviii 

Vardhamanopadhyaya ... ... xxxviii 

Rucidatla ... ... ... xxxviii 

Raghunatha-siromani, Jagadisa and 

Gadadhara ... ... xxxix & xl 

Samkaramisra and Visvanatha ... xl 

Annambhatta ... ... xli & xlii 

Concluding remarks and general 

estimate .. xlii & xliii 



xiii to xv 
xvi to xviii 
xix 



xx to xxiii 
xxiii to'xxv 
xxv 



. xxx & xxxi 
. xxxi & xxxii 
. xxxii 
. xxxiii 
xxxiii&xxxiv 
. xxxiv 
. xxxiv to liii 
xxxiv& xxxv 



ix 

PART II 

Sanskrit text with English transliteration 1 to 37 

PART III 

Mangala ... ... 3 

Explanation of the term Tarkasamgraha 4 
tbe Seven categories ... ... 4 & 5 

General Remarks on the Categories ... 5 to 8 
The Categories of Annambhatta com- 
pared with those of Gautama ... 6 
Categories according to the Mimamsakas 6 
,, Samkhyas ... 6 
Saktias a category ... ... 7 to 8 

Category Dravya, Classified ... 8 to 12 

General Remarks on the Classification ... 9 & 10 
Basis of Classification ..." ... 9 & 10 

Definition and its functions ... 10 to 12 

Category Guna ... ,.. 13 

PaUnjali's conception of Guna ... 13 

The Mimamsaka's conception of Guna ... 13 

The Samkhya conception of Guna ... 13 & 14 

The Vedantin's conception of Guna ... 14 

Vista-gunas and Samanya-gunas ... 14 & 15 

Category Karma ... ... 15 

Kanada's classification of Karma ... 15 & 16 

Duration of a Karma ... ... 16 & 17 

The Vaiyakarana's view of Karma ... 17 

Kriya according to the Mimamsakas ... 17 & 18 
Categories Samanya, Visesa, and Sama- 

vaya ... ,... 18 

General Remarks on these categories ... 18 to 24 



Kanada's conception of Saminya ... 24 to 26 

General Remarks on ViSesas ... 26 to 28 

on Samavaya ... 28 & 29 

Varieties of relationship ... ... 29 to 30 

The conception of Jati according to the 

Vai>akaranas .-30 

'Bhattas ... 30 & t ll 

Pratftiakaras ... 31 & 32 

,, Bauddbas ... 32 

M Advaitins ... 32 & 33 
Samavaya according to the Prabhakarai 
, 9 B h a t a s and 

j ^ Advaitins ... 33 

Jatibidhaka according to Udayana . 33 to 36 
General Discussion on Samanya and 

*' Viiesa * ... ... 36 & 37 

Category Abhava ... ... 37 

Nature and Classification of Abhava ... 37 to 45 

Abhava according to the Bhattas ... 45 & 46 

Prabhakaras ... 46 & 47 

Mok$a a variety of Abhava ... 48 
The Nyaya conception of Sambandha as 

external relation ... ... 48 to 52 

Definition of Prthivl and its classification 52 

Definition of Ap ... ... 52 & 53 

Tejas ... ... 53 & 54 

f , Vayu ... . 54 & 55 

Akaia ... ... 55 

General remarks on these five substances. 55 & 56 

The Atpmic Theory ... ... 56 to 58 



Nature of Paramflnu, Dvyanuka and 

Tryanuka ... ... ... 58 to 62 

Weak points in the Atomic theory ... 62 & 63 

Greek influence on the Atomic theory ... 63 & 64 

A discussion on Prthivl and Ap ... 64 to 67 

. Tejas ... ... 67 & 68 

"-! Vayu ... ... 68 

Akasa ... ... 69 

Definition and classification of Kala and 

Dik ... ... ... 69&70 

General remarks on Kala and Dik ... 70 to 72 

Conception of Mahakala ... ... 72 & 73 

The Vaiyakarana conception of Kala ... 73 

Bauddha ... 73 

Advaita ,, ... 73 

Sariikhya ... 73 

Definition of Atman and its classification, 

Manas ... ... 74 & 75 

General discussion on the nature, etc., of 

Atman ... .- v . ... 75 to 78 

Jivatman and Paramatman ... ... 78 to 80 

Atman in the Sariikhya and Yoga sys- 
tems ... ... ... 80 

Atman according to the Bhattas and the 

Prabhakaras ... 80 & 81 

Ramanuja ... 81 

-> the Bauddhas ... 81 

theAdvaitins ... 81 

General discussion regarding Manas ... 81 to 83 

Manas according to the Bhattas ... 82 



Xll 



Manas according to the Advaitins 83 

Nyaya Realism ... ... ... 83 & 84 

God in the Nyaya and Vaisesika systems 84 & 85 

Rupa and its classification ... ... 86 

Rasa ... ... 86 

Gandha ... ... 86 & 87 

Sparsa ... ... 87 

General remarks on these Gunas ... 87 to 89 

Pilupakavada and Pitharapakavada ... 89 & 90 

Sarhkhya and its varieties ... ... 90 & 91 

General remarks on numbers ... 91 to 93 

Apeksabuddhi ... ... ... 91 to 93 

Parimana and its varieties ... ... 94 

Prthaktva ... ... ... 94 

Sarhyoga ... ... ... 94 

Vibhaga ... ... ... 94 

Paratva and Aparatva 94 & 95 

General remarks on these qualities ... 95 to 100 

Gurutva ... ... ... 100 

Dravatva ... ... 100 

Sneha ... ... ... 100 & 101 

General remarks on these qualities ... 101 

gabda and its kinds ... 101 

general remarks on the nature of sound 101 to 103 

Conception of sound according to the 

Bhattas and the Prabhakaras ... 103 

The Doctrine of Sphota ... ... 103 & 104 

Cognition and its kinds ... ... 104 

Recollection ... ... 104, 

Experience and its kinds ... ... 104 

Valid experience ... ... 104 



xiii 

Erroneous experience ... ... 104 

"Four kinds of valid experience .' 163 

Instruments bf valid experience ... 105 

General remarks on the nature of Buddhi '105 
Buddhi according to Samkhyas and 

Advaitins ... ... 103 

NirvrAalpaka and Savikaloaka 'Tftana' ... 105 to 107 
Refutation of the Samkhya, vieW' o'f 

Buddhi ... ... ..'. 107'to 110 

Smrti and Anubhava ... llfrto 112 

Varieties of Anubhava 112 & 113 

Nyaya theory of Truth and Error ... 113 to 123 

Khyativadas (Theories of Error) ... 12^ to 

Atmakhyativada... ... ' .. 

Asatkhyativada ... ... -. 124' &' 

Akhyativada ... ... .. 

Anyathakhyativada t ... 

An Examination of the Khyativadas ... 127 to 131 
The Pragmatism of the Naiyayika ... 131 16 134 
RTya'ya theory of truth and error con- 
trasted with the views' of other 
schools ... ... ' 134 to 138 

A synthetic review of the theories of r 

Bbrama (error) ... ^ ... 138 & 139 

Instruments of knowledge in Indian ' 
Philosophy... ... ... 

Arthapatti as a distinct Pramana ... 14(J to l46 

^our kinds of Pramariis s "... 146 

Karana ... 146 

Karana ... ' 146 

B 



XIV 

Karya ... ... ... 146 

Kinds of Karanas ... ... 147 

Samavayikarana ... ... 147 

Asamavayikarana ... ... 147 

Nimittakarana ... ... 147 

Asadharanakarana ... ... 147 & J48 

General remarks on causality ... 148 & J9 

The meaning of Anyathasiddha ... 149 to 154 

Conception of Karya ... ... 154 & 155 

General remarks on Samavayikarana ... 155 to 157 

General remarks on Asamavayikarana ... 157 to 159 

theory of causation ... ... 159 to 163 

Pratyaksakarana ... ... 163 

Pratyakajnana and its varieties ... 163 

Nirvikalpakapratyaksa ... ... 163 

Savikalpakapratyaksa ... ... 163 & 164 

General remarks on Pratyaksa ... 164 to 164 
Vaiyakarana view of Nirvikalpakaprat- 

yaka ... ... 167 to 169 

Advaita view of Nirvikalpakapratyaksa 169 to 171 

Intuition in Nyaya-Vaiscika system ... 171 & 172 

Definition of Pratyaksa according to the 

Bhattas and Prabhakaras ... 172 & 173 

Sannikarsa and its varieties ... 173 to 175 

General remaks on Sannikarsa ... 176 to 187 

Alaukikapratyaksa ... ... 180 to 185 

^laukikasannikarsa ... ... 185 to 187 

CHAPTER II 

Definition of the Inftrument of Inference 188 
Inferential cognition ... 188 



XV 

Definition of Subsumptive reflection . 188 

Co-existence 189 

Paksadharmata ... 189 

Anumana and Anviksa ... ... 189 

Inference includes all knowledge ... 189 &. 190 

<jeral remarks on the terms Paksa, 

Sadhya and Hetu or Sadhana ... 190 & 191 
General remarks on Anumiti ... 191 & 192 

Explanation of Paksata ... ... 192 to 194 

Paramarsa examined 194 to 197 

Paramarsa not necessary according to 

Mimamsakas and Vedantins ... 195 to 197 

Vyapti and its definition ... ... 197 & 198 

The history of Vyapti ... ... 198 to 201 

Nature of the relation of Vyapti 201 & 202 

Early writers on Vyapti ... ... 202 & 203 

Process of inference ... ...203 to 207 

The negative phase of Vyapti ... 207 

Bhattas and Vyapti * ... ... 207 to 209 

Prabhakaras and Vyapti ... ... 209 to 211 

Adverse criticism of inference by Carva- 

kas and the Western Empiricist ... 211 & 212 
Refutation of this criticism by the Mi- 

mSmsakas, the Naiyayikas and 

Bradley ... - 212 to 215 

Two kinds of inference ... ... 215 

Inference for oneself ... ... 215 & 216 

Inference for others ... ... 216 

General remarks on the two kinds ... 217 
Distinction between Svarthanumana and 

Pararthanumana ... ... 217 & 218 



XVI 

Benedetto Croce's view on the above ... 218 & 21*9 
Nyayaprayoga ... ... 220 

The five members of a syllogism ... 220 & 221 

Lingaparamarsa ... ... 221 

General remarks on the above ... 221 to 223 

Vatsyayana on the five members ... 223 & 224 

Professor Randle on the five members ... 224 to 226 
The five-membered syllogism of Nyaya 
contrasted with the syllogisms of the 
Mimamsakas and the Bauddhas ... 226 to 229 

Nyaya syllogism compared with Aristo- 

jtelian syllogism ... 229 to 231 

Kinds qiprobans ... 231 & 232 

Profraijsof.the Anvayavyatirekl type ... 232 

Kevlanvayi type ... 232 

Kevalavyatireki type ... 232 

Paksa .- ... 233 

... 234 

... ... 234 

Probans according to the Advaita 

.V.edSntins 234 

Bhaftas .- 234 

Fallacious reasons ^ ... ... 235 

Straying-reason (Vyabhicarin) ... 235 

The Common stray er (sddharana) ... 235 

The Uncommon strayer (asddhcrana)*.. 236 

Non-conclusive strayer (anupasamharin) 236 

Adverse reason (viruddha) ... 236 

Opposable reason (satpratipaksa) ... 237 

Unestablished reason (asiddha) ... 237 



Asrayasiddha ... ... 237 

Svarupasiddha ... ... 238 

Vyopyatvasiddha ... ... 238 

Stultified reason (badhita} ... ... 239 

General remarks on semblances of reason 240 to 248 
Hetvabhasas according to the Vaisesikas 248 & 249 

-I ^CHAPTER III 

Uj^gaua. ... ... 250 

General remarks on Upamana ... 251 & 252 

CHAPTER IV 

Valid verbal testimony ... ... 253 

Definition of word ... ... 253 

General remarks on verbal testimony ... 253>to 255 
Charge of Dogmatism against Indian 

Philosophy examined ... ... 254 & 255 

Padasakti ... ... 255 

Causes of Verbal ,-.,: i ... 255 

Verbal expectancy ... ... 255 

Congruity ... ... 256 

Proximity ... ... 256 

General remarks on the causes of verbal 

cognition ... 256 to 259 

Sabdavrttis ... ... 259 & 260 

Classes of sentences ... ... 260 

Erroneous experiences and their kinds ... 261 

Doubt ... ... 261 

Misapprehension ... ... 261 

Indirect argument ... ... 261 

Two kinds of recollection ... ... 261 



Qualities Pleasure, Pain, Desire, Dis- 
like, Volitional effort, Dharma, and 
Adharma ... ... ... 262 

The Vise$agunas ... ... 262 

Three kinds of tendencies (samsktira) ... 263 

Activity ... ... 263 

Generality ... ... 264 

Specialities ... 264 

Inherence ... ... 264 

Antecedent non-existence ... 265 

Annihilative f , 265 

Total ... ... 265 

Reciprocal 265 

Conclusion ... 265 & 266 

Sanskrit Glossary ... ... 267 to 282 



II wr: u 
II d4vHiJ4.5 II 

A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 
PART I 

INTRODUCTION 



SECTION I 
PRELIMINARY: LOGIC IN THE WEST AND IN INDIA 

IrCthe cultural history of Europe, over twenty-two 
centuries ago, thinking, like speaking, needed an 
elucidative and regulative aid and found it in a distinct 
branch of investigation, which was founded and orga- 
nised in Greece by Aristotle and which came to be 
designated Logic. It is significant that the name logic 
is etymologically connected with the Greek word logos, 
which denotes both 'thought* and 'word* or 'discourse*. 
The significance of this etymological connection can be 
adequately appreciated if h is remembered that logic, 
in its rise and development in the western world, 
particularly in Greece, was closely connected with 
rhetoric. Thus the name logic is of a tell-tale character 
in its application to logic in the West ; and it may be 
taken to indicate how, almost from its very rise, western 
logic found, itself in the firm grip of formalism and 
how it took more than twenty centuries for the 
scientific method underlying Aristotle's Organon to be 
redeemed, brought into prominence and implemented 
in the Nqvum Organum of Francis Bacon (1561-1626). 
The term logic should not be taken to carry with it all 
these implications of European history when it is used 
in the phrase Indian logic. This phrase is usually 
rendered by the Sanskrit equivalents &nvl%fiki 



iv A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART r 

ny&yavistara, nysyadarsatoa, tarTtoSastra and pramana- 
&stra. It is also usual to describe Indian logic by the 
anglicised phrase Nyaya-Vaisesika system and it is 
usually described thus in this work. ( All these phrases 
are significant and appropriate in one way or other, 
particularly in view of the place which Indian logic 
occupies in the cultural history of India and of the 
manner in which it arose and grew not as a mere 
grammar of thinking, but as an orthodox (astikay 
system of philosophy with a special stress on the science 
of methodical reasoning in both its inductive and 
deductive aspects, this science forming its dominant 
and distinctive part. Indian logic is anviksikl or 
nyayavistara or nydyladarsatoa in the sense! that it is a 
philosophical system, of which methodical reasoning 
or investigation of knowledge got through observation. 
or perception and trustworthy verbal testimony forms 
the central theme; it is pre-eminently the science of 
ratiocination or tarkasdstra; and in contrast with the 
fadasdstra or 'the science of grammar' ( Vydkarana) 
and with the vdkyasdsira or 'the exegetics' (Mlmdmsa) y 
it is described as the pramdnasdstra or the epistemo- 
logical science, chiefly concerned with valid knowledge 
and its sources. That Indian logic is usually described 
as the Nyaya-Vaisesika system is not because it is the 
result of the syncretism of the two opposing systems 
Nyaya realism and Atomistic pluralism ; rathei; it is so 
described because at a very early stage in the history of 
Indian logic, the Vaiseika stress on the inductive phase 
of inference came to be synthesized with its deductive 
phase in the Nyaya theory of * : \\ :,V^ reasoning. 



SEC. i] INTRODUCTION v 

Those who are familiar with Western logic and desirous 
of studying Indian logic from a historical and com- 
parative point of view will do well to bear in mind the 
fact that, while one may find striking parallels in the 
Indian and Western systems of logic, one should not be 
misled^ by such parallels and lose sight of the funda- 
mental differences in respect of scope and method, 
which Indian logic discloses in its rise and development, 
as compared with Western logic. 

SECTION II 

ANTECEDENTS AND FORESHADOWINGS OF THE 
VAISESIKA AND NYAYA 

The story of India's quest for truth and of India's 
attempts to lay out suitable ways and approaches to 
truth is long and varied and it has been reconstructed 
with a considerable measure of success by several 
eminent scholars, Indian and alien, from the ancient 
literary monuments of India, which are mostly in the 
form of Sanskrit works. In all this quest and these 
attempts, a careful student of the history of Indian 
philosophical thought may discern, almost from the 
very beginning, two tendencies the intwitio'nistic and 
the rationalistic, and two chief aims the achievement 
of Dharma and the realisation of Brahman. If one of 
the Rg-Vedic seers could be said to have boldly intuited 
the monistic absolute in the well-known verse " That 
One breathed breathlessly by itself " (Anldav&tam 
svadhaya tadekam: Rv. .X.129.2), it would not be 



Ti A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART 

far-fetched to find the rationalistic exhortation of 
another Rg-Vedic seer in the verse "Meet one another, 
discuss and understand your minds " (Samgacchadh- 
vam samvadadhvam saw vo mandmsi j&nat'&m : 
Rv. X.191.2). These two tendencies came to exhibit 
themselves throughout the Vtdic age, in close 
association with the two aims mentioned abovt.. On 
one side, as a result of the influence of the rationalistic 
tendency on the ritualistic aspect of the Veda, ritualistic 
and exegetic doctrines, which, in due time, emerged as 
Jaimini's system of Purva-Mimarhsa, were developed. 
And, on the other side, the combined workings of the 
intuitionistic and rationalistic tendencies in the direc- 
tion of spiritual insight and knowledge of truth led to 
the emergence of the Upanisadic philosophy of Atman. 
This philosophy was marked by a pronounced emphasis 
on the efficacy and value of intuition, which culminated 
in Badarayana's system of Vedanta. The dominant 
feature of the philosophy of the Upanisads is its 
monistic absolutism, which led up, within the Upani- 
$adic period itself, to rationalistic reactions of different 
types^ representing collateral and casual phases of 
Upaniadic thought-V-some of them coming to be 
systematised later on in the dualism and realism of 
Kapila's S&mkhya and the allied discipline of Pata- 
fijali's Yoga, some others eventually giving rise to the 
pluralistic rationalism of KanSda's Vaisesika system 
and its complementary Ny&ya of Gautama, and yet 
others emerging as anti- Vedistic rebels ip the form of 
the Jaina may-be-ism (sy8dvtida),the Bauddha idealism 
and nihilism (Sunyav&da), and the 



SEC. n] INTRODUCTION vii 

Carvaka materialism. All these post-Upanisadic sys- 
tems came to be called darsanos (darfondtoS). It 
should be noted here that the term 'system* is very 
inadequate as the English equivalent of the Sanskrit 
word 'darsana'. While the former word brings into 
prominence the idea of systematisation, the latter word 
bringjHnto relief the fact that the plenary intuition of 
truth or spirit (tatlvadarsana or dtmadarsana), whicl 
a gifted saint or seer came to have, lies at the root of 
every system of Indian philosophy and forms its fruit 
also. A long-established and widely accepted tradition 
classifies these darSanas into dstika and nastika. ) The 
history of the meaning of these two words throws some 
light on the manner in which the ground of classifica- 
tion happened to be shifted under varying circums- 
tances. Panini's sutra 4.4.60 (asti ndsti distant ntatih) 
gives the derivation of the words astika, nastika and 
daistika: and according to Panini, dstika is 'one who 
believes in the other world', n&stika is 'one who does 
not believe in the other world' and daistika is a <pre- 
destinarian* or 'fatalist'. This is the oldest recorded 
explanation of these words. On the basis of this expla- 
nation, even Jainism, and Buddhism in some of its 
aspects, could be described as dstika systems. An old 
popular tradition would take the word dstika in the 
sense of 'one who believes in God'. If this should be 
accepted, Jaimini's Purva-MimSmsa and Kapila's 
Sariikhya, which are usually included in the astika list, 
ought to be dropped from that list, as they do not 
recognise Itvara. A post-Buddhistic, but pre-Christian, 
tradition fixed the meaning of the word dstika as 'one 



Yiii A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAKT i 

who believes in the infallibility and the supreme 
authority of the Veda' and of the word ndstika as 
'one who does not believe in it*. This tradition has 
been widely accepted for a long time. According to 
this, the Samkhya and Yoga, the VaiSesika and Nyaya, 
the Purva-Mimamsa and Vedanta are described as 
dstika-darsanas, and the Carvaka, Jaina and Bauddha 
systems as nQstika-dartanas. In this context, whenever 
the terms orthodox and heterodox happen to be used as 
the English equivalents of Qstika and nastika, it should 
be remembered that they have reference to belief and 
disbelief in the authority of the Veda. 

Though the first beginnings of the Vaiseika and 
Nyaya systems are misty in certain respects, a careful 
student is not likely to miss the foreshadowings of the 
central doctrine of these systems in the Upanisads. In 
the well-known three-fold scheme of self-culture lead- 
ing to self-realisation, as taught in the oft-quoted 
Upanisadic text " Verily, Maitreyi, the Spirit should 
be realised, heard, discussed and constantly contem- 
plated upon' 9 (Atma vft are dratfavyas srotavyo 
mantavyo nididhyasitavyah Brhad. IV. 5), it is 
generally accepted that hearing or initial comprehension 
(iravana) represents the inaugural stage, investigation 
and discussion with the help of reason (manana) 
represent the central stage and constant contemplation 
(nididhy&sana) stands for the culminating stage. The 
grim spiritual teacher of the Katfiopanisad, Death 
(Yama), pulls up the rationalist of the Upanisadic age 
with the warning " Self-realisation cannot be got 



SEC. ii ] INTRODUCTION is 

through ratiocination or tarka" (NaisQ tarkena matird- 
paneya Katha II. 9). From these foreshadowings 
of deliberate attempts to exercise reason, when consi- 
dered together with the fact that philosophical debates 
such as those that were carried on under the auspices 
of Ajatasatru and Janaka were very common during 
the Up^anisadic age, the inference is irresistible that, 
already during the period of the Uoanisads, some 
logical doctrines should have not only begun to appear, 
but also progressed beyond the nebulous stage. 

SECTION III 

How THE VAISESIKA AND NYAYA SCHOOLS 
EMERGED AND WHEN THEIR DOCTRINES 
WERE REDACTED INTO SUTRAS 



(liefore the end of the Upanisadic period and prior 
to the advent of the Buddha, the Vedic scriptures 
embodying the results of the intuitive insight of the 
Vedic and Upanisadic seers had asserted their authority 
so far as to persuade a large section of rationalistic 
thinkers to agree to play second fiddle to scriptural 
authorities. This should have resulted in the develop- 
ment of the pre-Buddhistc Nyaya method in close asso- 
ciation with Vedic exegesis and accounts for the earlier 
use of the term Nyaya in the sense of 'the principles 
and the logical method of Mimamsa exegetics/ This 
also accounts for the fact that, even after the disentan- 
glement of the Nyaya logic from Vedic exegetics, the 
legislators of ancient India like Manu and Yajnavalkya 



x A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

emphatically recognised the importance and value of 
logical reasoning (tarka) in a correct comprehension 
of dharma as taught by the Vedas (Manu XII. 105 
and 106; Yajnavalkya I. 3). Another section of 
rationalistic thinkers who did not agree to play second 
fiddle to scriptural authorities, perhaps developed and 
expounded rationalistic doctrines on independent lines, 
without subjecting themselves to the thraldom of Vedic 
religion and philosophy. Some of these doctrines- 
perhaps shaped themselves into the Samkhya thought 
of the pre-Buddhistic stage, with a marked degree of 
hostility to Vedic ritualism. Some other doctrines of 
this kind gave rise to the pre-Buddhistic logic and 
and metaphysics of the Vaisesika, with a special leaning 
in favour of the inductive method of reasoning based 
on observation and analysis and with a simple rationa- 
listic scheme of two sources of valid knowledge 
perception and inference (pratyaksa and anumana). It 
is very likely that the anti-Vedic speculations of the 
pre-Buddhistic Samkhya and the anti-Vedic logic and 
epistemology of the pre-Buddhistic Vaisesika paved the 
way for the development and systematisation of 
Buddhism.} It may here be borne in mind that 
Buddhistic tradition, as preserved in ancient Chinese 
records, readily recognises the priority of the Samkhya 
and the Vaisesika to Buddhism. (See Ui's Vaisesika 
Philosophy, pages 3 and 4. ) 

[About the fifth century B. C., when the anti-Vedic 
movements of Buddhism rose and began to spread, the 
exponents of Vedic philosophy and religion keenly felt 
the need for showing greater accommodation to 



SEC. in] INTRODUCTION xi 

rationalistic modes of thought. The rationalistic 
resources available for Vedic religion and philosophy 
had to be pooled together and kept fit for defensive and 
offensive use, as against the impact from collision with 
avaidika developments. On the one side, it was found 
easy to disentangle from its Vedistic environment the 
logical method (Nyaya) of Vedic exegetics; and on the 
other side, to bring the unfettered methods of reasoning 
and analysis known to the early Vaisesika under the 
influence of the attempts for rapprochement made by 
the Vaidika thinkers turned out to be an easy task r 
chiefly as a result of the disquieting nihilistic excesses 
of early Buddhism. Thus, the Nydya of the Vedic 
exegesis and the logic and metaphysics of the early 
anti-Vedic Vaisesika came to fraternise with each other 
and gave rise to two sister-schools of philosophical 
reasoning the Vaisesika school mainly concerned with 
inductive observation and analysis, and the Nyatya 
school chiefly concerned with the formulation and 
elucidation of the principles of ratiocination on the 
basis of inductive reasoning. These two schools should 
have appeared in a fairly definite form, with their 
characteristic methods of reasoning and metaphysics, by 
the middle of the fourth century B. C., though the chief 
doctrines of these schools came to be systematised and 
redacted in their basic sutras at a relatively later date, 
This statement may receive good support from the 
following facts, if they could be taken to be conclusively 
established. Bhadrabahu, a Jaina sage, whose activity 
as a Jaina logician may be assigned to about 357 B. C, 
was quite familiar with an old theory of ten-membered 



xii A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

syllogism. The Nyaya logic was known to Katyayana 
of the fourth century B. C, as Goldstucker has shown 
in his work on 'Pflnini and his Place in Sanskrit Litera- 
ture*. Badarayana's Vedanta-sutras (Il-ii 11 to 17) 
definitely presuppose the VaiSesika. The Lalitavistara 
and Milindapaftha mention the Vaiseika. Even the 
Vaie?ika-sutras, which were, in all probability, pro- 
duced later than the middle of the fourth century 
B. C, do not controvert any of the Buddhistic 
doctrines, while Buddhistic tradition generally re- 
cognises the prc-Buddhistic origin of the Vaiscsika. 
These considerations, which tend to show that the 
Nyaya and Vaieika schools came into being in a 
definite form before the middle of the fourth century 
B. C, cannot be lightly brushed aside. 

The doctrines of these two sch>ols were syste- 
tnatised and redacted in the form of the Nyaya-sutras 
and Vaisesika-sutras. The authorship of the former 
is ascribed to Gautama, and that of the latter to 
Kanada. According to the generally accepted Indian 
tradition, which goes back to the early centuries of the 
Christian era, Gautama is otherwise known as Aksapada 
and Kanada is otherwise known as Uluka and Kasyapa. 
It will be obvious to those who are familiar with the 
traditions of ancient India that Aksapada was the 
personal name and Gautama the gotra name of the 
author of the Nyaya-sutras, and that Kanfida and 
Ul&ka are the personal names and Kafyafa the gotra 
name of the author of the Vaieika-sutras, in the 
same way as Paksilasv&min is the personal name and 
the gotra name of the author of the 



SEC. in] INTRODUCTION xiii 

Nyayabhasya. Though the exact dates of Kanada and 
Gautama are not known, the dales of their sutras can 
be fixed within fairly definite limits. Jacobi, in his 
well-known article on the date of the philosophical 
sutras (Journal of the American Oriental Society 
XXXI. 1911), endeavours to show that the Nyaya- 
sutrai and the Brahma-sutras were redacted between 
200 and 500 A.D., that the Vaiseika-sutras and 
Mimamsa-sutras were redacted at a somewhat earlier 
date, that the redaction of the Yoga-sulras should be 
assigned to about 450 A. D., and that the sathkhya- 
sutras were produced at a much later date, later than 
the fourteenth century. With regard to the Sarfikhya- 
sutras, it is generally accepted that they were composed 
later than the fourteenth century, though the Tattva- 
samdsa, which may be regarded as the nucleus of the 
basic sutras of the Sarhkhya system, is perhaps older 
than Isvarakrna and the Christian era and is certainly 
older than the Bhagavadajjuka, a farce earlier than 
the seventh century A. D. (See Journal of Oriental 
Research, Madras, Vol. II. pages 145 to 147). If the 
Bhiksu-sutra referred to in IV. iii.110 of Panini's 
Asfadhyayl and the Brahma-sutra mentioned in XIII. 4 
of the Gita could be taken to refer to Badarayana's 
Brahmasutras, it would be difficult to accept, without 
due reservations, Jacobi's argument in its application to 
the Vedanta-sutras. The name Patanjali, borne by the 
author of the Yoga-sutras, presents some difficulties to 
Jacobi, as the date of Patanjali, the author of the 
Mahabhasya, is accepted to be the middle of the 2nd 
century B. C But Jacobi would attempt to differentiate 



xiv A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

the author of the Mahabhasya from the author of the 
Yoga-sutras, though, as a matter of fact, the ancient 
tradition identifying the two Patafijalis is sound and 
maintainable on reasonable grounds. The central point 
jf Jacobi f s argument relates to the internal evidences 
furnished by the nature of the Buddhist doctrines con- 
troverted in some of these sutras. The Nyaya-sutras, 
according to Jacobi, refute the nihilistic suntya-vdda of 
Nagarjuna (3rd century A. D. circa) and do not refute 
the idealistic vijft&na-v&da of Asanga and Vasubandhu 
(middle of the 4th century A. D.). But, according to 
Vatsyayana and VacaspatimiSra, the Nyaya-sutra 
IV. 2.26 refutes the vijiiQna-vada. It should also be 
remembered here that the Sftnya-vada and vtjn&na-v&da 
doctrines were not introduced in the world for the first 
time by Nagarjuna and Asanga and Vasubandhu and 
that, before these Buddhist teachers, these old doctrines 
had been in existence for a long time. Even if this 
line of argument adopted by Jacobi should be accepted 
as satisfactory, it does not touch the VaiSesika- sutras; 
and if the obverse of this argument were to be applied 
to these sutras, the logical result would be that they 
should be held to be pre-Buddhistic, Kautaliya Artha- 
SSstra mentions the types of thought comprising 
tinvikfikl in the statement : Sdmkhyam yogo lokdya* 
tarn cety&nvikfilti (Vol. I. page 27, Trivandrum edi- 
tion). Though the date of the Kautaliya is not yet 
finally settled, the general trend of well-informed and 
unprejudiced opinion among Indian and alien Indo- 
logists is in favour of assigning that great work to 304 
B. C. In this extract from the Kautaliya, there is no 



SEC.HI] INTRODUCTION xv 

specific mention of Nyaya or Vaise$ika as such. Atten- 
tion is drawn by Ui and Randle to noteworthy cases of 
parallelism between the Vaisesika-siitras and Ny&ya- 
sutras, in which it would be more reasonable to say that 
the former sutras were used in the composition of the 
latter (See Ui's 'VaiseSika philosophy', Introduction, 
page 16, note 1 ; and Randle's 'Indian Logic in the 
Early Schools', Introduction, page 7, note i ). There is 
evidence to show that the sixth Jaina schism ( J8 A,D.) 
presupposes the Vaieika redaction (TJi's 'VaiSe- 
sika philosophy 9 , Introduction, page 34), Chiefly, on 
these grounds, it is surmised by several scholars that 
the Vaiseika-sutras should have been redacted in the 
pre-Christian era, subsequent to 300 B.C.; and that 
the Nyaya-sutras should have been redacted about the 
time of Nagarjuna and Deva, between 150 and 250 
A. D. may be inferred from the fact that the sutras 
2.2.17 19 seem to presuppose the refutatory comments 
in Nagarj una's Vigra^avyavartanl on the realistic 
position regarding the relation between pramana and 
prameya (Ui's Vaihsika Philosophy, Introduction 
pages 84 to 86). Randle concludes that the "VaiSe- 
ika and Nyaya were systematised between 200 B. C 
and 200 A. D., the Vaisesika being the earlier of the 
two 1 ' ; and that "the indications, such as they are, 
point to the beginning of the first century A. D., as 
the latest date for the systematisation of the 
Vaieika". (Randle's 'Indian Logic in the Early 
Schools 9 , Introduction, pages 16 and 17.) 

These conclusions, based as they are on good 
grounds as far as they go, would appear to require 



xvi A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

reconsideration on a careful scrutiny of all the 

evidences available. That the redaction of the Nyaya- 

sutras presupposes that of the Vaisesika-sutras may be 

readily admitted. It is not easy to establish that the 

Vaisesika-sutras were redacted subsequent to 300 B. C, 

on the ground that the name Vaise?ika is not contained 

in the extract from the Kautaliya quoted above. 'Those 

who are sufficiently familiar with the use of the word 

yoga in its old sense of vaiseslka, as it is found used, 

for instance, in Vatsyayana's bhasya on 1.1.29, are not 

likely to consider it a strained interpretation to take the 

word yoga, as used in the Kautaliya, in the sense of 

vaise$iTfa. In fact, according to Vacaspatimisra's 

T&tparyatikG and the BhGsyacandra on the bhasya 

on 1.1.29, the word yoga may be taken in the 

somewhat comprehensive sense of Nyaya, including 

the Vaisesika, the Nyaya being a philosophical 

school laying special stress upon yoga or yuftti or 

reasoning (yogo tyuktih pradhanataya vidyate yesdm 

BhQsyacandra). Further, in the extract quoted 

above from the Kautaliya, scholars have generally 

overlooked one important point, to which sufficient 

prominence ought to be given in this connection. 

In chapter 2, the Vidyasamuddesa section of the 

Kautaliya, the chief branches of knowledge (vidya), 

according to Kautalya, are stated at the outset. 

These are four: anwKsiki (logic and philosophy), 

trayl (the Vedic religion and philosophy of dhartna and 

adharma), vartfi (the economic science and philosophy 

of wealth) aud dandatnlti (the science and philosophy 

of polity). Then there is a reference to the view of 



SEC. in] INTRODUCTION xvii 

the Manavas (Manu's disciples or ancient legislators), 
according to which anviksikl should be regarded as a 
special part of trayi. This view, it may be noted, is 
consistent with the spirit of the Vedic and Upaniadic 
age, when logic (Nyaya) had not yet been disentangled 
from its applications to Vedic religion and philosophy. 
Ther^ is also a further reference to the materialistic 
doctrine of the Carvakas (the followers of Brhaspati), 
that trayi (including anviitsikl) is only a pretension or 
imposture of one who knows the ways of the world and 
that only varta and dandanitl should be reckoned with 
as the two real vidyas. The followers of Usanas (the 
teacher of the Asuras) are afterwards referred to as 
recognising only one vidyd viz., the dandanitl. At the 
end of this chapter, Kautalya reiterates his views about 
the four branches of learning and explains their nature 
and aim. In the concluding para of this chapter, he 
makes two important observations. One is to the 
effect that anviksikl consists of Sarhkhya, Yoga and 
Lokayata. The other is that anviksikl is helpful to the 
world through its ratiocinative process in the investiga- 
tion of the soundness or unsoundness of the conclu- 
sions and doctrines of the different branches of know- 
ledge. 

Scimkhyam yogo loTt&yatatn cety anviksikl. Dhtr- 
madharmau trayySm. Arthanarthau v&rtayam. Bal&bale 
cait&s&vn heiubhiranvlksam&na anviksikl lokasyopakti- 
roti; vypsvne abhyudaye ca buddhimavasthapayaiit 
prajndvtikyflkriy&vaisaradyam ca karoti. 

B 



xviii A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PARTI 

Prodipah sarvavidydnfim updyah sarvakarmantim\ 
Asraynh sariaihaiM&htim saivadtinvlksiki mat8\\ 
(Pa^es 27 and 28 of Vol. I of the Kautallya, 
Trivandrum edition.) 

It is evident here that Ka-ttaliya elucidates the two 
tneanings of the term twltsikl. One is the general 
rsense, philosophical enquiry or philosophy. In this 
tsense, it is used in the first sentence of the above ex- 
tract. As already pointed out, the word yogah in this 
sentence refers to the VaiSe$tka logic; c r even if it be 
taken in the special sense of the yoga discipline of Patafi- 
jali's system, the word lok&yata does not refer to the 
materialism of the Carvakas, but very probably it refers 
to the logic of the Vaisejika and Nya\a in its secular- 
ised form and as disentangled from its Vedic associa- 
tions. It shonlJ be noted here that the view of the 
Carvaka materialist is separately mentioned in a pre- 
vious part of the same chapter and Kautalya rejects it 
and is not prepared to bring the Can aka doctrine under 
any recognised vidyd or branch of learning. VatsyS- 
yana, in the concluding part of his bhasya on l.l-l, 
amplifies the second sense of the word tinvlksiki, i.e. 
Mogic which investigates by means of rationalistic 
methods' (hetubhiranviksawans) and gives Kaujalya's 
Terse quoted above, with its last quarter modified as 
vidyoddefe Pfakirtitd". It is quite clear from this 
amended quarter of the verse, as given by Vatsyayana f 
that he is quoting from the ^ idyasamuddeSa section of 
the Kautallya. It is hardly necessary to point out that 
a careful consideration of the above extract from the 



SBC. m] INTRODUCTION xix 

Kautallya in comparison with its striking parallel in 
Vats>ayana's bhasya on 1.1.1 would make it very diffi- 
cult to believe that Qnvlksikl, in the sense of 'system of 
logic', was not presupposed by the Arthas&stra of 
Kautalya. Further, a careful consideration of the ex. 
tract from Nagarjuna's Vigrahavyfaartanl, which \3\ 
gives in pages 84 and 85 of his introduction to th* 
'Va'sesitia philosophy', in comparison with its parallel in 
the Nyaya-suiras 2.2.17 19, would tend to show that 
Nagarjuna is presupposing these sutras and refuting 
the view embodied in them, rather than support Ui's 
inference in the reverse direct ior\. Patanjali, at the end 
of his t.'tdfya on Panini's 3.2.123, remarks "Other 
thinkers hold that there is nothing known as the 
present time" (Apara dhandsti rartamdnah kdla tti) 
and gives five verses in support of this view. This 
portion of the Mahabhaya closes with the remark 
Another thinker holds that there is such a thing as 
the present time, and it is not perceived in the same 
way as the Sun's motion is not perceived" (Apara dha 
asti v aria man ah kdlah] and supports this view with 
one verse. Between this portion of the Mahabhasya 
and the Nyaya-sutras 2.1.40 44, there is a striking 
parallelism, which none can miss. A careful consider- 
ation of these two texts would lead to the impression 
that Patanjali is here using not only the ideas in the 
Nyaya-sutras referred to, but also the phraseology in 
those sutras, in his characteristically graphic narrationof 
of a discourse between two imaginary dialogists. All 
these considerations may reasonably lead to the 
conclusion that the Vaiesika-sutras and the Nyaya- 



xx A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

sutras were redacted between the middle of the fourth 
century and second century B. C., perhaps towards the 
end of the fourth century B. C., the Vaisesika-sutras 
being earlier than the Nyaya-sutras. 

SECTION IV 

THE NAMES VAISESIKA AND NYAYA; THE NATURE, 
AIM AND SCOPE OF THE TWO SYSTEMS 

It is generally accepted that the names Vaisesika- 
darsana and Nyaya-dartana are based upon the terms 
viSesa and nya$a. It is not possible now to ascertain 
exactly what these two terms signified to the early 
exponents of these two systems, who were responsible 
for devising and introducing these two names. Accor- 
ding to an old tradition recorded by the Chinese Bud- 
dhists Ci-tsan (549-623 A.D.) and Kwhei-ci (632- 
682 A. D.), Kanada's work came to be called the Vai- 
Sesika-sastra, since it excelled works of the other 
systems, more especially the Sarhkhya and it was diffe- 
rentiated from them, the term vaisesika being taken in 
the sense of 'superior to* or 'distinct from'. (See Ui's 
Vaisesika Philosophy pp, 3 to 7). Indian tradition is 
in favour of connecting the name Vaisesika with the 
doctrine of specialities (visesah}, visesa being regarded 
as the distinctive category of the Vaisesika scheme of 
categories. The Vaisesika-sutra 1.1.4 which practi- 
cally represents the beginning of Kanada's sutras, lays 
special emphasis, not upon any of the categories, but 
upon 'the comprehension of truth through similarities 
and dissimilarities' (sadhai myavaidharmyabhyam 



SEC. iv] INTRODUCTION xxi 

tattvajnanam) upon the striking out of the one in the 
many- and this amounts to an unmistakable stress on 
'the analytic or inductive method of philosophical 
reasoning'. Gautama's Nydya-darsana took its name 
from nyaya, which means 'the synthetic or deductive 
method of syllogistic demonstration*. Gautama's 
system 'lays particular stress on the synthetic method 
of syllogistic reasoning. One of the earlier mea- 
nings of the term nyaya is 'exegetic principle or 
maxim'; and after logical reasoning had been 
released from Vedic exegesis, the term nydya 
developed the specialised sense of syllogistic reasoning. 
The appropriateness of using the term toyaya, in this 
specialised sense, as the name of Gautama's system lies 
not only in the historical connection between the Nyaya 
and MImamsa systems; but it lies also in the fact that 
the term nyaya means illustration or example and that 
example (udaharana) is the most important of the five 
members constituting Gautama's syllogistic expression. 
Thus it may be seen that the names vaisesikaandnydya 
may be connected with the two aspects of sound reaso- 
ning the analytic or inductive aspect which mounts 
up from particulars (visesa) to the general or universal 
(sdmdnya) and the synthetic or deductive aspect which 
moves on from the universal (sdmanya) to the parti- 
culars (vise$a). In these logical notions, it would be 
in keeping with the history of Indian philosophical 
thought to recognise the basis of the names, vaifefika ' 
and nyaya, rather than in the ontological doctrines of 
atomism and pluralistic realism. This would account 
better for the way in which the interrelation of the 



A PRIAJER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

Vaiesika and the Njaya came to be conceived of as 
two sister systems in spite of their differences on the 
metaphysical side. 

The Vaisesika and the Nyaya, in their early and 
later phases, are not restricted in their scope and aim 
to logic in a narrow sense. Like other Indian systems, 
these two form sell -contained philosophical disciplines 
of a complex character, with a distinctive central theme 
correlated to thtir special goal. The final cessation of 
all miseries (apavarga) is the goal of the Vaisesika 
and the Nyaya. The VaistSfika stresses the analytical 
side of rea oning and furnishes the metaphysical back- 
ground and the inductive basis of the Njaya system. 
With the VaiSesika material, suitably modified in minor 
details, the Nyaya builds up a complete system of 
pistemology and logic, combined to some extent with 
psychology, ethics, ontology and religion. Such a 
mixed composition of Indian philosophical systems is 
due not to any lack of appreciation of differences of 
value in different things, but rather to the cultural 
outlook of India, which is dominated by an intense 
desire to synthesise all the departments of knowledge 
in a scheme ot progressive realisation of life's ends 
culminating in final emancipation (mukti) conceived 
of as the sunitnmn bonum. Methodical reasoning, 
involving a critical investigation of knowledge got 
through perceptual experience and verbal testimony, 
i.e., anvikfd, with the help of the five-membered scheme 
Of syllogistic expression (nydya or pQ%c&vayavavakyti)> 
forms the distinctive contribution of the Njaya to phi 



SEC. v] INTRODUCTION xxiit 

lo&ophical thou< ht. Since its first redaction, the Nyaya 
system has permanently secured for itself a position of 
importance in the Hindu scheme of Vedic religion ard 
philosophy, chiefly by the ancillary role which it has 
assumed in its n laiion to the Veda; and if the Vaisesika 
also is given a place among- the dstika systems, it is due 
mainly to its fraterrity with ih N\aya. Gokulanatha,, 
a Naiyayika of the 16 h Century A.D , suggests in his 
philosophical drama, called Amrlodaya, that Anviksikl 
is the amaz nian oonimander-in-thief of ,>/i-the 
empress ruling over the empire of kr.owledge ard 
emancipation. This poetic rcpresei tation would be 
very helpful in appreciating the exact position of the 
Nyaya-vaisesika system in the scheme of astila schools 
of philosophy. 



SECTION V 
SYNCRETISM AND SYNTHESIS 

It has now become usual among modern scholars, 
when speaking about the historical dtvelopmtnt of tl e 
Vais f ka and N^aya systems, to refer to tlie tendency 
to syncretism in these two scho<.K In chapter II, part 
I of "Inliwi Logic a<id Atomism", Dr. Keith dwells 
upon what he describes as "the syncretism of the 
schools" and the "syncretist school". Syncretism, in 
its strict sense, means the tendency to reconcile and 
blend two oppooini; and irreconcilable systems, by 
minimising differences. In this sense, it would be 



xxiv A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

correct to speak about syncretism in the Vaisesika and 
Nyaya only with reference to their condition before 
their redaction into sutras, and even then, with due 
reservations. It may be said that, in the pre- Buddhi- 
stic age, rationalistic thinking came to have a schis- 
matic split which resulted in two opposing types of 
rationalistic thought, one linking itself with Vedic 
tradition and the other antagonising it. As already 
pointed out at page xi-suj>ra, a rapprochement was 
effected between these two types of thought; and as a 
result of this, the Vaisesika and Nyaya arose in the 
form of two sister schools. The tendency which led to 
the first redaction of these two schools in a fraternal 
relation may be appropriately described as syncretism. 
Since their definite emergence as two distinct and allied 
systems about the fourth century B. C. to this day, the 
Vaises ; ka and Nyaya have been treated as sister 
schools, fundamentally agreeing with each other in 
respect of important metaphysical and logical doctrines 
and persistently showing some comparatively minor 
differences; and in this condition, they were never 
regarded as opposing schools and it would not be quite 
accurate to speak of syncretism in them, in the strict 
sense of the term. In the somewhat larger sense, 
however, of synthesis, one may well speak of 
syncretism in these two sister schools from and after 
their first redaction. In the history of the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system, the Vaisesika and Nyaya schools 
were never regarded as rival schools. Nor were their 
differences ever forgotten: and till recently, separate 
Nyaya and Vaisesika treatises continued to be written. 



SEC.V] INTRODUCTION xxv 

In fact, even as late as in the seventeenth century A. D., 
separate handbooks dealing with the Vaisesika 
doctrines, like Gangadharasuri's Kanadasiddhanta- 
candrikd (Trivandrum Sanskrit Series No. XXV), 
were written. It should be remembered here that 
Aksipjada-Gautama, effected the momentous synthesis 
between the inductive (Vaisesika) and deductive 
(i^jydya) types of rationalistic thinking, in his doctrine 
of five-membered syllogistic expression (nydyaprayoga) 
hinging upon the example (udaharana) as the central 
member. The Nyaya ontology is built upon the atomic 
theory and pluralistic realism of the Vaiseska. The 
Nyaya epistemology, with its fourfold scheme of 
pramdnas is distinctly pro-Vcdic; and in this respect, it 
shows a sharp contrast with the Vaisesika scheme of 
pramdnas which consists of perception and inference 
and which betrays ar.ti-Vedic leanings. Such points 
of contrast have only led to Vaisesik-i gradually losing 
its hold and influence. Indian philosophical tradition 
recognises three important pairs of allied systems 
(samanatantrani) viz., the Samkhya and Yoga, the 
Vaisesika and Nyaya, and the Mnndmsd and Vedanta. 
Vatsyayana, in his bhasya on the Nyaya- sutra (1.1.22), 
speaks of the Vaisesika and the JMydya assanianatantra. 
It is noteworthy that, while the Sdmkhya and Yoga, 
<ind the Mimdmsd and Vedanla grew as two pairs of 
allied systems, the Vaisesika and Nydya came to be 
more closely knit together and grew as twin systems, 
chiefly as a result of the complete synthesis which the 
Nyaya effected in its logical method. 



SECTION VI 

AFTER THE SUTRAS TO UDAYANA 

The extant early works, forming the bas'c source- 
books of the Vaisesika system, are Kanada's sutras 
and Prasastapa<la's Padarthadharwasamgraho, better 
known under the name of Prasastapadabhasya. Accord- 
to Udayanacarya's Kirunatall, as interpreted by 
PadmanabhamiSra in his Kiran&valibhaskora (Benares 
Smskrit Series, Ktraufa'all, page 5), Prasastapatla's 
Paddrthadharmasomgraha is a comprehensive epiu me 
of the Vais ska system which presupposes an extensive 
V.-iiSesikn-hlK's. ;i. known as Ravana-bhasya and attri- 
buted to an ancient philosopl er called Ravana. At 
page 2/8 of the manuscript of the commentary called 
the Prakatarthaviuarana on gimkaru's Brahmasutia- 
bha$ya % pre>erved in the Government Oriental Mar us- 
cripts Library, Madras, Ravana's bhSsyaon the Vai'e- 
sika-sutras is cited. (See p. 491 of Pt. of the edition 
of this work in the Madras University Sanskrit Series). 
Prakatarthavivarana \* earlier than 13th century A. D. 
An interesting confirmation of the tradition about 
Ravonn-bhasyd is contained in the vislambha to the 
fifth Act of the Anatgharaghava (Nirnayasagara 
edition, page 161 ). There is evidence to show that 
this drama must be earlier than the Litter part of the 
ninth century A. D. In this connection, attention 
is invited to my paper on the Ravwa-bhosya, 
which appears in volume III of the Journalof Oriental 
Reseaicn, Madras, pages 1 to 5. In this paper, it is 
indicated that it may not be unreasonable to conjecture 



SEC. vi] INTRODUCTION xxvii 

that the Ravana-bhdsya was perhaps dominated by 
atheistic and pro-Buddhistic proclivities, such as were 
quite in keeping with the text of the Vaistsika-sutras 
and with the spirit of the tradition characterising the 
Vaisesikas as ardhai ainasi kas (semi-nihilists), while 
the yirork of Prasastapada gave a theistic turn to the 
Vaisesika system and presented its doctrines in an anti- 
Buddhistic dstika setting. There is conclusive proof 
to show that Prasastapada should be earlier than 
LJddyotakara, the author of tbe NyCiyavartika, who 
flourished in the latter part of the sixth or the begin- 
ning of the seventh century A. D. Professor Ui, in his 
introduction to the 'Vaiscsika Philosophy', draws atten- 
tion to the evidences showing that Prasastapada should 
be earlier than P,iramartha and Dharmauala. 1 hough 
Keith emphatically asserts in his 'Indian Logic and 
Atomism 9 that Prasastapada's indebtedness to Dignaga 
is undoubted, it must be said that Prasastajada's debt 
to Dignaga has not yet been proved. If, on the other 
hand, Prasastapada could be taken to be presupposed 
by Vatsyayana on the ground relied upon by Mr. Bodas 
in his introduction to the Tar'.asuh^jial^a (Bombay 
Samkrit series, No. LV.), Dignaga, who presupposes 
Vatsyayana, must be later than Prasastapada. The 
two most authoritative commentaries on Prasasta- 
pada's Bhasya are Sridhara's Kandnli and Uda>ana~ 
carya's Kiranavall Sridhara's date is givui as 991 
A. D. in his Kandall and Udayana^ date is given as 
984 A. D. in one of his works Laksandvali. Sri- 
dhara's reputation is restricted to his Vaiseika work ; 



xxviii A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

but Udayana holds a far higher place in Indian philo- 
sophy and he is held in high esteem as the Nyayacarya 
par excellence. 

The extant basic works of Nyaya are Gautama's 
Nyaya- sutras, the Nyaya-bhasya by Vatsyayana, other- 
wise known as Pakilasvamin, and the Nyaya-vartika 
by Uddyotakara. In the Nyaya-vartika and other 
works, there is sufficient evidence to show conclusively 
that Dignaga, th$ famous Buddhistic logician, adverse- 
ly criticised the Nyaya-bhasya. Vasubandhu, the 
famous teacher of Dignaga, criticised Nyaya-sutras 
and the Nyaya-bhasya does not reply to Vasubandhu's 
criticisms. From these facts, it would be reasonable 
to conclude that the Nyaya-bhaya is earlier than about 
the middle of the fourth century A. D., which is the 
date for Vasubandhu. Vatsyayana suggests alternative 
interpretations to some of the sutras, as, for instance, 
in his Bliasya on 1.1.5. This may lead to the inference 
that Vatsyayana wrote his Bhasya, long after the 
Sutrakara, perhaps at a time when the meaning of some 
of the sutras had already become a matter for specu- 
lation. There has been some controversy among scho- 
lars as to whether there was any commentary on the 
Nyya-sutras before Vatsyayana, and whether the 
aphoristic statements, which the Bhasyakara introduces 
in the course of his exposition, are really quotations 
from some earlier commentary on the sutras. Professor 
Windisch and several others are inclined to think that 
such aphoristic statements are citations from an earlier 
commentary. Professor Handle discusses this question 
in his recent work "Indian Logic in the Early Schools" 



SEC. vi] INTRODUCTION xxix 

(pages 19 to 24) and concludes that these aphoristic 
statements are not citations from any author but should 
be viewed as forming " the heritage of the schcol and 
as carrying an authority only less than that of the 
sutras themselves''. Indian tradition, however, is 
wholly against any speculation of this kind in regard to 
to the aphoristic statements in the Bhasya above re- 
ferred to. In Sastra literature, more especially in old 
works like the Bhasyas on the various systems, it is a 
common stylistic device to put forward a main thesis 
or argument in the form of a terse aphoristic statement 
and amplify it in an expository note. Several old 
Bhayakaras have adopted this device and hundreds of 
instances can be given from the Mahabhasyaot Patan- 
jali and Sankara's Bhasyas on the Brhadaranyakopani- 
ad and the Brahma-sutras. In fact, the aphoristic 
statements which Vatsyayana makes at the beginning of 
his expository sections form integral parts of Vatsya- 
yana' s own composition; and it would be as absurd to 
ascribe such statements to any author different from 
Vatsyayana, as it would be to ascribe the aphoristic 
statement, "Since there is no difference from cattle and 
other lower animals" in Sankara's Bhasya on the 
Brahma-sutras (pavQdiI>hiscavise$at-\.l.l) to some 
author different from the BhasyakSra, who amplified 
that statement in the following expository paragraph 
beginning with the words "yatha hi paSvadayah". 
Students of Indian logic will do well to remember that 
Vatsyayana is the earliest known writer who drew 
pointed attention to the reason why Gautama's JNyaya 
came to be regarded as the science of epistemology 



xxx A PRIMER OF TND AN LOGIC [PART i 

and logic (Pramanasastra, Anviksikior Nyaya-sastra). 
It is worth remembering, in this connection, that 
Vatsyayana indicates in the very first sentence of his 
Bhasyahow valid thinking (/rawd) and fruitful doing 
(arthakriya) serve as each other's axle in each other's 
wheelings and how they constitute real living with all 
its complexity in the pluralistic universe of the Nja- 
ya-Vaisesika realism. It is also worth noting that it is 
Vatsyayana who first explained how the entire epi^temo- 
logical scheme of Pramanas could be synthesised in a 
valid syllogistic expression, (vide pages 30 to 42 of his 
Bhasya on 1.1.1, Chaukhamba edition) and how, for 
this reason, logic proper justly came to exercise a pro- 
found influence over the whole realm of philosophical 
thought in India. 

About the end of the sixth century A.D., or in the 
former half of the seventh century, Uddyotak<ira wrote 
his Nyaya-v&rtika, the earliest extant commentary on 
the Nyaya-bhasya. Some scholars like Dr. Keith 
maintain that U Jdyotakara was a contemporary of the 
Buddhistic logician Dharmakirii. Hiuen-t^ang (629- 
645 A. D.) does not speak of Dharmakirti, while I-tsing 
(671-695 A. D.) refers to him. The reference in the 
Nyaya-vartika to a Vada-vidhi (page 117, line 21, 
Chaukhamba, edition) is the only argument relied upon 
for showing that Uddyotakara is not earlier than Dhar- 
makirti. Tnis argument assumes that Dharmakirti is 
the author of the Vada-vidhi. Sufficient evidence has 
not been adduced in support of the view that the Vada- 
vidhi is one of Dharmakirti's works. Chinese tradition 
definitely lends support to the identification of the 



SEC. vi] INTRODUCTION xxxi 

Vada-vidhi with one of Vasubandhu's works. Further, 
in the Vartika on 1.1.4, Dignaga's definition of percep- 
tion is criticised; and it is generally accepted by Brah- 
manical and Buddhistic authorities alike that Dharma- 
kirti was responsible for the introduction of the addi- 
tional word abhranta in that definition, chiefly with a 
view to meeting the objections raised by Uddyotakara 
against it. These considerations tend to show that it 
would be reasonable to assign Uddyotakara to the end 
of the sixth or the beginning of the seventh century 
A. D. and to assign Dharmaklrti to about the third 
quarter of the seventh century A. D. Uddyotakara's 
great service to Nyaya consists in his successful en- 
deavour to lift it up from the slough into which it was 
thrown by Dignaga's confutation of Vatsyayana's 
Bhasya. After Uddyotakara, the philosophical contest 
between the anti-Vedic and pro-Vedic sides of the 
Nyaya thought was keenly carried on by great 
Buddhistic logicians like Dharmaklrti, Dharmottara 
arid Ratnakirti and eminent Brahmanical logicians like 
VacaspatimJsra, Jayantabhatta, Bhasarvajna and 
Udayana. Vacaspati has himself given 841 A. D. as 
the date of the composition of his index to Gautama's 
sutras, called Nydya-suci-nibandha. Vacaspati is 
famous for his polymathic learning and dispassionate 
philosophical outlook. He is the author of many im- 
portant and authoritative treatises, mainly in the nature 
of expository and critical commentaries, on almost all 
the systems of Indian philosophy. His Brahmatattva- 
samlksd on Mandanamisra's Brahmasiddhi and 
Bh&mati on Sankara's Brahmasutra-bhaya represent 



xxxii A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PARTI 

the Advaita system; his Sdmkhya-tattvakaumudi and 
Yoga-bhGfya-vati&radl represent the Samkhya-Yoga 
system; and his Ny&ya-stici-nibandha and Nyaya- 
v&rtiktht&tparya-fika represent the Nyaya system* 
There is evidence to show that Bh&matl should have 
been his latest work. In his Nydya-vartika-tatparya- 
fikft, he renders intelligible the difficult portions of the 
Nyaya-vartika and incidentally discusses several obs- 
cure portions of the Nyaya-bha?ya and the Nyaya- 
sutras, in accordance with the Nyaya tradition banded 
down to him by his Nyaya teacher Trilocana. For 
the monumental contribution which he made to Nyaya 
in his T&tparya-fikfi, he came to be known as the 
Tatparyacarya in Nyaya literature. He justly claims, 
in his Tatparya-fika> special credit for having re- 
deemed from oblivion Uddyotakara's work, which 
came to be regarded very old and nearly forgotten in 
the ninth century A. D. Jayantabhatta, who presup- 
poses Vacaspati in his work and refers to Ananda- 
vardhana's Dhvany&loka (Vide page 48 lines 21 to 
25, Ny'ayamaiijari, Benares), should be taken to be 
later than the middle of the ninth century A.D. ; and 
with the help of the particulars furnished by Jayanta's 
son, Abhinanda, in the Kadambarikath&sara, Jayanta 
may be assigned to the third quarter of the ninth cen- 
tury A. D. Jayanta's chief contribution to Nyaya is his 
Ny&yamanjart. This work is of the nature of an 
elaborate vjtti (expository gloss) on select sutras of 
Gautama. Jayanta himself says that the Nyayo-man~ 
/on was so well appreciated by his contemporaries that 
he came to be recognised as the Vrtti-kara of Nyaya. 



SEC. vi] INTRODUCTION xxxiii 

Bhasarvajna, who flourished perhaps about the begin- 
ning of the tenth century A.D., is the author of an im- 
portant Nyaya work called Nyaya-sdra; and the dis- 
tinctive feature of this work is its epistemology which 
deviates in certain respects from established Nyaya 
tradition, as for instance, in discarding upamdna as a 
distinct Pramana and in recognising six hetv&bh&sas 
including anadhyavasita. Udyanacarya is the greatest 
Naiyayika of the tenth century A.D. At the end of 
one of his works, Laksanavali, he has given 984 A.D. 
as the date of its composition. Besides his erudite 
commentaries on Prasastapada's Bhaya and Vacas- 
pati's Tatparya-tlk& Kirandvali and Tatparya-pari- 
sitddhi, he wrote three important Nyaya works 
the Prabodhasiddhi, otherwise called Ny&yaparisista, 
the Atma-tattva-vivtka, otherwise called Bauddha- 
dhikkQra and the Nyaya-kusum&njati. The first of 
these three works contains an elucidative and illustra- 
tive exposition of the subtleties of /<Ut (futile respon- 
dence) and nigrahasthana (vulnerable points) in ac- 
cordance with the dialectics of early Nyaya. The 
Atma-tattva-viveka is a brilliant exposition of the 
Nyaya metaphysics with particular reference to the 
Nyaya conception of the self (jlva) and contains a 
forcible refutation of the Buddhistic doctrines of 
momentariness (ksana-bhanga) and voidness (suny t a). 
The Kttsumanjali is Udayana's masterpiece. It is 
devoted to a refutation of the anti-theistic theories 
maintained by the Vedistic, Samkhya, nihilistic and 
naturalistic schools of his age and to the amplification 
and vindication of the Nyaya theism, chiefly on the 
C 



xxxiv A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART i 

basis of the creationistic view of causation. Udayana's 
thcistic argument consists of two main parts: one part 
arguing towards values, design and causation in the 
sense of creation and the other part arguing to God 
from values, design and creation. His monumental 
contribution to Indian theism has secured for him the 
high rank of Nyaydc&rya. From the references given 
on page 21 of the Sanskrit introduction to the Kaudall 
(Vizianagaram Sanskrit Series), it may be safely con- 
cluded that Udayana was a contemporary of Sridhara. 

SECTION VII 
AFTER UDAYANA TO ANNAMBIIATTA 

Sivadityamisra's Safrtapadarthl is a short and sim- 
ple manual setting forth the essentials of the Vaiseika 
system chiefly in accordance with Prasastapada's 
Bhasya. It also makes use of the Nyaya material in 
Bhasarvajna's Nydya-sara, to some extent. Sivaditya's 
text giving his scheme of six fallacious types of 
probans with anadhyavasita corresponding to asadhti- 
rana (uncommon probans) as a distinct type, is practi- 
cally a reproduction of the corresponding text of 
Bhasarvajna. (Compare page 23, Saptapadarthl 
Viztanagaram Sanskrit Series, with page 25 in the 
Nyayasfira Poona Oriental Book Agency). A 
careful comparison of Sivaditya's Saptapadarthl 
with Udayana's Kiranavall would lead one to believe 
that the Saptapadarthl utilised the material in 
the Kiranavall. For instance, the definition of dark- 
ness on page 71 of Saptapadarthl appears to presuppose 



SEC. vii] INTRODUCTION 

Udayana's remarks about darkness on pages 111 and 
112 of the Kiranavall (Bibliotheca Indica) ; the defini- 
tion of /a/I* on page 70 of the Saptapadarthl appears to 
presuppose Udayana's enumeration of jdtib&dhdkas on 
page 161 of the Kiranavall and the definition of laksana 
(definition) found on page 192 of the Kiran&valt is 
reproduced on page 35 of the Saptapadarthl. Sriharsa, 
the autlior of the Khandatiakhandakhddya, and 
Gangesa, the author of the l^attvacintamani, undoubt- 
edly refer to Sivaditya. (Vide introduction to the 
Saptapadarthl page 2.) On these grounds, it would 
not be unreasonable to assign the Saptapadarthl to the 
eleventh century A. D. (circa). The importance of 
the Saptapadarthl lies in the fact that later writers 
like Annambhatta used it as their model for their 
primers of Nyaya, as may be unmistakably made out 
from the close correspondence between several portions 
in the Saptapadarihl and primers like the Tarka- 
sanigraha. 

The greatest Nyaya work, which was written after 
Udayana, is the Tattvacintdwaniby GangeSopadhyaya. 
In this monumental work, Gangesa utilised all the con- 
structive, expositary, critical and polemical material in 
the earlier works on Nyaya and Vaiseika and gave the 
final shape and turn to the logic and metaphysics of 
Nyaya. In treating the various topics of Nyaya, the 
earlier writers usually adopted the categoristic method, 
which was inaugurated by Gautama. This method as 
expounded by Vatsyayana, consists in enumeration and 
classification (uddeta and vibhaga), definition (laksana} t 
careful investigation and discussion (fiariksti). Varada- 



xxxvi A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART r 

raja's Tarkikaraksa (1100 A. D. circa) is the latest im- 
portant work on Nyaya, which adopts the old catego- 
ristic method in accordance with the Nyaya-sutras and 
Bhaya. It was Gangesa who replaced this old method 
by what may be described as the epistemological method 
or the fyramana method, which definitely shifted the 
emphasis from the categoristic treatment of the topics 
(padarthah} of Nyaya to the epistemological treat- 
ment of the four means of valid cognition (praManam) 
recognised by the Naiyayikas. Thus, the Nyaya-sastra 
which had remained hitherto a mere pad&rtha-sastra y 
for all practical purposes, was turned into a full-fledged 
pramana-fastrain Gangesa's Tattvacintamani; and in 
this partly lies the epoch-making character of this 
monumental work on Nyaya. That the Tattvacintamani 
serves as the basic work on which the whole literature 
of what is commonly known as toavya-nyaya (modern 
N>aya) rests is also another reason for regarding it as 
an epoch-making work. The Tattvaciniamani, or the 
Mani as it is popularly known, consists of four main 
divisions represented by the four chapters (khanda) on 
perception ($ratyak$a), inference (anumana}, assimi- 
lation in the sense of analogising (upam&na), and 
verbal testimony (sabda). In the course of an elabo- 
rate elucidation and discussion of the nature and ob- 
jective reach and content of these four Pramanas, the 
relevant topics of the Nyaya- Vaisesika system are con- 
sidered in the Mani in comparison with the kindred 
topics of other philosophical systems. The language 
of Gangesa's Mani is also of an epoch-making type. 
Such of the modern students of Nyaya literature as are 



SEC. vn] INTRODUCTION xxxvii 

not equipped with the required control over the termi- 
nology of navya-riyaya are apt to indulge in the ill- 
conceived criticism that the language of the Mani and 
the connected works is spoiled by a huge over-growth 
of inflated and hair-splitting logic-chopping. The key 
to navya-nyaya is its terminology. Those who have 
controlled this terminology are sure to find in the Mani 
and allied works a discipline of unique subtlety and 
value. The history of philosophical thought shows 
that lack of precision in expression seriously hampers 
its progress. In Indian thought, this defect was sought 
to be remedied by Naiyayikas like Gangesopadhyaya 
through several thought-measuring devices, which 
chiefly consisted of formulas in Sanskrit constructed 
with the aid of terms like avacchedaka (the delimiter),. 
avacchedya (the delimited), nirapaka (co-forming), 
nirupya (co-formed), anuyogin (containing correlate) 
and pratiyogin (the other correlate or counter-corre- 
late). All the Indian dialecticians, who wrote after 
Gangesopadhyaya, were influenced by the thought- 
measuring formulas used by Gangesa. By using sucfr 
formulas, it was possible for later dialectics in Indian 
philosophical literature to achieve a remarkable degree 
of quantitative precision in measuring iht* extent 
(temporal and spatial), content and intent (purpose 
and potency) of cognition (jnana). 

Gan gesa quotes Sriharsa (the Khandanakard) 
and refutes his view (page 233 of the Mani anu- 
mdna, Bibliotheca Indica). There is sufficient evidence 
in favour of assigning Sriharsa to 1136 A. D. circa. 
Pakadharamisra, otherwise known as Jayadeva, wrote 



xxxviii , A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART * 

a commentary called Aloka on the Mani. This Jaya- 
deva is believed to be identical with Jayadeva, the 
author of the Prasatonaraghava. A verse from this 
drama (kadali kadall etc., I. 37) is quoted in the 
Sahityadarpana, as pointed out by Mr. P. V. Kane in 
his introduction to the latter work. Thus Paksadhara- 
misra, alias Jayadeva, must have been considerably 
earlier than the Sahityadarpana (1300 A. D. circa). 
These facts will show that it would not be reasonable 
to assign Gangesa to any date much earlier than 1200 
A. D. and that he may be assigned to the former half 
of the thirteenth century A.D. 

Vardhamanopadhyaya, the only son of Gangesa 
according to tradition, was also a reputed Naiyayika of 
this period. He wrote several learned and illuminating 
works, generally known as Prakasa, in the form of 
commentaries on Udayana's treatises, Gangesa's Mani 
and Vallabhacarya's Nyayalilavatl. Jayadeva's pupil, 
Rucidatta, was a logician of considerable repute and 
was the author of a well-known commentary called 
Makaranda on Vardhamana's P t rakasa. 

The end of the fifteenth century, as also the six- 
teenth and seventeenth centuries, may well be described 
as marking tfie heyday of Nyaya dialectics in Nuddea 
{Navadvlpa, Bengal). Vasudeva Sarvabhauma was 
the greatest Naiyayika who flourished about the end of 
the 15th and the earlier part of the 16th century. He 
had the unique privilege and glory of having taught 
Nyaya to four of the greatest personalities of the 16th 
century: v%z, Caitanya, the greatest Vaisnava teacher 



SEC. vii] INTRODUCTION xxxix 



and reformer of Bengal in the 16th centujry; 
natha, otherwise known as Tarkika-siromani (th$ crest- 
jewel of all logicians); Raghunandana, a fstfitous 
Bengal lawyer ; and Krsnananda, a reputed tantrika, 
who was a great authority on the different forms and 
charms of the Sakta cult. Raghunatha (Tarkika-siro- 
mani) was admittedly the greatest logician of the six- 
teenth century. He wrote several treatises on Nyaya, 
mostly in the form of commentaries and the greatest 
and the most famous of the works is the Didhiti, an 
expository and critical commentary on Gangesa's Mani. 
Mathuranatha was the most famous of Raghunatha- 
siromani's pupils and wrote authoritative commentaries 
on the Mani and the Didhiti. Jagadisa and Gadadhara 
were the greatest exponents of navya-nydya as re- 
presented by the Mani and the Didhiti, and flourished 
in the earlier part of the seventeeth century. Jagadisa 
is famous as the author of the commentary on the 
Didhiti, popularly known as J&gadlsl, the Sabdasakti- 
prakdsika an independent treatise on the speculative 
Semantics of Nyaya, a short manual called the Tarka- 
mrla and a commentary called the Bhdsya-sukti on 
the Bhasya of Prasastapada. Gadadhara is famous as 
the author of the commentary, popularly known as the 
Gddddhari, on the Didhiii, the commentary called the 
Mulagddddhan on portions of the Mani, commentaries 
on Udayana's Atmatattvavivcka, and fifty-two dialectic 
tracts and treatises such as the Vyufyattivada and 
and Saktivada (dialectic treatises on the speculative 
Semantics of Nyaya). The more important works of 
Jagadis.a and Gadadhara are still studied carefully by 



XL A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART r 

those students who seek to specialise in navya-nydya 
and they are regarded as constituting an indispensable 
discipline of high value to every scholar who wishes to 
be recognised as a sound sdstrin. The dialectic litera- 
ture of later Nyaya is a vast banyan tree, which had its 
roots struck deep and its huge trunk fully developed in 
Mithila in the Tattvacintumani, had its immense 
branches and foliage stretched out and ramified in the 
Didhiti in Nuddea, and bore fruit in the rich fruitage 
of Jdgadlsl and Gadddhari, which formed the colossal 
monument of Indian dialectics in the seventeenth 
century. If Tvajjlmnfiiha is regarded as the crest-jewel 
(siromani) of logical dialecticians, Gadadhara may well 
be characterised as the prince of Nuddea dialecticians, 
who wears the diadem inlaid with this brilliant crest- 
jewel. 

In the latter pa;rt of the seventeenth century, the 
NyHya scholars interested themselves chiefly in the 
interpretation of the earlier and later works on Nyaya 
and in the production of introductory hand-books. 
Three of such scholars may be mentioned here Sam- 
kara-misra, Visvanatha-paficanana and Annambhatta, 
Samkara-misra wrote a commentary on the Jdgadlsi and 
a comprehensive commentary called the IJpaskdra oi> 
Kanada's sutras. Visvanatha-paficanana wrote a com- 
mentary on the Nyaya-sutras in 1634; and he is 
famous as the author of the popular hand-book of the 
Nyaya- Vaisesika system, called the Bhasdpariccheda or 
Karikftvall, which consists of 168 easy verses. The 
Kdrikdvall is accompanied by the author's own com- 
mentary called the Nyayasiddhantamuktavali. Accord- 



SEC. vn] INTRODUCTION 

ing to the traditional methods of study, the MuktQvali 
is widely studied by students of Nyaya, immediately 
after finishing the study of Annambhatta's Tarkasatii- 
graha and Dlpika. 

Annambhatta was an Andhra scholar who 
flourished in the latter part of the seventeenth century. 
He was a versatile scholar and a reputed polymath. 
He wrote several learned works on almost all the im- 
portant branches of Sastraic lc;i ruing. In this connec- 
tion, attention may be invited to some of Annam- 
bhatta's known works. In the sphere of Purva- 
mimarhsa and Vedanta, he is known as the author of 
the massive commentary called the Ranakojjlvam on- 
Bhatta Somesvara's Nyaya-sudha, otherwise known as 
Ranaka, and of a commentary on the Brahma-sutras. 
In Vyakarana, he is famous as the author of an easy 
commentary on Panini's Astadhydyi and of an exten- 
sive commentary called Uddyoiatoa on Kaiyata's 
Pradlpa. In the sphere of the Nyaya-Vaisesika 
system, he wrote a learned commentary called Sid- 
dhanjana on Jayadeva's Manyaloka, as also the most 
popular handbook of Indian logic called the Tarka- 
samgraha and its expository and supplementary gloss 
called the Dipika. The name Tarkasamgraha is inter- 
preted by Annambhatta himself as a compendious 
elucidation of the nature of substance, qualities and 
such other ontological categories of the Vaisesika sys- 
tem, which are accepted by Nyaya. These two works 
the Tarkasamgraha and the Dlpika fulfil the object 
mentioned in the concluding verse of the Tarka 



ii fh n 

ii afefaf : n 

A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

PART II 

TEXT 



1. 



2. 



3. (a) 



(e) 
(0 



PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 

1. Nidhdya hrdi visvesam vidhdya guruvanda- 
nam{ Bdlandm sukhabodhdya kriyatc tartiasamgrahah\\ 

2. Dravya-guna-karina-sdm8nya-visesa-sainav&y&- 
bhavah sapta padarthah. 

3. (a) Tatra dravyani prthivyap-tejo-v&yvak&sa- 
k&fa-dih-atma-manamsi navaiva. 

( b) RupQ-rasa-gandha-sparsa-sankhya-parim&na- 
prthaktvc^samyoga-vibhaga-paratva-aparatva - gurutva- 
dravatva - sneha - Sabda - tuddhi - sukha-duhkha -icch& - 
dvesa-prayatna-dharmddharma-samsihdrdhcaturvim^atir 
gunah. 

(c) Utksepana - avak^epana - &Kuncana-pras&- 
rana-gaw>andni pafica karmdni. 

(d) Param, aparam ceti f'vividham s&m&nyam. 

(e) Nityadravyavrttayo vitesastu anantd cva. 

(f) Samavayastu eka eva. 



A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

(g) 



n^urrs* 



5. 



4. <ra 

i fon TOrsTT i 
i 



PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 5 

(g) Abhdvah caturvUhah, frdgabhdvah, pra- 
dhvamsdbhdvaht atyantdbhdvah, anyonydbhdvasca iti. 



4. Tatra gandhavatl prthivl. Sd dvividhd, nity&, 
anityd'ca. Nityd paramanurupa. Anitya karyarupa. 
Punah frividha, Sctfii'a-indriya-visaya-bhed&t. Saflfarit 
asmadddindm. Indriyam gandhagrahaUam ghrdnam, 
tacca nds&gravarti. Visayo mrtpdfanddih. 



5. Sitasparsavatyah dpah. Tah dvividhah, toitydh, 
anitydsca. Nitydh faramdnurftpdh. Anitydh k&rya- 
rupdh. Punah trividhdh, sarira-indriya-visQya-bhed&t. 
Sariram varunalofo. Indriyam rasagrdhakam rasanam 
jihvagravarti. Visayah sarit-samudradih. 



6. U$nasparsavat tejah. Tacca dvividhatn, 
nityam anitypm ca. Nityam paramdnarupam. Anityam 
kdryprupam. Punah trividham, iarira-indriya-vlsaya- 
Vhed&t. Sariram ddityaloke prasiddhatn. Indriyam 
rupagrdhakam caksuh krsnat&rdgravarti. Vifayah 
caturvidhah, bhauma - divya-udarya - dkaraja-bhedat. 
Bhaumam vahny&diEam. Abindhanam dfvytm 
vidyudddi. Bhuktasya parin&nahelurudaryam. Akara- 
jam suvarn&di. 



A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

7. 5<rcf!?r 



12. 



is. 



n 

s. 

9. 



10. 



11. 



PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 7 

7. Ruparahitah sporfavdn vdyuh. Sa dvividhah, 
nityah, anityasca. Nityah parantanurafah. Anityah 
tidryarupah. Punah trividhah, sarjra-indriya-visay - 
Shedat. Sariram vayuloke. Indriyam sparfagrahakwh 
tvak sarvasarlravarti. Visayo vrksadikampanahetuh. 
Sartr&ntah-sancan v&yuh pranah. Sa ca eko'pi ufadhi- 
bheddt prdnapdnddi-samjndm labhate. 

8. $afdagunakam dkdsam. Tacca ekam, vibhu, 
nityam ca. 

9. Atltddivyavahdrahetuh Jtdlah. Sa ca eKo, 
vibhuh, nityasca. 

10. Pfacyddivyavaharahetuh dik. Sd ca ekd, 
vibhvl, nityd, ca. 

11. Jndnddhikaranam dtmd. Sa dvividhah % 
jlvdtmd param&tm& ceti. Tatra Uvarah paramdimd 
eka eva. Jlvastu pratisaflram bfo'nno, vibhtth, nityafca. 

12. SuKhtidyupalabdhisddhanain Indriyam manah. 
Tacca pratydtmaniyatatvdt an ant am, paratnanurupat*, 
kityam ca. 

13. Caksurmdtragrdhyo guno rUpam. Tacca 
suWa-nila-plta-rakta-harita-kapifa-citrat/heddt sapta- 
vidham. Prthivl-jala-tejovrtti. Tatra prthivydin sapfa 
vidham. Abhdsvarasuklam jale. Bhdsvarafuklam 
tejasi. 



8 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

14. wroiift fir w i s ^ 



15. 



i 



19. 



I ^wr: fa I 

17. 
H 

18. 



16. ^ttoiirsrRT^ gr: *rih i 



H 

20. W^cmm WR^ I 



PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 9 

14. Rasanagrahyo guno rasah. Sa ca madhura- 
amla - lavana-katu - kasaya - tiktabliedat sadvidhah. 
Prthivi-jalavrttih. Tatra prthivyam sadvidhah. fale 
madhura eva. 

15.* Ghr&nagrahyp guno gandhah. Sa dvtvidhah, 
surabhih* asurabhisca. Prthivlmatravrttih. 

16. Tvagindriyamatragrahyo gunah sparfah. Sa 
ca trividhah, slta usna-anusnasltaShedat. Prthivyap- 
tejo-vayuvrttih. Tatra sltah jale. Usnah tejasi. 
prthivlvayvoh. 



17. R&padicatustayam prthivyam paftajam am- 
tyam ca. Anyatra apakajam nil yam anityam ca. 
Nityagatam nityam. Anityagaiam anityam. 

IS. Ekatv&divyavaharahetuh sankhyp. Sa nava- 
dravyavrttih, elaatvGdi-pardrdhafaryanta. Ekatvam 
nitya^ atoityam ca. Nityagatam nityam, Anityagataw 
anityam. Dvitvddikam tu sarvatra anityameva. 

19. Mdnavyavahdrakaranam parim&nam, Nava- 
dravyavrtti. Taccaturvidham, anu, mahat, dirgham, 
hrasvam ceti. 

20. Prthagvyavaharak&ranam prthaktvam. Sarva- 
dravyavrtti. 



10 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

21. ^j^reirct: s^w i 



24. 



25. 



22. tf PRHTO 3"Jfr ww \ qfawifo n 



23. 

, Rf f^ 



26. 



27. i^fin gn 5^5, wnmnP i 

, e^f[^^: qa^^^^ I ^ 
I fft^W: ^rllWlf^^ II 



PRAT YAKS A-PARICCHED AH 1 1 

21. Samyufaavyavahdrahetuh samyogah. Sarva- 
dravy&vrttih. 

22. Samyogan&sako guno vibhdgah. SarvOr 

dravylavrttih. 



23.- Pardparavyavahdrdsddhdranakdrane ftaratvd- 
paratve. Prthivyadicatustaya^anovrttinl. Te dvividhe, 
dikkrte kalakrte co. Dtirasthe dikkrtath paratvani. 
SaMipasthv dikkrtam aparatvam. Jyesthe kalakrtani 
paratvam. Kanisthe k&lakrtam aparatvam. 

24. Adyapatanasamavayikaranam gurutvam* 
prthivijalavrtti. 

25. Adyasyandanasamavayikaranani dravatvam, 
prthivyaptejovrtti. Taddvividham, samsiddhikani, 
naimittiftam ca. Sdmsiddhikam jale. Naiwittikam 
prthivltejasoh. Prthivydm ghrtdddvagnisamyogajam 
dravatvam. Tejasi suvarnddau. 

26. Curnadipindibhdvahetuh gunah srtehah, 
jalamatravrttih. 

27. Srotragrdhyo gunah sabdah, dk& amdtravrttih. 
Sa dvividhah, dhvanydtmakah varndtmaKafca. Tatra 
dhvany&tmakah bheryddau. Varndtmakah samskrt*- 
bhdsadirnpah. 



(e) 

(f) 



(g) 



12 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

28. (a) 



(b) 
(c) 



(d) 
II 



29. (a) areiwr *m wii n 

(b) vtffrMlfoft ^Rl^ II 

(c) *K& jR^wR^^iPir n 



(e) 

: n 



PRATYAKA-PARJCCHEDAH 13 

28. (a) Sarvavyavah&rahetuh jn&nam bUddMh. 
Sddvividhd, smrtih, anubhavasca. 

(b) Samskdramdtrajanyani jndnam smrtih. 

(c) TadbHinnam jndnam anubhtivah. Sa 

dvividhah, yotharthah, ayafh&rthasca. 



(d) Tadvati tatprakarakah anuthavah yothaf- 
thah. Saiva pramd ityucyate. 

(e) Tadabhavavati tatprak&rakah anuthavah 
ayatharthah. 

(f) Yatharthdnulhavah caturvidhah, prat- 
yakfa-anumfti-updmiti-f&bdabhed&t. 

(g) Tatkaranam apt coturvidham, pratyaksa- 
anumdna-upani&na-saldathzdat. 

29. (a) Asfidh&ranam kdranam Jiaranam. 

(b) Kdryaniyatapurvavrtti kdranam. 

(c) Kfiryam pr&gabhavapratiyogi. 

(d) Kdranam trividham, sawavdyi-asamavdyi- 
toimittabheddt. > 

(e) Yatsamavetam ktiryam utpadyate tat 
samavdyi-karanam ; yathd tantavah patasya ; pafa&a 
svagatarupddefr. 



14 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

wr 85 



(g) 



ii 
30. ( a ) 

(b) 
, ftffasr* 

(c) 3* 
(d) 



(e) 






PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 15 

(f) Karyena karvnena va saha eRasmin art he 
samavetam sat karanam asamavdyikdranam; yatha 
tantusaihyogah patasya, tanturupam patarupasya. 

(g) Tadufyhayabhinnam Kfiranam nimittakara- 
nam ; yatha turivem&dikam pvfasya. 

(h) Tadetattrividhakdranamadhye yadasfidha- 
ranam karanam tadeva karanam. 

30. (a) Tatra pratyaksafnonakaranam pratyak- 
saw. 

(b) Indriydrthasannikarsajanyamjnanam prat- 
yaksam. Tat dvividham, nirvikalpakam savikal- 
pakam ceti. 

(c) Tatra nispraJAdrakam jndnam nirvikol- 
pakam. 

(d) Saprakdrakam jnanam savikalpakam. 
Yatha 'Ditthah ayaW, 'Brahmavah ayam', 'syamah 
ayam', 'Pacakah ayam' iti. 

(e) PratyaJssajndnahetuh indriydrthasanni- 
karsah sadvidhah samyogah, samyuktasamavdyah, 
samyukiasamavetasamavdyah, sawavdyah, samaveta~ 
samavdyah, visesanaviiesyabhavasca iti. 



16 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



PRATYAKSA-PARICCHEDAH 17 

Caksusa ghatapratyaksajanane samyogah san- 
nikarsah. Ghatariifyapra tyaksajanane sathyfuktasaina- 
vdyah sannikarsah, sariiyukte ghatc riipasya samavdyat. 

Rtipaii'asanianyapratyakse satiiyuktasamaveta- 
samavayah sannikarsah, caksussamyukte ghate rupam 
, tatra rilpatvasya sawavayat. 



Srotrcna sabdasaksatkdrc samavayah sannikarsah, 
karnauivaravartyakdsasya srotratvat, sabdasya akasa- 
gunatvat, gunaguninosca samavaydi. Sabdatvasdk- 
satkare samavetasamavdyah sannikarsah, srotra- 
samavete sabde sabdalvasya samavdyat. 

Abhdvapratyaksc ,-, : V.v, /*-./. . : v,;.; ; . a 7 //.'?: a/, sanni- 
karsah 'ghatabhavavat bhutalain* ityatra caksuhsam- 
yuktc bhiitalc ghatabhavasya visesanatvdt. 

Evam sannikarsasatkajanyam jndnam pratyaksam, 
tatkaranam indriyam. Tasmad indriyam pratyaksapra- 
indnam iti siddhatn. 

Iti pratyakfaparicchedah. 



18 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



si. (a) 

(b) 
(c) 



(d) ' 
: II 



(e) rww fmfiw T^rt m n 

32. (a) 3T3TR ftft^, l4 T^W ^ II 

(b) ^1^ 
<? T^ TO 



ANUMANA-PAR1CCHEDAH 19 

31. (a) Anumitikaranam anumanam. 

(b) Paramarsajanyarii jnanatn anumitjh. 

(c) Vyaptivihstapaksadharmdtajfoanam $ara- 
marsah. Yathd 'VahnivyapyadhumavQn ayam parvatah* 
iti jndnam pardmarsah. Taj j any am 'parrato vahni- 
man' iti jndnaw annmitih. 

(d) 'Yatra yatra dhilmah tatrdgnih 9 iti saha- 
caryaniyamo vyaptih. 

(e) Vyapyasya parvatddivrttitvam paksadfiar- 
matd. 

32. (a) Anumanam di'ividham, svdriham parti* 
rtham ca. 

(b; Svartham srdninnitihetuh. Tathd hi 
svayameva bhuyodarsanena 'yalra yatra dhumah tatra 
agnih' iti mahdnasddau vyapt'im grhitvd parvatasami- 
pam galah, tadyate ca agnail sandihaitah parvate dhil- 
mam pasyan vydptim smarati 'yatra yatra dhftmah 
tatra agnih' iti. Tadanantaram 'vahnivyapyadhftmavan 
ayam parvatah' iti jnanam utpadyate. Ayam eva 
lingapardmarsa ityucyate. Tasmdt 'parvato vahnimtin* 



20 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



(c) 



?irr f n 



33 (a) 



ANUM ANA- ARICCHEDAH 21 

iti fndnam anumitih utpadyatc. Tadetat srdrthd- 
nmndnam. 

(c) Yattu svayam dhiimat agnim anumdya 
parani prati bodhayitum pancdvayavav&kyafn 
prayujyatc tat par&rthdnumdnawi. Yathd 

Parvato vahmmati. 

Dhumavattvdt. 

Yo yp dhumai'dn sa vahniman, yathd mahdnasah. 

Tathd ca ay am. 

Tasmdt tathd iti. 

Anena ftratipdditdt liiigdt paro'p'i agnim prati- 
padyate. 

33. (a) Pratijnd-hetu-uddharana-u'ftanaya niga- 
wandnf paiicdvayavdh. 

'Parvato vahnimari iti ffratijnd. 
'Dhumavattvdf iti hetuh. 



( Yo yp dhumavdn sa vahnimdn, yathd 
tiasah* iti uddharanam. 



22 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



34. (a) 
5 Tf 

(b) 



n 

(d) 



T tWf tft I 3T5f 



: n 

(c) apeiTOPWlfi* 

' I 



ANUMANA-PARICCHEDAH 23 

'Tathd ca ayam' iti npanayah. 

'Tastndt tathd* iti nigamanam* 

(b) Svdrthanumiti-pardrthdnumityoh lihga- 
pardmarsa cva karanam. Tasmat lingapardmarfah 
aninndnain. 

34. (a) Lingam triridham, (it:: ,/ yr \alirc* i t 

kcralanvayi, keralaiyalireki ca iti. 

(b) Anvayena vyatirekcna ca vydptimat 
anyayavyatireki; yathd vahnan sddhye dhumavattvam 
' Yatra dhumah tatra agnih, yathd mahdnase ' iti an- 
vayavydptih. ' Yatra vahnih ndsti tatra dhumo'pi 
ndsti, yathd hradc* iti vyatirekavydptih. 

(c) Anvayamdtravydptikam kevalanvayi', 
yathd ( ghatah abhidheyah prameyatvdt, patavat.' 
Atra prameyatva-abhidheyatvayoh vyatirekavydptih 
ndsti, sarvasyapi prameyatvdd abhidheyatvdcca. 

(d) Vyatirekamdtravydptikani kevalavyatireki; 
yathd prthivl itarebhyo bhidyate, gandhavattvdt; yad 
itarebhyo na bhidyate na tad gandhavat, yathd jalam; 
na ca iyam tatha; tasmdt na tatha iti. Atra ( yat 
gandhavat tad itarabhinnam' ityanvayadrstdnfah ndsti, 
prthivimdtrasya paksatvdt. 



24 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

35. (a) 
: II 



36. (a) 

: n 

(b) 



II 



(b) raiWRm W 

(c) 



ANUMANA-PAR1 CCHEDAH 2S 

35. (a) Sandigdhasadhy avan paksah, yatha 
dhumavattve hetau parvatah 

(b) Niscitasadhyavan sapaksah, yatha tatraiva 
mahanasah. 

(c) Niscitasadhyabhavaran vipaksah, yatha 
tatraiva hradah. 

36. (a) Savyabhicara-viruddha-satpratipaksa- 
asiddha-badhitah panca heivabhasdh. 

(d) Savyfabhicdrah anaikantikah. Sa trividhah 
sddharana-asadharana-anupasamliaiibhcdat. Tatra 
Sad !i$abhdvavadvrt tilt sadhatanah anaikantikah, yathQ 
'parvato vahniman, prameyatvai' iti; prameyatvasya 
vahnyabhavavati hrade vidyamanatvat. 

Sarvasapaksavipaksavydvrltah paksamatravrttih 
asadharanah^yatha'sabdo nit yah, sabdatvat' iti. Sabda- 
tvam sarvebhyah nityebhy t ah anityebhyasca vyavrttam 
sabdam&travrtti. 

Anvayavyatirekadrstaniaraliitah anupasamhdri ; 
yath& 'sarvam anityam, prameyatvat' iti. Atra sarva- 
syapi paksatvat drftdnto nasti. 



26 A PRIMER OF INDFAN LOGIC 



I fRHwf ft 

n 



(d) 

'sr^r far. 

' II 



(e) 



' I 



: i **w 
* 



ANUMANA-PARICCHEDAH 27 

(c) Sddhydbhdvarydpto hetuh riruddhah\ 
yathd l sabdah nityah krtakatvdt* iti. Krtakatvam hi 
nityai'i'dbhdvcna anityatvcna vydptam. 



Sadhyabhcivasadhakarii heivatiiararii yasya 
sa satpratipdksah; yathd 'sabdo mtyah, srdvanatvdt 
sabdatvarat,' 'sabdalj anityah, karyatrdl ghatavat* . 

(e) Asiddhah triridhah osraydsiddhali, sv&- 
rupasiddhah vyapyatrasidd/iasca Hi. 

Asraydsiddah yathd. 'yagandrarindam siirabhi, 
araiindatvdt, sarojdravitidavat'. Atfa gagandraiindam 
asrayah, sa ca ndstyeva. 

Svarupdsiddho yathd 'sabdo gunah cdksusatvdt, 
rtipavat.' Atra caksusatram sabde ndsti, Sabdasya 
srdvanatvdt. 

Sopddhiko hetuh rydpyatvdsiddliah. Sddhya- 
vydpakatve sati sddhandvydpakatram npddhih. 
Sddhyasamanddhikarana-atyantobhdra - apraiiyogitvam 
sddhyavydpakatvam. Sddhanavannistha-atyantdbhdva- 
pratiyogitvam sddhandvydpakatvam. 'Parrato dhuma- 
van, vahnimattrdt' ityatra ardrendhanasai'nyoyah 
upddhih.' Yatra dhuwiah tatra drdrendhanasamyoga 



28 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 



(f) TOT 



37. 

(I 



UPAMANA-PARICCHEDAH 29 

iti sddhyavydpakatd. Yatra vahnih tatra drdrendhana- 
sariiyogo todsti, ayogolakc drdrcndhatiasaiiiyogd- 
bhGvdt' iti sddhanfivyd'pakatd. Evani sadhya- 
vyQpakatve sati sadhanavyapakatvat ardrendhanasam- 
yogah upddhih. Sopadhikatvat vahnimativam vyapya- 
tvasiddham. 

(f) Yasya sadhyabhavah pramananiarena 
niscitah sa badhiiah yatJia 'rahnih anusnah, dravya- 
tvat' iti. Atra anusnatvam sddhtyam, tadabhavah 
itsnatvam spdrsanapratyakscnagrhyate iti badhitatvam. 

Iti anumdnaparicchcdah. 



UPAMANA-PARICCHEDAH 

37. Upatnitikaranam upamdnam. Samjna- 
sathjnisambandhajfidnam upamitih, tatkaranam sddr- 
syajnanam. Tat ha hitiascit gavayapaddrthamajdnan 
'kutascit dranyakapurusat 'gosadrsah gavayah* iti frutva 
van am gatah vabydrthath smaran gosadrsath pindam 
pasyati. Tadanantaram 'asau gavayapadavacyah* 
ityupamitih utpadyate. 

Iti ufamdnaparicchedah 



30 A PRIMER OF liN'DIAN LOGIC 



(b) 

39. (a) 


(b) 



40. (a) 



38. (a) *OTWW W I 

ii 



(d) 

(e) ?!ir ^ ^WTfTK^t ^Tf^^ URT- 



SABDA-PARICCHEDAH 31 

38. (a) Aptavdkyam sabdah. Apastu yathd- 
rthavaktd. Vdkyam padasamilhah yathd <gdin 
anaya' iti. 

(b) Saktam padam. 'Astnat padal ayam 
arthah boddhavyah' iti Israrasanketah saktih. 

39. (a) Akanksa, yogyatfi, sannidhisca rdkydr- 
thajnane hetuh. 

(b) Padasya padantararyatirekaprayukta- 
anvaya-ananubharakatvcMi Gkaiiksa. 

(c) Arthdttadho yogyatd. 

(d) Paddndth ainlambena nccdranam sanni- 
dliih. 

(e) Tathd ca dkdnksddirahitam vdkyam apra- 
tndnam. Yathd 'gauh asvah purusah hasti' itina 
pramdnam, dkdnksavirahdt. 'Vahnind since? Hi na 
pramdnam, yogyatdvirahdt. Prahare prahare asahoccd- 
ritdni 'gam dnaya ityddipaddm na pramdnam, sanni- 
dhyabhdvat. 

40. (a) Vdkyam dvhidham, vaidikam lauki- 
kam ca. VaidikaW isvaroktatvdt sarvamera pramd- 
nam. Laukikam tu dptoktam pramGnam, anyat 
apramanam. 



32 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

(b) WFrfow OT8CSR*! <R**>i 33[: H 



41. (a) 



inl ^R 

( C 

' II 



42. 

i 



43. (a) 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) *ftt CT: II 






GUNA 33- 

(b) Vdkydrthajnanam s&bdajnanam. Tai- 
karanamsabdah. 

Iti sabdaparicchedah. 
Evam yatharihanubhavo nirupitah. 



41. (a) Ayatharlhdniibhavah trividhah, sam- 
saya-zriparyaya-larkabhedat. 

(b) Ekasmin dharmini viruddhananadharma- 
.:;"'; . ". T ' ; .7">. . samsayah yatha sihanurva 

piimso i'd iti. 

(c) Mithydjnanam viparyayah yathd suktaw 
'idam rajatam'Jti. 

(d) Vydpyarofyena vydpakaro'fah tarkah 
yathd 'yadi vah'nih na sytt tar hi dhumo'pi na sydt' iti. 

42. Smriirapi dvividhd, yathdrthd ayathdrtha 
ca. Pramdjanyd yfathdrthd. Apramdjanyd ayathdrthd. 

43. (a) Sarvesam anu'kulatayd vedarityam 
sukhatn. 

(b) Pratikulalayd vedanlyam duhkham. 

(c) Icchdkdmah. 

(d) Krodlio dvesah. 
c 



.34 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

(c) ft: 



44. 



45. 



GUXA, KARMA, SAMANYA 35 

(e) Krtih prayatnah. 

(f ) Vihitakarmajanyah dhartnah. 

(g) Nisiddhakarmajanyastu adliannah. 

(h) Buddhyddayah as tan dtmamatravisesa- 
gunah. Buddhi-iccha-prayatn&h nitydli anitydsca. 
Nitydh Isvarasya. Anityah Jivasya. 

(i) Saniskdrali trividhah regah, b/ifirand, 
sthitasthdpakasca iti. 

Vegah prthivyddicatustayawanovrttih. 

Anubhavajanyd smrtihetuh bhavand dtmawdtra* 
vrttih. 

Anyathdkrtasya punah tddarasthydpadakah sthita- 
sthdpakah katadiprthivlmdtravrttih. 

Iti gundh. 



44. Calandtmakani karma. Urdhvadesasamyoga- 
hetuh utksepanam. Adhodesasaniyogahetuh avakse- 
panatyi- Sanrasya sannikrstasamyogahetuh dkuficanam. 
Viprakrstasamyogahctuh prasdrartam. Anyat sarvam 
gamanavi. 

45. Nityam ekam anckilnnyalain sdmanyam 
Dravya-guna-karmarrfti. Par am satfd. A par am 
dravyatvddi. 



36 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

46. 
47. 



48. (a) 
II 

(b) 

(c) 
' 

(d) 


49. 



so. 



, gqgfltfh 

II 



VISESA, ABHAVA 37 

46. Nityadravyavrttayah vyavartakah visesah. 

47. Nityasambandhah sawav&yah, ayutasiddha- 
vrttiti. Yayoh dvayoh madhye ekamavinasyadavas- 
tham, apardsritam evavatisthate /aw ayutatiddhau 
yathd avayavavaypvinau, gunaguninau, kriyjakriyd* 
vantau, jutivyakti, visesanityadravye ca iti. 

48. (a) Anadih sdntah prdgabhavah, utpatteh 
purvam kdryasya. 

(b) Sddih anantah pradhvamsah t utpattya- 
nantaram kdryasya. 

( c ) Traikalikasamsargdz'acchinnapratiyogitakah 
atyantabhdvah yathd 'tohutale ghatah ndsti' iti. 

(d) Tdddtmyasainbandhdi>acchmnapratiyogita- 
kah anyonyabhavah yathd 'ghatah Pato no? iti. 

49. Sarves&m ftadarthanftm yathtyatham uktes- 
vantarbhavdt saptaiva paddrlhdh iti siddham. 

50. Kanddanyayamatayoh balavyutpattisiddhaye 
Annambhattena vidusd racitastarkasamgrahah\\ 

ITI TARKASAMGRAHAH SAMAPTAH 



II wr: II 
II Cf^fa? * II 



A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

PART III 

TRANSLATION AND EXPOSITION 



CHAPTER I 
PERCEPTION 
1 

T In my heart, I devoutly 
cherish the Lord of the universe; 
my teacher, I respectfully greet; 
and I proceed to write this 
Primer of Indian Logic, called 
Tarka-Samgraha, with a view 
to beginners gaining knowledge 
easily. 

Following the time-honoured practice of orthodox: 
Sanskrit writers, Annambhatta begins his Primer witlir 
an appropriate mangold, which consists, here, in paying 
devout homage to his God and to his teacher. The 
expression Visvesa the Lord of the universe is sug- 
gestive of the central argument of the Nyaya theism 
the creationistic argument. The four preambulary 
factors, constituting what is known as anubandha* 
catustaya, are also indicated in the second line of the 
introductory verse. They are subject-matter (vifayaj,. 
the chief aim (prayojana), relation (sambandha) and; 
the persons for whom the work is specially designed 1 
(adhikarin). Such preambulary details are usually 
incorporated in modern books in a separate preface 
prefixed to the work in question, while they are briefly 
set forth in the opening verses in sastra treatises in? 
Sanskrit. The elements of the Nyaya- VaiSesika system 



4 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

in its syncretist form constitute the subject-matter of 
this Primer and its aim is to enable beginners to 
understand them easily. It follows from this that this 
Primer is intended for the beginners. Pratifadya- 
pratipadaka-bhava the relation of treated and treatise 
is generally stated to form thesambandha in almost 
all sastra works. This would be useless information, 
when understood literally. It would acquire special 
significance if it should be interpreted as holding out an 
assurance, that the author can be trusted to treat well 
in his treatise, the subject in hand. 

The name Tarka-samgraha is interpreted by 
Annambhatta himself as a compendious elucidation of 
the nature of substance, qualities and such other onto- 
logical categories of the Vaisesika system, that are 
accepted by Nyaya. The term tarka is thus taken by 
the author in a somewhat unusual sense. The usual 
meanings, however, of the word tarka are logic, reason- 
ing, reductio ad absurdum and discussion. Putting all 
these ideas together, it would be easy to see how the 
title Tarka-samgraha may be taken to be equivalent to 
A Primer of the Nyaya- Vaisesika system in its syn- 
cretist form*. 

2 

T Substance, quality, ac- 
tivity, generality, particularity, 
inherence and non-existence are 
the seven categories (pad&rth&h) 9 
A paddrtha is literally a nameable or denotable 
thing or a fhing which corresponds to a word. Kanada, 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 5 

in his Vaisesika-sutras, gives the name artha to sub- 
stance (dravya), quality (guna) and activity (karma). 
Prasastapada, the author of the Vaisesika-bhaya 
called Padartha-dharma-saihgraha enumerates the first 
six paddrthas out of the seven mentioned above. Later 
Vaisesikas add non-existence (abhdra) to Prasasta- 
pada' s list of six paddrthas. Gautama, the author of 
the Nyaya Sutras, Vatsyayana, the author of Nyaya- 
bhiisya and later Naiyayikas : ov'opiNr all these seven 
paddrthas. 

What is a paddrtha or category as understood in 
the above text 2. T.? A paddrtha is usually defined 
as a knowable thing (jneya) or as a validly cognisable 
thing (pravicya), or as a nameable or denotable thing 
(abhidheya). The Nyaya-Vaisesika system maintains 
that its scheme of seven padarthas represents a satis- 
factory classification of all the knowable or nameable 
things. The first six are called bhdva-faddrthas or 
existent entities and are thus contrasted, in a marked 
way, with abhava, which amounts to non-existence. 
Though Kanada speaks of abhava, he does not include 
it in his list of arthas for the reason that he under- 
stands by artha an entity in which existence or satta, 
in the Vaisesika sense, inheres. Prasastapada does not 
mention abkava in his scheme of six padfirthas, since 
this scheme confines itself to bhavas. But a complete 
scheme of all the knowable or validly cognisable or 
nameable things must not omit abhava for it is main- 
tained in the Nyaya-Vaisesika system that we know 
abhava, know it correctly and the negative terms in 
language denote it. 



6 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

It would be useful to compare in this connection 
the above scheme of seven paddrthas with Gautama's 
scheme of sixteen pad&rthas and with the correspond- 
ing schemes adopted in certain other systems of Indian 
philosophy. In the first Sutra of the Nyaya-darsana, 
'Gautama enumerates sixteen paddrthas means oi valid 
'knowledge (pramana), objects of valid krtowledge 
i(prameya), doubt (samsaya), purpose (pray oj ana) , 
instances (drstdnta), established conclusions (sid- 
dhanta), members of syllogism (avayava), reduciio ad 
<tbsurdum (tarka), decisive knowledge (nirnaya), argu- 
iing for truth (vada), arguing constructively as well as 
destructively for victory (jalpa), merely destructive 
.argument (vitandd), fallacious reasons (hetvabhasa), 
quibbling (chala), specious and unavailing objections 
(jati), and vulnerable points (nigrahasthana). These 
sixteen are not metaphysical categories similar to those 
of the Vaibeikas; but they are merely sixteen topics 
which one should study in order to master the details of 
the Nyaya dialectics. The Mimamsakas of the Bhatta 
school recognise five paddrthas substance, generality, 
quality, activity and non-existence. The Prabhakaras 
recognise eight the five bhavas of the Nyaya-system 
(omitting visesa) and potency (sakti), similarity 
'(sadrfya) and number (saiikhya), non-existence not being 
accepted as a distinct category. The Sariikhyas accept 
twoultimate padarthas \ primordial matter (prakrti) and 
spirit (purusa). Among the Vedantins, the Advaitins 
maintain that there is one ultimate reality Brahman 
and there are only two padarthas spirit (cit) and 
non-spirit (acit), or soul (atman) and non-soul 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 7 

(andtman) ; the Visitadvaita school recognises three- 
spirit (cit), non-spirit (acit), and God (Isvara); and 
the Dvaitins reduce all the padarthas to two main cate- 
gories independent and dependent. Among the older 
Vaisesikas, we find some, like the author of the Data- 
paddrt'ha-sa>stra t who would recognise ten pad&rthas 
in all the six bhdvas of the later Vaisesikas, poten- 
tiality (sakti), inability (a-sakti), generic differentia 
(sdmdnya-visesa) and non-existence (abhdva). Except 
Gautama's list of sixteen padarthas, all these schemes 
of categories attempt, with a large measure of success, 
at a sound metaphysical classification of all nameable 
or knowable things; and none of these Indian schemes 
can justly be said to exhibit the logical defects that we 
notice in similar schemes of categories known to 
Western logic such as the somewhat arbitrary scheme 
of ten categories or predicates given by Aristotle, and 
the schemes of four or three or seven categories put 
forward by the Stoics, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke* 
Mill and other philosophers. 

In most of the syncretist works dealing with the 
tenets of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system, the arguments 
advanced by the Bhattas as well as the Prabhakaras to 
establish the existence of potentiality (sakti) asa distinct 
entity (quality or category) and the view upheld by the 
latter school of MImamsakas that similarity (sddrsya) 
should be given a distinct place in the list of categories 
are refuted. Counter-agents (pratibandhaka) counteract 
the operation of causes and causes turn out to be un- 
availing. The counteraction that we experience in such 



8 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ra 

cases cannot be explained otherwise than as consisting 
in the destruction of the causal efficacy or sakti of the 
causes. Thus according to Mimarhsakas, the existence 
of sakti as a distinct category must necessarily be re- 
cognised. The Naiyayikas argue that counteraction 
consists merely in the presence of counter-agents, the 
total non-existence of which is one of the ^elements 
constituting the full compliment of the causal apparatus 
(sSmagrl) . Thus they disprove the necessity for re- 
cognising sakti as a distinct category. Similarity, ac- 
cording to Prabhakaras, does not consist merely in the 
possession of parts or qualities or features of the same 
kind as the Naiyayikas urge; but it is revealed inex- 
perience as a distinct category. The Naiyayikas contend 
that a careful analysis of experience would show that 
similarity consists merely in the possession of parts or 
qualities or features of the same kind. 

3 (a) 

T Of them (the seven cate- 
gories), the Substances are only 
nine vis.: earth, water, light, 
air, ether, time, space, soul and 
mind. 

The word 'only* in this text is intended to exclude 
'darkness', which according to Mimarhsakas, is a dis- 
tinct substance. The Mimarhsakas argue that on the 
strength of the experience which associates blue colour 
and movement with darkness, it should be regarded as 
a substance; and it cannot be any of the nine substances 
mentioned above. So, it should be given a distinct 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 9 

place as the tenth substance in the list of substances. 
The Naiyayikas point out that the experience which 
associates colour and movement with darkness is erro- 
neous. For, a substance having colour can be seen only 
in the presence of light; and darkness, which is seen in 
the absence of light, cannot be a substance having 
colour. In fact, darkness, according to Naiyayikas, 
is nothing but the total absence of such light as is effec- 
tual in normal perception. 

In the text under consideration, substances are 
divided into nine classes. This may be taken to be a 
definition of substances from the point of view of ex- 
tension. But the Nyaya method of exposition, according 
to Vatsyayana (Nyaya-Bhfisxn 1-2-3, Avatarika) 
recognises that expository scheme to be perfect which 
consists of uddcsa (enumeration accompanied by 
vibhaga or division), laksana (definition) and pariksa 
(investigation). Thus a mere enumeration or division 
of substances will not do and they should be defined. 
A substance is usually defined as that which possesses 
the jati (generic attribute) called dravyatva (sub- 
stance-ness) ; or as that in which a quality (guna) or 
activity (kriya) inheres; or that which is fit to be 
treated as the inherent cause (samavtiyi-karana) of 
some effect. Of these alternatives, the second and 
third, based on quality and activity, are not applicable 
to substances in the first moments of their creation ; 
for, according to the Naiyayika theory of causation^ 
every cause should necessarily precede its effect, and 
qualities and activities, which are the effects of sub- 



10 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

stances, require at least one moment before they could 
come into being. If the function of definition should 
be to provide a valid reason (hetu) for inferring differ- 
ence from others and if inference should be of some- 
thing which is not already comprised in the connota- 
tion of the minor term (paksa), substance-ness (dra- 
vyatva), which is connoted by the term dravya, would 
not form a satisfactory definition. In such circum- 
stances, by using quality or activity and without 
directly using dravyatva, a substance is defined as a 
thing possessing a jdti (generic attribute), which is not 
satta (existence) and is co-existent with a quality or 
activity. This kind of ingenious device, which is com- 
monly adopted by the Naiyayikas, is known as jdti- 
ghaMa-laksana. 

In this connection, it would be of advantage to 
elucidate briefly the Naiyayika's view of definitions 
and their functions. A definition in Nyaya is not 
merely an explication of the connotation of a term; but 
it is a proposition specifying the differentia or the 
differentiating feature of the species or the thing 
defined. A laksana is a specific feature or asddhararia- 
d harm a. The term asadhdrana means that which is 
free from the three faults of a definition vis: over- 
applicability ( ativyapti) , partial inapplicability 
(avyapti) and total inapplicability (asambhava). A 
definition, that is too wide and that consists of an 
attribute which is present in things sought to be defined 
as well as those not intended to be defined, has the 
defect of atwy&pt'i; while a definition which does not 



CH. i] PERCEPTION II 

apply to some of the things defined has the defect of 
cvydpti' and one which is wholly inapplicable to any of 
the things defined has the defect of asambhava. Such 
a specific feature (asadharanadharma) is reciprocally 
co-extensive with the adjunct that delimits the scope 
of laksyald (being sought to be defined); in other 
words, wherever that feature is, laksyatavacchedaka or 
the delimiting adjunct of laksyata is, and wherever the 
latter is, the former is. In the case of a cow or an ox 
(gauh), for instance, gotva or bovineness is the laks- 
yatavacthedaka, when all the quadrupeds of the bovine 
species, and none else, are sought to be defined. In this 
case, brown colour or uncloven hoof would be too 
narrow to constitute a definition, the former, which is 
applicable only to some of the laksyas, being vitiated by 
the fault of avyapti (partial inapplicability), and the 
latter, which is applicable to none of them, being vitia- 
ted by asambhava (total inapplicability), while having 
horns would be too wide and therefore vitiated by the 
fault of ativtyapti. It will be seen, from this, that the 
Nyaya view of the function of a definition is primarily, 
differentiation, and incidentally, designation also, while 
the latter is the only conceivable function in certain 
cases. "Vyavrttir vyavaharo vd laksanasya prayo- 
janam" is an oft-quoted dictum in Nyaya literature. 
Vydvrttior differentiation consists in the inference of 
difference from the other things. Smell in the case of 
earth or rationality in the case of a man forms a 
differentiating laksana and serves as a valid reason 
leading to the inference of difference from not-earth in 
the former case, and from not-man in the latter. What 



12 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

helps in differentiation also helps in specific designation. 
All vy&vartakalaksanas are thus vyavaharikalaksanas 
also. In certain cases like nameability (abhidhe- 
yatva), all things (paddrtha) are intended to be covered 
by the definition ; but no differentiation is possible, as 
nothing can be said to be other than a thing (padartha) ; 
and in such cases the only function of laksanq is desig. 
nation (vyavahara). 

It would be interesting to observe here that lak- 
sanas or definitions are as important on the positive 
side in the pluralistic realism of the N}aya-Vaiscs'ka 
system, as they are on the negative side in the monistic 
phenomenalism of the Advaita Vcdanta. In the former 
system, laksaiias are helpful in arriving at, and main- 
taining the reality of, several self-contained and 
mutually exclusive units, which, according to the 
Advaitic monist are but fragmentary appearances of 
the one absolute; while, in the latter system, laksanas 
are but so many unsustainable stunts demonstrating 
the futility of the <lir< r< i :i;:'.ii -.. efforts of the fissi- 
parous phase of human intellect and the soundness of 
the doctrine of indefinability (anirvacamyatu) which 
the Advaitins seek to uphold. 

It may also be useful to remember here that the 
conception of substance (dravya) as the substratum of 
qualities and movements is the bed-rock of the realism 
of Nyaya; and one has only to show the hollowness of 
the Nyaya distinctions of substance (dravya), quality 
(yuna) and movement (karman or kriya), in order to 
knock off the bottom of the Nyaya realism. 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 13 

3 (b) 

T Colour, taste, smell, 
touch, number, size, separate- 
ness, conjunction, disjunction, 
remoteness, proximity, weight f 
fluidity, viscidity, sound, cogni- 
tion, pleasure, pain, desire, 
dislike, volition, merit, demerit, 
tendency these are the twenty- 
four qualities. 

Patanjali, in his Mahabhaya, describes a guna as 
something which inheres only in a substance, and, under 
certain circumstances, ceases to be there; which is 
found in different species of substances but eternal in 
some cases and non-eternal in other cases. 
"Sattve nivisatc'paili prthagj&tisu vartate 
Adheyascakriyajasca so 9 sattva'prakrtirguwah." 
This is Patanjali's definition of a guna. It is generally, 
adopted by all the grammarians (Vaiyakaranas) and 
it amounts to this in plain language: ^ a guna may be 
eternal or non-eternal and inheres in a substance; but it 
is neither a substance nor an activity. The Vaiyakara- 
na's conception of a guna, for all practical purposes, 
is the same as the Naiyayika's conception of it. The 
Mimamsakas sometimes use the term guna in the sense 
of a quality and sometimes in the general sense of 
something that is ancillary and comparatively unimpor- 
tant. The term guna is sometimes used in the sense of 
literary merit and also in the general sense of a good 
feature. The Samkhya sense of the word is the com- 



14 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

ponent strands of the composite primordial matter 
called prakrti which consists of the three gunas good- 
ness (sattva), passion (rajas) and darkness (tamas). 
The Vedantins generally use the word guna in the 
sense of an attribute or dharma. Though the term guna 
is thus greatly ambiguous in Sanskrit philosophical lite- 
rature, the Naiyayika's technical use of thjs term is 
sufficiently precise and does not admit of confusion. 

It would be difficult to justify the need for giving 
a distinct place in the Naiyayika's list of gunas, to 
prthaktva, vibhtga, paratva and aparatva. Prthaktva 
(separateness) is not materially different from 
difference which, according to Naiyayikas, is anyonya- 
bhava or reciprocal negation a species of non-exis- 
tence. Vibhaga (disjunction) could hardly be distin- 
guished from Samyogan&Sa (loss of contact). What 
are remoteness and proximity (paratva and aparatva) 
but space-relation or time-relation, the former consist- 
ing in a larger number of intervening samyogas (con- 
tacts) or viprakrstatva and the latter in a smaller 
number of intervening samyogas or sannikrstatva? In 
fact, some Navya-Naiyayikas are prepared to discard 
these gunas, on the grounds indicated. The realistic 
obsession of the Nyaya-Vai$eika writers, who often 
go to the length of finding in the external world an 
objective reality corresponding to every thought and 
every word, is mainly responsible for the retention of 
these qualities in the traditional list of gunas. 

It would be useful to note here that the Nyaya 
system draws a distinction between visesa-gunas and 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 15 

sdmdtoya-gunas. Colour, smell, taste, touch, viscidity, 
natural fluidity, cognition, pleasure, pain, desire, hatred, 
effort, irterit, demerit, reminiscent impressions and sound 
these are visesa-gunas ; and the rest are sdmdnya- 
gunas. The former are special qualities, as the name 
visesa-guna signifies ; and they are special qualities in 
the sense that they are never found to be common to 
two classes of substances, or to be more accurate, that 
a visesa-guna, in the specific form in which it is actu- 
ally found, has a j&ti which is not present in any 
quality co-existing with two classifying attributes 
(vibhdjakopadhi) of substances. It is easy to see how 
the rest are sdmdnya-gunas or general qualities. 

3 (c) 

T Activity or motion is of 
five kinds: upward motion, 
downward motion, contraction, 
expansion and going or move- 
ment from one place to another. 

KanSda's traditional classification of karma 
(activity) is here followed, though the classification is 
unsatisfactory, as pointed out by Nilakantha in his 
PrakSsika and by several others. It is obvious that 
gamana in a broad sense would include all other 
varieties of activity. In common parlance, karma, 
kriyd and krti are used as synonyms. In sastraic 
terminology, krti is equivalent to yaina, which is the 
inner volitional process immediately and invariably 
preceding a voluntary activity. In this sense krti 
should not be confounded with kriyd or karma. The 



16 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

Nyaya-Vaisesika system distinguishes between volun- 
tary activity (yatna-purvakakriya or, as it is sometimes 
called, cesta) and involuntary activity (a-ydtna-pw- 
vaka-kriya). The term karma used in the sense of 
kriya should be distinguished from the syntactic karma 
(object); and it should be also differentiated from 
karma, used in the sense of the unseen impression or 
vestige which every work leaves behind it and which 
shadows the doer. It is in this latter sense that the 
word karma should be understood in phrases like the 
'Karma theory* and ' prarabdha-karma.* 

According to Vaisesikas and Naiyayikas, the 
essential feature of every activity is to bring about 
disjunction (vibhdga), then the destruction of con- 
junction with a previous spot (purvadesasamyoganasa) 
and lastly conjunction with a further spot (uttaradcsa- 
samyoga). The origin of a kriya occupies one moment 
(ksana} ; and the three factors that follow its origin 
separation, loss of prior contact and further contact 
occupy each one moment. An activity, thus, fulfils its 
purpose completely in the fourth moment (ksana}, as 
soon as the further contact (uttaradesasamyoga) arises 
and comes to an end in the fifth ksana. Every activity 
lasts only for four ksanas. An important corollary, 
deducible from these facts is that one karma can never 
cause another karma ; for, an activity cannot be said to 
be caused in the second or third or fourth ksana of a 
prior activity, the prior contact being destroyed by the 
disjunction resulting from the prior activity, the later 
activity having no purpose to serve in the second or 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 17 

third or fourth ksana of the prior activity, and the 
fifth ksana being one in which the prior activity 
comes to an end and cannot, therefore, be asso- 
ciated with the later activity as its cause. In this con- 
nection, it should be remembered that a kriyd cannot 
be conceived of otherwise than as direct and indepen- 
dent cause of disjunction and as leading to further 
contact, through loss of prior contact; for, according 
to Kanoda and Gautama, to go to is to forego, or, in 
other words, to quit, to sunder and touch further on. 
(Kriyd, tato vibhdgah, tatah purradesasawyoganatah, 
tatah uttaradefa-sathyogah, tatah kriytinasah). It may 
also be noted here that the Vaisesikas and Nai>ayikas 
use any one of these five factors, from the origin of 
kriyd down to its cessation, as the delimiting condition 
(upddhi) of a ksana, which is regarded as the smallest 
unit of time. 

The Nyaya-Vaisesika conception of kriyd stands 
in sharp contrast with the Vaiyakarana view of this 
category. According to the Vaiyakaranas a kriyd is 
what is usually denoted by a verbal root (dhdtu) and 
it is ordinarily a process consisting of many activities 
(vydpdrah") arising in succession. In its fully accom- 
plished state (siddhdvasthd), a kriyd is denoted by a 
substantive like pdka; and when it is being done or in 
its sddhydvasthd, it is denoted by the radical element in 
a finite or infinitival verb. 

It would be worthy of notice here that the'Naiya- 
yikas and the Bhatta-mimarhsakas maintain that a 
kriyd is perceptible and may be visualised under cer- 



18 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

tain conditions ; whereas, the Prabhakaras hold that it 
falls beyond the scope of the senses and it comes to be 
iknown only through inference from fur the j contact 
preceded by disjunction (vibhayapurvaka-samyoya). 
It should also be remembered that Indian philosophers, 
like Sankara, draw pointed attention to the funda- 
mental difference between a 'kriyd and a jndna, which 
consists in the former being such as directly falls with- 
in the scope of the will (purnsatantra) and the latter 
never coming within the scope of the will but having its 
nature determined by its object (rastutantra). 

3 (d) 

T Generality is of two 
kinds the more comprehensive 
and the less comprehensive. 

3 (c) 

T Particularities, on the 
other hand, abide in eternal sub- 
stances and are innumerable. 

3 (f) 

T Whereas, inherence is 
merely one. 

In common speech, stinidnya means a common fea- 
ture; but, in the technical language of Nyaya, it is 
equivalent to j&ti and is understood to stand for a 
generic feature which inheres in all the individuals 
constituting a class and is eternal. The individual units 
(vyakti) of a class may come and go, but the generic 
attribute common to the whole class exists for ever. 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 19 

Humanity, or more literally man-ness (manusyatva) , 
which is common to all mankind, is eternal and it 
existed before the origin of man and will continue to 
exist even after the annihilation of all mankind. A jdti, 
in this technical sense, is connected with a vyakti 
through the intimate relation known as samavdya or 
inherence. An attribute may be common to several 
individuals and connected with them either through the 
direct relation of svartipa-sambandha, the related object 
itself being looked upon as relation, or through some 
indirect relation (parampard-sainbandha) ; such an 
attribute is called upddhi and should not be confounded 
with a yd /i. Mfirtati'a, for instance, is not a ;d/i; and 
it amounts to "being the seat of all activity" (kriy&sra- 
yatva). It is sometimes called sakhandopadM a 
feature which admits of being defined and stands in 
need of the help of a definitive expression for its defi- 
nite comprehension; and in this sense, a sakhaydopadhi 
is said to be nirvacaniya. A jdti like pot-ness (yhatatva) 
is anirvacanlya does not stand in need of the help of a 
definitive expression for its comprehension. The Naiya- 
yikas recognise certain generic attributes called 
akhandopadhis, which are not jdtis but similar to them 
in all respects except that the relation of the former to 
their abodes is self-link (svarupa-sambandha) the 
related thing itself constituting its own relation and 
that it is not inherence (samavdya) as in the case of 
jdti. Visaya is object ;visayat& is object-ness*, visayata- 
iva is being object-ness and is an akhandopddhi. Prati- 
yogin is correlative; pratiyogitd is correlativeness; 
pratiyogitdtva is being correlativeness and is an 



20 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

akhandop&dhi. Under which of the seven categories 
should an akhandopadhi be brought? In reply to this 
question, a Naiyayika would say that it could be 
brought under saniunya, if that term should be under- 
stood to mean all generic attributes jatis and 
akhantfopddhis. Or, if the term sdmanya should be 
restricted to a jati, an akhandopadhi could not be 
brought under any of the seven categories. It should 
be remembered in this connection that these two kinds 
of generic attributes (j&ti and akhandopadhi) are the 
only things that are presented in thought, by them- 
selves, without the help or mediation of their attributes 
(svartipatobhdtoa-ioyytih) ; and that thought grasps 
Jther things only under the aspect of, or only through 
the mediation of, a qualifying attribute (kincitprakara- 
'Quraskarenaiva bh&nayogyah). In Nyajja terminology, 
a distinction is sometimes made between akhanda- 
amtinya and sakhanda-sainanya, the former being a 
j&ti directly connected with a vyakti and the latter 
being a generic attribute which is reducible to a jati 
connected with a vyakti through some indirect relation 
(fiaramparCisatnbandha). For instance, kriyatva (mo- 
tion-ness) is an akhanda-sawanya-, while uigr/afra 
is a sakhanda-s&manya, as it is equivalent to kriy&sra- 
yatva (possessing an activity), which is a generic 
attribute common to all the tnurtas earth, water, fire, 
air and mind, and may be said to consist in the jati 
kriy&tva being present through the indirect relation 
svasamavfiyi-soniavdyitva (being the intimate substra- 
tum of its own intimate substratum). 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 21 

How do the Naiyayikas show that it is necessary; 
to recognise sdtndny t a or jdti as a distinct category? 
Our experience, in several cases where it relates to 
diverse objects, exhibits a certain degree of uniformity^. 
When we see a human being or a beast, our experience 
howsoever it may differ in other respects, invariably 
takes the. form 'this is a man' (ayam manusyah) or 
'this is a beast* (ayam mryah). The uniformity that we 
thus observe in our experience cannot be accounted for 
otherwise than through the assumption of a generic 
feature common to all mankind or all the beasts. This 
generic feature is called manusyatra (humanity) in the 
case of human beings and nirgatva (beasthood) in the 
case of beasts. Parsimony in thought is relied upon by 
the Naiyayikas as a criterion of soundness, when it 
does not clash with any other criterion which is 
stronger or more reliable. The principle of economy 
or the law of parsimony or the Idghava-nydya deter- 
mines the nature of many a h)pothesis in Nyfiya and 
other systems of Indian thought. According to this 
principle, a generic feature like manusyatva or mryatva 
should be taken to be eternal, one, and connected with 
men or beasts through the intimate and eternal relation 
called samavaya (inherence). In one word, it should 
be taken to be a jdti in the technical sense, in the in- 
terest of Idghava, so long as there is nothing preventing 
the hypothesis of jdti being put forward in the case 
under consideration. Thus, through perceptual ex- 
perience, one might arrive at a jdti, in order to account 
for uniformity in such experience. There are several 
cases in which perceptual experience of a whole class 



22 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

is impossible or it happens to be restricted to a few and 
not accessible to all. For instance, in the case of 
substances (dravya), only three of them earth, water 
and fire are perceptible to the external senses, some of 
their varieties being imperceptible. Though atvian 
(spirit or soul) is perceptible to the inner sense called 
wanas (mind), its existence as a dravya cannot be 
taken for granted at the stage at which the jati 
drQzyatzfa (substancencss) is yet to be established. In 
such circumstances, the Nai)fiyikas maintain the neces- 
sity for rcn-jjiii -in.; a jati by means of infeicnce 
(anmn&na) aided by the principle of parsimony 
(laghava). By way of illustration, their argument to 
establish dravyaiva may be set forth here. Only a 
substance can be samarayikarana (intimate cause or 
inherent cause). Human thought, in respect of causa- 
lity (karanata) as in other respects, shows a habitual 
preference for compactness and unity. The conception 
of karanata could serve some useful purpose in life, 
only when it takes a definite and comprehensive form; 
and it cannot take a form which is at once definite and 
comprehensive, so long as it is not specifically delimited 
in its scope by a comprehensive and definite adjunct. 
In other words, a suitable delimiting adjunct of kara- 
nata ( (karanatavacchcdaka), besides a similardelimiting 
adjunct of karyata or cffcctness (karyatavacchedaka) 
should be thought of in the case of every comprehen- 
sive and definite statement of causal relation (Surya- 
k5rana-bh&ra). The need for such a statement being 
taken for granted in the case of the samav&yi-kdranatd 
belonging to substances as a class, it follows that this 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 23 

kdranatd is definitely determined in its scope by a deli- 
miting adjunct which is common to all the substances. 
Such a delimiting adjunct in the case of samavdyi- 
kCirana (samavtiyi-karanataracchedaka') is called drav- 
yati'a. Economy in thought, in the absence of any 
outweighing <li>;u:v,'-n!;i^c or difficulty, would neces- 
sarily lea(J to dravyatra (substanceness) being assumed! 
to be eternal (nitya), one (cka) and connected with all 
the substances through samardya, i.e., a jCiti in the 
technical sense. This argument is usually stated in 
Sanskrit thus: 



" Dravyanisthd samavdyikdranatd (yin/aw, saih- 
yogam, libhugam vdprati), yatkinciclanugata- 
dharniaracchinnu, kdranatutvat, dandanistha- 
yjiatakdranattirat." 

Some jdtis like draryati'd (substanceness) are 
more comprehensive (para) as compared with prthivl- 
tra (earthness) and less comprehensive as compared^ 
with sattd (existence) ; while yhatatza (potness) is the 
least comprehensive (apara) of all the jdtis in the 
series of jdtis sattd, dravyatia, prthivitva, ghafatva. 
In every series of jdtis, it will be seen that sattd is the 
most comprehensive jdti and is the generic attribute 
characterising the one sttmmmn genus recognised in the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika system, which may be called sat and 
to which Kanada gives the technical name artha. Every 
series of ;a/y ends with its own antya-jdti, which 
characterises its infinta species. Thus in the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system, while there are several antya-jdtis 
and diverse infimoe species, there is only one higher 



24 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

j&ti, viz., satta and one summum genus. Jdtis, in- 
cluding satta, can inhere only in substances, qualities 
and activities (dravya, guna and karma) and cannot 
inhere in any other category. The predication, of 
satta with reference to the remaining positive cate- 
gories, sdmanya, vifcsa and samavciya, is explained 
away by the Naiyayikas, on the basis of co-inherence, 
and not on the basis of inherence. Propositions like 
'dravyam sat\ 'guriah san', 'karma sat 1 convey that 
satta inheres in a dravya or guna or karma; whereas 
the propositions 'sam&nyam sat', 'visesah sanfah', 
'samavdyah san 9 should be interpreted as referring to 
the co-inherence of samtinya, visesa and samai'dya with 
sat id in the same place. 

In his Sutra, "S&mdnyam visesa iti bttddhyapck- 
sam" (ch. I-ah-2-su 3), Kanada observes that 'genera- 
lity and speciality are dependent upon the nature of 
the view-point*. Some modern writers on Indian logic, 
more especially some writers in English, are misled by 
this Sutra into the belief that Kanada was in favour of 
a conceptualist view of samdnya and would reduce it to 
a conceptual factor existing only in thought. This 
misapprehension results from an imperfect knowledge 
of Kanada's position. Kanada maintains, partly in an 
explicit way and implicitly in part, that jdtis are eternal 
universals, existing outside the sphere of thought in the 
same sense in which other realities exist ; and that a 
jdti is looked upon as a generic feature (samdnya) or 
a specific differentia (z ( t&?a), according as it is con- 
ceived of as a unifying or differentiating factor. For 



Cn.i] PERCEPTION 25 

instance, substanceness (dravyatva) is a samanya, when 
it is looked upon as a generic feature common to all the 
substances; but it is a viscsa when it is looked upon as 
the differentia of substances, by means of which they 
areilibi':i.. i-'.nl from other things like qualities and 
activities. One could clearly see how solicitous Kanuda 
really is^to establish the reality of jatis, from the signi- 
ficant way in which he uses the phrase arttya-iisesa to 
designate the distinct category known as rifesah, so 
that they may not be confounded with jatis looked upon 
as differentia. 

To philosophise, according to the exponents of the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika system, is to unify, wherever possible, 
through universals arrived at on the basis of observed 
similarities or uniformities, and to ramify and differen- 
tiate, wherever fidelity to experience requires it, 
through differentiating features arrived at from ob- 
served dissimilarities. This process, in the direction 
of generalisation, has led to several jatis being recog- 
nised, and in the direction of differentiation, has re- 
sulted in the hypothesis that a unique, self-differentia- 
ted and cuTl.tMiiig feature called 'particularity' 
(viscsa) should be attributed to every everlasting sub- 
stance that could not be otherwise ilisiin^uMu'd from 
similar everlasting substances. Composite substances 
like a jar or a cloth, made of component parts, can 
easily be distinguished from each other by means of the 
different parts constituting them. Eternal substances, 
which are alike in respect of guna, Karma and jati, like 
the eternal atoms of earth, water, fire or air, cannot be 



26 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

distinguished from similar substances of the same class 
without ascribing to them some unique feature called 
visesa. In our perceptual experience, one thing is 
differentiated from another thing through a distin- 
., . : ' ' ., feature. As a matter of fact, in the super- 
normal perceptual experience (alaukika-pratyaksa) of 
seers and Yogins, one atom of earth is distinguished 
from another atom of earth; in such cases, there must 
be a differentiating feature; no yuna, karma or jdti can 
be relied upon as a di-tinguNhi:!'.; feature, for in those 
respects, all atoms of earth are alike; even the super- 
normal perception of a Vogin cannot change the funda- 
mental nature of things (I'astu-srabhara) and cannot 
see a man as a beast or a horse as an ass; it is the 
fundamental nature of perception, both normal and 
super-normal, that it distinguishes one object from 
another through a disiiijuujxlsjug feature; and thus, the 
perception of one atom of earth as distinct from 
another atom of the same kind, super-normal as it 
happens to be, should be accounted for by ascribing to 
each atom of earth a unique feature called viscsa. By 
following the same line of argument, it would be 
necessary to ascribe a rises a to each of the atoms 
constituting producible substances (janya-drarya). 

These vixcsas should be taken to be self-discrimi- 
nating (svatoryavartaka) or self-differentiated (svato 
ry&vrtta). If a visesa were to be differentiated 
from another vifcsa or from any other object 
through some distinctive feature other than itself 
or its own svar&pa, it would lead to an endless 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 27 

assumption of distinctive features and this lire of 
thought cannot be sound as it is vitiated by ana- 
vasthd or endless regression. It follows necessarily 
that each risesa stands isolated and unique; and ex 
hypothesi t even a jaii called risesatva, common to all 
the risesas, becomes inadmissible for the reason that a 
visesa wotrld cease to be self-descriminating were it to 
be associated with a jati, every jati including sattd 
turning out to be a differentia in cases of contrast with 
things devoid of that jtiti. 

AH the Vaisesikas and Naiyayikas agree that each 
atom should be taken to have a unique visesa inherent 
in it, that the relation between a visesa and its abode 
is inherence (scMKK'aya) and that visesas are eternal. 
There is, however, some difference of opinion as to 
whether every eternal substance should be taken to 
have a visesa. It is necessary that each jiva (indivi- 
dual soul) and each inanas should be assumed to ha' e 
a unique visesa; for, though, when a jiva is in a state 
of bondage (baddha), he and his mind could be shown 
to have distinctive features in the form of distinctive 
experiences and such other Characteristics, yet neither 
a liberated (mukta) jiva nor his mind could be differ- 
entiated from other liberated fivas and their minds, 
without ascribing to each of them a unique visesa; and 
there can be no difference of opinion about this matter 
among the Naiyayikas. With regard to ether (akasa), 
while some Naiyayikas hold that a visesa should be as- 
cribed to it as the delimiting determinant of its causa- 
lity of sound (Sabda-sdmavdyikaraMat&vacchedaka), 



28 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

others hold this is unnecessary. In the case of spatial 
direction (dik) and time (Mia}, if they are recognised 
to be distinct substances, they should be taken to have 
distinctive visesas; but, while the earlier Naiy&yikas 
recognise dik and kola to be eternal substances, distinct 
from others, the later Naiyayikas, like Raghundtha 
Siromani, would bring dik and k&lu under God (Isvara), 
uncommon attributes like eternal omniscience being 
quite adequate to distinguish God from the rest with- 
out the help of a visesa of His own. It should be re- 
membered in this connection that, when the term vise$a 
is taken in its usual sense of differentia, the phrase 
antya-visc$a is used to describe the unique category 
known as viscsa, it being said to be antya for the reason 
that it stands at the end of all differentiating features, 
or for the reason that it inheres in eternal substances 
which transcend creation and destruction and are, 
therefore, denoted by the word ant a. 

When two substances come into contact with each 
other, their relation is called samyoga; and this relation 
is not of an intimate character and is separable. There 
is another type of relation which determines determi- 
nate cognitions of objects as associated with certain 
attributes (visista-pratiti) ; and this relation when it 
happens to connect two things of which one, as long as 
it does not become moribund or cease to exist, is always 
associated with the other two things which are techni- 
cally called ayuta-siddha is known as samavaya. 
This is an intimate type of relation recognised as sub- 
sisting between component parts and composite wholes 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 29 

(avayaia and arayavin) , qualities and substances 
(guna and dravya), movements and moving substances 
(kriya and dravya}, generic attributes and the indivi- 
duals forming a class (jati and vyaTtti), and particula- 
rities and eternal substances (visesaznd nityadravya) . 
The intimate relation of satnavdya stands in marked 
contrast with contact (saihyoga) which is not an in- 
dissoluble relation and is easily lost. With some effort 
the Naiyayikas distinguish samavdya from another type 
of relation recognised by them, which is known as 
svariipa-sambandha or self-relation and which consists 
in one of the related things being looked upon as com- 
prising a relational phase forming a connecting link. 
For instance, time-relation (kdlika-sambandha) is time 
(kdla) itself looked upon as a connecting link between 
time and things limited in time. Numerous varieties of 
svarapa-sambandha are recognised by the Naiyayikas 
in all cases where cognition of an object with its 
adjunct (visista-pratiti), the configuration of which in- 
volves three cognised factors an adjunct (visesana), 
an object qualified by it (visesya) and their relation, 
has to be accounted for through some relation and 
where that relation cannot be contact or inherence 
(samyoga or samavdya). The conception of svarupa- 
sambandha is pressed into service too much by the 
Naiyayikas and is pushed too far in their view regard- 
ing the relation of tdddtmya (complete identity), which 
forms the relation underlying cognitions like this 'a 
jar exists in itself. It is maintained by the Naiyayikas 
that, though a relation ordinarily implies difference 



30 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

the relation of identity should be considered an ex- 
ception and cannot be ignored since it is presented in 
valid experience. 

The Nyaya conception of jati may, with advan- 
tage, be compared with the views held by the Vaiya- 
karanas (Grammarians), Bhattas, Prabhakaras, Baud- 
dhas and Advaitins on this subject. The term jati, ac- 
cording to Indian Grammarians, primarily denotes 
class-attributes in the Nyaya sense; and terms denoting 
caste, lineage and followers of a Vedic school are also 
treated as terms denoting a jati for purposes of the 
application of certain grammatical rules framed with 
reference to terms denoting jati (jativaci). The 
Bhatta-mlmamsakas hold that a jati like cowness 
(yolva), horseness (asvatva} is eternal, omnipresent 
and perceptible; that, though present everywhere, it is 
manifested only in and through the individual objects 
comprising a class and that such objects are called 
vyaktis chiefly for the reason that they serve to manifest 
jati', and that their relation to vyaktis is not inherence 
(samavdya) but relative identity or identity compatible 
with difference (tadatmya). The relation of tadatmyot 
according to the Bhattas, is not absolute identity, 
as the Naiyayikas take it to be ; but it is identity in a 
relative sense i.e. identity (abheda) compatible with 
difference (bheda-sahi$nu). Though difference and 
identity are ordinarily opposed to each other, yet they; 
are taken by the Bhattas to be compatible with each 
other, on the ground that it is experience, after all, that 
determines the compatibility or incompatibility of two 



^H.IJ PERCEPTION * l 

things and that experience warrants the recognition of 
difference, associated with identity, as forming the rela- 
tion between jdti and vyakti. In the proposition 'this 
h a horse' (ayam asvah), for instance, 'this' refers to 
a particular vyakti and 'horse 1 , according to the 
Bhattas, primarily refers to horseness (osvatva), which 
is a jati According to this view, in the judgment em- 
bodied in this proposition, a jdti is equated with a 
vyakti. But this equation cannot be absolute as, in 
that case, the two words 'this* and 'horse* would turn 
out to be synonyms. Therefore, the Bhattas argue 
that, on the strength of what is presented in cognition, 
a peculiar relation ; ' ::, ., in difference-cum-identity 
(bhcdabhcdau), should be recognised in the case of 
jdti and vyakti. While Naiyayikas restrict jdtis to the 
first three categories substances, qualities and acti- 
vities, the Bhattas ascribe the highest or the most com- 
prehensive j&ti called existence (sattd) to those three 
categories and also to the fourth category, generality 
(sdmdnya). The Prabhakaras, on the other hand, con- 
tend that a jati or generic attribute can be recognised 
only in perceptible substances, and any common attri- 
bute which cannot be perceived alike by the learned and 
illiterate in vydktis should not be regarded as a jati. 
It would follow from this that cowness (gcttva) and 
such other attributes may be regarded as j&tis, while 
-existence (sattd), substanceness (dravyatva), and such 
other attributes are not jdtis. According to these 
philosophers, the relation between a jati and vyakti is 
inherence (samavdya), as in the Nyaya system, the re- 



32 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

lation of tdd&tmya consisting in difference-cum-identity 
being discarded as an impossible jumble. 

The Buddhistic idealists would reduce all jatis to 
the negative form of 'difference from the rest* (svetara- 
bhcda), cowness (gotva), for instance, being no 
more than difference from things other than a cow 
(yavetarabheda}. They ridicule the Nyaya doctrine of 
jati in this strain: "Eternal cowness, dogness, assness 
and such other jatis where do they exist, after all the 
cows, dogs and asses cease to exist at the time of uni- 
versal dissolution (pralaya) ? Do they exist in God? 
To say so would be blasphemy. When a dog or an 
ass or a cow dies, does its jati leave it? It cannot do 
so, for the reason that only substances can move. 
When a cow is just born, how does it come 
to have cowness ? It cannot be said that cow- 
ness is produced in a new-born calf, for jati is eternal 
and has no origin. Nor can it be said that a jati loses 
some of its parts when a ryakti ceases to exist, and 
acquires additional parts as new vyaktis are produced ; 
for eternal jatis can have no parts. Indeed, in your 
doctrine of jati, you have brought a hornet's nest to 
your ears." The Advaitic monists of the post-Sankara 
and pre-Sankara stages in the history of Indian monism 
cleverly use the Nyaya theory of jati to their profit, by 
showing that the highest jati, existence (satta), is the 
grand generality (mahasaManya}, which represents the 
only absolute reality called Brahman, and that the 
various vyaktis and smaller jatis like yotva and asratva 



Cn. i] PERCEPTION 3& 

are but appearances super-imposed upon the absolute 

satta. 

Inherence (samavaya) is recognised by Prabha- 
karas in cases where two inseparable things (ayuta- 
siddha) are intimately connected with each other; but 
it is taken to be eternal in cases where both the related 
objects are eternal, and non-eternal in other cases. It is, 
the obsession of economy (l&yhava) that has led the 
Naiyayikas to hold that inherence is eternal and one.. 
In the place of saw at' ay a, the Bhattas and Advaitins 
recognize the relation of difference-cum-identity (tddat- 
mya). Fiscsas, in the sense in which the Vaisesikas- 
and Nai>ayikas recognize them, are not recognized by;, 
other Indian philosophers, who find it easy to disprove 
the necessity for recognizing I'isesas by pointing out that 
the self-discriminating capacity ascribed to risesas 
might be attributed, with advantage, to eternal bubstan- 
ces themselves. 

In order to completely understand the Nyaya doc- 
trine of jatj, it is necessary to pay some attention to the 
principles which Udayanacarya, one of the greatest 
exponents of Nyaya in the tenth century, laid down for 
determining which of the numerous common attributes 
presented in one's experience should be treated as j&tis 
and which should not be. These principles are six*: 
(1) the individuals in question being only one (vyak- 
tyabheda); (2) the individuals in question being the 
same neither more nor less (tulyatva) ; (3) attributes 
which exclude each other in some places being found 
together elsewhere (samkara) ; (4) endless regression 

3 



34 A PRIMER OF INDIAN" LOGIC [PARTIII 

(anai'astha) ; (5) giving up the distinctive feature 
made out ex hypothesi (rupahani} ; and (6) the absence 
of the necessary relation (asambandha). In his 
Kiranavall, Udayana sums up these six principles in 
this verse : 

^Vyaktcrabhedastulyatvam samkaro'thanaz'asthitih ; 
Rupahdnirasambartdho jatibadhakasariiyrahah." 

Etherness (akasatra} cannot be a jati, for the 
obvious reason that, according to Naiyayikas, ether is 
eternal and one and that there is no question of form- 
ing a class consisting of several similar individuals. 
There can be no distinction between jarness and potness 
(kalatatva and ghatatva), as the jars or pots, which 
form the class in view and to which the generic attri- 
bute in question is ascribed, happen to be the same. 
Senseness (indriyaiva} co-exibts with elementness 
(bhutatva) in the external senses like the visual sense 
constituted by fire; indriyatva is dissociated from 
Ithutatva in the mind (manas), which is not a bhuta; 
fyhfttatva alone exists in a jar, which is made of earth 
and not a sense; the only possible relations that are 
warranted by experience, between two attributes re- 
cv/.-.ii-.sl to be jatis, are inclusiveness and mutual exclu- 
siveness; for instance the sphere of dravyatva includes 
that of ghatatva, while ghatatva and patatva (jarness 
and clothness) are mutually exclusive; so, neither indri- 
yatva nor bhutatva can be regarded as a jati, on the 
ground of unwarranted blend (samtiarya). If all the 
jatis were to be supposed as having a jati common to 
them there would be endless regression in this way. 



n. i] PERCEPTION 35 

Suppose the jatis we start with are three a, b and c\ 
if we assume that these three fat is have a jati common 
to them called A*, the total number of jatis would become 
four 0, 6, c and #; and having committed ourselves to 
the position that there should be a jati common to all 
jatis, the meaning of the word all will increase at every 
step by ofie more jati being added to the list and we 
should go on assuming an endless series of jatis com- 
mon to all jatis, like x, x*-, x%, x*. Thus, on the ground 
of endless regression (anavastha), a jati called fatitva, 
common to all jatis t cannot be recognized. To say that 
vise satv a is a jati common to all the visesas would be 
fatal to the distinctive feature of self -differentiation 
(svato-vyavartakatva), which is ascribed ex-hypothcsi 
to visesas. The hypothesis of antya-visesas (ultimate 
particularities) is put forward for differentiating 
eternal substances which could not be otherwise differ- 
entiated. If the antya-visesas were to have a jati vtte- 
safra common to them, they would cease to be self -differ- 
entiating ; for in the case of objects having jatis fit to be 
treated as differentia, it is a well-established habit of 
thought to rely upon such generic differentia? for pur- 
poses of differentiation and not upon the things them- 
selves that have to be differentiated. Thus visesatva 
cannot be treated as a jati, since it would jeopardise the 
distinctive feature of visesas svato-vydvartakatva and 
thus involve rupahdni. Negation-ness (abhdvatva) is 
a feature common to all the varieties of non-existence 
(abhava) ; but this common feature cannot be regarded 
as a j&ti, for the reason that there is difficulty in recog- 
nizing the relation of inherence (sa/na: -ay a) as a link 



36 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

serving to make abhava the substratum of any attribute 
or the attribute of any substratum. In cases like this, 
the jdtibadhaka is called asambandha, the required re- 
lation of inherence being impossible. 

Samanya and visesa may appropriately be described 
as the two poles of the pluralistic realism of the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system. Satta, the highest sdmcnya, to 
which the NaiySyikas rise with a true philosophic in- 
stinct, is not allowed to exhibit itself in its full glory as 
the all-comprehending absolute reality. Between the 
two poles of s&manya and visesa, the pluralistic uni- 
verse of Nyaya is sought to be fitted to a threefold 
scheme of external relations contact (samyoga), self- 
linking relation (svarupa-sambandha) and inherence 
(samavdya) a scheme which, with the eternal and 
intimate relation of samavdya, turns out to be the Pro- 
crustean bed of Nyaya thought. The Nyaya doctrines 
of sdtnonya, visesa and samavdya exhibit fatal weak- 
nesses. If uniformity of experience should necessitate 
the assumption of sdmGnya and if the principle of 
parsimony (Idghava) should lead to a sain any a being 
taken to be eternal, strict consistency in thought would 
necessarily result in one absolute all-comprehending 
reality in the shape of satta being recognized and thus 
the Advaitic monist would find it easy to demolish the 
pluralistic realism of Nyaya. If an tya-viscsas should 
be taken to be self-discriminating to avoid anavasthd, 
why should not the self-discriminating capacity, 
ascribed to them, be attributed to such eternal sub- 
stances as could not be otherwise distinguished and 
thus save the Nyaya thought from the cumbersome 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 37 

doctrine of visesasl The Nyaya philosopher, who 
takes samavaya to be eternal and one and yet seeks to 
avoid inherence of colour (rnpa-samavoya) being ab- 
surdly jumbled together with the inherence of touch 
(sparsa-sawiavaya) in air, which is a colourless sub- 
stance, is only swallowing a camel but straining at a 
gnat, when he refuses to accept the relation of relative 
identity \tdddtmya=bhedabhedan) in the place of in- 
herence on the ground that bheda and abheda are in- 
compatible. 

3 (g) 

T Non-existence is of 
four kinds: antecedent non- 
existence, annihilative non-exis- 
tence, absolute non-existence and 
mutual non-existence. 

In rendering the term abhava, the two terms non- 
existence and negation are commonly used. Of these 
two, the former term is nearer to the Sanskrit word 
abhava; and the latter term is likely to prove some- 
what misleading, as it primarily refers to negative ex- 
pression rather than to the negative category denoted 
by such expression. In the previous section, it was 
pointed out that abhdvatva could not be treated as a jdti. 
Some Nai>ayikas take abhavatva to be an akhando- 
pddhi, while others describe it as consisting in the 
negation of sattd (existence) through the relation of 
inherence (samavaya) as well as its negation through 
co-inherence (ckdrtha-samavdya). Abhava is defined 
as a thing which neither has samavaya nor is 
samavaya. 



38 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

Things which are yet to be produced are referred 
to as non-existent prior to their production. When 
threads are ready and a cloth awaits production, it is 
said "Here, a cloth will come into being" (atra pato* 
lha.'isyati). Such expressions conveying the non- 
existence of a product prior to its creation should be 
relied upon as evidence of antecedent non-existence 
(pr&gabhara). According to the Naiyayikas, every 
producible object (knrya) is invariably preceded by its 
own antecedent non-existence (pra(jabh<na}, which is 
also regarded as a necessary part of the causal machi- 
nery required for producing an effect. This forms an 
important element in the creationistic theory of causa- 
tion upheld by the Naiyayikas. They maintain that a 
pragabhai'd has no beginning but comes to an end at 
the moment of the creation of its counter-correlative 
(pratiyoyin) which is the product in question; that 
its abode is invariably the intimate or material cause 
(sainavdyi-karana) ; that it is destroyed by the com- 
plete causal apparatus which immediately produces the 
effect in question; and that it is usually referred to by 
an expression which, though affirmative in form, con- 
veys an implied negation such as "Here the jar will 
come into being" (atra yhato bliavisyati). The Nyaya 
theory of creation ism (drambha-vada) is as insepa- 
rably bound up with the view that what is destroyed 
is annihilated completely and can never arise again, as, 
on the other side, with the view that what is created is 
produced for the first time and never existed before. 
Every created bhava (positive entity) is, therefore, 
hemmed in between two kinds of non-existence, ante- 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 39 

cedent and annihilative (prdgabhava and dhvamsa). 
Pradhvamsa is thus produced; and it can never come 
to an end, since the end of dhvariisa would mean the 
regeneration of what is once annihilated which, ac- 
cording to Naiyayikas, is impossible. Dhvamsa, like 
frti'iiil>Inl*'a 9 abides in the intimate or inherent cause of 
what is destroyed and it is presented in experiences, 
such as 'the jar is annihilated* and 'the annihilation of 
the jar is produced' ('yhato dhrastah', 'yhatadhvariiso 
j'atah'). Some Naiyayikas of the Nuddea school, like 
Raglnnulha Siromani, hold that, though it is clearly 
necessary to recognize dht'aihsa on the strength of cer- 
tain experiences common to all, it cannot be said that 
prdyabhdva is supported by any such experience and 
antecedent negation may well be explained as no more 
than complete non-existence (atyantabhdva) viewed 
particularly in association with the time preceding the 
creation of the effect in question. The earlier school 
of Nyaya, however, argues that, if the prior non-exis- 
tence of a cloth (pata-prdyabhava) were not recognized 
as a special type of non-existence, having no beginning 
but coming to an end at the moment at which the cloth 
comes into being, the absurd result that the same cloth 
is produced again and again in an endless series of 
successive moments (f>atadhdrtif>atti) would follow; 
and that, if the prior non-existence of a cloth be re- 
cognized as a special type of non-existence forming 
one of the factors constituting the causal apparatus 
of the cloth, no such absurd result would follow, one 
of the causes of the cloth, vis. its own prayabhava, 
ceasing to exist at the first moment of the creation of 



40 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

the cloth. 'On this spot there is no jar' (atra Vhutale 
ghato ndsti) expressions like this, and experien- 
ces corresponding to, and embodied in them, refer to a 
certain type of non-existence which is not restricted to 
the past, present or future but has reference to all 
time. In this respect, this variety of abhava stands 
out in sharp contrast to the two varieties, already men- 
tioned prdgabhdva and dhvamsa and is called atyanta- 
bhava, absolute non-existence, its presence being en- 
tirely independent of its counter-correlative (prati- 
yogin) being produced or destroyed. Absolute non- 
existence (atyantdbhdva) is eternal and the pluralistic 
universe of Nyaya is wide enough to accommodate in- 
numerable such atyantabhdvas. 

The concept of abhava is complex and involves 
several factors. In order to encompass completely an 
abhava in thought, one has to think of it in association 
with five factors viz.> counter-correlative (pratiyoyin), 
^correlated substratum (anuyoyin), the determining ad- 
junct of the former which delimits the scope of 
counter-correlativeness (pratiyogitavacchedakadharmu], 
the adjunct delimiting the scope of the substratumness 
(anuyogitd), and the relation which determines the 
counter-correlativeness of an object (pratiyoyitd- 
*uaccHedak(asambandIia*). Taking a specific instance of 
atyantdbhdva^ such as is embodied in the proposition 
<On this spot there is no jar' (atra bhutalc ghato 
ndsti), these five factors may be illustrated. What is 
intended to be denied, or that object the non-existence 
of which is referred to here, is not a particular jar 



H. i] PERCEPTION 41 

but the whole class of jars. What is sought to be 
conveyed is that no jar is present here, not even a 
single jar. In this case, jar, in general, is the prati- 
yogin and the sphere of its pratiyogitd is delimited by 
jarness (yhatatva), i.e. it is found wherever jarness 
is found or in every jar. In other words, in this case 
jarness (ghatatva) is said to be the pratiyogitavacche- 
dakad/iarma. A reference to the non-existence of an 
object amounts to a denial of its existence. When one 
thinks of the existence of an object, one has to think 
of its presence in a certain place through some rela- 
tion. This relation which is intended to be brought 
within the scope of the denial kept in view is known 
as the relation determining the pratiyoyila (pratiyo- 
gitavacchcdakasambandha). In other words, it is the 
relation through which the counter-correlative is in- 
tended to be conceived of as present, in the particular 
place, if it were present there. The intended relation 
may vary in different cases. In the case of the abhava 
referred to in the proposition 'There is no jar in con- 
tact with this place' (atra samyogcna yhato nasti), the 
relation kept in view as determining the presence of 
the object denied (pratiyogitavacchcdakasambandha) 
is contact (saihyoya). On the other hand, in the case 
of the abhava referred to in the proposition 'There 
is no jar inherent in this place' (atra samavayena 
fjhato nasti), inherence (samavdya) constitutes such a 
relation. The former of these two propositions may 
be true where the non-existence of a jar is predicated 
*as present in the component part of a jar (kapala) ; 



42 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

while in that case the latter proposition would not be 
true. For a kapdla may not have any jar in contact 
with it; but a kapala must have inherent in it the jar of 
which it is a component part. The place in which the 
non-existence of an object is said to be present is 
anuyoyin and its adjunct which delimits the scope of 
the substratumness (anuyoyitd) is called the anu- 
'_ .':. '-.* '' / . A specific reference to this 
is necessary. To say 'there is no jar on the earth/ is 
altogether different. In the former case, this-spot- 
ncss (ctadbhulalatva] is the anuyoyitavacchcdaka- 
dharma; and in the latter case it is earthness (bhutala- 
i va ) a feature common to the whole of this world. 
For the reason that the cognition of abhdva is so 
complex as to comprise these five factors, it is placed 
on a par with a cognition of an object associated with 
an adjunct (visistabuddhi), the abliava itself being 
treated as the chief object (viscsya) and the remaining 
factors set forth above being reminded as adjuncts 
(visesana). In the case of prdyabhdvas and dhvam- 
sas also, to know them definitely would be to cognise 
them in association with these five factors, the contain- 
ing correlative or correlated substratum (iinuyoyln) 
of these two varieties of abhava being the respective 
inherent cause (sawardyi-kdraija) and the relation 
determining their pratiyoyitd being inherence (sama- 
vdya). These three abhdvas prdyabhdi'a, dhvamsa; 
and atyantdbhdra are otherwise known as /,.' '/ -a- 
abhdva, varieties of non-existence, the praiiyoyitd of 
which is delimited by some relation other than complete- 
identity (tdddtniya). Mutual negation or differeri- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 43 

tiative non-existence (anyonydbhara bhcda) amounts 
to difference; and it is a variety of non-existence, the 
pratiyogita of which is determined by identity (tddal- 
mya=aikya). <A jar is not a cloth' (yhatah pato na} 
in propositions like this, difference (anyonydbhava, 
mutual non-existence) is referred to. In this case, the 
presence of a jar in a cloth, or of a cloth in a jar, 
through die relation of complete identity, is denied; or, 
for all practical purposes, the identity of the two ob- 
jects referred to is denied. It should be borne in mind 
that tadatmya, in the Nyaya sense, is absolute identity 
and that tadatmya, in the Bhatta sense, is relative 
identity or difference-cum-identity. The variety of 
ablidva is eternal in the case of eternal objects and 
non-eternal in other cases. Some old Naiy'ayikas 
vSpeak of a certain type of ablidva called sdmayikd- 
bhdva, which, according to them, ib a temporary 
variety of non-existence cognized, for instance, in the 
place from which a jar is removed for a time and to 
which it is re-introduced afterwards. But the general 
sense of the Naiyayikas is in favour of equating 
samayikabhdva with ever-lasting atyantdbhtira, which 
may be cognized for a time and may not be presented 
in certain forms of thought, owing to the absence 
of the relation determining the presence of abhava 
in a certain place. In the case of an abhava, the rela- 
tion which determines its presence in a certain place, 
or its being contained (ad hey a) in a container (adhi- 
karana) is known as vaisistya. This is but a variety 
of self -linking relation (svarupa-sambandha) and con- 
sists in the particular container itself viewed in asso- 



44 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

ciation with the particular moment at which the 
counter-correlative in question (pratiyogin) is not 
present on that spot; in other words, the particular 
container, as such, constitutes the raiSistya. 

It is noteworthy here that, according to the Naiya- 
yikas of the older school, total non-existence is never 
vogni -od in the substratum of antecedent or annthila- 
tive non-existence. (Dhramsaprdyabhtii'tidhikaranc at- 
yantdbhdvo ndnyikriyatc). This is not accepted by 
the later Naiyayikas. Some Naiyayikas hold that the 
delimiting adjunct of pratiyoyitd, in the case of an 
atyantQbhava, may be an attribute which never belongs 
to the particular pratiyoyin. For instance, in the pro- 
position 'A jar does not exist as determined by cloth- 
ness* (yhatah patati'ena ndsti) jar is the pratiyogin 
and clothness (patatra) is the pratiyogitaracchcdaka- 
dharina. This type of atyantdbltdra is known as 
I'yadliibarctnadharmtii'acchiHnapratiyoyittikdbhdra a 
form of non-existence whose counter-correlativeness 
is determined by a dclisiiiiin^ adjunct which is never 
co-existent with what is delimited by it. This form 
of non-existence is omnipresent (kwaltinrciyi) and is 
co-existent even with its own pratiyoyin which is 
n >t ordinarily possible. Several later Naiyayika> 
reject this view and explain cases like 'yhatahpatati'ciui 
ntisti', by taking the total non-existence of clothness 
(patati'tityanttibhdz'a) to be referred to. Advanced 
students of Advaita would be able to see how the 
theory of 'non-existence delimited by an incompatible 
adjunct' (vyadhikaranadharniavacchinnapratiyogitaka- 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 45 

bhara) turns out to be a treacherous device which 
Advaitins could conveniently use in proving the un- 
reality of the world. 

There is much divergence among the different 
school^ of Indian philosophy in this matter. A stu- 
dent of Nyaya should be able to contrast the Nyaya 
view of abhtira with the views of the Bhattas and 
Prabhakaras about abhtira. Like the Naiyayikas the 
Bhattas also hold that ablidra is a distinct category^ 
The latter maintain that every reality has a positive 
side consisting of positive attributes, and a negative 
side represented by non-existence (abhura). Thus- 
abhdra is an attribute of reality a bhuradhanna or 
rastudharma. According to the Bhattas, abluiva is 
cognised by a special instrument of cognition, which is 
called non-cognition (annpalabdhi) and which consists 
in the non-cognition of an object when all the condi- 
tions necessary for its cognition are present. In the 
Bhatta scheme of pram anas (instruments of valid 
cognition), anupalabdtii is given the sixth place and 
it is known as the sasthapramdna and it is itself some- 
times called abhdva. The term abhara used in the 
sense of anupalabdhi, should not be confounded with 
the abhdva which is the object of this pramdna 
(prcmcya). The Naiyayikas, on the other hand, con- 
sider that abhdva is known through one or the other, 
as the case may be, of the pramdnas recognized by 
them. In fact, of the four pramdnas recognized by 
them viz.: pratyaksa (perception), anumdna (in- 
ference), upamana (comparison) and sabda (verbal 



46 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

testimony) abhdva may come within the scope of the 
first, second or the fourth, as the case may be. The 
Naiyayikas contend that non-cognition, or strictly 
speaking, effectual non-cognition (yoyyanupalabdhi), 
serves as a necessary accessory to pratyaksa, in cogni- 
zing abhdva. In the case of a samsaryubhdva, it can 
be perceived only when its pratiyoyin happens to be 
perceptible; while in the case of anyonyabhara, it can 
be perceived only when its annyoyin is perceptible. For 
instance, one would be able to perceive the non-ex,is- 
tence of a jar on a certain spot, but not the non-exis- 
tence of air in a place; whereas, one could perceive the 
difference from ether (akasa-bheda) in a jar. The 
Naiyayikas further explain that the effectuality 
( yoyyalti) of non-cognition (annpalabdhi) when it 
helps a pramana in ,.,!", abhdva, consists in there 
being no cognition when all the conditions required for 
it are present. 

The Prabhakaras refute the theories that abhava 
is a distinct category and that annpalabdhi is a distinct 
pramana. They contend that the basis of negative pro- 
positions is the mere container (kcvalddhikarana). 
For instance, in the proposition " Here, on this spot, 
there is no jar", the only thing which, in fact, is re- 
ferred to is the empty floor (kcvala-bhutala). If 
abh&va should thus be equated with the empty container 
(l^cvalddliikarana) t it might easily be argued from the 
opposite camp that this is an evasive trick of the Pra- 
bhakaras which could be easily seen through and that 
the concept of the 'emptiness of the container* inevi- 
tably presupposes non-existence. The Prfibhakaras, 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 47 

however, meet this difficulty by explaining that the 
phrase 'empty container* is only a description of the 
form of the cognition underlying negative statements 
and that abhara, strictly speaking, is the cognition of 
the container, and of nothing ehe, in such circum- 
stances as would necessarily lead to the missing object 
(pratiyoyin) being cognized, were it present. One of 
the greatest Prabhakaras Salikanatha describes 
abhara thus in the Prakaranapancika: " Abhdva is 
the cognition of that (container) alone, when the 
praiiyogin (the thing denied in negative statements) 
ought to have been perceived were it present" (drsyc 
pratiyoyini yd tadckavisayd buddhih sd tadabhdvo 
ryafadisyatc). This view shows a clear idealistic 
leaning. The weak spot in this theory is that it fails 
to account adequately for the specific reference to 
ptatiyogin in negative propositions, since it would be 
fatal to the Prabhakara view to connect the cognitions 
underlying them with anything other than the container 
and it has to be necessarily said that emptiness is not 
presented as an adjunct in such cognitions. 

In order to avoid needless complications and also 
endless regression in some cases, abhdvdbhdva is 
equated by the Naiyayikas with the corresponding 
bhdva (positive entity), on the ground that a denial 
of the non-existence of a thing amounts to an affirma- 
tion of the corresponding positive entity. Where one 
abhdva is said to be present in another abhava, some 
Naiyayikas equate the contained abhdva with the other 
abhdva which represents the ,.-:::,ir!iii,; substratum 
(adhikarana). It would be useful to note here that 



48 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART HI 

difference from a certain object is reciprocally co-ex- 
tensive with the absolute negation of the differentia of 
that object. Difference from a jar (yhatabhcda) is 
mutually co-extensive with the absolute non-existence 
of jarness ((jhatatvatyantabhava). 

Abhava is one of the realities recognized by the 
Naiyayikas. In a sense, it might be said that it is the 
reality of the greatest moment in the pluralistic universe 
of Nyaya. Final emancipation (inukti or apat'arya) is 
the highest aim of spiritual life in Nyaya as well as in 
other systems of Indian philosophy. In Nyaya, nntkti 
consists in the annihilation of all evils (dnhkhas), the 
term dithkha in this context comprising everything 
connected with voluntary activity and leading directly 
or indirectly to the cycle of death and birth (prctya- 
bhdva) and including in this manner every form of 
pleasure (snklia). In the language of Nyaya, innkti 
is Gtyantikadnh'bliadli'i'aiiisa. It would be a mistake to 
suppose that the Naiyayikas are pessimists. In fact* 
no system of Indian philosophy can be said to be 
pessimistic; for pessimism, in a strict sense, affords no 
hope or solace, but every system of Indian philosophy 
aims at the attainment of what it believes to be the 
highest good and expects its adherents to find comfort 
in the sumnurtn bonum it offers to them. One can 
easily see why Naiyayikas attach so much importance 
to abh&va, having due regard to its close relation to the 
Nyaya conception of wukti. 

At this stage, it would be useful to consider the 
Nyaya conception of sainbandha (relation), with f arti- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 49 

cular reference to the Nyaya theory of difference 
(anyonydbhava). The Naiyayikas maintain that rela- 
tion always presupposes difference and that difference 
invariably involves total exclusion of identity. Accord- 
ing to this view of sambandha, it may be said that 
relation in the Nyaya system is wholly external, and in 
no case internal. Bearing this in mind, one cannot 
easily understand the rationale of the way in which the 
Nyaya realists bring relations under different categories 
contact (saniyoga) being brought under quality 
(guna) t inherence (samavdya) representing a distinct 
category, and self-relation (srarftpa-sambandha) being 
reducible to the form of one or the other of the seven 
categories, as the case may be. The Naiyayikas hole! 
that not only the simples which unite into complex 
wholes, but the complex wholes also, exist as indepen- 
dent entities and that neither the simples nor the wholes, 
when they happen to be the rclata of some relation, lose 
their independence. In Western philosophical literature 
those relations are said to be external which bring the 
relata together without unifying them, and internal 
relations are said to be rooted in the very nature of 
things and serve to transform and to unify, though in 
varying degrees. In Indian philosophy, the relation of 
difference-cum-identity (tddatmya) is essentially an 
internal relation^ according to the Samkhya, Bhatta and 
Advaita systems. In these systems, where difference 
is not wholly incompatible with identity, where causa- 
tion is not new creation, but transformation to some 
extent, and where all relations may be said to involve 
difference and identity in some sense and no relation 
4 



50 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

can be recognised in cases of absolute difference, it can 

be easily seen that no relation is strictly external and 

nothing which does not unify, in some sense, can be 

considered a relation. In the Nyaya-Vaiseika system, 

difference is uncompromising and amounts to a total 

negation of tadatmya in the sense of complete identity; 

it is an external reality and not a mere conceptual 

product; it is presupposed by every relation, and every 

relation is thus external. It may be asked whether 

complete identity (atyantdbhcda = tadatmya) , which is 

treated as a sambandha by the Naiyayikas in all cases 

where a thing is equated with itself, is also an external 

relation. To this question, a Naiyayika would reply 

that nothing can be said to be rooted in the nature of a 

thing, in view of the fact that an attribute (dharnia) is 

wholly different from a qualified thing (dhannin), a 

composite whole (avayavin} is totally different from 

its component parts (avayava), jati is totally different 

from vyaki, and that in all cases of relation, the relata, as 

such are different from each other. Even in cases where 

complete identity (aikya = tadatmya) is recognized to 

serve as relation, though the relation amounts to a 

negation of difference (bhcdabhava), yet there would be 

no inconsistency in recognizing difference between the 

relata as such; for, where a jar is conceived of as 

existing in a jar through the relation of identity, what 

is denied is the difference between a jar and itself, as 

determined by jarness (ghatatva), the difference 

presupposed by the sambandha, in that case, having 

reference to the relata as such i.e. as determined by 

relatedness (sambandhitra). The opponents of Nyaya 



CH.I} PERCEPTION 51 

realism point out that the conception of relation, which 
is based upon uncompromising difference incompatible 
with identity, is unsustainable, in as much as the 
fundamental function of every relation is to unify, 
in however small a measure it may be, and fot 
the reason that it would be absurd to speak of any 
relation of proximity or distance between entirely 
different things such as Madras and Monday or Vara- 
nasi and Friday. A Naiyayika would meet this kind 
of objection by saying that the fundamental function of 
relation is to bring together and not to unify to glue 
and not to weld or solder or fuse, and that any two 
things can be brought together or glued together through 
a relation. With an unyielding pertinacity, the Nyaya 
realism clings to the conception of uncompromising 
difference and seeks to represent that all relations must 
be taken to be external. Nevertheless the philosophical 
integrity of Nyaya thought pulls in the opposite direc- 
tion and inevitably leads to compromises with the phi- 
losophical systems recognising infernal relations; and 
such compromises are to be found in 'samyoga the 
most prominent type of external relation which is 
possible only between independent substances (dravya) 
being regarded as a quality (guna) which, along with 
the related elements (samyukta) where it inheres, forms 
pairs of inseparables (ayutasiddha) ; in sawiavftya being 
regarded as an intimate relation and in the somewha t 
clumsy efforts made to save its externality by making 
it eternal and one and by letting it survive its relata in 
several cases; and in the very conception of self-rela* 



52 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ID 

tion (svarupa-sambandha), more especially in the con- 
ception of complete identity (abheda) as a variety of 
self-relation. These compromises are indeed the weak 
spots in the walls of the realistic fortress of Nyaya, 
at which the opponents of Nyaya, like the Bhattas and 
Advaitins, find it easy to effect convenient breaches. 

4 

T Of them, earth is that 
which has smell. It is of two 
kinds eternal and non-eternal. 
Its eternal variety consists of 
atoms. Its non-eternal variety 
consists of its products. Again, 
it is of three kinds the three 
varieties being the body (sarira), 
the sense (indriya) and other 
objects (visaya). The earthen 
body is the body that belongs to 
the beings of our class. The 
earthen sense is the olfactory 
sense by which one perceives 
smell; and that sense finds its 
abode in the tip of the nose. The 
earthen objects (vifaya 1 ) are 
clay, stones and such other 
things. 

5 

T Water is that which has 
cold touch. It is of two kinds 
eternal and non-eternal. The 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 53 

eternal variety consists of atoms. 
The non-eternal variety consists 
of its products. Again, it is of 
three kinds the three varieties 
being the body, the sense and 
other objects. The body made 
of water is found in the world 
of the Water-God. The sense 
made of water is the gustatory 
sense by which one perceives 
taste; and that sense resides in 
the tip of the tongue. The ob- 
jects made of water are rivers* 
ocean and such others. 

6 

T Fire is that which has 
hot touch. It is of two kinds 
eternal and non-eternal. Its 
eternal variety consists of atoms. 
Its non-eternal variety consists 
of its products. Again, it is of 
three kinds the three varieties 
being the body, the sense, and 
other objects. The body made of 
fire is in the world of Sun. The 
sense made of fire is the visual 
sense by which one perceives 
colour; and that sense resides in 
the foremost part of the dark 
pupil of the eye. The objects 



$4 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAKT m 

made of fire are of four kinds r 
the four varieties being the light 
of the earth, that of the sky, that 
of the stomach and that of the 
mine. The common fire which 
people use and its varieties be- 
long to the earth. Lightning and 
such other varieties, with water 
as fuel, belong to the sky. The 
gastric variety is what digests the 
food. Gold and such other 
lustrous metals form the variety 
which is dug out of a mine. 

7 

T The air is that which 
has touch but no colour. It is 
of two kinds eternal and non- 
eternal. Its eternal variety con- 
sists of atoms. Its non-eternal 
variety consists of its products. 
Again, it is of three kinds -the 
three varieties being the body, 
the sense and other objects. The 
body made of air is found in the 
world of the Wind- God. The 
sense made of air is the tactus 
by which one perceives touch; 
and that sense is found all over 
the body. The object made of 
air is the air that shakes trees 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 55 

and such other things. The air 
that moves about within the 
body is the vital air, which, 
though one in itself, is called 
differently as prana, aptina, 
etc., according as its abodes in 
the body differ. 

8 

T Ether is that which has 
sound as its quality. That is 
one, all-pervasive and eternal. 

In the texts given above, the first five substances 
are defined and classified. These definitions, with the 
required amplification, are faultless, according to the 
requirements of what a Naiyayika would consider a 
valid definition. In these five definitions, the relation 
connecting the respective qualities with the respective 
substances is inherence (samavaya). In order to make 
the first four definitions quite accurate so as to cover 
cases of earth, water, fire and air in the first moments 
of their creation (utpatti-ksana), the device of jatigha- 
titalaksana, already referred to on page 10 supra, i& 
adopted. In the definition of ether (afodsa), the word 
quality (guna) is intended to indicate that sound is the 
only vifesaguna of this substance. In the Nyaya 
system, as in the other systems of Indian philosophy,, 
the five substances earth, water, fire, air and ether 
are said to be the five elemental beings (bhuta). The 
Naiyayikas define a bhuta as a substance having a 
special quality which may be perceived by one or the 



56 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

other of the external senses (bahirindriyagrahya- 
visesagunavat) ; and the bhutas are contrasted with 
what are called murtas in Nyaya. There are five 
mftrta substances earth, water, fire, air and mind 
(manas). A murta is a moving substance (kriya- 
Jraya). 

In the case of earth, water, fire and air, two 
varieties are spoken of the eternal and the non- 
eternal. The eternal variety in each case is said to be 
represented by atoms (paramanu). This leads to 
a consideration of the atomic hypothesis of the Nyaya- 
Vaiseika system. This hypothesis is closely connect- 
ed with the Nyaya- Vaisesika theory of causation and 
it forms the pivotal part of the Nyaya- Vaisesika cosmo- 
gony. Though it had its origin mainly in the specu- 
lative thought of Nyaya metaphysics, it exercised a 
profound influence over many a doctrine of the plura- 
listic realism of Nyaya and it is in no sense less worthy 
of consideration than the corresponding atomism which, 
till recently, swayed scientific thought in the Western 
world, until it came to be replaced by the theory reduc- 
ing every atom to a miniature solar system consisting 
of numerous small electrons gyrating round a sun in 
the centre. The course of speculative reasoning which 
led the exponents of the Nyaya- Vaisesika system to 
formulate the atomic hypothesis should receive due 
attention here. All visible substances are composite 
structures consisting of component parts joined together 
and are large, i.e. have the size (parimana) called 
largeness (mahattva). Largeness (mahattva) and 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 57 

smallness (anutva) are the two main varieties of 
size recognized by the Naiyayikas and they vary 
between two extreme limits, the highest and the 
lowest. The highest limit of mahattva is called 
paramamahattva and is ascribed to all-pervasive 
substances (vibhudravya). The lowest limit of 
mahattva .belongs to the smallest visible substance say 
a mote floating in a sunbeam, one of the conditions of 
visual preception being association with the size, wahat- 
tva, to the minimum degree at least. The highest limit 
of smallness (anutva) is the smallest conceivable size 
(anuta'*tatva==pdrimandalya), which is attributed to 
atoms (paramdnu). Even the smallest visible subs^ 
tance is a composite structure consisting of component 
parts (savayava}, because it is a visible substance 
{caksusadravya). We know this from our observation 
of the nature of visible substances like a jar. We 
know also from our observation of the nature of the 
component parts of visible substances that such parts 
produce discrete wholes possessing mahattva ( largeness) 
and are themselves discrete wholes consisting of 
distinct parts. In other words, from our observation, 
we arrive at the generalisation whichever forms a 
part of a large substance (mahadarambhaka) is itself a 
discrete whole made up of parts (sdvatyava) . So, even 
the constituent part of the smallest visible substance 
-say the smallest mote seen floating in a sunbeam is a 
discrete whole made up of parts (savayava). An 
endless assumption of parts would involve the defect 
of endless regression (atnavastha}, which is generally 
regarded in Indian philosophy as a fatal objection to 



58 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

the recognition of causal relation or to explanation. It 
would, therefore, be necessary that the process of divi- 
sion should stop at some point and the point at which it 
stops is the last conceivable part (avayava). It would 
be most reasonable to recognize that as the last con- 
ceivable part, beyond which no kind of argument con- 
strains us to recognize further parts. Beyond the parts 
constituting the component elements of the smallest 
visible motes, there is no necessity to recognise further 
parts, the reason constraining the recognition of parts 
in the smallest visible substances being that the latter 
are visible and, likewise, the recognition of parts in the 
constituents of the smallest visible substances being 
that those constituents cause a composite whole which 
is large (mahadarambhaka), and there being no such 
compelling reason in the case of the component parts 
of such constituents, since those parts are neither visible 
nor members of a large substance. The whole argu- 
ment is usually stated thus in the form of two syllo- 
gisms in Sanskrit : 

" falasuryamaricistham yat suksmatammn drsyate 
tat sSvayflvam, cdksusadraryatvat, ghatavat. Tadara- 
yavo'fi savayavah, mahadarambhakaivat, kapalavai." 

The smallest visible substance forming the minor 
term (paksa) in the first of these two syllogisms is 
called truti or trasarenu and is regarded as a triad or 
ternary product. Its component part forming the minor 
term (paksa) of the second syllogism is called anu or 
dvyanuka, which is a dyad or binary product. The 
smallest conceivable unit x forming a dyad is called ai 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 59 

atom (parani&nu). The component part of a tr uti is 
not visible and does not possess even the minimum 
mahattva (largeness) ; and it is, therefore, said to be a 
minute part (anu). This minute part forms a member 
(avayava) of the smallest visible substance called truti 
which has the minimum mahattva; and it is thus maha- 
d&rambhaka and, for that reason, consists of parts. 
The parts of each component element in a truti must 
be at least two and need not be more than two and they 
are therefore taken to be two ; and these two parts are 
the smallest conceivable units which are taken to be the 
smallest ultimates not admitting of further sub-division 
and are called atoms (paramanus). It is now apparent 
why each component element of a truti is called a dyad 
(dvyanukaa. binary product of atoms). For obvious 
reasons the component elements of a truti itself cannot 
be less than two; and they are taken to be three in the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika system. In other words, a truti or 
trasarenu is made up of three dyads (dvyanuka). For 
this reason, it is also called tryanuka. The reason why 
the number of parts in a truti is fixed at three requires 
explanation. In our experience, we see that the size 
(parimana) of the parts gives rise invariably to an 
increased size of the same kind in the composite whole 
and that this increase is only an increase in degree. 
Our observation is restricted to substances having 
mahattva (largeness). This observation leads to the 
generalisation that, if a size should serve as the non- 
intimate cause (asamavayiktirana) of another size, 
both of them, the size that causes and the size that is 
caused, belong to the same variety of size, and the size 



60 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

that is caused represents a higher type of the same 
variety, as compared with the size that causes. (Fari- 
mftnanam svasajatiyasvotk'rstaparimanarambha'katva- 
niyamah). A strict application of this rule to anutva 
would make it clear that, if the anutva (smallness) of 
atoms (paramanu) or dyads (dvyanuka) were to be 
taken as the non-intimate cause (asamavdyikdrana) of 
dyads or triads (tryanuka), the size of the dyads and 
triads should represent a higher degree of smallness 
(anutaratva) . This is an obviously absurd result, for 
the reason that tryanuka must necessarily have the 
minimum mahattva at least, since it is the smallest 
visible substance. So, from the scope of the rule set 
forth above, the sizes of dyads and triads should be 
taken away; and this is done by assuming that, in the 
case of dyads and triads, the size of the composite 
product (avayavin) is caused, not by the size of the 
component parts but by their number (samkhyd). in 
such circumstances, unless the number of the component 
parts of a dyad differs from that of the component 
parts of a triad, the difference between a triad and a 
dyad in respect of size cannot be accounted for. The 
size of a triad is mahattva; the size of a dyad is 
anutva ; the number that causes mahattva must be 
larger than tivo, which is the number causing the anutva 
of the dyads. The simplest thing to do here is to 
assume the next higher integer three as the number 
of the component parts of a triad. Those who closely 
follow the Nyaya- Vaisesika tradition hold that, in the 
atomic theory, there is clear justification for some res- 
tuction regarding the nature and number of the com. 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 61 

ponent parts in the case of dyads and triads and there 
is no necessity for recognising any such restriction in 
the case of composite products (avayavins) beyond the 
stage of triads. It is maintained that the parts of a 
triad (tryanuka) are composite structures (savayava), 
and they cannot be less than three and need not be 
more than three and therefore must be three in num- 
ber. The constituent elements of the composite pro- 
ducts beyond the stage of triads may be four dyads or 
five dyads and so on, or four triads or five triads and 
so on, according to the varying circumstances in each 
case. 

It should also be borne in mind that atoms and 
dyads are never presented in normal perception and 
that they are capable of combining with each other. 
In the atomic theory of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system, 
it is assumed that the fiat of the omnipotent God, in 
conjunction with the inevitable vestiges of the works 
done by embodied souls (/*^0/&), causes concretise 
activities of various kinds in various atoms; and as a 
result of such activities, they come into contact with 
each other and composite products in the shape of 
dyads, triads, and so on, arise. Thus creation (srsti) 
takes place. The Nyaya theory of dissolution involves 
what would appear to be an unnatural assumption. 
Disintegration or dissolution (pralaya) begins not 
from the top, but from the root not in the whole, but 
in the parts. The fiat of the omnipotent God, again, in 
the absence of any demand for creation on behalf of 
jivas, causes descretive activities of various kinds in 
atoms, with the result that the contacts (samypgah) 



62 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

by which two atoms are held together in dyads are 
destroyed and all the composite products, beginning 
from dyads, crumble to pieces. 

The opponents of the atomic hypothesis of the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika system draw pointed attention to its 
weak points. In the first place, it is difficult to deter- 
mine which is the smallest visible substatice. The 
motes in the sunbeam are not all of a uniform size. 
What happens to be the smallest visible substance to 
the naked eye would not be such to the visual sense 
aided by a powerful microscope. Even tj the naked 
eye, the smallest visible substance would not be the 
same, as visual power varies in different individuals. 
In cases where the size of a composite product is the 
effect of the size of its component parts, each compo- 
nent part is a composite product. Where, however, 
the size of the composite product is regarded as result- 
ing from the number of its component parts, one may 
very well stop with the members of the smallest visible 
substance and take these members to be two in number. 
The arguments of anavastha and layhani, if pushed a 
bit further, would knock off dyads and atoms and 
would lead to the smallest visible substances themselves 
being regarded as the indivisible ultimates of composite 
matter. Further, how can atoms come together? 
How can contact (samyoga) arise between two atoms? 
In our experience, contact (sawyoga) is possible ordi- 
narily between two composite substances (s&i'ayava) 
or, in some cases, between one composite substance and 
another all-pervasive substance (vibhudravya). Con* 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 63 

tact is by its very nature spatially non-pervasive 
(avyapyavrtti) ; if it is present in one part of a thing 
it is missing in another part of the same thing; and it 
can never be said to completely pervade its relata. 
Such being the case, it is hardly conceivable how an 
indivisible atom can come into contact with another 
atom. These are the more important defects in the 
atomic theory and pointed out by anti-creationistic 
philosophers like the Advaitins, the Samkhyas and the 
Mlmamsakas. 

A disingenuous attempt is made by some writer to 
ascribe the origin of the atomic theory of Kanada and 
Gautama to Hellenic influence. Luckily and justly, 
that attempt has failed. In the first place, it has to be 
remembered that, though KanaJa might have been the 
earliest complete and systematic exponent of the atomic 
theory, he cannot be said to be its discoverer and it 
might have been one of the floating theories of the 
pre-Kanada period of Indian thought. Further a com- 
parison of Kanada's atomic theory with Greek atomism 
would show that the divergences between them are 
more numerous and striking than similarities. In fact, 
the only noteworthy similarity between the Indian and 
Greek theories is that both consider atoms impercepti- 
ble. On the contrary, the Greek conception of atoms 
recognizes quantitative differences in them and totally 
dissociates them from qualities; while, in the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system, atoms are of uniform size, their size 
representing the extreme limit of minuteness called 
parimandalya or paramanuparimana, and they have 



64 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ni 

qualities, which are non-eternal in the case of colour, 
taste, smell and touch in the atoms of earth, and eternal 
in other cases. Another important difference is that 
the integration of atoms according to the Nyaya theory 
is the result of the deliberate design of the omnipotent 
and omniscient God ; while atoms in the Greek theory 
are wholly subject to chance drifts and ,v..:i::o '..'\*>\\ of 
various types. Professor Keith and those who agree 
with him are at liberty to think that these divergences, 
however fundamental they may be, need not be taken 
to shut out all possibility of Greek influence, it must, 
however, be remembered that any suspicion of Greek 
influence has to rest almost entirely on the slender basis 
of temporal proximity or synchronism and that even 
this flimsy ground is shattered by the evidences in the 
early philosophical literature of India in favour of the 
view that atomic theory might have gained currency in 
India, in some form, perhaps long before the age of 
Kanada and Gautama. 

The first three of the five elements (bhiita) 
earth, water and fire are defined through their 
characteristic qualities; and the fourth element, air, is 
defined through the quality of touch in association with 
the negative adjunct of colourlessness (rfipabhdva). 
The eternal varieties are represented by the atoms 
whose nature is described above. In the textual sec- 
tions relating to earth, water, fire and air, the threefold 
classification, which follows the twofold classification 
into eternal and non-eternal, divides each of these 
substances again into body (sarira), sense-organ 
(indriya) and object (visaya). Sanra (body), in 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 65 

Nyaya, is the field within whose bounds, the soul 
(atman) has its experiences (bhogdyatanam) ; or it is 
antydvayavl or a composite whole which never forms 
the component part of another composite whole and it 
serves as the seat of voluntary activity. In the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system, a body is constituted wholly by earthy 
water, fire or air; and it is not made up of five elements 
(pdncabhtiutika) as admitted in the Sdmkhya and 
Vcdanta systems. A body made of earth, for instance, 
is constituted entirely by earth which forms its material 
cause (samavayikarana), the remaining elements form* 
ing merely supportive (upastambhaka), not constitutive 
(samavtiyi), factors. This is the case also in the 
bodies made of water, fire and air. The belief that 
these three varieties of bodies (jalryasarira, taijascu 
sarira, vdy t avlyasarlra) are ultramundane existences 
and are found in the worlds of Varuna, Aditya and 
Vdyu is based on Puranic cosmology and does not 
require any discussion here. A sense-organ (indriya) 
is defined in Nya>a as the seat of such contact with 
manas as causes a cognition, there being in it no special 
quality which shows (udbhutavifrsaguna), except 
sound (sabda). The Sanskrit definition of a sense- 
organ runs thus : "Sabdctarodbhutavisesagunana- 
srayatve sati jnanakdranamanassamyogasrayatvam 
indnyatvam." It may be noted here that perceptible 
qualities like colour, touch, etc., may be present in a 
substance either in a condition in which it shows 
(udbhtitd't'dstha) or in a sub-perceptional condition in 
which it does not show (anitdb hut avast hd). Colour 
in the former condition, for instance, is visible and 



66 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

actually visualised when all the circumstances necessary 
for visual perception are present and it is present in 
all visible substances; while, colour in a sub-percep- 
tional condition (anudbhutavastha) though not in- 
herently invisible, is never actually visualised. The term 
visaya in the threefold classification of earth, water, 
fire and air turns out to be somewhat misleading in 
the case of some people. Professor Keith, for instance, 
takes this term to mean 'an object of sense-perception* 
and accuses Annambhatta of inadvertence for having 
brought atoms under vis ay a. It will be seen that there 
is no inadvertence on the part of Annambhatta though 
some of his readers may lose sight of certain matters 
in their bumptious presumption. The term visaya here 
means object of cognition (jndnavisaya) ; and in the 
classification of earth, etc,, what is referred to is 'a 
variety of earth which is neither body (sarlra) nor 
sense-organ (indriya)'. In other words though Sarlra 
and indriya are also visaya in the sense of object, it is 
obvious that, in the classification referred to in the 
text, they are not intended to be denoted by the term 
visaya. Intelligent students of philosophy would not 
find it difficult to appreciate the ontological and episte- 
m )l<)^ica1 significance of this threefold classification. 
The knowing souls (jivdh) form the fulcra of the 
pluralistic universe of the Nyaya realist, in whose 
philosophical setting all the things would fall most 
naturally into three groups the cognitional group 
comprising various forms of cognition, their instru- 
ments and their field (bhogayalana), the group of 
knowing souls, and the objective group comprising 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 67 

cognised objects. The Nyaya realist would thus like to 
fancy the universe as a bunch of three distinct flowers 
fastened together by some kind of external relation; 
while monistic philosophers would feel sorry that the 
pluralism of Nyaya mistakes an integral three-petalled 
-flower for a motley cluster. 

In the textual section dealing with fire (iejas), 
gold and such other valuable metals are said to come 
under the mine-born (d&araya) variety of fire. 
Through speculative reasoning, the Naiyayikas seek 
to maintain that gold is light. The yellow metal that 
we see and handle has some weight. Yellow colour 
belongs to earth and weightiness to earth and water. 
So, the metal which has these two properties yellow 
colour and weightiness, should be taken to be a variety 
of earth. However, the yellow and weighty substance 
that we see and handle and commonly regard as gold 
cannot all be earth; for, however much you may heat 
it, it does not completely lose its fluidity (dravatva), 
and any variety of earth, which preserves its fluidity 
under heat, does so only when it is associated with a 
substance which is not earth and has fluidity and is 
capable of counteracting the effect of heat on fluidity. 
This may be seen in certain varieties of earth, like 
ghee, placed in water. Thus the yellow substance 
referred to, though it is itself a variety of earth, 
should betaken to preserve its fluidity for the reason 
that it is associated with some other substance which is 
not earth and has fluidity and counteracts the destruction 
of fluidity by heat. The latter substance which coun- 
teracts and which has occasional fluidity (na\mitt\k<i- 



'68 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

dravatva) cannot be brought under water characterised 
by natural fluidity (samsiddhikadravatva) ; nor can it 
be brought under any of the colourless substances, since 
it has colour. So, the counteracting substance associated 
with the yellow lump of earth should be a variety of 
fire or light (tejas). This reasoning has got merely 
an antiquarian interest and rests upon premises involv- 
ing pre-scientific notions about solidity and fluidity. 
Even the old-world physical science of India, as known 
to ancient Ayurvedic writers, would not accept the 
assumption that gold never loses its fluidity. 

With regard to air, there is some difference of 
opinion between the earlier and later Naiyyikas about 
its perceptibility. The former hold that air is inferred 
is the substratum of touch which is neither hot nor 
:old. The latter maintain that air is perceived by the 
sense of touch. Though it is the same throughout, it 
:omes to have different names as prdna, apdfta, vyana r 
uddna and samdna, when it passes through the body, 
the heart, the anus, the whole body, the throat and the 
navel. These five aspects of the air are known as the 
v r ital airs. 

The senses of sight, taste, smell and touch are 
respectively constituted by light (tejas) , water (/a/a),, 
earth (prthivl) and air (yayu). They are all large 
enough (mahat), the senses of sight, taste and smell 
(caksns, rasana and ghrana) being triads of the res- 
pective elements (bhuta) and the sense of touch (tvak) 
spreading all over the body. Though they are large 
enough, they fall outside the range of external sense- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 69 

perception, for the reason that their qualities are sub- 
perceptional (atoudbhuta), or to be more accurate, for 
the reason that they are not associated with perceptible 
colour (udbhntarupa"). 

Ether (Akasa) is inferred as the eternal and all- 
pervasive substratum in which sound inheres. Accord- 
ing to the Samkhyas and Advaitins, it is an element 
produced and destroyed in the same way as other ele- 
ments. In Nyaya, the sense of hearing is represented 
by ether delimited by the orifice of the ear. Ether is 
all-pervasive (rtbhu) in the sense that it comes into 
contact with all the movable (muria) substances of 
finite size (paricchinnaparimana*). An all-pervasive 
substance does not admit of any movement and is one 
and eternal, divisibilty and non-eternity being incom- 
patible with all-pervasiveness. The sense of hearing is 
equated with space (dik~ spatial direction) by the 
Mimamsakas. It should be remembered that the term 
ether is the nearest approximation to dkdsa as under- 
stood in Nyaya and that the function of serving as the 
medium of light and heat, which modern science 
ascribes so ether, does not belong to akaSa. 

9 

T Time is the (distinctive)- 
cause of expressions involving 
the terms past, etc. It is one, 
all-pervasive and eternal. 

10 

T Direction (in space) is 
the distinctive cause of expres- 



70 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

sions involving the terms cast,, 
etc. It is one, all-pervasive and 
eternal. 

The above definitions of time and space, or direc- 
tion in space, indicate in simple and clear language, the 
way in which the exponents of the Nyaya-Vaisesika 
realism arrive at the two substances known as kala and 
dik. One of the firmest convictions of the Nyaya 
realist is that there are objective realities exactly cor- 
responding to the elements constituting the subjective 
form of every valid experience (annbliara) and that 
propositions and expressions recognised to be correct 
should be relied upon as the unmistakable indexes of 
the forms of experience which they are intended to 
express. The Naiyayikas argue that events are refer- 
red to as past, present or future, anterior or posterior, 
simultaneous or occurring in succession, slow or quick, 
and that such references cannot be accounted for except 
by the hypothesis that there is a distinct substance 
(dravya) known as kala (time). 'Now the jar is' 
(idariim ghatah^sudi propositions are understood by 
the Naiyayikas as referring to some relation between 
the jar and the sun's motion, on the basis of the old- 
world astronomical theory that the sun moves on the 
sky without ever coming to rest. The Naiyayikas 
believe that the sun's motion can be ascertained through 
perception as well as inference. The common-sense 
view of men connects the concept of now (idanlm) 
with the sun's motion (sfiryaparispanda), brought into 
relation with the thing denoted by the word collocated 
with id&nlm in expressions like 'iddnim ghatah*. The 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 71 

sun's motion is directly related only with the sun, such 
direct relation being inherence (samaraya) in this case. 
A jar can be connected with the sun's motion only 
through some indirect relation. The principle of eco- 
nomy (layhava) makes it necessary that the simplest 
conceivable relation of an indirect nature should be 
thought of as connecting the sun's motion with a jar. 
The simplest form of indirect relation that may be 
conceived of in this case is 'contact with the thing 
which is in contact with the intimate substratum of the 
motion in question viz., the sun' (srasamai'dyisam- 
yuktasamyoya). In this chiin of indirect relation the 
two extreme ends are the two relata viz., motion on 
the one side and jar on the other. The sun is the 
intimate substratum of the motion (svasamavayl) ; the 
thing in direct contact with it is not the jar, as we 
know, but something else; and that something should 
be taken to be in contact with the jar. The relation of 
contact being possible only in the case of two subst- 
ances, the soviet/liny, which forms the intermediate 
link between I:ri " :, ~ i, (the sun) on the one side 
and contact with the jar (yhatasamyoya) on the other, 
must be a substance (dravya). This substance is called 
time (kdla). 

How are we to know that this intermediate sub- 
stance that bridges over the gulf between the sun and 
ajar, is one, eternal and all-pervasive, and does not 
come under any of the other substances? It is presented! 
in every experience or expression, explicitly or impli- 
citly, as substratum of other objects; it is not percep- 
tible, nor has it the qualities of colour, touch and 



72 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

sound; so, it must be different from the five bhutas; it 
would be reasonable to suppose that it is of infinite 
magnitude (paramamahattva), since it is taken to be 
one and eternal for the sake of economy (Idghava) ; 
and in view of the distinct cognitions we have of the 
past, present and future, as compared with the east, 
west, north and south, we should take time (kdia) to 
be different from space (dik). In a similar manner 
space (dik) is also inferred by the Naijayikas as the 
substratum of the contact which serves as the non- 
inherent (asamai'dyi) cause of spatial proximity and 
distance (aparatva and paratra), referred to in state- 
ments like ' This lies farther', 'This lies near'. Both 
time and space (kclla and dik) are imperceptible 
according to the Naiyayikas and are all-pervading 
substances in which all the things in the Universe may 
be said to be present through the self-relation of time 
or space (kdlikasambandha or daisikasawbandha). 
While time or space taken by itself (wahdkdla or 
ckhandadik) is regarded as the containing substratum 
(adhikarana) of every thing in the world, eternal or 
non-eternal, only non-eternal objects, among the rest, 
may be regarded as container (adhikarana) of other 
objects through time-relation (kdlikasambandha). This 
is embodied in the oft-quoted dictum of Nyaya 
4t nityesu Kalikayogah." 

Any producible thing may serve as the condition- 
ing adjunct of wahdkdla (the immense and indivisible 
time), and anything of limited size as the conditioning 
adjunct of dkhandadesa (the immense and indivisi- 
ble space). The Naiyayikas say "Janyamatram 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 73 

Kdlopddhih, murtamdtram digupddhih." Though time 
and space are indivisible and all-pervasive, temporal 
and spatial divisions are conceive! of through associa- 
tion with delimiting adjuncts in the form of some 
producible thing (janya) or of something limited in 
size (murta). In this way, divisions of time to a 
moment (ksana) downward and divisions of space are 
arrived at. 

The Vaiyakarana philosophers speak of time and 
space as modifications of the subtle sound (sabdatan- 
mdtra), which is a substance (dravya) according to 
them. The Buddhist idealists regard time and space as 
merely forms of momentary and fleeting consciousness 
(rijndna). The Advaitic monists look upon time and 
space as phenomenal appearances super-imposed upon 
the absolute Brahman, which is the only reality trans- 
cending them. The SarhUiyas would bring both time 
and space under the elemental evolute (bhuta) called 
akdsa. Modern Naiyayikas like Rayhnn&tha Siromani 
bring time and space under God (Ih'ara) and regard 
them as phases of the omnipotent and omnipresent 
Lord. In Chapter II, ahnika I, sutras 40 to 44, of the 
Nyayasiltrabhtifya, Gautama and Vatsyayana elucidate 
the conceptions of the present, past and future. 
Vatsyayana points out that time is presented in our 
experience mainly through the help of motion and not 
through association with distance. The F>lia.*\;ikiira 
observes under 11 1 41, "Nadhvavyahgyah kalah, 
kim tarhi kriydvyangyah". A kriyd, as understood by 
Vatsyayana in this context, is not a single activity but 



74 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

a series of activities. The conception of a kriya or 
! karma 9 even in its strict sense, is inseparably bound up 
with the conception of duration, every kriya lasting for 
four ksanas (moments) as already explained in page 16, 
part in, supra. In this connection, it should be 
remembered that though there can be no contact 
between two all-pervasive substances (vibhudravya), 
there is contact between one such substance and 
another substance limited in size ; for contact presup- 
poses movement, and in the case of a substance limited 
in size, movement is possible, though it is not possible 
in the case of an all-pervasive substance. 

11 

T The substratum in 
which cognition inheres is the 
soul (dltnan). It is of two 
kinds the supreme Soul and 
the individual soul. Of these 
tv\o, tlie supreme Soul is one 
and is the omniscient Lord. 
The individual soul, on the other 
hand, is different in association 
with different organisms or 
bodies, though it is all-pervasive 
and eternal. 

12 

T Mind (manas) is the 
sense by means of which plea- 
sure and such other (perceptible 
qualities of the soul) are direct- 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 75 

ly apprehended. There are 
innumerable minds (manamsi),. 
since they are specifically linked 
up with each soul and they are 
atomic and eternal. 

Atvicui (soul) is the substratum in which know- 
ledge inheres. This definition is quite adequate to 
indicate that the soul is a substance (</nrrw/) and to 
differentiate it from other substances. One's own 
sotd or self is, ;. v v : lii j to N)fiya, revealed in one's 
inner perceptual experience arising through the inner 
sense of mind, independently of the external senses,. 
i.e., in one's nianasa-pralyaksa which takes the forms 
'I know', 'I will 1 , '1 feel', 4 wish' ('ahain j an ami', 
'aluvn yale', l aham sukhi', 'aliam icchumi'). It should 
be noted that, even in such inner experiences, it is 
never presented by itself, but it is presented only as the 
substratum of knowledge or consciousness (;fla//a) t 
volitional effort (krliyatna), pleasure and pain 
(sukha, duhkha) and desire (taVm). For this reason,, 
the Naiyayikas hold that one's own soul or self is 
revealed in mental perception (in anas a prat yaks a}, only 
in association with one or the other of its perceptible 
special qualities (yoyyaviscsayunayoycnaiva'). It is 
believed by some that the Vaisesikas hold that dtman is 
imperceptible and that they differ from the Naiyayikas- 
in this respect. The authority of Kanada's sutra VIII 
2 (tatratma manatcapratyakse} is also invoked in 
this connection. Prasastapada also seems to support 
this view in his statement that, though dtman is subtle 



76 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

and imperceptible, he is inferred as the conscious agent 
who uses the senses as instruments in producing cogni- 
tions : Cf. 

11 Tasya sauksmyat apratyaksalvc'pi karanaih 
sabdddyupalabdhyamtniitaih srotrddibhih somadhi- 
(jamah kriyate" (Prasastapddabhdsya Viz. S. S. 
page 69). This belief is based on a misapprehension 
which threatens to become a permanent feature of many 
an English treatise dealing with Indian logic. The 
fact, however, seems to be that both Kanada (Cf. 
Vais. Su. Ill ii 9 and 10) and Prasastapada (Cf. 
Bhtisya Viz. S. S., pages 70 187) admit that one's 
own dtwan is revealed in one's own mental perception. 
Sridhara also draws attention to this in his Randall 
(Viz. S. S. page 71) when he observes that, though 
dtman is directly perceived by the wanas, as agent or 
owner through association with the body and senses 
with which he came to be invested as a result of his 
own deeds, yet imperceptibility (atyratyaksatva) happens 
to be predicated with reference to &tman t merely in 
view of the soul fallingoutside therange of the external 
senses. The leading exponents of the Nyaya-Vaisesika 
system are, however, agreed that one person's soul 
cannot be perceived by the nianas of another person and 
that, even in the case of one's own soul, mental percep- 
tion (mdnasapratyksa) is misleading since it often 
lumps up dtman and body into one jumble. For this 
reason, in order to prove the existence of soul as a 
distinct entity and to differentiate it from the body, the 
senses, the vital airs and such other things, it would 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 77 

be necessary to resort to inference. Two typical argu- 
ments adduced by the Vaisesikas and Naiyayikas in this 
connection are worthy of consideration. From the 
movement of a chariot, one ordinarily infers the pres- 
ence of a charioteer who drives it; even so, one infers 
an individual soul who drives a body, from its various 
activities. Knowledge and such other qualities, nor- 
mally perceived only by the inner sense manas, require 
an intimately related substratum in v\hich they inhere, 
for the reason that qualities invariably inhere in subs- 
tances; all other substances being eliminated, a distinct 
substance, in which knowledge and such other qualities 
inhere, should be recognised; and that substance is 
called dtman. Since individual experiences vary in a 
definite manner, the individual dtman associated with 
one body should be taken to be different from the 
individual dtinan associated with another body. At 
the same time, in order to account for remembrance of 
previous experiences and for the first instinctive effort 
which a new-born baby, immediately after its birth, 
puts forth to preserve its life by means of the usual 
suck, it would be necessary to assume that every indivi- 
dual soul is permanent and eternal. It is an accepted 
principle that everybody reaps as he sows and never 
reaps what he does not sow; and in order to avoid 
conflict with this principle, it would be necessary to 
ascribe to every jii'a, pre-natal existence and persistence 
after death. The soul cannot be atomic in size; for, 
cognition and such other special qualities are perceived 
by the inner sense manas, while the qualities of atoms 
can never be perceived. Nor can the soul be of medium 



78 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

size (madhyamaparimana); for, anything which has 
the size called mahattva (largeness) and which is not 
all-pervasive (vibhn), is non-eternal and therefore 
comes to an end; but Citman cannot come to an end as 
already explained. On these grounds, the N"ya)a-Vai- 
sesika system maintains that there are innumerable 
souls and every dtman is eternal (w/va) and all-perva- 
sive (vibhn). Though the soul is present everywhere, 
consiousness and other special qualities attributed to it 
are produced within the sphere delimited by body 
(sarira) ; and this is the reason why body is described 
as the field of titman's experience (at memo bhogtiya- 
tanam sariram). 

According to Nyaya, dtman is of two kinds the 
individual soul (jlva) and the supreme Suul (paramat- 
jmw). Fourteen qualities are ascribed to the former 
vis.: number, size, contact, disjunction, separateness, 
cognition, pleasure, pain, desire, dislike, volitional 
effort, merit, demerit and reminiscent impressions; and 
eight qualities are ascribed to the latter viz. ; number, 
size, contact, disjunction, separateness, cognition, desire, 
and volitional effort. The Naiyayikas accept the 
supreme authority and infallibility of revealed texts 
(sruti) and recognise, on the authority of those texts, 
the existence of omnipotent and omniscient God. He 
should be brought under the class of substances called 
dtman, for the reason that he is the intimate substratum 
(samavayiii) of eternal knowledge. With a view to 
removing such doubts, misapprehensions and difficulties 
as may arise in this connection, the Naiyayikas seek to 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 79 



support their theistic doctrine, ultimately based on 
by means of syllogistic arguments. Udayanacarya of 
the tenth century A. D., who is the greatest champion 
of STyaya theism, suggests no less than eight syllogistic 
arguments in support of the Xyaya view that the whole 
creation is made by God who is omniscient, omnipotent 
and eternal. Earth and such other products (karya] 
constituting the created world should have been created 
by a conscious agent having a full and definite know- 
ledge of all the details relating to the required causal 
apparatus; and such an agent in the case of the whole 
creation cannot conceivably be a jlva (individual soul) 
and should therefore be the supreme Soul (Paramutman 
Isvara). At the beginning of creation (vr$/i), the 
volitional effort (y t atna) leading to the concretive 
activity (dyojana), which produced contact between 
two atoms, should be taken to inhere in a conscious 
being; and the concious being cannot be jlva and 
should be Isvara. The various planets are sustained in 
their position and do not sink down or dash against 
each other; this should be due to the sustaining effort 
(dhrii) of some conscious being, who is Isvara. The 
intelligent being, who is originally responsible for the 
first introduction (pada) into the world of certain 
indispensable crafts and arts like weaving and pot- 
making, cannot be jlva and should be taken to be 
Isvara. The infallibility of the Vedas depends on the 
unfailing validity of the knowledge derived from them; 
that knowledge is always valid on account of the 
eternal purity of the source from which the Vedas 
originated; and that source is the omniscient God. The 



80 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

vedic texts consisting of sentences should have been 
composed by some intelligent author; and that author 
of supreme intelligence is the omniscient God. The 
number 'two' (dvitvasoriifchyd), belonging to two 
atoms, is the cause of the size of dyads (dvyanuka} \ 
two and the higher numbers are all products resulting 
from the enumerative cognition (apcksdbuddhi) of the 
person who counts; and at the beginning of creation, 
such enumerative cognition could be attributed only to 
the omniscient God and to none else. All these eight 
arguments are summed up by Udayana in this verse 
(Kusumanjali V. 1): "Kdryayojanadhrtytideh padat 
pratyayatah sruteh; Vdkydt samkhydvisesdcca stidhya 
visvavidavyayah" 

it would be useful to compare the Nyaya view 
of dtman with the corresponding theories in other 
systems of Indian philosophy. In the Sarhkhya-Yoga 
system, there are innumerable souls (pnritsdh) and 
every purusa is an unrelated, attributeless, self-lumi- 
nous, eternal and omnipresent being who is identical 
with consciousness (cit). In the Yoga system, in 
addition to the ordinary pnrusa, God is recognised as a 
special type of purusa (purusavisesa'), who is not 
affected by any of the defects by which the ordinary 
purusa is affected and who is pre-eminently and eter- 
nally omniscient and functions as the first teacher of 
all the ancient teachers. The Bhattas and Prabbakaras, 
for all ostensible purposes, banished God from their 
systen 1 , for fear lest the sovereign authority and 
supreme pre-eminence of the Veda might be detracted 
from. The soul in the Bhatta system is the substratum 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 81 

of consciousness and the object of inner perception 
(manasapratyaksa), though cognition itself is only 
inferred and not perceived by the man as \ and in each 
body a different soul which is eternal and all-pervasive, 
is embodied. The Prabhfikaras also recognise differ- 
ent, eternal and all-pervasive souls in different bodies; 
and the soul, however, is not the object of mental 
perception (manasapratyaksa), according to their 
system. Expressions like 'I cognize myself (mam 
jdnami) are understood to refer to dtmau, not as the 
object (karma) of cognition, but merely as coming 
within the scope of cognition. The Prabhakara school 
holds that in every cognition, three factors are invari- 
ably presented viz., the object (visaya), the soul as 
knower or the substratum of cognition (jfiata), and 
the cognition itself (jnana-svarftpa). The followers 
of Sri Ramanuja and certain other Vaisnavas hold that 
the individual soul (jlva) is different in different 
bodies and is atomic in size (anuparimana). The 
Bauddha idealists would not recognise a permanent 
soul and would reduce it to momentary consciousness 
(ksanikavijnana) ; while the Jaina realists would make 
the soul commensurate with the body. The Advaitic 
monists hold that the individual soul (jiva), which 
appears to vary in association with mind (antahkaraya) 
and to partake of the latter's vicissitudes, is in fact 
identical with the immutable and absolute reality called 
Brahman. 

Mind (manas) is described by the Naiyayikas as 
the inner sense which directly apprehends pleasure, 



82 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

pain, cognition and such other perceptible qualities of 
the soul. To avoid confusion of one's experiences 
with those of another, it should be taken to be different 
in different individuals. On the ground that a percep- 
tual experience can arise only through some sense 
(indriya) being brought into relation with what is per- 
ceived, an inner sense (antarindriya) is inferred to 
account for the inner perception of pleasure, pain etc. 
One can have only one cognition at a time; v :': ., 
to the Naiyayikas, more than one cognition cannot arise 
simultaneously. This fact (yugapajjnananutpatti) is 
relied upon by Gautama as the chief argument to prove 
the existence of man as an an atomic substance. Aivnan 
is all-pervasive (vibhu) and comes into relation with all 
the senses and their objects at the same time. How 
are we then to account for the fact that two or more 
cognitions never arise simultaneously but come into 
being one after another? This has to be explained 
through the assumption ot a substance which can come 
into relation with only one of the external senses at a 
time; and this substance is the atomic manas ({para- 
manuparimanam man ah). The Nyaya-Vaisesika 
system ascribes eight qualities to manas number, 
atomic size, separateness, contact, disjunction, remote- 
ness, proximity and rapidity. The Prabhakaras agree 
with the Naiyayikas in the view that manas is an eternal 
atomic substance, but would not accept the view that 
dtman is the object of mental perception (man as a- 
pratyaksa). The Bhattas maintain that manas is all- 
pervasive and is in eternal contact with the all-perva- 
sive fitman; that dtman and manas, in contact with 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 83 

each other, function only within the sphere of the body 
(sarira) with which they happen to be associated; and 
that our experience is inconclusive and cannot be said 
to be such as would rule out the possibility of several 
cognitions arising at the same time. The Advaitins 
regard antaliJtarana or the inner instrument of know- 
ledge as a substance constituted by light (tejas) and 
maintain that it is not a sense (indriya) in the strict 
sense of the term and that its modifications (vrttayah) 
may assume a cognitive, volitional or emotional form 
according as circumstances vary. 

The unswerving fidelity of the Naiyayikas to 
realism in a strict sense is mainly responsible for the 
somewhat extreme views which they have chosen to 
adopt in regard to atman and manas. It would appear 
that the fundamental distinction between spirit and 
matter is either misled or ignored in the Nyaya theory 
which reduces atman to a mere substance and places it 
on a par with forms of dead matter like a stone, and 
which treats consciousness as a quality arising in atman 
under certain conditions. The Nyaya realist, however f 
would point out that his theory of atman is free from 
the weak holes through which the idealistic inundation 
may sweep away everything, such as, for instance, a 
shrewd mind might easily notice in the Samkhya view 
that the soul (piirusa) is identical with the self-lumi- 
nous consciousness. It should be remembered that the 
Naiyayikas have provided adequate safeguards against 
the materialist (carvaka) fraternising with them, in 
the facts that atman is always the seat of reminiscent 



84 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

impressions (bhdvana), merit (dhafma) and demerit 
(adharma) till the moment of final release and that, 
even after final release, dtman is the seat of the annihi- 
lation of all evils (dtyantikadiihkhadhvamsa) and not 
reduced to the form of an eternal stone, as some critics 
may fancy. Manas, in the Nyaya theory, is in no way 
better than any form of dead matter, except in respect 
of its fitness for a special kind of activity and of 
contact with atman\ and it is so in most of the other 
systems of Indian philosophy. It is, however, where 
the Nyaya theorist endeavours to maintain the eternity 
of dtman by making it all-pervasive (vibhu), that he 
allows himself to be tripped up by the Advaitic nionist, 
who would triumphantly draw attention to the ultimate 
merger which the recognition of innumerable all- 
pervasive souls might inevitably result in. It is here 
that the Nyaya theory of dtman stands foredoomed. 

It is suggested by some writers that neither 
Kanada nor Gautama could be said to have intended 
to give a place in their systems to the conception of 
God. But it would be difficult to believe that Kanada, 
who believed in seers and the immense scope and capa- 
city of their knowledge (drsajndna), did not believe in 
the existence of the omniscient God. There are good 
reasons to believe that Gautama, who would ascribe the 
authorship of the Veda, to the Greatest Apia (truth- 
speaker), took God for granted and that Uddyo- 
takara, Vacaspatimisra and others were right in 
suggesting that the refutation of God's causality 
in the fourth chapter of Gautama's sutras should 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 85 

be understood to have reference to the relation of 
material cause (npaddnakdrana) and effect, and not 
to that of the agent, an instrumental cause (nimitta- 
karana). It is also worthy of notice, in this connec- 
tion, that the Nyaya theory of creationistic causa- 
tion (dfambhavada) and the atomic theory would 
be incomplete and unintelligible in certain respects, 
without explaining, as Udayana points out, the first 
concretive activities of pairs of atoms to form dyads, 
by attributing them to the volitional effort of the omni- 
scient Creator, If the Naiyayikas had confined them- 
selves to the creationistic argument to prove the 
existence of God, their God would be reduced to a 
'demiurgic potter of the macrocosmic pot' (Brahmanda- 
ktiiala). But luckily for the Nyaya theism, Udayana- 
carya based many a theistic argument in his Kusumdn- 
jali on the moral values recognised in the Hindu 
society. In the history of Indian theism, that 
Udayana's theistic contribution is of particular value 
in demonstrating the extent to which theism may press 
reason into service where revelation fails, as in the 
case of anti-Vedic Buddhists, is a fact which every 
student of Nyaya should remember. It is this fact 
that emboldened Udayana to claim to be the saviour of 
the world's Saviour in the following verse which tradi- 
tion attributes to Udayana : 

"Aisvaryamadamatto'si mdmavajndya vartase \ 
"Upasthitesii bauddhesu madadhind tava sthiiih\\" 
In Thy almighty power, inebriate thou art and 
thou dost not care for me. But Thy very existence 
depends upon me, when the Bauddhas approach. 



86 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

13 

T Colour is the quality 
which is perceived only by the 
sense of vision. It is of seven 
kinds the seven varieties being 
white, blue, yellow, red, green, 
brown and vai legated. It is 
found in earth, water and 
light. Of these three, in earth, 
all the seven varieties are found. 
White colour, which is not 
brilliant, belongs to water. 
White colour, which is brilliant, 
belongs to light. 

14 

T Taste is the quality 
which is perceived by the sense 
of taste. It is of six kinds, the 
six varieties being sweet, acid, 
salt, pungent, astringent and 
bitter. It is found in earth and 
water. Of these two, in earth, 
all the six varieties are found ; 
while the sweet only belongs to 
water. 

15 

T Smell is the quality 
which is perceived by the sense 
of smell. It is of two kinds 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 82 

the fragrant and the non-frag 
rant. It is found in earth only 
16 

T Touch is the qualit; 
which can be perceived only tr 
the sense of touch. It is of thre< 
kinds the three varieties beinj 
cool, hot and lukewarm. It i 
found in earth, water and fire 
Of these three, to water belong 
the cool touch, the hot touch t< 
fire, and the lukewarm touch t< 
earth and air. 
17 

T The four qualitie 
beginning with colour are pro 
duced in earth through the appli 
cation of heat and are no 
eternal. In the case of othe: 
substances, they are eternal ir 
such of them as are eternal am 
they are not eternal in such oi 
them as are not eternal. 

The word 'only' in the definition of coloui 
excludes the sense of touch. Thus the definition 
amounts to this: that colour is quality which is per- 
ceived in the normal way by the sense of vision and 
does not come within the range of the normal percep- 
tion arising from the sense of touch. In this definition 
it is necessary to refer to 'normal visual perception*, 



88 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

since even smell and such other qualities may, accord- 
ing to the Naiyayikas, be brought within the range of 
the super-normal perception arising from the sense of 
vision. The word quality (ginia) in the definition is 
necessary and it excludes the jdti, colourness (rupalva), 
common to all the colours and the total negation of 
colour (riipdbhdva) ; for, a sense which peiceives an 
object perceives also its jdti and abhtiva under normal 
conditions and rnpatva and rufxlbhdva can thus be 
normally perceived by the sense of sight. The defini- 
tion of colour, as explained above, is not satisfactory; 
it is applicable to contact between a ray of light and a 
wall (prabh&bhittisamyoya), the contact in such cases 
being visible, though not tangible. To obviate this 
ativydfiti, the definition of colour has to be modified in 
this manner: 'Colour has the differentia of a species 
of gunas, which is normally visible but not tangible' - 
(''Tvagagrahyacaksnryrahyagiuiavibhajakopadhimat"). 
The definitions of taste, smell and touch set forth 
above have to be understood in a similar way. These 
pre-scientific classifications of colour and other qualities 
have only some historical and speculative interest. In 
the list of colours, the Naiyayikas have included the 
variegated colour (citrariipa) as a distinct variety. 
The reason why they have clone so is to be found in 
their theory of avayavin (composite structure), which 
is ultimately attributable to their creationistic view of 
causation. In the Nyaya theory, a composite product 
(avayavin) is entirely different from its component 
parts (avayava)', a cloth which is made up of threads 
of different colours, is seen as having a variegated 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 89 

colour; the different colours belonging to the threads 
cannot be said to produce the corresponding colours in 
the single composite whole, for the reason that colour 
is a pervasive (vya^yavrtti) quality, unlike the non- 
pervasive (avyapyavrtti) contact, which may be at once 
present arid not present in a composite unit, and for the 
reason that one composite unit can thus have only one 
colour; were it true that the cloth of variegated colour 
has no colour apart from those of the component 
threads, the composite cloth itself would be devoid of 
any colour and would therefore become normally invi- 
sible, visual perception ordinarily depending upon the 
presence of colour which is not sub-perceptional 
(amidbhfita) but perceptible (udbhuta) ; and on these 
grounds, in order to account for the visual perception 
of a variegated cloth, it becomes necessary to recognize 
variegated colour (citrarUpa) as a distinct variety of 
colour. In cases where a composite product is made 
up of component parts having different tastes or 
different smells, the avayarin itself has no taste or 
smell and the different tastes or smells that may be 
perceived belong to the avayavas. In such cases, there 
is no necessity for postulating any distinct variety of 
taste or smell known as citrarasa (varied taste) or 
citragandha (varied smell). 

Colour, taste, smell and touch admit of change in 
earth through baking (pdka), which is explained by 
the Naiyayikas as amomiJiiix to contact of a special 
kind with fire (vijdtiyatcjassaniyoya). The Vaisesika 
theorists hold that, when a pot is baked or when a 
mango ripens through heat, the composite products get 



90 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ni 

disintegrated down to the stage of atoms; the qualities 
of colour, taste, smell and touch in those atoms are 
destroyed by heat; and a different colour, taste, smell 
and touch are produced ; and then integration takes 
place, new dyads, triads and other composite products 
being formed in accordance with the adrstas of the 
individual souls concerned with such products. This 
theory of pdka is known as pilvpakavuda or 'the theory 
of atoms being burnt'. The Nyaya theorists, on the 
other hand, hold that composite products are left intact 
in pdka and are not disintegrated and that their colour 
and such other qualities are replaced by corresponding 
qualities of different species. This theory of paka 
maintained by the Naiyayikas is known as pitharafdka- 
uada or 'the theory of composite wholes being burnt/ 
It should be remembered, in this connection, that in the 
Nyaya- Vaisesika system, earth is the only substance 
which admits of the special process of burning called 
pdka, though contact with fire is quite possible in the 
case of any other substance. 

18 

T Number is the special 
cause of enumerative expres- 
sions, such as one, two and so 
on. It is present in all the nine 
substances and it is represented 
by numbers beginning from 
one and ending with parardha 
(one thousand croresof crores). 
Number one may be everlasting 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 91 

or non-eternal everlasting in 
everlasting substances and non- 
eternal in non-eternal substances. 
Number two and the higher 
numbers are non-eternal every- 
where. 

The -Nyaya-Vaisesika theory of 'number' is one 
of the instances of the realistic excesses of the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika ontology. Number is a quality (gitna) 
according to this system and is an objective reality. 
Number being a quality, how would the Nniyayikas 
account for propositions like 'there are twenty-four 
qualities' (catitrviiiisatirgnnah)? They would explain 
such propositions as referring to numbers co-existent 
with qualities in substances or as referring to the 
relation of objectness (visayata) between qualities and 
peculiar type of cognition known as cninneratirc 
cognition (apeksdbnddhi). According to the Nyaya- 
Vaisesika theory, two (dvitva) and the higher numbers 
are produced in the substances which are counted and 
come within the scope of cnumerative cognition 
(apeksdbnddhi). Apeksdbnddhi in this system is the 
cognition involved in the process of counting and it 
takes the form 'This is one; this is one; and thus these 
are two' (ay am ekati, ayam ekah, dhatya, dvau). 
Though a cognition lasts only for two moments 
(ftsana) and comes to an end in the third moment from 
its origin, apeksdbnddhi lasts three moments from its 
origin and comes to an end in the fourth moment. 
Why the exponents of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system 



92 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

allow a longer lease of life to apeksabuddhi than to 
other varieties of cognition requires some explanation. 
Apeksabuddhi is the cause of 'two' (dvitva) and the 
higher numbers. If apeksabuddhi were to come to an 
end at the third moment from its origin, dvitva would 
come to an end at the fourth moment of apeksabuddhi. 
Apeksabuddhi arises at a particular moment; at the 
next moment, dvitva arises, and may come into relation 
with an external sense say sight at that moment; the 
indeterminate perception of dvitvatva (dvitvatvanirvi- 
kalpaka} conies into being at the third moment and the 
determinate perception of dvitva arises at the fourth 
moment; if apeksabuddhi were to come to an end at 
its third moment, dvitva would cease to exist at the 
fourth moment, when it is actually seen; and to say 
that a thing is seen at the moment at which it ceases to 
exist is obviously absurd. In order to avoid this 
absurd result, the Nyaya-Vaisesika hypothesis of 
apeksabuddlii allows to it a life of three moments, its 
end taking place at the fourth moment from its origin 
and being followed at its fifth moment by the end of 
dvitva, which continues to exist and comes to be seen 
at the fourth moment. In Nyaya terminology ekatva, 
dvitva and such other terms ordinarily denote number 
(samkltya). and may, in certain cases, denote the rela- 
tion of being the object of a particular enumerative 
cognition (apeksabuddhi-visesa-visayatva). Ekatva 
may also be taken occasionally in a negative sense, 
when it is understood to mean uniqueness or 'being not 
seconded by another thing of the same species' (sva- 
sajanyadvitiyarahityam). In Vaisesika treatises like 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 95 

Sarhkaramisra's Sutropaskara, the process by which 
apeksdbnddhi originates and functions is described 
thus: "The sense concerned conies into relation with 
the thing in which dvitva is to be produced ; then the 
indeterminate perception of ekatvatva, common to all 
the numbers called ckatva, arises; then the co-ordinat- 
ing group-cognition (satnulialaJiibana) of two units of 
ckatva arises; then dvitva itself comes into being; then 
the indeterminate perception of dv'Uvatva, the jati 
common to all the numbers called dvitva > arises; then 
follows the determinate perception of dvitva; then the 
two substances having dvitva are cognized; and lastly 
such a cognition produces the corresponding impres- 
sion (saniskara) in the soul/' While ckatva is com- 
pletely contained in a single container (pratyeka- 
paryapta), dvitva and the higher numbers are partially 
contained (vyasajyarrtti) in each of the containers 
and completely contained only in groups of two and 
so on. 

The NySya conception of number more especially 
of two and the higher numbers as qualities inhering 
in substance may be described by the opponents of the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika realism and pluralism, as well as by the 
exponents of the modern school of Nyaya (navy a- 
ny&ya), as specimens of the warty overgrowths dis- 
figuring the complexion of Nyaya realism. But shrewd 
critics who can probe into the heart of Nyaya may be 
able to find in it an effective check to monistic thought 
which seeks to efface completely all the numbers and 
their metaphysical implications holding together the 
component parts of the social fabric. 



94 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

19 

T Size is the special cause 
of expressions pertaining to 
measurement. It is found in all 
the nine substances. It is of 
four kinds atomic, large, long 
and short. 
20 

T Separateness is the 
special cause of expressions 
such as 'this is separate from 
that'. It is found in all the 
substances. 

21 

T Contact is the special 
cause of expressions such as 
'these are in contact with each 
other/ It is found in all the 
substances. 

22 

T Disjunction is the 
quality which destroys contact. 
It is found in all the substances. 

23 

T Remoteness and proxi- 
mity are the special causes of 
expressions such as 'this is 
remote/ 'this is near'. They 
are found in the four substances 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 95 

beginning with earth and in 
Dianas. They are of two kinds, 
those that are due to time and 
those due to space. In a remote 
substance, spatial remoteness is 
found ; and in a substance lying 
near, spatial proximity is found. 
In an older person, temporal 
remoteness is found; and in a 
younger person, temporal proxi- 
mity is found. 

It will be seen that sections 18 to 21 and section 23 
in the text define number, size, contact, remoteness and 
proximity as special causes of the respective expressions 
which refer to them. The term vyavahdra is used in 
the text and is usually understood in the sense of 
'expression in words' or 'putting into words' (sabda- 
prayoga). One cannot say 'this is one' (ayamckah) 
or 'this is large' (ay am mahdn), unless the thing 
referred to has the attribute connoted by the words 
'one' (cka) or large (niahat). By elimination, the 
attribute ekatva or mahattvatzn be shown to be distinct 
qualities. In the case of the expressions referred to* 
our experience enables us to establish the relation of 
causality between them and the qualities connoted by 
the expressions used. God, time, space and adrsta 
(the unseen impressions resulting from good or bad 
deeds) are believed by the Naiyayikas to be common 
causes of all products; and to exclude these common 
causes (sadharanakarana) , the phrase asadharana- 



96 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

karana (special causes) is used in the definitions of 
number, size, contact etc. All these definitions are 
based on the supposition that the expressions referred 
to are all correct and should be taken in their popular 
sense. 

In the Nyaya-Vaisesika system, the size of the 
atoms called tyQrimawdalya and the size of all-perva- 
sive substances (vibhu") called paramawahativa are 
eternal. The cause which produces a size is the corres- 
ponding size of the component parts, as in the case of 
all the degrees of mahattva above that of a triad and 
below that of an all-pervasive substance; or it is the 
number (sanikhya) of the component parts, as in the 
case of the sizes of a triad and a dyad; or it is loose 
contact (pracaya) of the component parts as in the case 
of a ball of cotton. The two sizes denoted by the 
words 'long* and *short' (dirghatva and hrasvatva) 
may well be brought under mahattva and anutva and 
need not be recognised to be distinct varieties of size. 

The distinct position which separateness (prthak- 
tva) occupies in the list of qualities recognised by the 
Vaisesikas is dependent chiefly upon the view that the 
experience embodied in the proposition 'A jar stands 
out separate from a cloth' (ghatah patat prthak) should 
be distinguished from the experience embodied in the 
proposition 'A jar is not a cloth' (ghatah pato na) and 
that the former should be interpreted as an affirmative 
proposition referring to the positive entity called 
prthaktva and the latter as a negative proposition refer- 
ring to the negative category of reciprocal non-existence 
called anyonyabhava. Though the older Naiyayikas 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 97 

support this view, some of the Naiyayikas like Raghu- 
natha Siromani shrewdly see that this way of differ- 
entiating prthaktva from anyonyabhava would only 
amount to the recognition of some useless distinction 
without any real difference and they discard prthaktva 
along with similar useless qualities like remoteness and 
distance, which are merely temporal and spatial rela- 
tions involving a larger or smaller number of interven- 
ing contacts (Vide part III p. 14). 

It would be useful to refer again, in this connec- 
tion, to the remarks at pages 51 and 52 of part III, 
about the Nyaya conception of contact (samyoga) as a 
quality and as an external relation possible only 
between two substances. The N)5,ya theorists would 
not recognize contact between two all-pervasive sub- 
stances. Contact may arise from activity (kriya) or 
from another contact. The latter variety is to be 
found in the contact which arises between one's body 
taken as a whole and a book, when the book is held in 
one's hand; and this variety of s\ii'ii\'oya called samyo- 
gaja-samyoga is an inevitable result of the N}aya view 
that a composite whole (avayavin) is totally different 
from its component parts. The contact which arises when 
one hits with force is called abhiyhata (striking) and it 
causes sound or some activity resulting in disjunction 
between the things joined by such contact; and a con- 
tact which does not cause sound or does not cause some 
activity of the kind described is called nodana (push- 
ing). In the N>aya system, contact is a typical instance 
of a non-pervasive object (avyapyavrtti). Certain* 



98 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

things are spatially non-pervasive (daisikavyfipyavrtti) ; 
for instance, contact with a monkey (kapisamftoga) is 
spatially non-pervasive in the sense that it may be said 
to be present and not present in the same tree at the 
same time, with reference to its top and foot. In a 
similar way, all the producible things (jdwyapaddrtha) 
are temporally non-pervasive in the sense that they may 
be said to be present and not present in undivided time 
(Wahakala) , with reference to the periods preceding 
and following their production. Advanced students of 
Advaita may realise that the conception of avydpya- 
vrttitva developed by the Naiyfiyikas is, indeed, used by 
them as their life-belt when they have to save their 
realism from being drowned in the Advaitic deluge in 
which everything other than the absolute Brahman 
sinks down to the level of mithyd (unreal) and turns 
out to be relatively real in the sense that it co-exists 
with its own non-existence. 

The Vaisesika theorists argue that disjunction 
(vibhtiga) should not be equated with the negation of 
contact in any form; and the older Naiyfiyikas support 
them. Disjunction cannot be the antecedent negation 
of contact (samyoga'prdgabhdra) ; for, in cases where 
we have the experience 'these are disunited' (imau 
vibhaktau}, we do not have the experience 'these will 
come into contact with each other' (imait samynktau 
l)havisyo>ia\i). Disjunction cannot be the total negation 
of contact (samyogdiyantdbhdva) ; for, in that case, 
one should have the experience 'these two qualities are 
disunited' (imau gunau vibhaktau), but one never has 



CH.I] PERCMPTION 99 

such experience of vibhaga in the case of qualities. In 
every case of disjunction, one invariably realizes that 
contact is destroyed; but disjunction itself cannot be 
identified with loss of contact (samyoganasa}, for the 
reason that contact is also lost when one of the substan- 
ces in contact with each other happens to be destroy- 
ed and that, in such cases, one does not speak of dis- 
junction (vibhaga}. Loss of contact between two 
substances which continue to exist has to be accounted 
for. It cannot be the direct result of discretive move- 
ment (kriyd). For, in a case where a particular finger, 
as a result of its activity, comes into contact with a tree 
and the hand likewise comes into contact with the same 
tree as a result of its movement, the linger may be 
moved away from the tree and thus lose its contact 
with the tiee; in that case, one speaks of the hand also 
losing contact with the same tree; the movement of tiie 
finger may cause the loss of contact between the finger 
and the tree; and this movement does not belong to the 
hand and cannot, theiefore, have anything to do with 
the loss of contact between the hand and the tree. In 
such instances, the loss of ? a;;, \otja should be attributed 
to a cause other than movement (karma) and this 
cause is called vibhaga or disjunction. By a process of 
elimination, disjunction is brought under the category 
called guna. This argument set forth by the Vaisesikas 
to maintain that vibhaga is a distinct quality involves 
many an assumption which canLot be satisfactorily 
sustained. The later Naiyayikas realize the weak 
points in this argument and bring vibhaga under loss of 
contact (sathyoganasa). 



100 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PARTII? 

The qualities mentioned above, viz. number, 
size, separateness, contact, disjunction, remoteness 
and proximity, and fluidity and viscidity are capable, 
of being perceived by two of the external senses 
the sight and the touch. Sections 25 and 26 in the 
following text deal with fluidity and viscidity. 

24 

T Weight is the non-inti- 
mate cause of the first downward 
motion (of a falling substance) 
It is found in earth and water. 
25 

T Fluidity is the non-inti- 
mate cause of the first flow (of 
a fluid substance). It is found 
in earth, water and light. It is 
of two kinds natuial fluidity 
and artificial fluidity. Natural 
fluidity is found in water. Arti- 
ficial fluidity is found in earth 
and light. In certain varieties 
of earth like ghee, etc., fluidity 
of the artificial variety is 
brought about through contact 
with fire; and it is also found in 
gold and such other varieties of 
light. 

26 

T Viscidity is the quality 
which causes the lumping up of 



H. i] PERCEPTION 101 

powder etc., i.e. the particles 

of powder, etc., to adhere to each 

other. It belongs only to water. 

The above definitions of gurutva, dravatva and 

sneha have hardly any scientific value and they are 

based wholly on speculation resting upon certain popular 

notions. 'It should be noted that gurutva (weight)* 

according to Nyaya theorists, is beyond the range of 

sense-perception (atindriya). The Naiyayikas main- 

tain that, though oil and such other substances appear 

to have viscidity (sneha), it really belongs to water 

which forms part of those substances. 

27 



T Sound is a quality 
which is perceived by the ear. It 
belongs only to the ether. It is 
of two kinds viz., noise and 
alphabetic sound. Noise is found 
in a drum and alphabetic sounds 
form languages like Sanskrit. 

The Nyaya- Vaisesika theorists <li*!iiinnMi between 
inarticulate noise called dhvani and articulate alpha- 
betic sounds called varna. They further distinguish 
three varieties of sounds, in view of the three kinds of 
causes which may produce them. These three varieties 
are: (1) the sound caused by contact (samyogaja), 

(2) the sound caused by disjunction (vibhagaja), and 

(3) the sound caused by another sound itself (sabdaja). 
The first variety arises when a drum is beaten by a 
.stick; the second variety arises when a bamboo is split; 



102 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

and the third variety is to be found in the series of 
sounds successively arising in the akasa intervening 
between a drum, for instance, and the sense of hearing* 
In Indian philosophy, a considerable measure of specu- 
lative value is attached to the N>aya theory of sabdaja- 
sabda or series of successive and exactly similar sounds 
arising in a continuous chain, beginning with the first 
sound caused in the portion of ether delimited by the 
substance that is struck, such as a drum, and ending 
with the last sound that is caused in the portion of 
ether representing the sense of hearing and is actually 
heard. The Naiyayikas explain the way in which a 
sound-series is produced in auditory perception, by 
means of two illustrations vis., the illustration of 
'little wave and big wave* (vlcitaranganyuya) and the 
illustration of kadamba buds. These two illustrations 
suggest two ways of i \;>1, lining how a sound comes to 
be heard on all sides and in all the ten directions, in- 
cluding the intermediate points and up and down. A 
little circular wave springs up; around it a bigger wave 
arises; around it a still bigger wave and so on; in this 
way, a circular wave of sound is caused, around it a 
bigger sound-wave and so on, until at last a certain 
sound-wave is produced in such a way that it reaches 
the senses of hearing which may be fit and ready to 
hear in all the ten directions. In this explanation, there 
is only one series consisting of several circular sound- 
waves, each coming into relation with all the ten direc- 
tions. One kadamba filament which first shoots up, 
causes several kadamba filaments to shoot up simul- 
taneously in all the parts of a kadamba flower; in the 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 103 

same way, the first sound, produced at some point, 
causes ten sounds to spring up simultaneously in all the 
ten directions; and they cause ten other sounds to 
spring up in all the ten directions and so on; and thus 
the sound in question comes to he heard on all sides. In 
this explanation, the series of sabdaja-Sabdas consists 
of several groups of sounds, each group being taken to 
be a ten. In the illustration of kadamba bud, it should 
be remembered that each bud-like filament of a kadambQ 
flower is described as a bud in the phrases kadamba- 
mukulanydya and Jtadambakorakanyaya. The expla- 
nation suggested by the second illustration is consider- 
ed unsatisfactory and cumbrous. 

The Bhattas and Prabhakaras hold that alphabetic 
or articulate sounds (varnatmakasabda) are eternal. 
The former maintain that varna is an all-pervasive 
eternal substance (nityam vibhu dravyam} ; while the 
latter hold that varna is an eternal quality (n'ityaguna}. 
The Mimariisakas seek to support their view that varna 
is eternal by referring to the recognition which we are 
conscious of in the case of the same varna and which 
takes a form like this: 'This sound g which I now 
hear is the same as that g which I heard several times 
before' (So' yam gakarah). One can easily see the 
reason why the Mimarnsakas are particularly solicitous 
to maintain the theory of the eternity of varnas if one 
remembers that the Mimamsa theory of the eternity of 
the Vedas rests upon 'the eternity of varnas. The 
Vaiyakaranas hold that the transcendental substratum 
of varnas called sphota is real and permanent and that 



.104 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

varnas themselves are not permanent. The Nyaya- 
Vaisesika system maintains that every varna is caused 
and the Vedas themselves were produced by God, the 
recognition of the same varna like 'This g is that* 
(So'yam gakdrah) being interpreted as referring to the 
permanent jati called gatva and not to the same 
#-sound (ga-vyakti). 

28 

T (a) BuddJii and Jndna 
are the same thing, and stand for 
cognition which is the cause of 
all verbal expressions. It is of 
two kinds recollection and ex- 
perience. 

(fc) Recollection is the cogni- 
tion which is caused only by 
reminiscent impression. 

(c) All cognitions other 
than recollection come under ex- 
perience. There are two kinds 
of experiences, real and erro- 
neous. 

(d) The experience which 
cognizes an attribute as belong- 
ing to a thing which really has 
it, is real; and this is known as 
pTania (valid knowledge). 

(<?) The experience which 
cognizes an attribute as belong- 
ing to a thing in which it is not 
present, is erroneous. 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 105 

(/) Valid experience is of 
four kinds viz., perception, in- 
ference, assimilative experience 
and verbal experience. 

(#) The instrument of 
valid expel ience is also of four 
kinds the perceptive instru- 
ment, the instrument of infer- 
ence, assimilation, and sentence 
or proposition. 

Buddhi is an ambiguous term and it is used in 
various senses in Sanskrit philosophical literature. 
Sometimes it is used in the sense of antahkarana the 
inner organ of knowledge. It is also used in the sense 
of determination (niscaya), which is an aspect or 
modification of antahkarana, according to the 
Sariikhyas and Advaitins: and the connected words 
mail and manas are contrasted with bud d hi in this 
sense, the word matt being used in the sense of imagi- 
nation or imaginative cognition of something yet to 
come about (ii:a!inlf f m (linijoc { inl) and the word manas 
in the sense of a dubitative activity of antahkarana 
which corresponds to doubt (vimarsdlmakam nianah). 
The Naiyayikas are quite consistent and definite in 
their use of the term budrthi, and they always take it to 
be synonymous with matt, upalabdhi and jndna; and 
they take manas to be equivalent to antahkarana. 

In the text, Annambhatta's definition of buddhi 
can be explained in two ways. The former part of 
the text sarvavyavyharaheiuh may be taken to form 



106 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

the definition with the addition of the word guna 
(quality) and the tei m jnana in the text maybe under- 
stood as merely emphasizing the idea that there is no 
difference between jnana (knowledge) and buddhi 
(cognition). Or the latter part of the text jnanam 
buddhih may be taken to constitute a satisfactory 
definition of buddhi and may also be understood as 
incidentally emphasizing the idea that buddhi and jnana 
are identical. According to the first explanation, the 
definition of buddhi amounts to this "Cognition or 
knowledge is a quality which is the cause of all inter- 
communication through language/' As the oft-quoted 
dictum 'artham buddhva sabdaracawa" puts it, collo- 
cation of suitable words always follows ideas of things; 
and from this point of view, it is obvious that cogni- 
tion is the invariable and indispensable antecedent of 
intercommunication through speech. But this mode of 
defining cognition is defective for the reason that it 
does not cover cases of a peculiar type of cognition 
called indeterminate cognition (nirvikalpakajfiana), 
which does not involve any kind of relation and which 
can only be inferred and can never be embodied in any 
proposition. Nirvikalpakajnana is called avyapadesya 
and it does not admit of being embodied in words; so, 
it cannot be regarded as the cause of intercommunica- 
tion through expression; and thus the definition 
"sarvavyavahdrahctuli' is vitiated by the defect of 
avyapti (partial inapplicability or narrowness). In 
order to remove this defect, the usual device of j&ti- 
ghatitalaksana is resorted to and the scope of the defi- 
nition is increased in this modified form "Knowledge 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 107 

or cognition has a jati which is not found in colour and 
such other qualities and which is co-existent with the 
causality of intercommunication through speech". 
This is indeed a clumsy definition. Annambhatta him- 
self sees this and suggests in his Dipika that the former 
part of the text "sarvavyarahdruhctith' 9 may be taken 
to be merely explanatory and the latter part "jfianam 
buddhih" as the definition. In the Dipika, Annam- 
bhatta says "Janamityannvyavasuyayaviyam jnanatva- 
meva laksanam iti bhdvah." Thus ;icccnliiii: to him, 
Indnatva (cogniticnness), which is the generic attribute 
(jati) ^\ , , i :'.. , all cognitions, is the distinctive 
feature (asddhdranadharma) of cognition. He also 
suggests that the jdti l called jnanatva, is arrived at 
through the uniform experience of a cognition which 
invariably assumes a form like this 'I cognise a jar* 
(y hat am aham janami), or 'I cognise a cloth' ('pat am 
ahatu jdwami). In such cases, the speaker is aware 
of the fact that he is cognising ajar; or, in other 
words, he has the anuvyavasaya of his vyavasaya 9 \i\s 
cognition of a jar being called vyavasaya and his 
awareness or consciousness of snch cognition being 
called anuvyavasaya. It is only by a-Miming a generic 
attribute (jati), called jnanatva, as the common 
characteristic of all cognitions, that the uniformity in 
the anuvyavasaya referred to can be satisfactorily 
accounted for. And this jati may, with advantage, be 
taken to represent the distinctive feature of cognition. 
The phrase jnanam buddhih 9 , in the text under 
consideration is also to be understood as implying a 
refutation of the Sarhkhya view that buddhi, upalabdhi 



108 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

and jnana denote different things. In 1 1 15, 
Gautama, the author of the Nyaya-sutras, says that the 
terms buddhi (cognition), upalabdhi (apprehension), 
and jnana (knowledge) should be understood to signify 
-the same thing ( buddhirupalabdhirjhanamiiyanar- 
thdntaram). Vatsyayana, Vacaspati and Udayana 
interpret this sutra as refuting the Sarhkhya- view that 
these three terms denote entirely different things. In 
the Sarhkhya system, the term buddhi stands for the 
first evolute called inahattattva, the etymological mean- 
ing of the word buddhi being that which first springs 
up (V &wd/*=V ndbudh=io spring up) and that of the 
word jHoAaf being that which grows out of, and into 
something else (\/ uiah=to grow or evolve). This 
principle called bnddhi is the first evolute evolved out 
of the primordial matter, called mfilaprakrti, and is, in 
itself, but a form of dead matter. However, through 
proximity to the self-luminous consciousness (cit), 
called purusa, the mateiial evolute, buddhi, comes to be 
enlivened, as it were, by consciousness (cailanya) and 
undergoes various transformations, of which one of the 
most important is called adhyavasaya (determinative 
cognition). Adhyavasaya, in the Sarhkhya sense, 
usually takes the form "This should be done by me" 
(idam kartavyam may a). The Samkhyas describe 
buddhi, in its adhyavasaya phase, as consisting of three 
constituent factors (amsaftayavati buddhih). These 
three factors are the eyoic element (madamsah), the 
element of voluntary decision (kartavyamiti vyaparam- 
sah), and the objective element of this* (idaniamsah). 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 

The egoic element or madamsa, in the Sarbkhya termi- 
nology, is said to represent what is called punisoparaga, 
which is an unreal element cor. -I'M inn in the reflection 
of the absolutely passive and self-luminous cit called 
purusa, in the reflectory, mirror-like, matter called buddhi^ 
or which is the result of the erroneous identification of 
purusa with buddlri. The element of voluntary decision 
is a real 'factor and represents a real modification of 
buddhi. The objective element of 'this' (idawamsah), 
is but an objective modification of buddhi unfolding 
itself through the sense-organs; and this element is 
known as knowledge or cognition (jnana} and is real. 
Apprehension or upalabdhi is the relation between the 
objective factor, called visayoparagaand represented by 
idamaihsa and equated with jfiana, on the one hand, 
and the absolute purusa, on the other; and upalabdhi is 
thus an unreal factor, for the reason that purusa, ac- 
cording to the Samkbyas, cannot be conceived of as 
having any real relation. The well-known illustration 
of a mirror being held before a person's face is used in 
this connection by the Sarhkhyas to explain these dis- 
tinctions. When a mirror is held before the face of a 
person, the reflection of the face is seen through the 
mirror. If that person happens to breath out on the 
surface of the mirror, the surface looks dim and the re- 
flected image of the face also looks dim. One may 
fancy, in these circumstances, that the face also is dim. 
In this illustration, the dimness caused on the surface 
of the mirror is real and the fancied relation between 
this dimness and the face itself that is reflected in the 
mirror is unreal. Similarly, jndna which is the cogni- 



110 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PARTIH 

live modification of the first e volute (buddhi), is a real 
factor; and it conies to have a false relation with puru- 
sa through his reflection in buddhi, in the same 
way as the dimness of the mirror comes to have a false 
relation with the real face through its reflection. This 
false relation is called upalabdhi (apprehension). It 
will be seen that, in the Sarhkhya theory, jnCma is 
entirely material in its nature and origin and becomes 
apparently spiritualised to some extent when it comes 
to have a false relation with purusa,', and this false 
relation with the spirit is called upalabdhi and is 
presented in experiences like 'I apprehend' (aham 
upalabhc). The Naiyayikas contend that the sub- 
stratum of voluntary decision (krti) ought to be regard- 
ed as the substratum also of knowledge or cognition 
(jndna) which there is hardly adequate reason to distin- 
guish from consciousness (cailanya) or apprehension 
(upalabdhi). This contention is embodied in Gautama's 
sutra " uuddhirupalabdhirjildnaniityanarthdntaram " ; 
and students of Nyaya, are reminded of the view embo- 
died in this sutra, when they consider Annambhatta's 
statement jntinam bnddhih ". 

Cognition is first divided into two main heads 
recollection (smrti) and experience (anubhava). 
Annambhatta defines recollection as a cognition caused 
solely by impressions. The impressions referred to 
here are reminiscent impressions (bhdvand) derived 
from prior cognitions. In this definition, the word 
'solely' (jndtra) is intended to exclude recognition 
(pratyabhijnd), which is a perceptual experience 
(pratyaksa) arising through the relation of a sense- 



CH.X] PERCEPTION 111 

organ with some object (indriydrt/iasarnikarsa) and 
through reminiscent impressions derived from a prior 
cognition of the same object. 'This is that person* 
(so'yam purusdh) : cognitions of this type are ins- 
tances of recognition and should not be confounded 
with cases of recollection. {While the Advaitins and 
Bhattas would explain riTngnitinn (pralyabhijfiu) as a 
cognitive complex consisting of two parts, one repre- 
senting perceptual experience (pratyaksa) and the 
other recollection (smarana), the Naiyayikas, as 
champions of consistency, would not accept such 
explanations and would banish from their world all such 
centaurian and monstrous complexes. Thus, in the 
N}fiya theory, it has become necessary to bring recog- 
nition under perceptual experience of a special type 
and to exclude it from the scope of the definition of 
recollection (swrti). The Nyaya theory of smrtt is 
that certain kinds of cognition, which are different from 
indifference (upeksd), invariably leave reminiscent 
impressions (bhuvanaritpasawskara) in at man and that 
these impressions are kindled up under certain condi- 
tions and cause recollection. Every group of reminis- 
cent impressions causing a recollection comes to an end 
immediately after its effect is produced. But this 
would not mean that after once recollecting ><>;:, i ihing, 
it would no longer be possible to recall it again to 
memory; for, every recollection would, in its turn, 
cause a reminiscent impression. Thus, according to 
the older Nyaya theory, every recollection, even when 
it relates to the same object, is caused by a different set 
of reminiscent impressions. Later Naiyyikas and 



112 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

Advaitins, on the other hand, hold that the recollections 
of the same object are all produced by the same set of 
reminiscent impressions, which merely acquire enhanced 
intensity through every recollection. Cognitions which 
admit of being reproduced in memory through reminis- 
cent impressions are classified under three heads by the 
Vaisesikas and Naiyayikas of the older school: 
patupratyaya, abhyCisapratyaya and adarapraiyaya. 
The normal type of cognition which involves the mini- 
mum degree of attention sufficient to ensure reprodu- 
cation in memory is called 'vivid cognition' (patupra- 
tyaya}. By repeatedly revolving a certain idea in one's 
mind, one comes to have what may be called 'repeti- 
tional cognition' (abhyasapratyaya}. When one's mind 
gets riveted to a wonderful or extraordinary object, 
the cognition that arises is known as 'regardful cogni- 
tion' (adarapratyaya}. All the cognitions other than 
recollection (stnrti) are technically known as anubhava* 
This technical use of the term unubhava is common in 
sfistraic literature and it has to be rendered by the 
English equivalent 'experience'. In its technical sense, 
as used in Nyaya- Vaisesika literature, it may denote 
any kind of experience direct or indirect, perceptual 
(pratyaksika), or inferential (anuw&nika), or verbal 
(s&bda). In some places, the word anubhava is 
somewhat loosely used in the sense of direct experience 
or direct realization. Students of Nyaya should take 
care to avoid confusion between these two uses of 
word anubhava. 

Anubhava is divided in Nyaya literature into real 
(yathartha) and unreal (ayathartha). The first variety 



CH.I] PERCEPTION US 

is also called pram& and the second variety is also called 
bhrama. The etymology of the term pramd draws 
attention to the fact that the experience denoted by that 
term is sound or valid, as the prefix pro, indicates. The 
etymology of the term bhrama draws attention to the 
fact that the thinker's mind goes astray in every case 
of erroneous experience. The term yathartha means 
exactly corresponding to the object; and the definition 
of valid experience, that it cognises an attribute as 
belonging to an object which really has it, is directly 
based on the meaning of the term yathdrtha; and 
likewise, the definition of erroneous experience, that it 
cognizes an attribute as belonging to an object which,, 
in fact, does not have it, is based on the meaning of 
the term ayathartha. To cognize a piece of silver lying 
before one as a piece of silver (purovartini rajate 
'idam rajatam 9 iti pratltih) is valid experience; and to 
cognize a shell, or mother of pearl, or nacre as it is 
called, as a piece of silver (hiktau 'idam rajatam 9 iti 
prat) tih) is erroneous experience. 

In order to understand correctly the definitions of 
valid and erroneous experiences, as given in the text, it 
is necessary to acquire some knowledge of the termi- 
nology by which the Naiyayikas indicate the content of 
a cognition, with a measure of quantitative precision 
which is nor ordinarily achieved through English ex- 
pression. Every determinate experience involves an 
objective complex as representing its objective con- 
tent. The objective content of cognition is called 
visaya (objective) ; the cognition itself is known as 
visayvi (subject) ; and the relation between a cognition 

8 



114 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

and its object is known as visayavisayibhdva (subject- 
object-relation). In the Nya>a-Vaisesika system, this 
is conceived of as an external relation between two 
distinct relata which are two realities connected with 
each other for the time being. The problem of the 
relation between the subject (visayin=jndna) and 
object (visaya) is solved by the Naiyayikas in this 
way. Objects like a jar or a piece of cloth exist out- 
side the sphere of cognition (jiiana) as realities inde- 
pendent of cognition. Through visayata (objectness), 
which is a kind of self-linking relation (svarupasam- 
bandha) and is merely a phase of the object cognized, 
an object comes into relation with cognition, which has 
the correlated counterpart of visayaid known as 
visayitd (subjectness). Visayitd is also a kind of 
self-linking relation and is merely a phase of the 
visayin which cognizes. The Nauayikas hold that, 
while several realities n ay exi.st independently of cog- 
nition, the latter never exists independently of, and as 
dissociated from, the objects that arc cu:;ni/id ; and this 
is regarded by the N)fi\a theorists "s a state of things 
fatal to idealism. They forget, however, that their 
realism ultimately rests upon experience and what is 
relied upon as the only guarantee of the objective rea- 
lity of the external world is the content or form which 
is involved in experience, and which idealism or sub- 
jectivism can easily merge in cognition. 

The Nyava relation of visayavisayibhava involves 
two correlated parts known as visayaid (objectness) 
and visayitd (subjectness) and the correlation of these 
two parts is denoted by the word nirupita. The 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 113 

objective content of a ^ determinate cognition or judg- 
ment is constituled by three parts, vis., the principal or 
leading concept called viscsya (substantive), one or 
more subordinate concepts called visesana or prak&ra 
(adjunct), and a relation (samsarga^ connecting the 
visesana and visesya. These three parts form the 
complex object (z'isaya) of a judgment; the aspect of 
visayatd which belongs to the viscsya is called viscsyatd 
(substantiveness) ; that which belongs to the vises ana 
is called viscsanatd (adjunctness) ; and that which 
belongs to samsarya is called .^(uii^arijatC: (relation- 
ness). In ihe judgment 'the cloth is red* (raklah 
patah), cloth i-> the visesya, red col ur is presented as 
the visesana, and the relation between the redness and 
cloth is inherence (samavtiya) and that is presented as 
the samsarya. The visayatd which belongs to these 
three things is presented in three forms, viz., viscsyata, 
visesanatd or prakarata and samsaryatd. These three 
aspects of visayatd are correlated to each other and to 
the visayita (subjectness) which belongs to the cogni- 
tion in which they are presented. The correlation of 
these factois is expressed in Sanskrit by the symbolic 
terms nirupaka and ninlpya. The boundary of each of 
the objective factors is exactly defined by a reference 
to the delimiting feature which is also presented in the 
cognition under consideration. In the example referred 
to, cloth is presented as visesya, not under the aspect 
of dravyatva (substanceness), but amder the specific 
aspect of patatva (clothness) ; red colour is presented 
as vUesana or prakdra, not under the aspect of gunytva 
.{qqalityness), but Under the specific jaspect of raktatva 



116 A PKIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

(red-colourness) ; and samavayo (inherence) is pre- 
sented as samsarga, not under the aspect of samban- 
dhotva (relationness), but under the specific aspect of 
samavayatva (inherenceness). The required specifi- 
cations in these cases are made by referring to patatva, 
raktatvanml samavayatva as the delimiting adjuncts 
(avacchedaka) respectively of the viscsyata in the 
cloth, the prakarata in the red-colour and the samsar- 
gatd in inherence. Thus by a clever use of the terms 
avacchedaka (delimiting), ayacchedya or avacchinna 
(delimited), and nirupaka or nirupila (correlating or 
correlated), in the instance taken for illustration,. 
viz., the judgment 'raktah pat ah' (the cloth is red), 
the objective content may be described in the following 
way, with a considerable measure of quantitative pre- 
cision : "It is a ((/Bullion whose visayita (subject- 
ness) is correlated to the viscsyata (substantiveness) 
delimited by clothness (patatva), the viscsyata in its 
turn being correlated to the prakarata (adjunctness) 
delimited by red-colourness (rakta-rapatva), and the 
sariisargata (relationness) correlated to the said praka- 
rata and viscsyat& being delimited by inherenceness 
(samavayatva). The Sanskrit expression which 
exactly describes the objective content of the judgment, 
the cloth is red* (raktah patah), may be set forth 
thus : " raktatvdvacchinnaprakaratanirupita patatva- 
vacchinnaviSesyataniriipita samavayatvavacchinna- 
samsargatanifupita visayitat&li jndtiam". In this way 
the disposition of the component factors of the objec- 
tive content of a cognition is exactly indicated by 
means of the symbolic words avacchedaka and 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 117 

The definitions of ffama and bhrama, as given in the 
text, are somewhat defective, since they do not indicate 
correctly the correlation between the visesyatd and 
prakdratd. In the definition of pramd, for instance, as 
given in the text, the substantive having a certain 
attribute is referred to as viscsya and the particular 
attribute as prakdra. This amounts to saying that in 
Pramd, if silverness is presented as prakdra, silver 
having silverness (rajatatva) in it is also presented as 
vtiesya. Though, for all practical purpose?, this looks 
like a correct definition of pramd, it would break clown 
when considered in the light of certain group-cogni- 
tions (samiihdlambana), in winch two or more sub- 
stantival factors (visesya) are presented as co-ordinate 
objects associated witli certain adjuncts. Nacre and 
silver (sukti and rajata) may both be present in a cer- 
tain place; a gioup-cognition, which at once mistakes 
nacre f >r silver and silver for nacre, may arise; it is a 
sajnuhdlambanabhraina which takes the form. ''These 
are silver and nacre" (ime rajatasitkti) ; the definition 
of pramd as given in the text would be applicable to 
this case of bhrama for the reason that silverness 
(rajatatva) and nacreness (suktitva) are presented as 
attributes (prakdra) and the two things, nacre and 
silver, which really have the two attributes mentioned, 
are presented as leading concepts (visesya). There is 
nothing in the definition of pramd, as given in the text, 
which would exclude such cases of samuhalambana- 
bhrama. To exclude such cases, it is necessary to point 
out that the adjunctness (prakdratd) of the attribute 
presented in a valid cognition is correlated with the 



118 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

substantiveness (visesyata) of the thing really having 
that attribute. In the erroneous group-cognition (sannl- 
halambana) above referred to, the substantiveness of 
nacre is not rightly correlated with the adjunctness of 
nacreness but wrongly correlated with the adjunctness 
of silverness; and similarly the adjunctness of 
nacreness and the substantiveness of silverness are 
wrongly correlated with each other. A correct des- 
cription of this erroneous group-cognition in accord- 
ance with the technical terminology of the Nai^ayikas 
would facilitate a correct appreciation of these remarks. 
This samuhalambana may be described thus in 
Sanskrit: 

"rajatatvanistha-prakaratdnirupita- sukiinistha- vi- 
sesyata ckd, suktitvanistha-prakarataniriipita-rajatonis- 
thaviscsyatd apara, etddrsavisesy itadva\anirupita-visa- 
yitasdli 'ime suktirajate' iti saniuh&lanibanam." 

Thus it will be seen that the correct and complete 
definition of prama or valid cognition is that it is a 
cognition in which the thing that is presented as sub- 
stantive (v sesya) has the attribute which is presented 
as adjunct (prakara) and the substantiveness (vife- 
syatd) of the former is presented as correlated with the 
adjunctness (prakdratd) of the latter. For a similar 
reason, the definition of bhrama, as given in the text, 
should be amplified with a view to securing greater 
precision. A bhrama is an erroneous cognition in 
which the thing that is presented as substantive 
(visesya) does not have the attribute presented as 
adjunct (Prak&ra), though the substantiveness 
(visesyata) of the former is presented as correlated 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 119 

with the adjunctness (praktiratd) of the latter. This 
definition would he applicable to cases of erroneous 
cognition like 'this is silver* (idam rajatam), where 
nacre is mistaken for silver; and it also excludes cases 
of valid group-cognition (sawuhalambanaprama) like 
'these are silver and nacre* (imc rajatasuktl), where 
both silver and nacre are seen as such and not con- 
founded with each other. 

In this connection, it is desirahle to say a few 
words ahout the way in which the Nyaya theorist 
solves the problem of knowledge and the connected 
questions of truth and error. The realism of Nyaya, 
which recognizes complete difference (bheda) between 
the object (visaya) and subject (visayin) or between 
the known object (jncya} and the cognizing knowledge 
(jnana) lias inevitably to face UK* piobiem of truth and 
error and to suggest some solution which may be con- 
sistent with the Nyaya theory. If the jneya should be 
wholly different f rom jnuna, lu w is the gulf between 
these two real factors to be bridged over, seeing that 
they are fundamentally different? How is knowledge 
possible at all? Knowledge is a real factor and its 
object is also a real factor existing independently of 
knowledge. To a Naiyayika, esse can never be pcrcipi. 
If it is the nature of knowledge, as the Naiyayika con- 
tends, to come into relation with a real object existing 
outside knowledge, what is it that bridges over 
the gulf between these two factors? The Nyaya 
theorist who recognizes a scheme of external relations 
finds it easy to point out that through the self-linking 



120 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

relation (svarupasambandha) of subject and object 
(visayavisayibhava} 9 the cogipzid reality (jfieya) and 
the cognizing reality (jfiawa) cnn Le brought together. 
The secret of the N\aya conception of svariipasam- 
Sandha is that relation is but a phase of reality and 
every real object involves that phase. From the N>aya 
point of view, it is perfectly inuiii^ihlc that knowledge 
is knowledge of a real object external to it and is not 
simply knowledge of ideas which are only copies of ob- 
jects. It is one of the advantages of the Nyaya concep- 
tion of relation being wholly external that the Naiya- 
yikas can account for cognition without the mediation 
of ideas as idealists and subjectivists find it necessary 
to do. So, in Nyaya epistcmology, it may be said that 
the Naiyayika has no difficulty in solving the problem 
of knowledge, the term knowledge being understood as 
cognition of objective reality, while there is real diffi- 
culty in ' for the difference between truth and 
error, or valid cognition and erroneous cognition, con- 
sistently with the realistic standpoint oi Nyaya meta- 
physics, not to speak of the difficulties involved in the 
Nyaya theory of external relation. In a valid cognition 
like 'this is silver' (idam raj at am), where silver is seen 
correctly as silver, the Naiyayika contends that its 
objective content exactly corresponds to the external 
realities represented by the attribute 'silverness', the 
thing possessing that attribute, vis., silver, and their 
relation of inherence (samardya). It should be re- 
membered here that according to N>aya epistemology, 
the objective content of a cognition is not contained in 
cognition but exists outside it and it is called 'content* 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 121 

only in the sense that the relation of object and subject 
(visaya and visayin) connects it with jiidna. In a 
valid cognition, the exact correspondence between 
jnana and jncya, as already explained, consists in the 
correct correlation of the phases of visayavisayibhdva, 
viz., adjunctness (prakdratd), substantiveness (vise- 
syatd) ai.id relationness (samsargatd). In an errone- 
ous cognition like 'this is silver' (idatn rajatam), 
where nacre (su /f mother of pearl) is mistaken for 
silver, the objective content does not exactly corres- 
pond to the external realities represented by silverness, 
silver and their relation; and the lack of correspond- 
ence in such cases is due to a wrong correlation of the 
phases of visayavisayibhava, the a< junctness (prakd- 
ratd) of the real silverness \vhich belongs to the real 
silver existing elsewhere being erroneously correlated 
with the substantiveness (vise sy at a) which belongs to 
the nacre presented as id am (this). Thus, a careful 
analysis of the Nyaya definition of pramd nnd bhrama 
would make it clear that the Naiyfuikas are prepared 
to regard truth and error us rmixi.MJng in correspond- 
ence and lack of correspondence with objective reality. 

The Nyaya theory of bhrama is known as anya- 
th&khydtiv&da or the theory which explains erroneous 
cognition as misapprehension of one thing as another 
thing. In the phrase anyathakhyati, the term khydti 
means 'cognition' and anyathd means 'otherwise than 
what it is'. When nacre is wrongly seen as silver, the 
erroneous cognition that arises takes the form 'this is 
silver' (idam rajatam). Here, 'this' stands for nacre 



122 A PRIMER OF INDJAN LOGIC [PART m 

lying in front of the knower; and it is first seen as a 
white piece and not as nacre, the distinctive feature of 
nacre being missed cither through some defect in sight 
or in the particular situation in which the visual per- 
ception arises. The visual perception of racre as 'this* 
(idam) arises in the ordinary way, through laukika- 
scwnikarsa or through the normal sense-relation of 
contact between the sense and the object seen. The 
real silverness (rajatatva), which belongs to the real 
silver existing elsewhere, is presented in this visual 
perception as the attribute of nacre seen as 'id am 9 in a 
general form; neither the real rajata nor the real 
rajatatva could be said to be connected with the sense 
of sight through normal sense-relation (laukikasauni- 
karsa) ; and without sannikarsa (sense-relation) being 
established between the sense-organ concerned and the 
object to be perctivcd, perception cannot arise. So, 
the Naiya>ikas hold that the real silver and silverness 
come to be connected with the sense of sight through an 
extra-normal t) pe of sense-relation (alaitkikasanni- 
karsa) which is called jnanalaksanapratyasatti (sense- 
relation represented by cognition). The details relating 
to the different kinds of extra-normal sense-relation 
causing extra-normal perception will be fully explained 
under section 30, infra. In the present instance of 
erroneous cognition, features like white colour and 
brightness, wi.ich nacre possesses in common with 
silver, are noticed; they remind the knower of the real 
silver and silverness which he might have seen else- 
where; and the recollection (smrti) of the real silver- 
ness (rajatatva) constitutes the exta-normal relation 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 12$ 

represented by cognition f jiidnalaksanapratydsatti), 
which brings silverness within the scope of the visual 
sense seeing nacre as 'this 1 (tWaw?) in the ordinary way. 
Thus, according to the Naiyayika*, the visual mis- 
apprehension of nacre as silver is an extra-normal 
variety of visual perception (alaukikacdksusa). It 
may he noted here that the proposition 'One thing is 
mistaken for another' (any at any at lid grhyate), which 
brings out the meaning of the technical phrase anyatha- 
khydti, is interpreted in two ways in Nyaya literature. 
The earlier Naiyayikas like Vacaspatimisra would take 
this proposition to mean 'One reality is mistaken for 
another reality' (sadantaram sadantaratmand grhyate) ; 
while later Naiyayikas like Garuresopadhyaya would 
take it to mean, 'A real object which does not have a 
certain attribute is mistaken in an extra-normal percep- 
tion as having that attribute, which exists elsewhere' 
(tadubhCivavat vaslu [nival jndyatc). 

Students of Nyaya epi*>temology cannot adequate- 
ly estimate the phil sophical value of the Nyaya theory 
of anyathdkhydti without comparing it to some extent 
with the theories of bhrama (khyativ&da) propounded 
by the other schools of Indian philosophy. There are 
five theories of bhrama; viz., the theory of self -appre- 
hension (dtmakhydti), the theory of non-being's appre- 
hension (asatkhydti), the theory of non-apprehension 
(akhydti), the theory of misapprehension (anyathd- 
khydti), and the theory of indefinable^ apprehension 
(anirvacanly akhydti). The Yogacara school of Bud- 
dhism, otherwise known as the Vijfianavada school, 
explains erroneous cognition as consisting in (he 'self* 



124 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

which is identical with consciousness, externalising 
itself in the form of objects like silver; all determinate 
cognitions of objects, according to the Yogacara 
subjectivists, are erroneous; this theory otbhramais 
called atmakhyativada (theory of self -apprehension). 
The nihilistic school of Buddhists, otherwise known as 
the Madhyamaka school, explains bhrania as consisting 
in the cognition of a non-being (asat) ; in the case of the 
erroneous cognition 'this is silver* which arises where 
there is no silver, the object of the cognition is a non- 
being (asat) ; on the strength of experience, even non- 
being should be taken to admit of being cognized; this 
theory of bhrama is known as asatkhydtivada. The 
P^abhakara school of Mimarhsakas explains all cases of 
btirama as cases of non-apprehension. They contend 
that, in the cognition of silver where only nacre is seen, 
two cognitions arise in fact, one cognition being the 
perception of nacre in a general way as this (idam) 
and not as ; ; -- : the distinctive feature of 
nacreness, and the other cognition being the recollection 
of silver previously cognized elsewhere. The recollec- 
tion of silver in this case is not identified by the knower 
as recollection, but is cognized by him merely as cogni- 
tion, since the object of recollection viz., silver is 
thought of merely as stiver, stripped of its association 
with past time and the particular place where it was 
seen. The Prabhakaras describe such recollection by 
the phrase frramustatattakasmarana or 'recollection of 
an object robbed of its thai-ness. 9 In certain other 
cases of bhrama like 'the conch is yellow' (pitah 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 125 

sankhah), the Prabhakara theorist explains that two 
imperfect perceptions arise, one being the visual 
perception of a conch as such, its real colour being 
missed, and the other being the visual perception of 
the yellow colour of the bilious matter which causes 
jaundice (pittadravyapitima) , the relation of the yellow 
colour to the bilious substance being missed. Thus in 
all cases of bhratna, two distinct cognitions either a 
perception and a recollection or two perceptions arise; 
their distinction is missed; and the difference between 
objects comes to be missed for the time being; as a 
result of such non-discrimination, volitional decision 
(pravrtti or y&tna) leading to voluntary activity arises;, 
a voluntary activity with a view to seizing the object of 
bhrania, such as silver, folows; the knower in such cases,, 
acting on his knowledge, realises through his experience 
that his activity has become futile, as he finds only 
nacre on the particular spot and no silver at all; and ia 
those cases, in view of the fact that the volitional 
decision {pravrtti) of the knower concerned leads to a 
futile activity, the cognitive antecedent of such a futile 
pravrtti is technically called bhrama. It will be seen 
that, while the Prabhakaras are prepared to give a place 
to the term bhrama in their vocabulary, they maintain- 
that all experiences are valid (anubhutih prama) and 
that the so-called cases of bhrama are only undiscri- 
minated jumbles of cognitions whose objects also happen 
to be undiscriminated for the time being (jnanayoh 
visayayosca vivekagrahat bhramah). In other words, 
according to the Prabhakaras, to experience is to 
experience validly and to err in experience is to expert* 



126 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

<ence imperfectly, though validly, the imperfection con- 
sisting merely in non-discrimination and not in 
misapprehension. The Nyaya theory of anyathdkhyati 
has already been explained. The Bhattas, for all 
practical purposes, adopt the Nyaya theory of bhrama, 
with this difference that they describe a bhrama as 
viparitakhydti or contrary experience; that they do not 
account for bhrama through extra-normal sense-rela- 
tion; and that the relation (saihsarya) between nacre 
and silverness (Yajaiatva) or 'fc/aMand rajatam' ('this' 
and 'silver'), in the case of the misapprehension of 
nacre as silver, is a non-being (asat). Among the 
Vedantins, those of the dualistic school (dvaitinaty) 
maintain what they call their own version of anyathd- 
khyati and contend that, in cases of erroneous experi- 
ence like suktirajatabhrama, the silver which is 
presented in bhrama is non-being out-and-out 
(atyantdsat) within the sphere of nacre, though it is 
real elsewhere; and the chief argument in support of 
this view is that the siiblaiing cognition (bddhaka- 
pratlti), which arise* later takes the form "There 
was no silver at all here in the past; it is not here now; 
and it will never be here in the future" (natra rajatam 
dslt, asti, bhavisyati), and it totally denies the existence 
of silver. within the sphere of nacre in the past, the pre- 
sent and the future. The Vedantins of the Visistadvaita 
school adopt the Prabhakara theory of akhyati with 
certain modifications and their version of akhydti is 
known as 'non-apprehension cum apprehension of 
reality 9 (akhyatisamvalita-satkhyati). Sri Ramanuja 
and his foJJovvers hold that the object of bhrama is 



H. i] PERCEPTION 127 

always real and there is strictly speaking no invalid 
cognition at all. In the perception of nacre as silver, 
it is the silver which is included among the component 
parts of nacre that is seen. They assume that subs- 
tances which are similar must have some component 
parts in common, that silver is made up of parts of 
nacre and parts of silver and is called silver because 
the constituent parts represented by silver predominate; 
that in the constitution of nacre, likewise, the pre- 
domin; ting part is represented by nacre and there is a 
small portion of silver; and that this small portion of 
silver it is, that happens to be seen when nacre is seen 
as silver. Thus according to the school of Sri Rama- 
nuja, a person who errs in cognition really blunders 
into a subtle truth which, under normal conditions, is 
mi.^sed or ignored. 

A critical student of Indian philosophy would find 
reason to be dissa f isfied with every one of these 
theories of bhiama. The non-existent or mm-! ring 
(ova/) is an absolute zero and cannot be perverted in 
any experience, though the Madhyamakas insist that 
we are helpless in the matter and have to nrogni/.c the 
possibility of asat being presented in experience on the 
strength of experience itself. The Yogacara idealist 
endeavours to improve upon the nothin^istic explana- 
tion of the Madhyamakas by saying that consciousness 
comprises its configuration (sdkdram vijfianam), and 
in its externalised form, it is presented in itself as its 
object. But one can easily see that this explanation in- 
volves a number of inconsistencies. The Nyaya realist 
realizes that nothing but reality (sat) adimtsotbt'mg 



128 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

presented in experience; he explains that error consists 
in i>inf->;iihlin^ one reality with another reality and 
complicates his theory hy trying to bring the absent 
reality within the range of the sense-or^an concerned 
through the extra-normal relation (a'aukikasannikarsa) 
represented by some form of cognition itself (jfiana- 
laksanapratydsatti). The Bhatta realists, while adop- 
ting the theory of onyathukhytiti, find it necessary to 
accommodate themselves to the asatkhyuti theory, in 
holding that the samsarga element in the apprehension 
of nacre as silver and in such other cases is a non-being 
(asat). The Prabhakara realist sees the danger of 
compromise with the asatkhyuti on the one side, and on 
the other side, sees how the Nyaya theory that one 
reality is presented as another reality (sadantaram 
sadantardttnand grhyate) would inevitably reduce 
itself to a variety of asatkhydti for the obvious reason 
that one reality never exists (is asat) in the form of 
another reality. In order to avoid these difficulties 
the Prabhakara realist adopts the extreme theory of 
akhydti. Though this is the only theory which could 
be said to be perfectly consistent with realism, it is not 
adequate to account for the volitional decision 
(Pravrtti) and the further activity that follows a 
bhratna. As Vacaspatimisra points out in his Tdtparya- 
tika and Bhawatl, (in the akhydiivdda) one could find 
as much justification in non-identification (abhedd- 
gr&ha), for the two cognitions in cases of bhrama 
appearing as two cognitive units and consequently for 
the two objects in such cases appearing as different, as 
in non-discrimination (bheddgr&ha), for the two- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 129 

cognitions and their two objects in such cases appearing 
as one and the same; and as a result, if there should 
be volitional decision in the direction of activity on the 
latter ground, there should be volitional decision in the 
opposite direction of abstention on the former ground 
and the knovver should hang between pravrlti and 
nivrtti. These difficulties, the Advaitins endeavour to 
meet by propounding the theory of anirvacanlyaTehydti 
and explaining bhrama as experience of a relatively 
real object, which is neither absolute being (sat), nor 
absolute non-being (asat), nor both. According to 
the Advaitins, when nacre is seen as silver, for instance, 
what happens is this: over the real substratum 
(adhisthana) represented by a nacre, or more correctly, 
nacre-delimited spirit (suktyavacchiiinacoitanya) the 
beginningless positive mist of nescience (anudibhava- 
riipajnarla) happens to be thrown; when the sense of 
sight comes into relation with nacre in a general way, 
the mist is partly dispelled by the cognitive modification 
of antahkorana which takes the form 'this' (idamd- 
karavrtti) ; the mist of nescience, however, continues 
to veil the nacreness of what is seen as this (idam) 
and, reinforced by the prepossessions of the knower's 
mind and by the similarity between the object seen as 
'this' and silver, undergoes transformation, with the 
result that silver comes into being also with the cogni- 
tion of silver, which is but a cognitive modification of 
nescience (suktyavacchinnacaitanyadhisthitavidya raja- 
tarapena rajatakuravrttirupena ca parinamate); silver 
which thus conies into being has relative reality ; it is 
said to be anirvacaniya in the sense that it does not 
9 



130 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

admit of being definitely described as sat (being), or 
asat (non-being) or both; and it is also said to be 
prdtibhdsika in the sense that it is coterminous with its 
presentation in cognition. It will thus be seen that the 
Advaitin's theory of bhrama regards it as a cognitive 
complex consisting of two cognitive factors, one of 
them being a vrtti of antahkarana and the other being 
a vrtti of avidyd. According to this theory, the object 
of a bhrama is real in a relative sense and comes into 
being along with the bhrama and lasts as long as the 
bhrama lasts; and there is no need for accommodation 
to asatkhyati or for any complication in the form of 
extra-normal (alaiikika) sense-relation. That the 
Advaitins have no particular animus against the 
advocates of anyathdkhydtivdda is evident from the 
way in which they are readily willing to accept the 
explanation of anyathdkhydti in the case of what is 
known as sopddhikabhrama, where the object of bhrama 
happens to be within the normal scope of the sense- 
organ, as, for instance in the erroneous perception of a 
crystal (sphatika) as red-coloured when a japd (China 
rose) is seen to be in its vicinity. Such students of 
Indian philosophy as are capable of critically reviewing 
the five 'theories' of bhrama (khyativdda) set forth 
here would not find it difficult to conceive of an appro- 
priate graph by means of which the epistemological 
inter-relation of these theories may be exhibited and 
comprehended. If one could imagine that epistemo- 
logical thought starts with asatkhydti as centre and, in 
its endeavour to escape from it, swings forcibly between 
the two diametrical termini of anyathdkhydti and 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 131 

akhyati, it would not be difficult to imagine that such 
thought inevitably describes a comprehensive epistemo- 
logicai circle in the form of anirvacanlya'khyati, which 
easily accommodates itself to akhydti in respect of the 
non-discrimination of the two vrttis constituting a 
bhrawa and to anyathdkhycLti by complete surrender in 
the case of sopddhikabhrama. 

It would be quite appropriate to consider here the 
Nya\a view regarding the way in which the validity 
and invalidity of a cognition, or truth and error, or 
prdmdnya and aprdmdnya have to be accounted for and 
ascertained. The Naiyayikas hold that validity and 
invalidity of cognitions are made out through extrinsic 
considerations and are brought about by extrinsic 
circumstances. In other words, according to the 
Naiyayikas, validity and invalidity cannot be said to be 
intrinsically made out (svalograkya) or intrinsically 
brought about (svatojanya). Intrinsicality (svatastva) 
in respect of the knowledge of reality consists in reality 
being made out by every means by which the cognition 
having it is ascertained but not ascertained to be 
invalid. This definition of svatogrdhyatva is expressed 
thus in the technical language of Nyaya : "(rdmdnyasya 
jfiaptau svatastvam 'a !.ipr l ii,;.'!ry.l ;r'i! t j 7 'ayCi: a/;iTJ*:a- 
grahakasamagrigrdhyatvam." Whenever a person 
knows that he cognizes and does not know for the 
moment that he errs, he also knows that he validly 
cognizes: this is the contention of the advocates of 
svatograhyatva or the theory that validity is intrinsically 
made out. THUS, if a person could become aware of 
the existence of a cognition in him in a hundred 



132 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART UI 

without becoming aware that that cognition is erroneous 
and in any one of those cases he becomes aware of the 
cognition only without becoming aware of its validity, 
the definition of svcttograhyatva would not hold good 
and the view that validity is made out extrinsically 
(paratggrahya) has inevitably to be accepted. The 
Naiyayikas explain their position thus in regard to this 
question. A determinate cognition like "this is silver" 
(idam rajatam) is called vyavasaya and it is presented 
first in the anuvyavasdya (after-cognition or conscious- 
ness of a cognition) which takes a form like this "I 
cognize this silver" (idam rajatam janami), and in this 
anuvyavasaya, the validity of the cognition referred to 
is not presented. If such anuvyavasaya were to in- 
variably take cognizance of the validity of such vyava- 
saya, it would not be possible to account for the doubt 
which an inexperienced person feels regarding the vali- 
dity of such vyavasaya. So, in such cases, the validity 
of the vyavasaya "this is silver" should be ascertained 
through the practical result to which it leads.- If the 
voluntary decision and activity following such vyava- 
saya should turn out to be fruitful and if the knower 
should actually find himself in a position to get the silver 
which he wanted, such vyavasaya (cognition) is recog- 
nized to be valid. The process of inference through 
which one's mind may pass in such cases is usually put 
in this form: "This cognition is valid, because it leads 
to a fruitful effort; any cognition that leads to a fruit- 
ful effort is valid, as another valid cognition already 
realized to be such in experience, (idam jndnam 
prama', saphalapravrttijanakatvat; yadyat saphala- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 133 

pravrttijanakam tat jnanam prama; yathti praman- 
taram). It should be borne in mind, in this connection, 
that causing fruitful effort is, according to Nyaya the 
ground of inferring validity, while validity itself con- 
sists in the cognition in question cognizing a thing as 
possessing an attribute which it really has. In that the 
Naiyayikas make the ascertainment of the truth of a 
cognition 'dependent upon its agreement with its expec- 
ted workings or, in other words, with the consequences 
which are expected to arise from it in the experience of 
the active subject, their view would appear to be closely 
similar to that of the modern pragmatist. However, 
they do not lose sight of the fact that pragmatism is 
only a method of ascertaining truth, that this method 
itself presupposes truth whose nature has to be explain- 
ed independently of agreement with practical workings 
and that, if the truth presupposed by the pragmatic 
argument were itself to be ascertained pragmatically, 
through inference, the fault of regressus ad infinitum 
would inevitably follow. Having due regard to such 
difficulties, the KTaiyayikas define truth as consisting in 
correspondence with reality and thus combine their 
pragmatic theory with a theory which has much in 
common with what is known as the correspondence 
notion of truth in western philosophical literature. The 
Nyaya definition of validity (pramatva) makes it clear 
that truth consists in correspondence with reality. The 
Nayiyayikas also point out that, only in cases where a 
cognition leads to effort in practical experience or it 
happens to be pravaftaka, it becomes necessary to 
ascertain the validity of such cognition in order to 



134 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

ensure unfaltering effort (niskampapravrtti) ; and that, 
on the first occasion of halting effort (sakampapra- 
vrtti), it is not necessary that the cognition leading to 
such effort should have been definitely made out to be 
valid and it would do if such cognition should not have 
been definitely ascertained to be invalid. It can be 
easily seen from this that there is no room for any fear 
of anavastha (endless regression) or atmdsraya (self- 
dependence) in the pragmatic method of inferring 
truth as employed by the Naiyayikas. In respect of 
the question how validity and invalidity are brought 
about, the Nyaya theory is that they are brought about 
by certain extrinsic circumstances which, for the sake 
of convenience, are called gunas (good features) and 
dosas (defects) ; in other words the Nyaya theorists 
maintain paratastva (extrinsicalit)>) in respect of the 
utpatti (production) of validity and invalidity of a 
cognition as well as in respect of their jnapti (know- 
ledge). For instance the validity of a perception is 
secured by the good feature (guna) consisting in the 
adequacy of the contact between the sense-organ con- 
cerned and its object; and its invalidity is the result of 
defects such as distance and some disease affecting the 
sense-organ. 

It would be interesting to contrast the ITyaya 
theory of truth and error with the epistemological 
theories put forward by other schools of Indian philo- 
sophy about truth and error. The Sarhkhyas maintain 
that both validity and invalidity are intrinsically made 
out in the sense that it is by virtue of the reflection or 
proximity of the same cit (self-luminious conscious- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 135 

ness), that the existence of a cognitive vftti and its 
validity or invalidity are illuminated. PrSbhakaras 
make no difference between vyavasdya and anuvyava- 
saya and maintain that, in every cognition, the knower, 
the known object, and knowledge itself, along with its 
validity, are presented. They advocate the theory 
of intrinsicality (svatastvapaksa), in so far as validity 
(pramdtva) is concerned; and there is no question of 
error (apramatva) in their theory, since they maintain 
that all experiences are valid (anubhutih pramd). The 
Bhattas contend that co-nil ion is to be inferred 
through its effect, called jndtatd or prakatya, which 
consists in what some of them describe as a temporary 
luminosity (prakdsa) arising in known objects andi 
referred to in propositions like 'this is known' (ayam 
fndtah) ; and that in such inference the cognition which 
has caused fndtatd, and its validity are presented. The 
validity which is thus intrinsically made out may be 
stultified by a subsequent sublating cognition ; and thus, 
in the Bhatta theory, invalidity (apramdtva) is extrin- 
sically made out. The Bhattas are, therefore, to be 
taken to advocate svatastva in the case of validity and 
paratastva in the case of invalidity. Murarimisra, who 
does not go the whole hog either as a Prabhakara or as 
a Bhatta, but who is undoubtedly a A amamsaka, recog- 
nizes, like a Naiyayika, that a cognition (vyavasaya) is 
cognized by its after-cognition (anuvyavasaia) , but 
maintains, unlike a Naiyayika, that the validity of 
vyavasaya is also presented in the same anuvyavasdya. 
It will thus be seen that Murarimisra is an advocate 
of the theory of the intrinsicality of validity (pram&- 



136 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

tvam svato grhyate). The Bauddhas, on the other 
hand, hold that all determinate knowledge (savikal- 
$aka) f in so far as one is conscious of it, is erroneous 
(aprama) and its apramdtva is intrinsically made out; 
while, through inference, the validity (pramatva) of 
indeterminate cognition (nirvikalpaka} is extrinsically 
made out. The Buddhists thus advocate the theory of 
extrinsicality (paratastvapaksa) in regard to validity 
and intrinsicality (svatastvapaksa) in regard to invali- 
dity. According to the Advaitins, the validity of a 
cognition is intrinsically made out in the sense that the 
witnessing inner spirit (saksicaitatoya), which illumi- 
nates the valid cognitive vrtti, also illuminates its vali- 
dity (prawatva); and the invalidity (apramdlva) of a 
cognitive vrtti is inferred extrinsically, through the 
resultant effort becoming futile. In order to evaluate 
adequately the different theories of pramatva and 
apramatva set forth here, it is necessary to note that 
the Naiyayikas would answer in the affirmative, the 
question 'Is error possible in realism? 1 and would 
explain the possibility of error by showing how a real 
substantive (visesya) and a real attribute (prakdra) 
may be erroneously correlated when they are presented 
in cognition and thus save realism itself from being 
ruined by conceding the possibility of error. The 
Prabhakara realists think that any concession of the 
possibility of error (bhrama) would spell the ruin of 
realism and insist that all experiences are valid 
(anubhfltih pramd) and that the so-called bhramas 
involve an element of non-discrimination (aviveka). 
The Bhafta realists adopt the anyathdkhyati of Nyaya 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 137 

with suitable modifications ; and in order to preserve 
realism effectively, they would make the knowledge of 
cognition (jndna) dependent upon the knownness 
(jndtatd) of the object (jneya) and thus provide an 
effective counterblast to idealism which seeks to merge 
all jneya in jndna. The Buddhist idealist rules out 
truth and considers all determinate knowledge (savikal- 
paka) erroneous. The advocates of the theory of 
intrinsicality of validity (pramdnyasvatastvavddinah'), 
more especially the Bhattas and the Advaitins, would 
generally emphasise the ideas that, in a valid cognition, 
the object is not stultified by a subsequent sublating 
cognition and is not merely re-exhibited through a 
reminiscent impression, the former of these two fea- 
tures being stressed in particular; and this way of 
looking at pramdtva would be quite in accord with the 
view that aprawiatva is made out extrinsically and 
pramatva intrinsically. It may also be noted, with 
advantage, that, in the Nyaya theory, anuvyavasaya 
(the subject-centred after-cognition) is regarded as 
self-luminous (svaprakasa) in the sense that it reve; Is 
itself along with the vyavasdya (the object-centred 
cognition in which the knower and knowledge are not 
presented) ; and that, in this respect, the Nyaya realist 
seeks to combine in a way his objectivism with an 
aspect of subjectivistic thought which is not incom- 
patible with his realism. In this kind of compromise, 
a danger is lurking, as students of Advaita may easily 
see, and this danger consists in the manner in which 
the Nyaya view lends itself to ^anuvyavasaya being 
treated as a fragmentary appearance of the absolute 



138 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

reality represented by the absolute, self-luminous 
consciousness called cit. 

An intelligent attempt to review synthetically all 
the theories of bhrama known to Indian philosophy 
will bring to light the fact that, in some manner or 
other, a negative element is involved in every one of 
the five khyativadas (theories explaining the nature of 
bhrama). In the asatkhyati doctrine, the' negative 
element is obvious; and in dtmakhydti doctrine, it is 
obvious in so far as objective externality is concerned. 
In the anyathakhyati view, the negative element is to be 
found in the samsarya part or in the idea that one 
reality is presented as another reality which it is not or 
that a real substantive is presented as having a real 
attribute which it has not; and in the akhydti doctrine, 
one can easily detect the negative element in the idea of 
non-discrimination (aviveka). The anirvacaniyakhyati 
doctrine appears on the surface to eschew the negative 
element from the conception of bhiama; but, in fact, 
the negative element is replaced by relativity which 
implies a negative element and transfers the negative 
element from the side of object to the side of definite 
predications (nirvacana) with reference to the object. 
A careful investigation of the Advaitin's anirvacamya- 
khyati, as compared with the other theories of bhrama^ 
would lead to the mystery of error being unravelled 
through the disentanglement of negativity, which is the 
inner core of bhrama. But this would not amount to 
all the theories of bhrama being reduced to the level of 
asatkhy&ti; for, it should be remembered that negativ- 
ity is only the other side of relativity and an aspect of 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 139 

reality. If one might be permitted here to indulge for 
a while in epigrammatising, one might well say that yes 
(sat) and no (asat) are the fulcra of all epistemology 
as they are of all metaphysics ; that yes and no are but 
phases of the same reality; that all appearances are the 
offspring of a cross between yes arid no\ that it will be 
evident through the gemination of yes and no, that yes 
is no and no is yes; and 'that error (bkrama) is the 
antechamber of truth (pramd). 

In subsections (f) and (g) of section 28 of the 
text, valid experience (pramd) and its instrument are 
each divided into four kinds. The term pramdna is 
used in this section in the sense of the efficient special 
cause or instrument (karana) of valid experience. The 
word pramdna is sometimes used in the sense of valid 
experience (pramd), as for instance in the proposition 
'idam rajatam iti jfidnani pramd' (this is siver this is 
valid experience). /In the word pramdna, the suffix 
ana denotes an instrument in the former case; and in 
the latter case, it denotes bhava (the meaning of the 
root itself). The Indian materialists, called Carvakas, 
recognize only one pramdna, viz., perception: the 
Bauddhas and the Vaisesikas recognize two pramdnas* 
viz., perception and inference; the Samkhyas recognize 
three, viz., perception, inference and verbal testimony; 
the Naiyayikas recognize four, viz., perception, 
inference, assimilation and verbal testimony; the 
Prabhakaras recognize five, viz., the above four pra- 
mdnas and presumptive testimony (arthdpatti) ; the 
Bhattas and Advaitins recognize these five pramdnas 
and non-cognition (anupalabdhi) as the sixth pram&na; 



140 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART n 

and the Pauranikas recognise these six pramdnas and, 
in addition, recognize necessary inclusion (sambhava) 
and traditional hearsay (aitihya) as the seventh and 
the eight prawi&na. The leading exponents of Indian 
philosophy are unanimous in discarding the last two, 
sambhava and aitihyajf the reason is obvious; the 
former which enables one, for instance, to be sure of 
fifty when hundred are guaranteed is nothing more 
than a plain case of immediate inference; and the latter, 
which consists in traditional hearsay like 'a spirit 
dwells in this banyan tree* (iha vate yaksastisthati), is 
no 'pramdna at all until it is verified, and when verified, 
it comes under verbal testimony. The arguments 
advanced by Carvakas to reject even anumana and the 
grounds on which the Vaisesikas and Bauddhas would 
bring upamana (comparison or assimilation) and sabda 
(verbal testimony) under inference will be considered 
under appropriate heads in chapters II, III and IV, 
in/ra. The Naiyayikas would bring presumptive testi- 
mony (art hap at ti} under anumdna (inference), and in 
some cases, under sabda (verbal testimony). A refer- 
ence to pages 44 to 47 supra would show how the 
TTaiyayikas and Prabhakaras discard anupalabdhi 
(non-cognition) as a distinct pramdna and how the 
former reduce it to the level of a necessary acessory to 
pratyaksa, in perceiving non-existence (abhava). From 
chapter III it will be seen that the PTyaya view of 
upamana is different in several respects from the 
MImamsaka's view of that pramdna. 

It would be useful to consider here how the chief 
champions of arthdpatti, the Bhattas and Prabhakaras, 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 141 

maintain that it is a distinct pramdna and should not be 
brought under anumdna or sabda and on what grounds 
the Naiyayikas refuse to recognize it as a distinct 
prdmana. According to the Bhattas, a knowledge of 
some fact which is unaccountable otherwise than by 
presumptively granting another fact is the instrument 
in the case of arthdpatti and the knowledge presump- 
tively arrived at of the explanatory fact is the resultant 
cognition (upapdd^ajndnam karanam, upapadakajfidnam 
phalam). For instance, Devadatta is alive and not 
present in his house; this fact has to be accounted for 
(upafddya), and cannot be accounted for otherwise 
than by presumptively granting that he must be present 
in some place outside his housd[bahissadbhdvakalfa<nam 
vind nopapadyate). In the Bhatta view, the etymology 
of the word arthdpatti should be explained in two ways 
according as the word is taken in thesenseof thejnstru- 
mental cognition- (karanibhutajndna) or resultant 
QOgftitiQrTl^halibhutajndna). In the former cae y 
HuT~~woFd is to be explained as denoting the 
knowledge of the fact which has to be accounted 
for and is otherwise unaccountable the knowledge 
through which the needed explanatory fact is presump- 
tively arrived at (arthasya upapddakasya kalpand 
yasydh anyathdnupapannasya upapddyasya pratitehsd). 
In the latter case, the word denotes the presumptive 
knowledge of the required explanatory circumstance 
(arthasya upapddakasya kalpand). The Bhattas define 
arthdpatti to be a pramdna which consists in such a 
conflict between two valid cognitions, of which one 
takes a general form and the other takes a specific form 



142 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

of a conflicting character, as necessarily leads to the 
presumptive knowledge of a fact which removes the 
conflict. One of the stock examples given by them 
may be set forth thus: It is known for certain that 
Caitra is alive; he must be present in some 
particular place; he is not present in his house; 
so, he is presumably present elsewhere. That 
Caitra is alive and present in some particular 
place is an established fact which is presented in the 
valid cognition taking a general form (sadhdrana- 
pramdna). That he is not present in his house is also 
an established fact which is presented in the valid 
cognition taking a specific form (asddhdranapramdna). 
The conflict between these two pramdnas is not of the 
nature of the irreconcilable conflict which one notices 
between two contradictories; but it is of the nature of 
the conflict between a general affirmation and specific 
exclusion or between a general rule and an exception 
(sdmdnya and visesa). The Naiyayikas contend that, in 
such cases, there is no real conflict at all since both the 
general affirmation and the specific exclusion may be 
true. The Bhattas point out in reply that conflict need 
not always be thoroughgoing as in the case of two con- 
tradictories, and that partial conflict is quite conceiv- 
able. In instances like the one cited above, there is real 
conflict, though of a partial nature and there is a stage 
in the process of thought, at which the validity of the 
general affirmation is about to be completely imperilled. 
Caitra is alive and must be present somewhere ; he is 
not present in his house; between this stage in thought 
and the final stage of presuming Caitra's presence out- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 143 

side his house, the truth of the pre-established fact of 
his being alive stands imperilled; thus, just at this 
intervening stage, there is the possibility of the know- 
ledge that Caitra is alive being falsified; and the 
knower's conviction that this knowledge is true induces 
him to presume that Caitra is present outside his house 
and to prevent the possibility of falsification from 
becoming actualised. The Bhattas maintain in this 
manner that arthdpatti, as an instrument of valid cog- 
nition, is represented by a kind of conflict between a 
sddhdranapramdna and asddhdranapramdna (a valid 
cognition in the form of a general affirmation and a 
valid cognition in the form of a specific denial or 
exclusion), and that the resultant prama arising from 
a consciousness of such a conflict is a presumptive type 
of knowledge. If the essential element in arthdpatti is 
that a certain fact like Caitra's being alive and n0t 
being present in his house is unaccountable without 
presuming another fact like Caitra's being outside his 
house, could not arthdpatti be reduced to inference 
based on negative concomitance (vyatirekyanumaaa) ? 
This is what the IsTaiyayikas ask. To get over this 
difficulty and to prevent arthdpatti being reduced to 
anumarta, the Prabhakaras urge that, in the example 
above referred to, it is not the possible falsification of 
the knowledge of Caitra being alive that constitutes the 
pramdna called arthdpatti ; but it is the doubt regarding 
Caitra being alive (fivanasamsaya), which arises from 
the conflict indicated above, that serves as the means of 
the resultant cognition which consists in the presump- 
tive knowledge of Caitra being outside his house 



144 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART IB 

(bahissattvakalpana) . While the strong point in the 
Prabhakara view of arthapatti is that by treating 
doubt as the means of presumption, the pramana in 
question is redeemed from the grip of anumana, the 
weak spot in that view is that it exalts doubt to the 
rank of a pramana', but the Prabhakaras, who hold that 
all experience is valid, w r ould be quite willing to take 
this criticism as a compliment. The Bhattas meet the 
difficulty raised by the Naiyayikas, by pointing out that 
the fundamental element in the mental process involved 
in arthapatti is presumption through negative concomi- 
tance (vyatirekavydpti) while the fundamental element 
in the mental process called anumdna is subsumption 
under positive concomitance (anvayavyapti) ; and that 
presumptive knowledge is cognition of a distinct t>pe 
belonging more to the side of imagination than to 
inference belonging more to the sphere of hypothesis 
than to the sphere of inferentially established thesis, 
and it is articulated through propositions like 'I pre- 
sume* and not through propositions like 'I infer*. The 
Bhattas do not approve of the way in which the 
Prabhakaras have exalted doubt in this connection to 
the rank of a pramana. It is also pointed out by the 
Bhattas that there are certain cases of presumptive 
knowledge which do not admit of being reduced to 
inference. For instance, Devadatta is known to be 
present in the third house from mine ; it is presumed 
that he is not present in any other house \ this presump- 
tive knowledge refuses to be reduced to inference; it 
would not be a sound argument to say that any place 
other than the third house from mine is not a place 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 145 

Devadatta is, on tha ground that such a place happens 
to be different from the third 5 house from mine and on 
the analogy of the second house from mine; for with 
equal force it might be argued that any place other 
than the three houses which have come within the scope 
of my observation is the place where Devadatta is pre- 
sent, on the ground that such a place is different from 
the two houses adjacent to the third house in which he 
is present and on the analogy of that third house. The 
Naiyayikas would, however, explain their attitude in 
the matter by pointing out that, where one has to rely 
exclusively on negative concomitance (vyattrekavyapii) 
one's mind has to pass inevitably through a stage ol 
positive concomitance (anvayavyapti) before it arrives 
at the resultant cognition; that presumptive knowledge 
(kalpatoa) is really the anticipatory forestalling by the 
imaginative side of one's mind of what its somewhat 
slower ratiocinative side arrives at through inference; 
and that such foreshadowings through negative con- 
comitance (vyaiirekavyapti) may well be brought 
under anumana as a distinct variety of it and need not 
be exalted to the rank of a distinct pram&na. It should 
be remembered in this connection that the Bhattas* 
maintain that what the Naiyayikas would treat as in- 
ference based exclusively on negative examples and 
negative concomitance {kevalavyatirekyanum&na) is. 
realty no inference at all and demands a distinct place 
as pramana, since it lacks the essential feature of 
inference vie., direct subsumption to positive con.. 
comitance. The Bhattas realize the danger that this 

10 



146 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

way of merging vyatirekin in artttdpatti may lead to the 
entire province of anumana being swallowed up by the 
latter; and this fear they remove, by drawing attention 
to the fact that the inference of fire in a mountain from 
Smoke, for instance, through the concomitance of fire 
and smoke in all observed cases, may be reduced to 
arthapatti, and that the universal concomitance of all 
smokes and all fires, including the few observed and 
*nany unobserved cases, is a clear case of inference 
-which cannot be accounted for by any pramana other 
4han anumana. The Bhattas speak of two kinds of 
vrthdpatti, srut&rth&palti and drstarth&patti, according 
as the upapadya (the fact requiring explanation) is 
made out through perception or through verbal 
testimony. 

In section 28 of the text, four kinds of pramanas 
are referred toby Annambhatta. A pratnanais a karana 
of a valid cognition (prama). The concept of karana 
has to be elucidated. The author proceeds to define 
karana in section 29 (a) and this leads on to a detailed 
Consideration of the Nyaya view of causation. 

29 

T (a) Karana (efficient 
or instrumental cause) is a 
special cause. 

(b) The invariable antece- 
dent of an effect is its cause. 

(c) -An effect is the coun- 
ter-correlative of its antecedent 
non-existence. 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 147 

(</) Cause is of three 
kinds, the three varieties being 
inherent cause, non-inherent 
cause, and occasioning cause. 

(e) That is called inherent 
cause, in which the effect inheres 
when it is produced. For in- 
stance, threads are the inherent 
cause of a cloth, and a cloth 
of its colour and such other 
qualities. 

(/)_That is called non- 
inherent cause, which serves 
as a cause, while co-inhering 
with its effect, or with the 
inherent cause of its effect. For 
instance, contact between 
threads is the non-inherent 
cause of cloth; and the colour 
of the threads is the non-inher- 
ent cause of the colour of the 
cloth. 

(9) Occasioning cause is 
a cause not coining under either 
of the above-mentioned kinds. 
For instance, the shuttle, the 
loom and such other things are 
the occasioning causes of cloth. 

(h) Of these three varie- 
ties of causes, only that is called 



148 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAfcT iti 

an efficient or instrumental cause 
(karana), which operates as 
special cause. 

Annambhatta's definition of karana uses the 
phrase asftdharanakGrana. The terms sadharawa 
(general) and asQdharana (special) are vague and 
have to be interpreted in relation to the context in 
which they are used. In the present context, sadharana- 
karana should be understood as a cause which is believed 
to be the common cause of all the conceivable effects 
in the world; and in this sense, according to the Nyaya 
theorists, God, time, space and such other things are 
general or common causes. Asddharanakarana should 
be understood as a cause which is not common to all 
the effects but is the special cause of particular effects 
or classes of effects; and in this sense, the component 
parts of a pot called kapala (potsherd), the potter's 
stick and such other antecedents of a pot are its special 
causes. The Naiyayikas of the older school would 
define a karana as a special and mediate cause (asadha- 
ranakarana), its mediacy consisting in its causal opera- 
tion depending upon the co-operation of its intermedi- 
ate effect in producing its final result. The intermediate 
factor which a karana causes and which, in its turn, 
co-operates with the karana in producing the final result 
is technically called vyapara. The term vyapara, in 
this restricted sense, should not be confounded with 
the same term used in the general sense of activity. 
In the restricted sense of the intermediate accessory 
of a karana, a vyapara is defined in Sanskrit 
in this way tajjanyah tajf&nyajanakasca vyaparah* 



CH, i] PERCEPTION J49 

(A vydfdra is caused by a karqnp, and in associa- 
tion with it, causes its fin^l effect). The full defini- 
tion of a karana, according to the older Naiyayi- 
kas, is this: vyapdravat asddhdranakdranam karanam. 
Annambhatta considers it expedient to adopt this defi- 
nition. A potter's stick (danda) is karana in the sense 
that he uses it in revolving his wheel and it causes the 
pot through the rotation of the wheel (cakrabhramana). 
A sense-organ is pramdJiarana in the sense that in asso- 
ciation with its intermediate vydpdra, which consists in 
its relation with the object (sannikarsa), it produces a 
valid perception (pratyaksaprama). The Navyanaiya- 
yikas are not in favour of this definition of karana. 
They would define it as a cause which is felt to be most 
necessary for having the effect, or for want of which 
it is believed that the effect is not produced though all 
the other causes are duly .present (phaldyoga- 
vyavacchinnaW kdranam karanaw). Understood in this 
way, a potter's stick may be looked upon as karana; 
and likewise the rotation of the potter's wheel or even 
the contact between the component parts of a pot; in 
other words, according as the view-point varies, one 
may refer to an instrument or to its intermediate func- 
tion or even to asamav&yikdrana as karana. The view 
of the later Naiyayikas thus agrees with that of the 
Vaiydkaranas in respect of 'fyaranatva, the Paninlyan 
conception of a karana being that it is most efficient of 
all the causes (sddhakatamam karanam). 

The Nyaya theorists define a cause (karana) as an 
invariable, immediate and indispensable antecedent of 
an effect. In Sanskrit, the full definition of a karana 



150 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

is set forth thus: MryaniyatGvyavahitapftrvavrtrt 
ananyathasiddham ca karanam. This definition insists 
upon three conditions being satisfied before an antece- 
dent and a consequent could be connected as cause and 
effect. The antecedent should immediately precede the 
consequent; the two should be invariably co-existent 
with each other; and the antecedent in question should 
not be made out to be otherwise than indispensable. 
Mere co-existence or even invariable co-existence, as 
in the case of a pot and threads which may be found in 
the same place, or of earthness (prthivitva) and smell, 
is not causality. Immediate sequence is one of the 
essential elements in causality. The adjunct ananyaiha- 
sfddha, introduced in the definition of a cause, literally 
means 'not made out to be otherwise t^an indispen- 
sable*. Anyatha means otherwise] siddha means 
made out; otherwise, in the context of causation, 
means other-wise than indispensable; ananyathasiddha r 
as an adjunct to an antecedent factor, thus means 'not 
made out to be otherwise than indispensable* or 'not 
made out to be such as one can do without*. This use 
of the word anyathasiddha should not be confounded 
with its use as an adjunct with reference to the result 
kept in view (prayojana). In phrases like ananyatha- 
siddham prayojanatn, the result kept in view is 
described as something which cannot be accomplished 
otherwise than by particular means. With reference to 
a cause, ananyathfisiddha means, as already explained, 
an antecedent which is not made out to be otherwise 
than indispensable. A may be seen to be an invariable 
antecedent of B; still, one may be justified in thinking- 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 151 

that it is not indispensable ; in that case, A should not 
be regarded as cause of B. The Naiyayikas have made 
an attempt to classify all the conceivable varieties of 
dispensable antecedents (anyathasiddha) and usually 
recognize five classes of dispensable antecedents. A 
thing is made out to be invariable antecedent, only a& 
determined by a delimiting adjunct; for instance^ 
thread (tantu) is an invariable antecedent of cloth, 
under the aspect of threadness (tantutva) ; this delimit- 
ing adjunct, though it finds a place in a definite concep- 
tion of the causality referred to, does not participate in 
the creative process involved in such causality and is 
therefore felt to be dispensable in the sense that the 
causal process does not depend upon it; all such de- 
limiting adjuncts of causeness (karanatavacchedaka) 
form the first class of anyathasiddha. Invariable 
sequence between an antecedent and a consequent is 
generally made out through a knowledge of invariable 
concomitance between these two factors and between 
their negations in other words, through a knowledge 
of anvaya and vtfatireka; the colour of thread may be 
made out to be an invariable antecedent of cloth ; but in 
this case, the anvaya and vyatireka, with reference to 
the colour of thread and cloth, cannot be made out 
independently of the invariable concomitance between 
thread and cloth on the positive and negative sides; the 
colour of thread is therefore anyathasiddha with 
reference to cloth and is typical of the second class of 
dispensable antecedents. The third class of dispensable 
antecedents is represented by ether (dkdsa) in relation 
to a cloth; in this case, ether being eternal,, it max be: 



152 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

easily shown to precede every effect ; but it has to be 
conceived of as cause through the delimiting Adjunct 
ctherness (akafatva), which involves causal relation 
with sound; a thing which cannot be specifically thought 
of except as the cause of a certain effect may well 
be imagined to be a tiling whose causal efficacy is com- 
pletely pre-occupied in the direction of that effect and is 
410 longer available in any other direction; and the 
feeling, therefore, in the case of akasa, is that it may 
snay be dispensed with in producing a cloth. The 
fourth variety of anyathdsiddha is represented by 
instances like the weaver's father with reference to a 
cloth woven by his son ; only as the weaver's father, he 
is made out to be the invariable antecedent of the cloth, 
and not in his own right; and the feeling in that case 
is that one can do without the weaver's father in ac- 
counting for the production of a cloth. The fifth 
variety is represented by instances like an ass; it may 
so happen that in the case of an individual cloth, a 
certain ass precedes it; the particular ass necessarily 
turns out to be the invariable antecedent of the parti- 
cular cloth; but it is felt that certain antecedents, other 
than the ass, which are known to be quite adequate to 
account for the production of similar cloths, must be 
adequate in the case also of the particular cloth under 
reference; and so, the ass, in that case, is anyathasiddha. 
Annambhatfca, following Gangesopadhyaya, would 
combine the first two varieties into one, and likewise 
the third and fourth varieties, and would thus recognise 
only three classes of dispensable antecedents. In fact, 
later Naiy^yikaa show that all these five varieties inay 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 

be brought under the fifth variety; the principle 
amderlv ing the fifth variety may be stated thus; while 
other invariable antecedents are made out to be quite 
necessary and adequate for producing similar effect 
IK I :i ii.^tothe same plass, or to be more accurate, 
while invariable antecedents of a relatively simpler type 
are made put to be quite necessary and adequate for 
pnK'u.iii;; such effects, in the case also of the effect in 
question, an invariable antecedent, which is not one of 
such antecedents felt to be necessary in the case of 
similar effects belonging to the same class, and which 
is less simple than such antecedents in respect of form 
(sarlra) or thought (upasthiti) or relation (samban- 
dha) as the case may be, should be eliminated as a* 
dispensable antecedent (anyathasiddha) ; this principle 
holds good in all the five varieties of anyathasiddha. 
Thus all the five varieties may be brought under the 
comprehensive formula that invariable antecedents of a 
simpler type being quite adequate to account for the 
effect under reference, another antecedent, though in- 
variable, has to be discarded as a dispensable antecedent 
(anyathasiddha) . This formula is expressed in thi$ 
way in Nyaya literature " laghuniyatapurvavartinaiva 
karyasqmbhave tadbhinnam anyathasiddham, " The 
adjunct anatiyathdsiddha in the definition of a cause is 
intended to eliminate all such antecedents as one can 
reasonably feel one may well do without. After 
introducing the qualification 'not made out to be 
otherwise than indispensable* (anayathasiddha), it has 
to be considered whether the adjunct 'invariable' 
(niyata) is accessary. It would appear that most of 



154 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

the antecedents which are not invariably concomitant 
with the consequents in question can easily be eliminated 
as dispensable antecedents; for instance, an ass is 
neither an invariable nor an indispensable antecedent of 
a certain cloth. However, when the whole species of 
effects represented by cloth is sought to be connected 
as effect with some species as cause, the general 
formula of anyathdsiddha does not hold good ; for, one 
can never say that the antecedents recognized as causing 
another species of effects, like a jar, would be adequate 
to produce the species under reference, viz., cloth; and 
in such cases, the only way in which accidental antece- 
dents like an ass can be eliminated would be through 
the adjunct 'invariable' (niyata). 

The conception of a karya or an effect involves, 

according to the Nyaya theory of causation, the idea 

that the effect is invariably preceded by its antecedent 

non-existence. To say that a jar is produced means r 

in the Nya>a theory, that it is created for the first time 

and that it never existed before. Consistently with the 

creationistic view of causation (arambhavada\ Annam- 

bhatta defines an effect as the counter-correlative of 

antecedent non-existence. In this connection students are 

advised to consider again the remarks about pragabh&va 

in pages 37 to 40, part III, supra. Positive product 

(bhavakarya) has three kinds of causes; the first being 

of the nature of component parts or of the nature of the 

substratum in which the effectuated quality or activity 

inheres and called 'inherent cause' (samav&yikarana) ; 

the second being of the nature of the Conjunction of 

parts producing the whole or of the nature of the 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 155- 

quality or activity inhering in the component parts 
or a substratum and producing a corresponding quality 
in the whole or disjunction in the same substratum, and 
called non-inherent cause (asamav&yikdrana) ; and the 
third being of the nature of agent and such other 
causes, not falling under either of the first two heads, 
and being called occasioning cause (toinrittaltararia). It 
would be a mistake to suppose that all the nimittas are 
less important than the other two varieties. For, karla 
or the intelligent agent, in whose absence the other 
causes become ineffectual, is technically a nimitta, but is, 
in a sense, the most important of all the varieties of 
causes. 

That is a samavayikarano, in which the effect 
inheres as it comes into being. The component parts 
(avayavah), like threads, thus form the inherent cause 
of a composite substance (avayavin}, like a cloth; and 
likewise a substance, of the quality or activity which is 
produced in it. To secure precision and avoid confu- 
sion, the delimiting adjuncts of effectness (kdryatd) 
and causeness (karanata') karyaiavacchedakadharma 
and kfiranatavacchedakadharma should be specified in 
defining the relation of cause and effect in every case, 
as also the relations which determine the co-existence 
of the antecedent and the consequent in question 
kdryatuvacchedakasambandha and karanatavacchedaka- 
sambandha. Causality involves invariable co-existence 
between an antecedent and a consequent; their 
co-existence (sam&nddhikaranya) is their presence in 
the same place; when they are present in the same place 
they should each be connected with the common sub- 



156 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

stratum through a relation ; the relation which connects 
the antecedent with the common substratum (samdna- 
dhikarana) is known as the determinating relation of 
causeness (karanatavacchedakasambyndha); and the 
relation which connects the consequent with the same 
substratum is called the determining relation of effect- 
ness (karyatavacchedattasambandha). The exponents 
of the Nyaya-Vaisesika doctrine of causation contend 
that, by a careful observation of the invariable con- 
comitance between an antecedent and a consequent, as 
determined by particular delimiting adjuncts and rela- 
tions, as also of the invariable concomitance between 
the negations of such antecedent and consequent of 
anvayasahacdra and vyatireTtasahacdrathe, causal re- 
lation in every case can be accurately defined so as to 
obviate every conceivable hitch. In the case of a 
samavayikurana, like threads in relation to a cloth 
(tant avaJi patasya), the simplest and the most accurate 
way in which the causal relation may be defined is this: 
'the causeness delimited by thrcadness and by the rela- 
tion of identity (tantulvdvacchinnd tadqtmyasam- 
bandhdvacchinnd ca kdranata) is correlated to the 
cffcchu'ss delimited by clothness and by the relation of 
inherence (patatvavacchinnasaniavayasQinbandhavac- 
chinnakaryatanirupita). It will be seen here that, in 
every case of samavayikarana, the simplest way of 
defining the cainal relation (karyakaranatyiava) would 
be by referring to the cause itself as the common subs- 
tratum (samanadhikarana) in which the antecedent and 
the consequent under reference co-eaist. In Nyaya 
definitions pf cau&ality, the common substratum kept 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 157 

in view is generally suppressed; and the student of 

Nyaya has to find it out first before trying to interpret 

such definitions. It should be noted here that the 

Nyaya conception of samavayikorana, while it includes 

what the Vcdantins call the upadanakarana (material 

cause), is not exactly parallel to it ; because, upadana 

(material cause) is the substance which enters into the 

make-up of its product and this is true, in the Ny&ya 

theory, only in the case of the component parts and 

their composite product, and not in the case of a sub- 

stance and the quality or activity arising in it, the cause 

and effect in the latter case representing fundamentally 

different categories. It should also be observed here 

that the phrase inherent cause, samavayikdrana, is 

somewhat misleading, in that it may lead one to 

suppose wrongly that it is the cause that inheres in the 

effect but the fact is thr.t the phrase here means 'a 

cause which is capable of producing an effect that 

inheres in it*. It may appear at first view that the 

phrase 'intimate cause* is a better equivalent ; but it 

turns out to be more misleading when the correspond- 

ing phrase non- intimate cause comes to be used as 

the equivalent of asamavdyikarana, as may be seen 

presently from the next para. 



The phrase cu/imar Jv/ foJrii>:a means a cause which, 
under no circumstance whatever, could be treated as a 
samavayikarana (inherent cause). Substances only 
can be treated as samav&yik&rana and they can never 
be treated as asamav&yikfirana. Qualities and 
activities only can be treated as asamavayjk&rana. 



158 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

While the two kinds of causes inherent cause 
(samavdyi) and non-inherent cause (asamavdyi) are 
absolutely exclusive of each other, the third kind viz., 
.occasioning cause (nimittakdrana) includes causal 
factors which, while being the nimitta of certain effects 
anay well ba the inherent or non-inherent causes of 
certain other effects, as the case may be. The phrase 
non-inherent cause used as the equivalent of asama- 
vdyikdrana should not be taken to mean that the cause 
referred to does not inhere in any substratum, since 
every non-inherent cause, on the contrary, inheres 
somewhere; but this phrase should be understood to 
stand for, like its Sanskrit equivalent, a cause which, 
under no circumstance whatever, could be treated as 
inherent cause. In defining the causality of a non-in- 
herent cause, the inherent cause of the effect in ques- 
tion should be kept in view as the common substratum 
(samdnddhikarana), inherence (samavaya) should be 
referred to as the relation determining the presence of 
the effect in question in the common substratum 
(kdryatdvacchcdakasambandha), and either inherence 
or co-inherence (samavdya or ekartha-sanuwaya) 
should be referred to as the relation determining the 
presence of the cause in question in the common subs- 
tratum (kdranatdvacchedakasantbandha). The con- 
junction of threads (tantusarhyoga) is the non-in- 
herent cause of cloth; and in that case, the common 
substratum is thread; the relation connecting cloth 
with such substratum is inherence; and likewise, the 
relation connecting the conjunction of threads with such 
substratum is inherence; this is one type ofnon-in- 



OH. i] PERCEPTION 159 

4ierent cause. Another type of non-inherent cause is to 
<be found in the colour of the threads forming the com- 
ponent parts of a cloth ; in this case, the colour of the 
threads is the non-inherent cause of the colour of the 
.cloth; the common substratum is the cloth; the relation 
connecting the effect with such substratum is inherence 
and the relation connecting the cause with it is co- 
inherence. It should be remembered here that, accord- 
ing to the Nyaya-Vaiseika system, the special qualities 
>(visesagunah) of soul (atman) should not be treated 
as non-inherent cause in the case of any effect, though 
the general definition of such cause holds good in the 
-case of knowledge in relation to desire, of desire in 
relation to voluntary decision or effort (yatna) and in 
such other cases. The chief reason why the special 
qualities of soul should not be treated as non-inherent 
cause in the case of any, effect is that, in all such cases, 
it would be simpler to treat the contact between the soul 
.and the mind (dtmamanassamyoga) as non-inherent 
cause and in the case of any effect, more than one non- 
inherentcause need not be recognized. In view of this, in 
the general definition of non-inherent cause given in the 
text, it is necessary to introduce the qualification that 
such cause is different from the special qualities of soul 
{ &tmavise$agunabhinnam ) . 

The atomic hypothesis of the Nyaya-Vaieika 
system and the creationistic view of oausation main- 
tained in that system are closely bound up with each 
other. The Nyaya-Vaisesika theory of causation is 
known as aratnbhavddd (creationism) as distinguished 
from the parindtnavdda (evolutionistic view of causa* 



160 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

tion) of the Samkbyas. In the Nyaya- Vaisesika 
system, 'to come into being' means 'to spring up at a 
certain point of time and not to have existed before'; 
for this reason, the Nyaya theory of causation is 
known as asatkdryavdda. The expression asatkdrya- 
vdda, according to Naiyayikas, means 'the view that 
every effect is invariably preceded by its antecedent 
non-existence' and it should not be understood to imply 
that an effect arises out of nothing. On the contrary, 
according to the Nyaya theory, a positive product 
(bhdvakdrya) is invariably preceded by a causal 
machinery, the full complement of which includes 
several positive antecedents and two negative antece- 
dents,^., the antecedent negation of the effect in ques- 
tion (kdryaprdgabhdva) and the absence of counter- 
acting causes (fratibandhakdblidva}. The Naiyayikas 
are anxious to repudiate the suggestion that their 
theory of asatkdryavdda implies that an effect may 
arise out of nothing; and they point out that antece- 
dent negation (prdgabhdva) would be inconceivable 
without thinking of a suitable anuyogin (correlated 
substratum ) and pratiyogin ( counter-correlative ) , 
and that in the case of prdgabhdva, as in the case 
of annihilattve negation (dhvamsa), while the 
effect itself represents the latter, the inherent cause 
(sawav&yikdrana) represents the former. Invariable 
concomitance between an antecedent and a consequent 
(nfyataptirvavartitva) and absence of such circum- 
stances as would justify the idea that the antecedent in 
question is not indispensable (ananyathdsiddhatva) 
these are the two essential elements in the Nyaya con- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 161 

cept of causality. The former, according to the 
Naiyayikas, is generally made out through a know- 
ledge of the invariable sequence between two positive 
factors (anvayasahacara) and of the invariable con- 
comitance between the negations of those two factors 
(vyatirekasahacdra). The formula for anvayasaha~ 
cdra is usually stated thus: "Whenever C precedes, E 
follows"; and that for vyatircksahacara thus; 
"Whenever C does not precede, E does not follow/* 
The latter formula is intended to serve as a corrective 
to the former and effectively eliminates the mistake 
which may arise through an exclusive adoption of the 
former formula and which consists in mere co-exist*- 
ence or sequence being taken for causality. There are 
certain cases where it is not possible to make out 
negative concomitance (vyatirckasahacara); for ins- 
tance, where a cause, like God, is ex hypothesi present 
everywhere and the invariable antecedent of every 
conceivable effect, the negative formula of vyatireka 
cannot possibly apply. In such cases, the affirmative 
formula of anvaya alone is available and depended 
upon. In all other cases, the Naiyayikas insist that 
causality should be determined through an application 
of both the formulas of anvaya and vyatireka. Where 
these two formulas are applied to instances falling 1 
within the range of direct observation (fratya'ksa) and 
as a result causality is made out, it is said to be made 
out through praiyaksa. Students of Western logic, who 
are familiar with the experimental methods formulated 
by Mill for determining causal relations, may be able to 



162 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

(find in the combination of the Nyftya formulas of 
G#vaya and vyatireka a parallel to what is known as the 
/* jfil method af agreement and difference. The Naiya- 
ylfcas are keenly alive of the difficulties in determining 
causality, which are brought about by cases of plurality 
of causes and intermixture of effects. They contend 
that, strictly speaking, there can be no plurality of 
causes or intermixture of effects. If fire appears to be 
the effect of straw (trna), or tinder-sticks (arvni), or 
lens (wow), the fact is that the same effect is not pro- 
duced from these three causes and the effect in each 
case has different properties. Such differences in effects 
may be apparent in certain cases and may be subtle and 
iiave to be noted with care in others. In a similar way, 
Che effects of different causes may be mixed up; and in 
such cases, these effects should be carefully distinguish- 
ed. The Naiyayikas are never tired of reminding 
themselves and others of the need for carefully observ- 
ing and making out the relation of invariable concomit- 
ance between particular classes of antecedents and 
^consequents, as also between their negations. This 
aaeed is embodied in Udayana's dictum "Concerning 
4ie truth about the affirmative and the negative con- 
comitance, one should he particularly careful" (tattve 
fyRtntwatQ bhavyam wvayavyatire&ayoli). It is con- 
tended by the JTaiyayikas that our experience of several 
things as existing only during a particular period of 
time and never existing before that time in other 
words, as being kadacitka in their nature cannot be 
satisfactorily explained except by assuming causal rela- 
tion between such things and certain antecedents. The 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 

causa) factors also-r-gpme pf them at least should 
themselves be occasional (kaddcitka) and contingent, 
for the reason that, otherwise, the prior non-existence 
of the effects in question cannot be accounted for. 
This would mean that a beginningless chain of causes 
and effects should be admitted ; and the Naiyayikas do 
not hesitate to say that the stream of causes and effects 
is beginningless (karyakaranapravaho'nadih), for the 
simple reason that the starting point, if any, of the 
causal stream lies far beyond human ken. 

30 

T (a) Of those prainanas, 
perceptive instrument (prat- 
yaksa) is the means of percep- 
tion. 

(&) Perception is the cogni- 
tion which is produced through 
sense-organ coming into relation 
with an object. It is of two 
kinds: indeterminate anddeter- 
minate. 

(c) Indeterminate percep- 
tion is a cognition which docs 
not involve any attribute or 
adjunct (prakfra). 

(d) Determinate perception 
is cognition which involves an 
attribute or adjunct. It is em- 
bodied in propositions like 
"This is E>itthtf\ Tbtf ii a 



164 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

Brahmana", "This is black 9 ', 
"This is a cook". 

The definition of perceptive instrument (prat- 
ya&sapram&na) is based on Gautama's sutra 1. 1. 4, 
which runs thus : indriy&rthasannikarsotpannam 
jnanam avyapadesyam avydbhicari vyavasayatma- 
kam pratyaksam". This s&tra may be rendered 
thus: "Perception is cognition which arises 
through sense-organ coming into relation with object, 
and which is non-verbal, unerring and of the nature of 
^dubious knowledge". The Sutrakara is evidently 
defining valid perception (pratyaksapramd) in order to 
definitely indicate the nature of the instrument of valid 
perception (pratyaksapramana). According to the 
earlier interpretation of this sutra, as given in Vatsya- 
yana's bhafya, the adjunct 'unerring' (avyabhicari) 
excludes erroneous perception; and the adjunct 'indubi- 
ous 1 (vyavasQyatwaka) excludes doubt. The adjunct 
'non-verbal' (ovyapadesyd) in the sutra is understood in 
various ways by different scholiasts. Some of the old 
scholiasts take this adjunct to mean 'not coming within 
the scope of expressions referring to objects' (sabda- 
karmatdm dpannam na bhavati yat) ; and in this sense, 
it differentiates perception as described by the expres- 
sions referring to objects from perception as it arises, 
the former having become objectified as prameya and 
thus ceased to belong to the subjective sphere of pra- 
mana (valid cognition). Some other Naiyayikas of an 
early school would take the adjunct 'non-verbal' 
(avyapdefya) in the sense of 'not being caused by word 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 165 

in association with sense-organ* (anubhayafa or 
fabdaksobhayajabhinna) ; and, in this sense, it should 
be understood as excluding cases where the meaning of 
a word is made out through the perceptual observation 
of the way in which an object is referred to by that 
word, or in other words, cases where a word is first 
made out to be significative of a certain object that is 
actually being perceived by a sense-organ. In such 
cases, they hold that the cognition in question should 
be brought under verbal cognition (sfibda} and not 
under perception. Another set of early Naiyayikas f 
(like Jayantabhatta) would take avyapadesya in the 
sense of asabda (non-verbal) and would explain its 
purpose as consisting in saving determinate perception 
(savikalpaka?) from being merged in verbal cognition 
(sdbda) on the ground that the cognitive process 
involved in such perception invariably results through 
the operation of a sense-organ in association with the 
recollection of a scheme of words with which the 
knower happens to be familiar. Vacaspatimisra and 
several others who follow him 'would take the word 
avyapade&ya (non-verbal) and vyfivasay&tmaka 
(definite and determinate) as referring to the two kinds 
of perception viz., indeterminate (nirvikalpaka) and 
determinate (savikalpaka). They maintain that the 
former adjunct (avyapadesya) refutes the view of the 
grammatical philosophers who refuse to recognize 
nirvikalpaka and hold that knowledge is impossible 
except though some language and no object is cognized 
by itself and without being associated with the word 
signifying it (Mi so'sti pratyayo loke yatra iabdo na 



1<6& A PRIMER OF ItffclAtf LOGIC [PxfcT m 



The latter adjunct (vy&vasaydtmaka) , they 
further maintain, refutes the Buddhist doctrine that 
indeterminate perception (r.irvikdpaka) is the only 
genuine type of valid perception and that all determinate 
cognitions (savikalpaka) are illusive. The last expla- 
nation given by Vacaspatimisra and his followers is 
generally accepted by later Naiyayikas and Gautama's 
sfttra dealing with perception (I. 1.4) is believed 10 
presuppose both the types of perception determinate 
(savikalpaka) and indeterminate (nirvikalpaka). 

What exactly is the nature of indeterminate pecep- 
tiofc and how does it differ from determinate peception? 
The answer suggested by Annambhatta's definitions of 
nirvihalpaka and savikalpaka, which follow Gangesa's 
view, may be explained in this way. In the first place, 
it should be remembered that the Nyaya distinction of 
erroneous cognition (bhrawa) and valid cognition 
(pramft), which is intended to apply only to cognitions 
leading to some activity (pravartaka), holds good only 
in the case of determinate cognitions and cannot have 
any reference to indeterminate cognitions. The relation 
of object and subject (visayavisayibhQva) involved in 
a determinate cognition is a definite complex consisting 
of three correlated phases adjunctness (prakaratti)* 
substantiveness (viSesyata) and relationness (samsar- 
g&t&). In an indeterminate cognition, on the other 
b&ftd, there is the relation of object and subject; and 
while a thing, its attribute such as a generic feature 
(//*) and their relation are presented in it, they are 
not presented in a specific manner in their respective 
forms as a qualified substantive (viscfya), as a qualify- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 

ing attribute (vifesantf) a ! nd as a relation of a definite 
type (samsarga). Such indeterminate cognitions hanre 
only to be inferentially arrived at through determinate 
cognitions, on the basis of the observed causal relation 
between a cognition of a certain attribute (vifef^n^ 
jnana) and a complex cognition of a thing as having 
that attribute (viSistajtitina). On this ground, the 
determinate cognition of a jar, for instance, one cannot 
possijly have without previously having an indeterminate 
cognition in which the substance in question, its 
generic attribute and even their relation are presented 
in a vague and undifferentiated form. Indeterminate 
cognitions are therefore said to be alindriya (beyond 
the scope of any sense), while determinate cognitions 
are generally perceived by mental perception (m&nasa* 
pratyaksa) and presented in anuvyavas&ya. It may 
also be noted that a nirvikalpaka can never be directly 
expressed in a proposition and that every proposition* 
according to Naiyayikas, embodies and conveys a deter- 
minate cognition (samsargavagahijndnaor 



The grammatical philosophers (fabdikas) as 
already stated, refuse to recognize nirvikqdpoka. All 
the otlier philosophers recognize the distinction between 
nirvlkalpaka and savikabpaka in one form or other. In 
the first place, the Buddhists hold that the nirvikalpako 
is the only form of valid perception and it cognizes the 
absolute, unrelated, momentary existence called svalak- 
sana (the mere thinu-in-it$elf); while the determinate 
cognitions (savikalpvka) arc illusive in that they 
involve wholly fictitious fabrications (vikalp* of 



168 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

fialpana), which usually take the forms of a name 
i(n&ma), a generic attribute, (/dtf), a quality (guya), 
an activity (kriya) and a substance (dravya). The 
Ad vaitins hold that indeterminate cognition (nirvikal- 
fiaka) may arise from propositions like 'This is that 
Devadatta' (so'yam devadattah) and 'That thou art 1 
(tat tvam asi); and that the absolute existence alone 
(sanmatram), which is identical with Brahman, is pre- 
sented in indeterminate cognitions (nirvikalpaka). The 
Mimamsaka view of nfrvikalpaka is that it is an 
indeterminate perception which consists in the direct 
and simple awareness of an individual object (vyakti) 
and its generic attribute (j&ti) which arises immediate- 
ly after the sense-organ comes into relation with them; 
and that it misses the definite feature of the jati as 
being common to several individuals belonging to a 
particular class and the specific character of the vyakt \ 
as being different from others i.e., the element of 
anuvrtti in the former case and of vyavrtti in the latter 
case. This is closely similar to the old Vaiseika view 
of nirvikalpaka. Prasastapada describes indeterminate 
perception as simple awareness (tilocanamatra) and 
Kumarila, in his description of it, uses the same expres- 
sion and compares it to the unverbalised dumb experi- 
ence of a child or a dumb person. Indeterminate 
perception is only to be inferred like any other cognition, 
in the view of Bhattas; while it is presented in itself 
along with the knower and the known object, as in the 
case of other cognitions, according to the Prabhakaras. 
The Vedantins of the Visisjadvaita school adopt the 
Prabhakara view of indeterminate perception and main- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 169 

tain that every cognition, however simple it may be, 
involves a substantive, an attribute and their relation; 
that both sdm&nya (generic attribute) and vie$a (the 
individual vyakti) are presented in nirvikalpaka along 
with difference in the form of the individual object 
(vyaktisvarupa); and that, at the stage of nirvikalpafca, 
the knower does not realize that the generic attribute pre- 
sented in his knowledge is common to all the individuals 
belonging to the same class and that these individuals 
are different from the individuals belonging to a 
different class, and he is not, therefore, in a position to 
articulate his indeterminate perception through verbal 
expression. 

The Advaitic view of nirvikalpaka that the abso- 
lute existent (SattaBrahman) is the only thing which 
is presented in it and that the highest form of truth- 
realisation which leads to final emancipation is a nirtn- 
kalpaka is an inevitable development of the doctrine 
of nirvikalpaka as adopted by the exponents of the 
Nyaya-Vaisesika system. The Nyaya-Vaiseika realists 
have shown how a permanent reality, and not a momen- 
tary isolated 'this' (svalaksana or thing-in-itself) as in 
the case of the Buddhist theory of nirvikalpaka, may be 
presented in indeterminate perception; and it has thus 
become easy for the Advaitins to push the Nyaya theory 
of nirvikalpaka to its logical conclusion and to maintain 
that the true nirvikalpaka is one in which Brahman, the 
only absolute and permanent reality, is presented. 
This 5s, indeed, one of the several instances in which 
the Advaitic Monist effectively uses a weapon made in 



170 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAUT iu 

the Nyaya forge against its maker himself to annihilate 
his pluralistic universe. Jayantabhatta, an authorita- 
tive exponent of Nyaya, observes in a significant 
manner that the only way in which one may get out of 
the mess which various Indian theorists have made of 
the content of nirvikalpaka would be by adopting the 
view that the same reality that is presented in savifcal- 
paka is presented in the nirvikalpaka, the only difference 
between them being that the former is invariably bound 
up with a linguistic scheme or verbal image while the 
latter is not and cannot be specifically articulated 
through any verbal expression. The sub-joined extracts 
from the Nyayamanj.iri (Viz. S. S. page 99) 
deserve a careful consideration in this connection: 

"Tasmad ya cva vastvatma savikalpasya gocarah ; 

Sa eva nirvikalpasya Sabdollckhavivarjitah. 

Kimatmako'saviti ccd yad yada pratibhasatc\ 

Vastupramitayascaiva prastavya na tit vadinah. 

Kvacijjatih kvociddravyam kvacitkarma kvacid 

gunah , 

Yadevasavikalpena tadev&nena grhyate. 

Iha tabdaMisandhanwnatramabhyadhikam param" 

The Nyaya-Vaiseika definition of pratyaksto 
(sense-perception) generally imibts that sense-data 
forra its essential feature and that it is invariably the 
result of a special type of relation called s&ttnikarsa 
between a sense and an object. This definition takes 
into account only perceptual experiences which are pfo- 
duted from certain causes and does not hold good in the 
case of the eternal omniscience whidi is also called 



CH, 1} PERCEPTION 171 



and which is ascribed to God. Strictly speak- 
ing, the etymology of the word fraiyaksa would sup- 
port its application only to perceptual experiences 
arising from the senses. However, usage has extended 
the term to all cognitions which are characterised by 
immediacy. God's omniscience has the highest degree 
of immediacy conceivable. So, in order to cover nitya- 
pratyafesa, also, perception is defined as a cognition 
which does not arise through the instrumentality of 
another cognition ; (jnanakaranakam jnanam prat- 
yaksam). It should be remembered that, though a 
determinate perception arises from an indeterminate 
perception, the latter does not operate as karana 
(efficient instrument). 

It would be desirable to consider here whether per- 
ception, in the sense in which it is used in the Nyaya* 
Vaiesika system, may correctly be called intuition. 
Without misapprehension, the term intuition may be 
used with reference to perception (pratyaksa), only in 
the sense that it possesses a comparatively greater degree 
of immediacy, as compared with non-perceptual cogni- 
tions. If intuition should be taken to exclude absolutely 
mediacy of any kind whatever, the praiyaksa of the 
Nyaya system, which arises through a special kind of 
relation between an object and a sense-organ, cannot 
be callel intuition. In the strict sense of the term 
intuition, it may be proper to use it only with 
reference to what is sometimes called pratibkd 
or the innate Capacity of the mind to immediately 
perceive certain things ; and it may also be appropriate 
to describe the Advaitic realisation of the one absolute 



172 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 



reality as intuition, in view of the fact that it results 
from the intuitive faculty of mind to perceive reality 
-coming to have a full, free and efficient play after the 
required preliminary discipline of studying and under- 
standing (fravana), reflective thinking (manana) and 
constant meditation (nididhyasana). In fact, in the 
Nyaya system, all knowledge is mediate in a sense, 
except the eternal knowledge ascribed to God, even 
indeterminate perception depending upon the mediation 
of a special kind of relation between sense-organ and 
object ( indriyarthasannikarsa ) . 

The Bha^ta MImamsakas adopt, for all practical 
purposes, the Nyaya definition of perception and 
would, like Naiyayikas, lay special stress on indri- 
ysrthasannifcarsa. The Prabhakaras, on the other 
hand, define perception as 'direct awareness* (sdksat 
pratltih)', and according to them, even recollection* 
inference and such other cognitions, usually considered 
non-perceptual in their character, are really perceptual 
on the subjective side, in so far as they themselves and 
the knower are concerned (svSmie jnatramse ca), 
though they are non-perceptual on the objective side, 
in so far as their objects are concerned (visayatnse). 
The Advaitic theory of perception rightly points out 
that the Nyaya view gives undue prominence to indri- 
ytirthasannikarsa and belittles the importance of the 
element of immediacy which ought to be treated as the 
essential element in pratyaksa. The Advaitins seek to 
remedy this defect by treating sense-relation as an 
antecedent necessary only for certain kinds of percep- 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 

tion and by insisting that immediacy consisting in 
subject -object-unity is the essential feature of all per- 
ceptual forms of experience, and not sense-relation. 
Consistently with usage in language, ihe Advaitins dis- 
tinguish the pratyaksatva (perceptuality) of a cogni- 
tion from the pratyaksatva (perceivedness) of an 
object. They describe cognition (jfiana) as pratyaksa 
(perceptual experience), when it comes to be unified 
for the time being with its object, in the sense that 
consciousness as conditioned by cognition (pramana- 
caitanya or vrttyavacchinnacaitanya} becomes equated 
with consciousness as conditioned by object (visaya- 
caitanya). In a similar way, they describe an object 
(visaya) as pratyaksa (perceived), when the knower 
(pramdtrcaitanya) becomes equated with object or 
consciousness as conditioned by object (visayacaitanya)* 
It maybe noticed here that the idea that immediacy in 
the sense of subject-object-unity forms the essential 
element in pratyaksa has turned out to be wholly foreign 
to Nyaya realism, mainly because the relational scheme 
on which the realistic edifice of Nyaya is erected con- 
sists entirely of external relations, and because the 
object-subject-relation (risaymisayibhtlru), in parti- 
cular, is conceived of as being entirely external in its 
character, chiefly with a view to keeping the dangerous 
idealist always at a safe distance. 

30 (*) 

T The sense- relation (san- 
nikarsa) which causes a percep- 
tual cognition is of six kinds - 
viz., contact, inherence in what 



174 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART tn 

has come into contact, inherence 
in what is inherent in a thing 
which has come in to contact, 
inherence, inherence in an in- 
herent thing and adjunct-sub- 
stantive relation. 

When a jar is perceived by 
the sense of sight, the sense- 
relation is 'contact'. When the 
colour of a jar is seen, the sense- 
relation is 'inherence in a thing 
which has come into contact', 
the jar, in that case, having 
come into contact with the visual 
sense and colour being connected 
with the jar through the relation 
of inherence. When colourness 
(rtipatva) in the colour of a jar 
is seen, the sense-relation is 
'inherence in what is inherent in 
a thing which has come into 
contact'; for, in that case, the 
jar has come into contact with 
the visual sense, the colour of 
the jar inheres in it and colour- 
ness inheres in colour. 

When sound is perceived by 
the sense of hearing, 'inherence' 
is the sense-relation; for, the 
ether bound within the auricular 
orifice is the auditory sense, 



. t] PERCEPTION 175 

sound is a quality of ether, and 
the relation between a quality 
and its substratum is inherence. 
When soundness (sabdatvd) is 
perceived by the auditory sense, 
the sense-relation is 'inherence 
in a thing which inheres'; for, 
soundness inheres in sound 
which inheres in the auditory 
sense. 

In the perception of non- 
existence, the adjunct-substan- 
tive-relation is the sense-relation ; 
for in the case jf the visual per- 
ception which takes the form 
"The seat of the non-existence 
of jar is floor", the 'non-exis- 
tence of jar' is an adjunct to 
the floor with which the visual 
sense has come into contact. 

Thus the cognition which 
arises from one or the other of 
these six sense-relations is per- 
ception ; and sense-organ is its 
efficient instrument (Tarawa), 
Therefore, the senses constitute 
the efficient instrt^nent of per- 
ceptual experience (pratyakfa* 
pram&na). 

[THUS ENDS THE CHAPTER ON PERCEPTION] * 



176 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

In the foregoing portion of the text, the scheme 
of sannikarsa adopted by the Naiyayikas is set forth. 
The term sannikarsa is used in a technical sense; it is 
not a mere relation, nor is it exactly contact, for the 
word 'contact' is generally taken to be equivalent to 
samyoga. It would be correct to describe sannikarsa 
as a special type sense-relation which determines and 
constitutes the extent of the perceptive reach or range 
of the sense-organs. In Nyaya literature, the term 
sannikarsa is generally used in this technical sense. 
The scheme of sannikarsa set forth above relates 
to normal perception (laukikapralyaksa) and com- 
prises normal sense-relations (laukikasannikarsa}. 
The Nyaya-Vaisesika theory rcpii'dintf the nature and 
constitution of the sense-organs (indriya) is already 
set forth on pages 65, 66 and 68 supra. According to 
the Naiyayikas, the visual sense (fafow/i), constituted 
as it is by light, travels to the spot where the visible 
objects happen to be and visualize them and it is there- 
fore said to be prapyakarin; the remaining senses are 
said be aprftyyakarin, in the sense that they do not 
leave their place but, remaining where they are, they 
perceive the objects which come within their reach. 
Some early exponents of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system, 
like Jayantabhajta and Srldhara, hold that all the 
senses are pr&pyak&rins> in the sense that they function 
with reference to objects within their reach, it being 
immaterial whether a sense reaches an object or an 
object reaches a sense. Samavdya (inherence) is 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 177 

recognized as a distinct type of sannikarsa in order to 
account for the auditory perception of sound. The 
Nyaya theory of the perception of sound (fabdaprrt* 
yaksa) is already set forth and explained on pages 101 
to 104 supra. The Nyaya view regarding the percep- 
tion of non-existence is that, through the help of 
effectual non-cognition (^iiyytihHpalaltilii), a sense- 
organ perceives the non-existence of an object which 
is perceptible to it. As a rule, a sense-organ which 
perceives an object can also perceive its j&ti (generic 
attribute) and its abhava (non-existence). The Nyaya 
view regarding this matter is usually expressed in this 
Sanskrit dictum "Yenendriyena yd vyaktih grhy^ie % 
tannistha jatih tadabhavasca tenendriyenaiva grhyate". 
It is necessary, in this connection again, to refer to 
pages 45 and 46 su'fira. The relation of v\$e$ana- 
visefyabhava, which is recognized as the sannikarfa 
connecting non-existence with a bense-organ, is, in fact, 
an indirect relation iiuvliin^ one or the other of the 
other sannikarsas. For instance, in the visual percep- 
tion of the non-existence of jar (ghat&bh&va) as 
adjunct of the empty floor (bhutala), the visual sense 
comes into contact (samyoga) with the empty floor 
with which the non-existence of jar is connected as 
adjunct ; so, the complete chain of sannikarsa, in this 
case, is not mere vise$anata, but caksussamyuktavife- 
$anata (being adjunct to a thing with which the visual 
sense has come into contact). 

In the case of iriner perception through the inner 
>ense (antarindriya) called man as, it is necessary to 



178 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

recognize three distinct sense-relations; viz., samyoga, 
samyuktasamavaya and samyuktasamavetasamavdya, in 
order to account respectively lor ihe mental perception 
(mdnasapratyaksa) of the soul (atman), of the cogni- 
tion in it and of cognitionness (jnauatra). In connec- 
tion with the auditory perception of sound (fabda) 
and soundness (fabdatva), it is necessary to iccognize 
two distinct sense-relations : viz., samavaya and sawa- 
vetaswnav&ya. The sense relation of visesanavisesya- 
bhava is necessary to account for the perception of 
non-existence. Would it be necessary to use the first 
three sense-relations (samyoga etc.) in accounting for 
external perception through the external senses other 
than the auditory sense? No substance which does not 
possess at least the minimum degree of mahattva 
(largeness) can be perceived by an external sense; and 
in the case of every external perception of substance or 
quality other than sound, association with mahattva is 
a necessary condition. So, in all cases of external 
perception, except auditory perception, one has to take 
into account only composite substances (avayavin), 
from a triad (iryanuka) upward. It would appear that, 
in such cases, the first two sense-relations may be 
dispensed with, and the third samyuktasamavetasama- 
v&ya would be quite adequate to account for any per- 
ception. For instance, the visual perception of a triad 
of earth (prlhivitryanuka) or its colour (rtipa) or its 
colourness (rfcpatva) can easily the accounted for by 
taking sathyuktasamavetasamovGya as the sense-rela- 
tion ; this chain should be understood in the first case 
(tryanuka) as consisting of contact between the visual 



CH.I] PERCEPTION 17$ 

sense and the atoms, the inherence of dyads in those 
atoms and the inherence of the triad in those dyads J 
the first link in this chain in the second case (r&pa) 
is contact between dyads and the visual sense; and m 
the third case (rupatza) , the first link in this chain is 
contact between the triad and the visual sense. To the 
above question, the Nyaya theorists reply that the first 
three sense-relations are indispensable and explain thei^ 
necessity in this way. Take, for instance, visual percep* 
tion ; the conditions of visual perception such as udbh&* 
tar&pa (perceptible colour) and mahattva (largeness) 
should be regarded as the co-existing determinants 
(avacchedaka) of contact with the visual sense (indriya- 
samyoga) ; it would not do if they are associated in some 
manner with^ffie object visualized; otherwise, the earth* 
ness (prihivltva) in the atoms of earth and the blueness 
(nllatva) in the blue colour \\ -i , :: to an atom of earth 
should be visualized, the former (prthivltva) being asso^ 
ciated with largeness (mahattva) in a jar and the latter 
(riilatva) being associated in some manner with large* 
ness through the blue colour of a jar; or otherwise, as 
a result of indirect association with mahattva and 
udbhfttarftpa in a jar, the jati called sattft should be 
visualized in air (vdyu) as well as its touch (sparSa); 
in order to avoid these absurdities, mahattva and stui 
other conditions in the case of visual perception should 
be referred to as avacchedaka (co-existing determinant 
of contact with the visual sense (caksttssamyoga), in 
all cases of visual perception ; In these circumstaftcel^ 
it becomes necessary to leave entirely out of account: 
contact between the visual sense and atoms or djads; 



WO A PRIMER OR INDIAN LOGIC [PAIT id 

thus, samyoga, samyuktasamavaya and samyuktasama- 
fttastmav&ya are shown to be indispensable iti account- 
ing for external perception of a substance (dravya), 
LU Duality (guna) and the generic attribute (;<Hf ) in 
the quality. 

The scheme of six sense-relations explained above 
relates only to cases of normal perception (laukika- 
}r#tyaksa} and these sense-relations are called laukika- 
so*nikar$ah (normal sense-relations). In the case of 
perception through the external senses, the complete 
icheme of relation necessary to bring about perceptual 
experience consists of contact between soul and mind, 
mind and sense-organ and sense-organ and object (atma 
ma*as& samyujyate, mana indriyena, indriyam 
wtkena). The first of these three factors viz., con- 
tact between mind and soul (dtmamanassamyoga) is 
a general condition of knowledge (jndnasantanya). In 
cases of m&nasapratyakfa (inner perception through 
the internal sense-organ manas), this general condition 
tfftelf (Atmamanassamyoga) assumes the specific form 
of sense-relation (indriyarthasannifcarsa). 

The Naiyayikas also recognize three types of 
auper-normal perception (alaukikapratyakja), as aris- 
ing from three kinds of super-normal sense relations 
{((wawSfJ&arannfftar^a), vis., the relation of sense- 
bound generality (samanyalabsanasannikarsa), the 
relation of sense-bound cognition (jMnalafifanasainm- 
and the relation of yogic power (yogajasanni- 
. In NySya literature, the word prattf&satti is 
also used in this context, as the equivalent of santti- 



CBL ij PERCEPTION HI 



The coexistence of smoke and fire is seen in ft 
hearth ; this visual perception relates only to the parti-* 
cular smoke and particular fire; a doubt arises as to 
whether the co-existence between smoke and fire is 
invariable or not, and takes the form " Is smoke co- 
existent with the non-existence of fire anywhere otf 
not?" (dhftmo vahnivyabhican na va) ; such a doubt 
relates to all smokes and all fires ; only a particular 
smoke and a particular fire happen to be seen in the 
hearth; the perceptual doubt referred to arises through 
the visual sense and presupposes the visual perception 
of all smokes past, present and future, in the hearth 
and elsewhere (dhtimas&manyac&ksusflni) ; the normal 
sense- relations of contact (samyoga) and inherence in 
the thing in contact (samyuktasamavaya) are esta- 
blished between the visual sense on the one side, and on 
the other side, the particular smoke and smokene** 
(dkttmatva) in it; no normal sense-relation can be 
shown to connect the visual sense with all the smotas; 
in this situation what happens is that the visual percep- 
tion of the generic feature, smokeness (dhtimatvfi) 
which is present in the particular smoke normally con- 
nected with the visual sense and which is common to ajl 
smokes, serves as the super-normal link (&laukikas<mn\- 
karsa) through which all the unobserved smokes ar* f in 
the first instance, connected with the particular 
actually observed, and through the latter with 
sense which has already come into relation with it in a 
normal way. Thus s&mdnyda&santsanm&arf* is $ 
supernormal sense-relation which immensely <xten4$ 
the perceptive reach of sense^rgan and 'brings 



182 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

classes of perceptible objects within its scope when only 
particular individuals of a class have actually come 
within its reach. The word s&m&nya in this context 
means any common attribute (samanadharma) and not 
necessarily a j&ti\ even a jar, for instance, may be 
treated as the samGnya of all the places having a jar. 
The earlier view is that the phrase samanyalak$aiia 
should be understood in the sense 'consisting in 
s&m&nya' (samdnyasvarufia} and that this variety of 
super-normal sense-relation consists in the common 
attribute presented as adjunct (prakata) in the cogni- 
tion of a substantive (visesya) which has come into 
normal relation with the sense-organ. (Indriyasambad- 
dhavifesyafcajnonaprakarib hit tarn sawtinyam sanni- 
kar$ah). This view is defective; for, it does not 
cover, for instance, the super- normal perception of all 
the places having a particular jar which has ceased to 
exist and which is remembered as the common attribute 
(sam&nadharma) of all such places. In that case, one 
visualizes through the super-normal (s&m&nyalakfana) 
sfcnse-relation all the places having the particular jar 
which no longer exists (tadghatavatah sarv&n pra- 
def&n), while seeing in the normal way only one of 
such places without the jar and while recollecting the 
particular jar previously seen in that place in the 
normal way. Tadghata (the particular jar) is the 
common feature in that instance; if s&m&nya itself 
Were to be understood as constituting the needed 
stnse- relation, sdmdnyalakfanasannikar^a would not be 
available there, for the reason that the particular jar 
representing the sam&nya no longer exists; but if 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 183 

cognition of sdmdnya (sdmdtiyajndna) should be 
treated as sannikarsa, the required sense relation in the 
form of recollection (sdmdnyasmarana) would be avail- 
able. For these reasons, Naiyayikas of the later school 
take the phrase sdmdnyalaksana to mean 'having 
sdmdnya as object', the word laksana being taken in the 
sense of object (vipaya) ; and they hold that it is 
cognition of sdmdnya (sdmdnyajndna) that constitutes 
the super-normal relation in question. It should be 
remembered in this connection that while (sdmdnya- 
jndna) avails as super-normal sense- relation in internal 
perception (ndnasapratyaksa) under all circumstances, 
it avails as such in external perception (b&hyapratyak$a) 
only when the conditions necessary for bringing about 
the normal perception of the sdmdnya in question are 
present. ( Tadindriyajataddharmabodhastimagryapek- 
sitd.) For instance, one can have a super-normal 
inner perception (alaukikamdnasapratya'ksa) of all 
smokes through the recollection of smokeness (dh&- 
matva), even in darkness ; but, in darkness, one can 
never have a super-normal visual perception (alauki- 
kacdksusa) of all smokes through the sdmdnyajndna 
consisting in the recollection of smokeness (dhtimatva- 
smarana). It may also be stated here that one could 
not become omniscient (sarvajna) for the mere reason 
that one could have super-normal perception of all 
knowable things (prameya) through the cognition of 
their common feature knowableness (jnrameyatva), 
since omniscience (s&rvajnya) consists in a detailed 
and full knowledge of all things and not in a general, 
knowledge of them. 



A PRIMER OP INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

A person sees sandal ; his sense of smell does not 
function for the moment and his sense of sight alone 
functions ; he sees not only sandal but also its fra- 
grance; his visual perception assumes the form "the 
sandal is fragrant" (surabhi candanam), and he is 
conscious of the fact that he is seeing the fragrant 
sandal. In cases like this, no normal sense-relation 
(laukikasannikarsa) between the visual sense and 
fragrance can be recognized and the presentation of 
fragrance (saurabha) in visual perceptionas an adjunct 
of sandal has to be accounted for by means of the 
super-normal sense-relation (alaukikasannikvrsa) f 
which consists in the recollection of fragrance smelt in 
the sandal on a previous occasion. This variety of 
super-normal sense-relation is called jnanalaksanasan- 
mg0. By means of s&m&nyajndna (cognition of a 
common attribute) representing s&manyalafcsanasanni- 
karsa> it woiiid be possible to account for fragrance 
bting brought within the scope of the visual perception 
of sandal, the required sense-relation being fotmi in the 
cognition of fragranceness (saufabhatva) the generic 
feature Of fragrance. But the presentation of &aura~ 
bhatva in the visual perception of sandal cannot be 
accounted for by means of s&m&nyalatisan<isannikars6> 
since saufabhatva is a fati and is therefore presented 
in cognition as adjunct by itstlf (svarupatah) and not 
as delimited by any attribute. In this case, it becomes 
unavoidably necessary to recognize jnGnalatsanasaHni- 
k&rsa as distinct from samdnyal&ksana. Further, where 
a person mistakes nacre for silver in visual perception 
and has the anuvyavasaya f l see silver*, silverness 



CH. ij PERCEPTION IHS 

(tajatttva) is presented in the inner consciousness of 
visual perception through jfi&nalaksana, and not 
through sam&nyalafcsana; for, in the latter case, the 
generic attribute, whose cognition is proposed to be 
treated as sannifearsa, should be present in the subs- 
tantive (vifesya) actually perceived, and in the present 
instance^ silverness is not present in the nacre which is 
seen. On these grounds, the Naiyayikas maintain that 
jnanalaksana should be taken to form a distinct type of 
super-normal sannikarsa. They also hold, on the 
strength of the evidence furnished by the Yogaf&stra, 
that the super-normal capacity, which the mind 
(manas) acquires througli the yogic practice, constitutes 
the third variety of alaukikasannikarsa described as 
yogajadharmalaksana. This variety of super-normal 
sense-relation enables any sense to reach any object. 

The Nyaya theory of alaukikasannikafsa seeks 
to account for certain cognitions which really stand' 
on the border line between ordinary perceptual 
cognitions and non-perceptual cognitions and would 
appear to be more akin to the former than to the latter. 
The Mimamsakas and the Advaitins are not in favour 
of this theory and refuse to recognize any special type 
of pratyaksa known as alaukikapratyakf&. These oppo- 
nents of the Nyaya theory argue thus. Universal 
judgments relating to smokes and fires in general terms 
are the result of the synthesis which a thinker's mind 
is capable of making; this synthesis is sometimes effect- 
ed through a negative process and sometimes through a 
positive process; in the case of a negative synthesis,, 
particular individuals only are observed and brought 



186: A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PxiT ill 

into relation with each other as determined by certain 
generic features, the individualities of the individuals 
being entirely ignored for the moment; such a negative 
synthesis may well be brought under normal perceptual 
process (laukikapratayksa). In positive synthesis, a 
generalisation of all the conceivable individuals, with- 
out ignoring their individualities, is definitely contem- 
plated and is effectuated by the thinker's mind passing 
from particulars to universals; the mental process in- 
volved in such a positive synthesis is essentially one of 
inference. In cases like the visual perception of sandal 
as fragrant (surabhi candanam), one may see easily 
a jumble of visual perception of sandal and recollection 
of fragrance through association of ideas. Even in the 
case of yogic perception, what happens, in fact, is that 
the normal reach of the mind comes to be immensely 
extended by yogic powers through the great potentiali- 
ties of the mind becoming actualised in experience; and 
all instances of yogic perception may be accounted for, 
without the help of the theory of super-normal sense- 
relation, either as ntanasapratyaksa (inner perception) 
or as vivid recollection of the past, or as vivid imagi- 
nation of future possibilities. Mtmarhsa theorists dis- 
card the doctrine of yogic perception altogether. 

However, it should be observed here that the 
Nyaya theory of alaukikapralyak$a (super- normal per- 
ception) rests on reasons which should not be lightly 
brushed aside and which are worthy of very careful 
consideration. In the first place, it may be noted that, 
in every case which a Naiyayika would bring under the 



CH. i] PERCEPTION 187 

super-normal variety of perception, the mediacy which 
is characteristic of non-perceptual cognitions is entirely 
missing and the immediacy- which is characteristic of 
perceptual cognitions is invariably felt to be present. 
In cases of external perception, where cognition of a 
or cognition of some other kind is treated as 
rsd) the mind is entirely subordinated to a sense 
and if certain impressions derived from previous ex- 
perience get mixed up with perceptual elements, such 
impressions come to be divested, for the time being, of 
their non-perceptual character and invested with a 
sense-bound, perceptual garb. The inner consciousness 
(anuyyavasaya) of disciplined minds, which takes a 
form like this "I sec a fragrant sandal" (surabhi can- 
danam pasydmi), is certainly an evidence which the 
KTaiyayikas feel bound to respect and rely upon, in this 
connection. 



CHAPTER II 

INFERENCE 

31 

(a) Anum&na (Inference) 
is the efficient instrument 
(karana) of inferential cogni- 
tion. 

(&) Inferential cognition is 
a cognition which arises from 
subsutnptive reflection (par&- 
mar fa). 

(c) Paramarsa (subsump* 
tive reflection) is a cognition 
which cognizes the presence of 
the invariably concomitant 
factor denoted by the middle 
term (probans) in the thing 
denoted by the minor term. For 
instance, the cognition, "This 
mountain has smoke which is 
invariably concomitant with fire" 
is a subsumptive reflection; 
and the cognition resulting 
from it and taking the form 
"mountain has fire" is inferential 
cognition. 



CH. uj INFERENCE 

(d) "Wtewer there is 
smoke there is fire" 'This type 
of invariable concomitance is 
vyapti (co-extension). 

(e) Subject - adjunctness 
(paksadharmata) consists in the 
invariable concomitant (vyfyya) 
being present in things like a 
mountain (denoted by pak$a or 
the minor term). 

S\4num&na t as its etymological sense indicates is 
afte**p*oof. It is after-proof in the sense that it uses 
the knowledge derived from perception (pratyaksa) or 
verbal testimony (agama) and helps the mind to march 
on further and add to its knowledge/) As Vitsyayana 
puts it, it is equivalent to anvfllsu; and the Nyaya 
system is called anviksiki, for the reason that its 
immediate and chief aim is to elucidate the nature of 
anumana or anviksd as a pramana. (PratyaksQga- 
masritam anum&nam; sd anvlk$a; taya pravwrtata 
ityanviTzsikl ny&yavidya nyQyasQstram. ) Seeing that 
verbal testimony is not recognized as a distinct pfatn&na 
by the Bauddhas and the Vaiseikas, the Nyaya writers 
prefer to consider sabda at the end and rightly proceed 
to consider anum&na immediately after pratyakfd* 

f It would be interesting to note here how the Njayfi 
realist deals with the criticism that all knowledge may y 
in a sense, be brought under inference and that even 
perceptual experience may be brought under inference* 
It may well be contended that, in the visual experience 



190 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

of a composite structure like a horse, only certain parts 
of the animal come into relation with the sense of sight 
and several parts do not, in fact, come into relation 
with the sense; and that in such cases, the experience 
of the whole, of which we become conscious, must be 
taken as inferencer^Gautama himself refers to this 
contention in II ]K-31 and indicates how this difficulty 
inay be met by using the N) aya theory that the com- 
posite whole (avayavin) is entirely different from its 
parts (avayavah). /The Nyaya theorists claim that 
their conception of paTts and whole as entirely different 
entities has as its chief advantage the preservation of 
the province of pratyaksa from being wholly swallowed 
up in the province of anumana.j 

In the case of every pram&na, the karana (special 
or efficient instrument), the vydpdra (intermediate 
cause) and the/>/*a/a (final result) should be carefully 
distinguished. In the case of anumana (instrument of 
inferential experience) the knowledge of co-extension 
(vy&ptijnana} is karana; substimptive reflection 
(paramarfa) is vyapara; and inferential experience 
(anumiti) is phala. 

Students of Nyaya, before they proceed to study 
the Chapter on anum&na, should start with a clear con- 
ception of the meanings of the technical terms paksd f 
sadhya and hetu or sddhana. They are usually rendeF- 
ecTrespecilvely by theTEnglish equivalents minor term, 
major term and middle term. But it should be remem- 
bered here that these English terms have primary 
reference to certain terms constituting syllogistic 



CH. n] INFERENCE 191 

expression; whereas, in Sanskrit Nyava, the term 
denoting paksa corresponds to the minor term, the term. 
pakfa itselFstandlng for'the subs'uritTve with reference 
to which something has to be inferred or inferentially 
predicated; the term denoting sadhya corresponds to 
the major term, the term sadhya itself standTngTorTlie 
thing that is sought to be inferred or inferentially pre- 
dicated with reference to paksa; and the term denoting 
hetu or sddhana corresponds^ Jo the middle term, the 
term Jietu'or jflrf/wfia'ltseTf standin^ToFflieTe^son or 
ground which is invariably concomitant with whatis 
sought to be inferred and whose ^"fenowlcHgcTeadsJo 
inference. Thus, one may see in the Indian terminology 
itselfevidence of a fundamental difference in the way 
in which the topic of inference is treated in Indian logic 
as compared with the way in which European tradition 
deals with that topic such difference consisting in 
greater stress being laid on the material aspects of 
inference by the exponents of the Nyaya-Vaisetka 
system and undue stress being laid by European tradi- 
tion on the formal side of syllogistic expression. 

Annambhatta defines anumili as a cognition pro- 
duced by subsumptive reflection (parfimarfa). This 
definition, as it is, may be applied even to a perceptual 
experience following a doubt and arising from a sub- 
sumptive reflection. With reference to a man standing 
at a distance, a doubt may arise in twilight, as to 
whether he is a man or a post. As one approaches the 
object, the cognition "This object has hands and such 
other features as are found invariably associated with 



192 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [flu? m 

humanity' 1 (purufatvavytipyakaradimGn ay am) arises; 
and immediately follows the perceptual experience 
"This is a man" (ay am purtt$ah). Such cases of 
sam$ayottarapratyak$a (perceptual decision following 
a doubt) and arising from the reflective perception of 
certain particulars (vise$aparamarsa) are not instances 
of anwniti and have to be excluded by the adjunct 'in 
Association with the pakfattf (pak$atQsahakrta) so that 
foe complete definition of anumiti will be this 
n AtiumitiJiS a cognition which is produced by subsump- 
tive reflection in association with subjectness 



What is paksatG (subjectness) ? The earlier 
school of Nyaya understood subjectness as consisting 
in 'doubt regarding the presence of probandum' 
(sddhyasandeha) or, in other words, understood a 
paksa to be the substantive with reference to which one 
doubts whether one may correctly predicate something 
or not. This view of pak$ata ignores the fact that 
s&dhyasandeha (doubt regarding prodandum) is not a 
necessary condition of inference and that a person who 
has actually seen clouds on the sky may also infer their 
presence from their peal of thunder. The later 
Naiyayikas seek to remove this defect in the earlier 
definition of paksata and suggest a modified definition 
which may be stated thus: "Pakfatd, (subjectness) 
amounts to the absence of such indubious knowledge of 
the probandum as is associated with the absence of a 
desire to establish the probandum" (sifddhayiftiviraha- 
pakfata). In experience, it is 



CH. 11] INFERENCE 

found that indubious knowledge of the frobandum 
(sadhyasiddhi) prevents inference unless there is a 
positive desire to arrive at the same result through 
inference. Sadhyasiddhi is thus a counteracting agent 
preventing animiti (anumjtipratibatodhaka) and 
si$ddhayi$d neutralises the influence of the counter* 
acting agent and is therefore uttejaka. Pak$ata thus 
reduces itself to non-existence of such counteracting 
agent as is associated with the absence of the 
neutralising agent (MttejakdbhdvaviSistam yat prati- 
bandhakam tadabhavah}. When the Naiyayikas 
include pal^ata in the causal equipment necessary foi- 
anumiti, they do not assume anything unusual, but 
are simply applying to the specific effect, anumiti, 
the general principle that uttejakabhavavitistapratl* 
bandha'kdbhdva is one of the things making up the 
causal complement of an effect. It must be remem* 
bered that universal sadhyasiddhi in every conceivable 
instance of fiaksa prevents the inference of the sanre 
sddhya in some of the paksas as also in all paksas i 
whereas partial sadhyasiddhi in some tfaksas prevents 
only the inference of the same sddhya in some pakfas. 
Universal s&dhyasiddhi is technically " described as 
paksafavacchedakavacchedena sadhyasiddhi and may be 
embodied in a proposition like this " All S is P '\ 
Inference of the same sddhya in all paksas is likewise 
described as paksatavacchedakavacchedetoa anumiti and 
embodied in a proposistion like this <* All S is P ". 
" Some S is P" a proposition of this type embodies 
partial sddhyasiddhi, which is technically described as 
fralteQtavacchedakas&mtinadhikaranyena sddhyasiddhi. 
13 



194 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

An inference which may be embodied in a propo- 
sition like "Some S is P" is prevented by any 
s&dhyasiddhi, universal or partial, while the inference 
in the form " All S is P" is prevented only by uni- 
versal sddhyasiddhi. It should also be remembered that, 
when the conditions necessary for having the perception 
of a certain object are present along with those neces- 
sary for inferring the same object, only the perception 
of that object arises and not its inference; but in cases 
where the conditions necessary for perceiving an object 
are present along with those required for inferring 
another object, inference would arise and not perception. 

The Naiyayikas insist that, in every case of infe- 
rence, quick or slow, inference for oneself or inference 
for others, subsumptive reflection (jMamgri^^jL^n 
indispensable anTeeed^nt"^lnct^"sTiould, therefore, be 
treated as cause of anumiti. 



cognition which arises from a combination of the 
knowledge of Invariable concomitance t '(vya'pfijnana^ 
and that of the presence of the reason (hetu) in the 
suEject CJ>ttfcja) technically known as paksadharmatd- 
jft&na.^In the stock example of inference "The hill 
hasTire; because it has smoke", the pardmarsa takes the 
form "The hill has smoke, which is invariably con- 
comitant with fire" (vahnivydpyadh&mavdn parvatah) ; 
^nd it is contended by the Naiyayikas that, in the 
absence of such a pardmarfa, anumiti does not arise. 
This cognitive complex called pardtnarfa is also known 
as lingapardmarsa or trtiyalingaparamarfa (the third 
cognition of the reason). The cognition 6f the presence 



CH. n] INFERENCE 195 

of the lingo, (reason) in the subject (paksa) may be said 
to be the first lingapardmarfa; the cognition of the in- 
variable relation between linga and sddhya is the second 
lirigaparamarsa; and the complex cognition which arises 
from these two cognitions is the third lingapardmarSa. 

The MImamsakas and the Vedantins who follow 
them hold that the complex cognition called pardmarSa 
is not indispensable for anumiti, though it may 
actually arise just before anumiti in many cases. 
In our experience, we are conscious of having anumiti 
directly after becoming aware of the presence of the 
hetu (reason) in the paksa (subject) and remembering 
vydpti (invariable concomitance) and without any 
intervening pardmarsa. In such cases, the Naiyayikas 
also cannot help recognizing causal relation (kdrya- 
kdranabhdva) between anumiti on the one side and the 
two ., " : referred toon the other side (vydpti- 
jndna and paksadharmatdjnana} ; and in cases where 
pardmarsa intervenes, they should recognize another 
causal relation (kdryafcaranabhdva) between pardmaria 
and anumiti. Thus the MImamsakas argue and maintain 
that, in order to avoid this difficulty, it would be neces- 
sary to treat anumiti as the effect of vydptijndna and 
pak$adharmatdjndna and to exclude pardmarSa from 
the causal complement of anumiti. The Naiyayikas, 
however, point out that it would be much simpler to 
connect every case of anumiti with pardmarsa as its 
cause and to assume that, even in cases where anumiti 
appears to arise directly from vydptijndna and pa%fa~ 
dharmat&jndna, there is an intervening pardmarSa 
though one may not be conscious of it on account of the 



196 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

quick passage of the mind from the stage of paksa- 
dharmatdjfidna to the stage of inference. The con- 
troversy between the Mimarhsakas and Naiyayikas, as 
to whether anumiii should be taken as the effect of the 
two cognitions vydptijndna and pak$adharmatdjfidna 
or as the effect of the complex cognition called para- 
marfa, appears to hinge on the principle of parsimony 
(Idghava) and turns out to be a consideration of the 
greater or smaller degree of cumbersomeness which one 
might notice in the MImamsaka's or the JTaiyayika's 
way of defining the causal relation between anumiti 
and its cause. However, a careful estimation of the 
arguments advanced by the Mimarhsakas and the 
Naiyayikas would reveal the significance of the insis- 
tence in Nyaya on pardmarsa being treated as indis- 
pensable. If subsumption to a generalisation be the 
essential element in inference, it is obvious that infe- 
rence of fire in a hill cannot arise from the perception 
of smoke in it, until the particular smoke in the hill is 
subsumed under the generalisation involving vydpti 
between smoke and fire; and the Naiyayikas insist that 
subsumption is the essential feature of inference and 
insist therefore that every anumiti should betaken to 
be preceded by pardmarta, which is but a subsumptive 
reflection subsuming the smoke in the hill under the 
pre-established vyapii. The Bhatta Mimarhsakas, on 
the other hand, hold that it is the subsultive, rather 
than the subsumptive, passage of the mind from the 
observed relation of particulars to a certain unobserved 
particular, that characterises the inferential process 
of thought; and this view accounts for their attitude 



CH. n] INFERENCE 197 

towards partimarSa. From the following exposition 
of vyapti, the difference between the views of the 
Mimamsakas and the Naiyayikas would become further 
clarified. 

What .is vytipt4? Annambhatta's definition of 
vyaptijis L that it consJtjJjxJj}Ji4/tf (reason or probans) 
being co-existent with the sadhya (probandum or the 
ining to be "Tn f erentiall} "Vstablislied ) , which is per- 
vasive of the hetu (hetuvydpaka). To be pervasive 
^^af^aJ^ml^Q context of anumiti, means 'never 
being the counter-correlative (ptatiyogin) of a negation 
(abhdva) which is co-existent with hetu. 9 In an infe- 
rence, where smoke is the hetu and fire is the sadhya 
to say that there is ^3^'Lj[.invariable Concomitance) 
between smoke and fire implies the followingtli'ingS, 
according to this definition. Firstly, it implies that fire 
and smoke co-exisXJn the particular form and through 
the particular relation, with reference to which they are 
intended to be treated as hetu and sadhya respectively, 
the particular form of hetuandsddhya being technically 
called hetutavacchedakadharma and sadhyatdvacche- 
dakadharma and the particular relations intended to 
determine the co-existence of hetu and sadhya being 
technically known as hetuidvacchedakasambandha and 
sddhyatdvacchedakasambandha. Secondly, it implies 
that, with reference to the same hetut&vacchedaka- 
dharma, sddhyatdvacchedakadharma, hetutdvaccheda- 
kasambandha and sddhyatdvcchedakasambandha, fire 
is never the counter-correlative (pratiypgin) of any 
negation which co-exists with smoke. Where fire in a 
hill is inferred from smoke, fire is sadhya, fifeness 



198 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

(vahnitva) is said to be s&dhyat&vcchedakadharma in 
the sense that fire is proposed to be treated as 
sddhya in its general and universal form as fire, and 
not in any other form such as that of a substance 
(dravya) ; smokeness (dhumatva) is said to be hetuta- 
vacchedakadharma in the sense that smoke is proposed 
to be treated as hctu in its general and universal form 
as smoke, and not in any other form; and conjunction 
or contact (samyoya) is said to be sadhyatavacchcdaka- 
sambandha, as also hetutaracchcdakasambandtoa, in the 
sense that fire and smoke, in their respective form as 
sfidhya and hetu, are proposed to be treated as connect- 
ed with paksa (subject), through the relation of con- 
tact, and not through any other relation such as 
inherence (samavaya) or self-linking relation (svarupa). 

In later Nyaya literature, based on Gangesopa- 
dhyaya's Tattvacint&mani, two types of definitions of 
vy&pti are distinguished, one type being called siddhanta- 
laksana and the other type being called purvapaksa- 
iaksana or purvapaksavyapti. The definition explained 
in the preceding para represents the former type and is 
briefly set forth in this Sanskrit formula: Hetuvya- 
pakasSdhyasanianQdhikaranyam vyaptih. This defini- 
tion, when fully amplified, comes to include the 
hetutavacchedakadharma, sadhyatavacchedakadharnta 9 
hetutdvacchedakasambandha and sadhyat&vacchedaka- 
sambatodha. It is affirmative in its main form, the 
latter half being affirmative, though the adjunct 
hetuvyQpaka reduces itself to the negative form hetu- 
sam&n8dhikarandtyantabhavdpratiyogin ( which is 



CH. 11] INFERENCE 199 

never the counter-correlative of any negation co-exist- 
ing with the reason). 

The other type of definition of vyapti is known as 
pnri'apaksalaksana in the sense that it is provisional 
and prima facie satisfactory. It is generally put in a 
negative ^form. A typical instance of pftrvapahsavydpti 
is this: Co-extension (vyapti) consists in non-exis- 
tence of the probans in every place where the probandum 
(sadhya) does not exist (sadhyabhavavadavrttitvam). 
This definition also, when fully amplified, comes to in- 
clude the hetntavacchedakadharma^adhyatavacchedalta- 
dharma, hctutavacchcdakasambandha and sadhyata- 
vacchcdakasambandha. This prima facie definition of 
vyapti is negative in its main part and is a direct 
amplification of the conception of avinabhava. The 
contrast between the tv/o phrases avinabhava and 
sdhacaryaniyama should be clearly understood. The 
former phrase is more commonly used in earlier 
N> aya literature and the latter in later literature. Vin& 
means 'without'; a-bhava means non-existence; and 
a-vina-bhava means non-existence (of the probans or 
helu) without or in the absence (of the probandum or 
sadhya). This is the basis of purvapaksavyapti which 
is generally negative in its form. The other phrase 
sdhacaryaniyama which is used by Annambhatta is 
equivalent to niyatasahacarya, \\ hich means invariable 
co-existence. This forms the basis of what is referred 
to above as siddhantavy&pti. The prima facie defini- 
tion of vydpti set forth above is defective. It does not 
hold good incases where the sadhya happens to he a 



200 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

thing whose non-existence anywhere is inconceivable 
(kevalanvayl) , like abhideyatva (namableness) ; nor 
does it apply to the hetu in syllogisms like: "A quality 
(guna) has existence (satta), because it has a generic 
attribute (jaii)". It will be seen that non-existence of 
the probans in a place where the probandum does not 
e&ist can be conceived of only when its existence in 
such a place through the specific relation in view 
(helutavacchedakasambandha) is conceivable and that, 
in the latter instance referred to, the presence of the 
ptobans, jati, through the relation of inherence, which 
is the specific relation in view, in a place like sdmanya 
-jwhere the probandum (satta) is not present, is incon- 
ceivable. In order to get over difficulties of this kind, 
thesiddhantalaksana or conclusive definition of vyapti is 
put forward. 

The term vyapti literally means pervasion and lays 
stress on the universal character of the relation Tcept in 
view. The phrase 'universal connection' ""brings' out 
exactly the meaning of the term vyapti. In"" early 
"Nyaya literature, Ihe term avindbhava is frequently 
used as the equivalent of vytipti. It should be observed 
that this term, avinGbhSva, brings into prominence the 
invariable character of the relation kept in view. The 
two ^concepts, universality and invariableness, implj 
^Scfi other; but they are not identical. A careful 
xlraination of early Nyaya literature would show that, 
from Kanada and Gautama downward, all the leading 
exponents of the Nyaya- VaiSesika system were quite 
familiar with the ideas of universality and invariable- 



CH. n] INFERENCE 201- 

ness as forming the essential elements in the conception 
of vyspti. Vatsyayana, who preceded Dignaga, defini- 
tely makes use of the conception of avinabh&va in his 
Bhasya on the sutras 2-2-1, 2-2-2 and 2-2-61. The 
very conception of vyabhicGra as a fallacy (hctvabhtisa) 
presupposes the invariableness of the relation called 
avinabhdva or vyapti. Patanjali, in his Mahabhaya 
(on 3 2 124), shows a definite knowledge of the 
universal character of the relation called vytipti. In 
the face of these facts, it would be unreasonable to 
hold, as Professor Keith does, that the doctrine of 
indissoluble or invariable relation (avindbhava) is 
Dignaga's special contribution to Indian logic and that 
Prasastapada and others borrowed this idea from 
Dignaga and developed it. In this connection, atten- 
tion is invited to the article on "The evolution of 
vydpti'' contributed by one of my former pupils, Mr. 
A. S. Krishna Rao, M.A., in part I Volume I, (1927) 
of the Journal of Oriental Research, Madras. 

What is the exact nature of the relation of vy&pti, 
or avinabhdva? How is it arrived at? Is it arrived at 
through perceptual experience? Or does it represent 
itself the result of an inferential .process? If vydpti in 
its universal form is the basis of inferential reasoning* 
does it not already contain in itself the result of the 
inferential process and does it not render inference 
wholly superfluous? Questions like these were raised 
and answered both by Naiyayikas and Mimarfisakas of 
the early and later schools. It would be of great value 
to students of Indian logic to pay some attention to 



202 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

these questions. Vatsyayana remarks in his Bhasya on 
1-1-37, that the parallelism between the probans as 
found in the paksa and the probans as found in the 
example (udaharana), on which the probative character 
of the probans rests, is very subtle and diihcult to 
explain and can be well understood only by men of 
great learning. (Tadidam heiudaharanayoh ^sadhar- 
myam paramasak$Mam duhkhabodhain panditarupa- 
vedaniyamiti). The Bhasypk&ra sa>s this, not because 
he was quite innocent of the nature of the invariable or 
universal relation called avlnabhara or vya f pti, as 
Professor Keith and some others may fancy, but 
because, perhaps, he was keenly alive to the difficulty in 
satisfactorily answering the questions raised at the 
beginning of this para and to the snares and pitfalls in 
the way of generalisation. 

Uddyotakara, Vacaspatimisra, Jayanta and some 
other early writers on Ny&ya describe vy&pti as an un- 
conditioned or necessary relation which is not brought 
about by any adventitious circumstance anaupadhikah 
sambandhah. For instance, that smoke is pervaded by 
fire, i.e., that dhunia is vahnivyCipya*\$ a necessary and un- 
conditioned relation and does not depend upon any adven- 
titious circumstance; whereas, the relation of vyapti 
embodied in the proposition 'Wherever there is fire, 
there is smoke' is not a necessary and unconditioned 
relation and depends upon the association of fire with 
the adventitious contact of wet fuel with fire (Urdren- 
dhanasamyoga). Such adventitious circumstances are 
called upddhayah. An upadhi is an adventitious factor 
which is invariabiy concomitant with the p 



CH. n] INFERENCE 203 

(s&dhyavydpaka) and not so with the probaw 
(sadhanavyapaka). It is called u'p&dhi becabse as 
Udayana explains, its invariable concomitance with the 
probandum comes to be erroneously associated with the 
probans, just in the same way as the redness of a japQ 
(China rose) is erroneously associated with a crystal 
(sphatika-) in its vicinity. To define vyapti as anau- 
pddhikasambandha is significant in several ways. In 
the first place, it shows that the earlier schools of 
Indian logic, which adopted this definition, do not defi- 
nitely insist upon any conscious process of generalisa- 
tion or universalisation preceding inference. Secondly, 
according to the early schools, it should be made out 
that the connection between the probans (hetu) and 
probandum (sddhya) is necessary. Thirdly, in order 
to satisfy oneself that the connection in question in- 
volves necessity, one should know that it is not due to 
association with any adventitious circumstance, i.e., 
that it is w&bhavika and not aupddhika. Further, this 
definition clearly lays greater stress on the element of 
necessity in the relation between the hetu and sddhya 
than on the element of invariableness. It should, how- 
ever, be remembered, in this connection, that Gautama 
who recognised vyabhicdra or absence of invariableness 
as a fallacy, and Vatsyayana and Prasastapada who 
definitely referred in their works to the concept of 
avindbhdva as an essential element in anum&na, were 
fully alive to the importance of the idea of invariable- 
ness in vyapti. 

What is the form in which the relation of vy&pti 
comes to be known and leads to inference? How does 



204 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

it come to be known ? According to Annambhatta, who 
follows GangeSopadhyaya in this as in several other 
matters, the cognition of vyapti (vy&ptijfi&na) atise&in 
the form of a universal generalisation which is usually 
embodied in the proposition "Wherever there is smoke 
there is fire" (yatrayatra dhumah tatra vahnih), or in 
the proposition "Whatever has smoke, has fire" (yo 
yo dhumavan so'gniman) ; in a statement of vyapti, the 
vy&pya (pervaded) should be first referred to and the 
vydpaba should be the principal predicate; aijcj the 
cognition of vyapti arises usually from the observation 
ofTfie co-existence of smoke and fire in one or more 
instances, in the absence of any knowledge of a place 
where the hetu is present and the sddhya is not present' 
Annambhatta criticises the view that the relation of in- 
variable concomitance is known through bhuyodarsana 
or repeated observation. As Nllakantha points out, 
the Sanskrit phrase bhtiyo'darsana is ambiguous. It 
may refer to the frequent repetition of the same obser- 
vation or to observation of several instances of the 
stidhya and hctu or to observation of the co-existence 
of the sddhya and hetu in several places. In any of 
these senses, though the observation of the co-existence 
of hetu and sddhya may be repeated a thousand times, 
vy&pti cannot be made out, if, even in a single instance, 
the hetu is known to be present in the absence of the 
stidhya. So, following the Manikara, Annambhatta 
points out that a knowledge of the co-existence of the 
hetu and sSdhya in association with the absence of a 
knowledge of the presence of the hetu where the s&dhya 
is not present (vyabhicdrajnanavirahasahakrtam svha- 



CH. n] INFERENCE 205 

c&rajnanam) causes vyaptijnana. Knowledge of vya- 
bhicftfa may arise in the form of a doubt or one may 
be sure of the presence of this defect. In the latter 
case, unless it is shown that such knowledge is erro- 
neous, one cannot make out the relation of vyapti. In 
the former case, any doubt, of vyabhicara, which is 
otherwise technically known as aprayojakalvasankd and 
which is usually expressed in the form ''Let there be 
the A<?/; the sadhya need not be present" (heturastu 
sadhyam mastu), is removed by an indirect type of 
reasoning known as tarka. The indirect argument 
called tarka corresponds to rcductio ad absurdum and 
consists in showing how the assumption of the oppo- 
site leads to an absurd result by coming into conflict 
with some established truth. In the case of invariable 
concomitance between smoke and fire, for instance, if 
one should doubt that smoke may be present some- 
where in the absence of fire, the indirect argument of 
tarka may be put forward in this form: 'If smoke 
were present in the absence of fire, smoke could not be 
produced by fire. But the causal relation between fire 
and smoke is a well-recognized fact'. Thus according 
to later NTaiyayikas, vy&pti is a universal type of gene- 
ralisation covering all conceivable case.-, Totii otacTvcd 
and unobserved. The element of iiivarial>IerielS H fr > of 



greater v^tu^tb^i the element of necessity, in ensuring 
HT safe passage of inferential thought from theTEn5wn 

__ , - ""** -- " ' ** ' ------- . W ^ ^^ ^ ^^ 

tSthe^ unknown, though .these two elements mvari- 
atJfeness and necessity imply each other. The'elwrTent 
oflriecessity looms large only at the "slafF at which the 



206 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

element of invariableness happens to be challenged and 
comes to be maintained by a suitable tarfta. 



fin several instances the universal relation of vyapti 
is feir"to be arrived at as perceptual experience 
(pratyaksa) through some sense-organ. Perceptual ex- 
perience persupposes some sannikarsa (sense-relation) 
between the sense concerned and the objects coming 
within the scope of the experience in question. Y/hen, 
for instance, one comes to have visual perception of the 
relation of invariable concomitance between all smokes 
and all fires, it is through the super-normal sense-rela- 
tion (alaukika-sannikarsa) called samdnyalakfana- 
praty&satli that all the smokes and.jfires are brought 
within the reach of the visual sense.) The nature of 
this super-normal sense-relation is explained in pages 
180 to 184 of Chapter I, supra. Thus, according to 
later Naiyayikas, the knowledge of vyapti arises in 
several cases as super-normal perception through the 
super-normal sense-relation of seme-bound generality 
(s&manyalaksanasannikarsa) . Jayantabhatta discus- 
ses the nature of vyaptijiiana in pages 121 to 123 of 
his Nyayamafijari (Viz. S. S.) and arrives at the 
conclusion that it arises through the inner sense, manas, 
as mental perception (manasapratypTtfa), when co-ex- 
istence is observed and no hitch in such co-existence is 
seen. Evidently, Jayantabhatta is inclined to think 
that manas, though it cannot directly reach external 
objects (bahirasvatantram manah) under ordinary 
circumstances, is resourceful enough to reach all the 
smokes and fires, both observed and unobserved, in the 



CH. n] INFERENCE 207 

absence of definite obstacles in the way. Jayanta, how- 
ever, does not account for the mind's resourcefulness 
in this direction and seems to be inclined to attribute it 
to its nature and not to the aid of any super-normal 
sense-relation known as samanyalaksanasannikarfa. 
The nature of this sannikarsa has been explained in 
detail on pages 180 to 184, in Chapter I, supra. 

Buddhist logicians like Dignaga and Dharmakirti 
lay particular stress on the negative phase of vytipti 
viz., non-existence of the probans in the absence of 
the probandum (avindbhdvd) . They hold that 
every case of avindbhava involves a necessary 
and indissoluble connection between the hetu and 
the sddhya and that this connection is based upon 
identity (tdddtmya) or causality (tadutpatti). The 
Naiyayikas rightly criticise this view as ignoring such 
cases of invariable concomitance as do not rest upon 
identity or causality cases like a blind man's inference 
of colour (rupa) from taste (rasa). 

The Mimarhsakas of the Bhatta school maintain 
that vyapti, in the form of a universal generalisation, is 
not a necessary condition of inference. Fire is observ- 
ed to be co-existent with smoke in two or three places; 
and smoke is never seen to be present in a place where 
fire is not present When one comes to have this 
experience repeatedly within the sphere of one's obser- 
vation, one finds oneself in a position to make out 
invariable connection between smoke and fire in the 
form in which they happen to be seen in the particular 
instances which have come within the scope of one's 



208 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

observation. When one later on happens to see smoke 
in the same form in an unobserved place as in a place 
already observed, or even when one happens to see 
smoke again in the same form in an observed place as 
already observed there, one's mind comes to have a 
knowledge of the presence of fire in that place where 
smoke is seen for the moment. The knowledge of fiie 
which thus arises cannot be regarded as perceptual 
experience as fire is not for the moment within the 
range of any of the senses; nor can it be regarded as 
reproduction in memory of a past experience, since the 
knowledge of fire which thus arises is felt to be experi- 
ence having reference to the existence of fire in the 
present time. Thus, according to the Bhattas, the pro- 
position 'Wherever there is smoke, there is fire' repre- 
sents ordinarily a icstricted form of synthesis which 
has reference only to tlie observed particulars and is 
quite adequate as a condition of inference; and anybody 
who is equipped with the knowledge embodied in this 
proposition would be able to infer the existence of fire 
on seeing smoke in any place, provided there is no 
suspicion of vyabhicdra (presence of hetu in the 
absence of sddhya). At the same time it must be 
remembered that Bhattas do not deny that, not inf re* 
quently, in the course of inferential reasoning, one may 
arrive at a universal generalisation of the type recogniz- 
ed by the Naiyayikas, which has reference to the 
invariable concomitance between all cases of hetu and 
s&dhya, including observed and unobserved instances in 
the present, past and future. The Bhattas, however, 
insist that such universal generalisations themselves are 



Cn.n] INFERENCE 209 

cases of inference. Parthasarathimisra, one of the 
most reliable exponents of Rumania's views, explains 
the inferential process through which such universal 
generalizations are arrived at. In this connection, a 
reference to Parthasarathi's Nyayaratnamala (Chow-, 
khamba edition pages 69 and 70) would show how 
unobserved places, which have smoke, may be inferred, 
to have fire, from the fact that smoke is predicated it* 
those places, on the basis of observed cases. In the 
face of this, it would not be correct to suppose, as 
Professor Handle does in foot-note (1) to page 282 
of his work " Indian Logic in the Early Schools ", 
that "there is nowhere in Indian Logic the notion that 
Induction or generalization is an inferential process". 

The Prabhakaras hold that vydpti is the invariable 
relation between hetu and sadhya, which, when it is 
made out, happens to be free from temporal and spatial 
limitations and thus comes to assume the form of a 
universal generalization. In the hearth, for instance 
contact between smoke and fire is made out as the 
relation connecting the two substances smoke and fire. 
In the cognition of such relation, the two relata are the 
two principal concepts. The relation on the one sid^ 
and time and space (kala and deia) on the other are 
presented in that cognition only as adjuncts subsidiary 
to the two relata. While two subsidiaries agree to 
subordinate themselves to a common principal, one 
subsidiary does not ordinarily tolerate its subordina- 
tion to the other subsidiary. This is as true in the 
sphere of thought as in the external world. Thus the 
knowledge of the relation between smoke and fire that 



JWQ A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [P**T m 

arises from the observation of their co-existence in 
particular instances takes a universal form, unhamper- 
ed by the temporal and spatial limitations of the parti* 
cular place and time actually coming within the scope 
of observation. With the help of such a universal 
generalization, when a person infers fire in a mountain 
on seeing smoke there, he is, in fact, cognizing again 
ifrhat has already been cognized and forms part of the 
content of the generalization at which he arrived as a 
result of his observation. Such inference is valid ex- 
perience (prama), though it cognizes something already 
cognized. According to the Prabhakaras/ all cogni- 
tions other than recollection are valid (prama) and it 
is not necessary that a prama should cognize something 
fiot already cognized. Thus, the Prabhakaras maintain 
that inferential experience is re-experience and does 
fiot involve the passage of the mind from the known to 
the unknown, as is commonly supposed to be the case; 
but it involves merely the passage of the mind from a 
known object to something that is already known to be 
invariably connected with it. In the Prabhakara 
scheme of inference, even a single observation (sakrd- 
dartana) is enough for having a knowledge of vy&pti 
and repeated observation (bh&yodarfana) is, however, 
useful in showing that the relation observed between 
hit* and s&dhya is not brought about by any adventi- 
tious circumstance (upddhi). 

/ Fjiff the foregoing account it will be seen that all 
tWfleading schools of Indian philosophy are agreed ki 
A general way that generalization 



CH.n] INFERENCE 211 

sents the ground-work of inference. The Naiyiyikas 
and the Prabhakaras take this generalization to be of a 
universal type and to have reference to all the conceiv- 
able particulars unobserved as well as observed. The 
Bhattas look upon this generalization as a synthesis 
confined to the observed particulars, which is arrived at 
by sinking all incompatible differences. For instance, 
according to the former, the generalization, "Wherever 
there is smoke there is fire" has reference to every 
conceivable case of smoke and fire; while, according to 
the latter, this generalization represents a S)nthesisof 
all the observed cases and sinks such incompatible 
differences as are due merely to spatial and temporal 
limitations.^) 

At a very early stage in the history of Indian logic, 
the Carvaka materialist, who recognizes only one 
pramana viz., pratyoksa. throws out against inference* 
the challenge that vyapti cannot he relied upon as the 
basis of anumana. The Carvaka's contention is that, 
if vyapti were to be restricted to the known or observed 
particulars, it would be impossible to have any infer- 
ence regarding unknown or unobserved particulars for 
the simple reason that the latter are wholly different 
from the former ; and that, if vyapti were to be looked 
upon as a universal generalization having reference to 
all the conceivable particulars, unobserved as well as 
observed, all that has to be known is already known 
and nothing remains to be known through inference* 
This objection is embodied in an old verse which is 
quoted by several old philosophical writers like 
SiHJtaniiba and Jayanta aod which rurts 



212 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

" Anum&bhangapanke'smin nimagna v&didantinah. 
Vi&fe'nugam&bh&vah s&mdnye siddhas&dhyata. '* 
(Vide Prakaranapancika Benares edn. Page 71), 
The Carvakas contend that Indian logicians are hope- 
lessly caught between the two horns of the dilemma 
indicated they hopelessly sink down in this slough in 
which anumdna is lost. Students of western philoso- 
phical literature are here likely to be reminded of the 
Empiricist's objection that any inference of a particular 
fact from a general principle already known and taken 
to be valid would amount to arguing in a circle. They 
may think in this connection of objections similar to 
what is put forward by Mill when he says "that no 
reasoning from generals to particulars can, as such, 
prove anything; since from a general principle, we 
cannot infer any particulars but those which the prin- 
ciple itself assumes as known." 

To this kind of objection, the logic of the Bhatta 
school, as may be evident from their view set forth 
above, gives the answer that inference is really from 
particulars to particulars and that, in cases where it 
appears to be from a universal to particulars, the real 
cause of such appearance is to be found either in the 
fact that vydpti, constituting the basis of inference, 
assumes a general form, since such differences as are 
immaterial, or incompatible, are left out for the time 
being; or it is to be found in the fact that a universal 
generalization interposes itself, though it does so as an 
intermediate inference. In this connection, a reference to 
Br^idley's Principles of Logic (pages 323 to 326) would 



CH.U] INFERENCE 213 

be of great value. One may easily see that Bradley's 
criticism of Mill's view holds good as against the Bhatta 
view also, in a considerable measure. The Bhatfa 
logic, where it insists upon a very close similarity 
between the frobans in the paksa and the vy&pya in the 
sapaksa (example), reduces inference to reasoning 
from resemblance. But where it insists upon diffe- 
rences being left out, the reasoning turns out to be one 
from identity. Is it not then palpable, cue may ask in 
Bradley *s language, that, when the differences are disre- 
garded, the residue is a universal? The strong point in 
the Bhatta view is that it shows how inference may 
really involve an advance in knowledge in two direc- 
tions: where one infeis unknown particulars from 
known and where one inferentially arrives at a 
universal generalization from the observation of parti- 
cular instances. 

As already explained, the Prabhakaras get over the 
difficulty under consideration by saying that every ex- 
perience (ai ubhava) though it may not involve any new 
element or any advance in knowledge, is valid (prantd). 
All that is required to show that anumana is a pramtina 
is that inferential cognition (anumiti) resulting from it 
is an experience (antt&hava) , and not mere recollection 
(smrti). The Prabhakaras do not consider it necessary 
to go beyond maintaining that anumiti, though it hap- 
pens to be a re-experience (gjhltagrahl anubhavah), is 
a valid experience. It should, however, be remembered 
that, according to them, vy&$ti assumes the form of a 
universal generalization; and this is not because every 



214 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [Pate in 

conceivable particular is brought within the scope of a 
supernormal observation, as the Naiyayikas contend, 
but because the elements of time and space do not enter 
into the scheme of relation represented by vy&pti, for 
the reason already indicated. 

y^**" 

\The Naiyayikas, who are the generally accredited 
exponents of the doctrines of Indian logic, maintain 
that inference is not_frqm j^rticulars to .ajQ^culars but 
it is from 'universal to .p.articujys. They hold that 
s^a^ universal generalization which does not 



represent a mere summation of the observed instances. 
It has reference to the invariable concomitance between 
alt conceivable cases of hetu and sddhya. Such a 
generalization, though it involves a big leap from the 
f eW obltTve3""aiK ; s (o in'tfun^erable^iFnobserved cases, is 
rendered possible through the super-tlermal sense : rela- 
tto^cS^d^sanianyalaksanasanniharsa^ Leaving out 
tfie technical concept oY aTauftikasdnmkarsa, one might 
well say that such a big inductive leap is rendered 
possible by the immense resourcefulness of a disciplined 
mind in the direction of synthesis. /The Nyaya theory 
of inference effectively exorcises tEe~ghost of pelitio 
principii, by drawing attention to the fact that infe- 
rence helps one to see and understand more. One may 
be equipped \\ith the universal generalization 
"Wherever there is smoke there is fire" and yet may be 
quite unaware of the presence of fire in a particular 
mountain ; nd on seeing smoke in that mountain, the 
presence of fire may be inferred there. ifl SUfih 



inference leads to a distinct addition to knowledge and 



On. n] INFERENCE 21S 

helps oneto see more. The Naiyayikas also point out 
tbST^after acquiring definite knowledge of a certain 
thing in a certain place through observation or by some 
other means, the same thing may be inferred in the 
same place; and in such cases, inference helps one to 
understand more by enhancing the degree of clarity or 
certitude in the knowledge already got. 

32 T 

^(a) Inference is of two 
Sands: inference for oneself 
and inference for others. 



, Inference for oneself 
causes one's own inferential 
experience. For instance, a 
person may make out the rela- 
tion of invariable concomitance 
between smoke and fire and 
arrive at the universal generali- 
zation "Wherever there is 
smoke there is fire" from his re- 
peated observation in the hearth 
and .such other places and then 
approach a mountain. He may 
have doubt as to the presence of 
fire in that mountain. On seeing 
smoke there, he remembers the 
generalization "Wherever there 
is soke there is fire." Then, 
he comes to have the cognition 



216 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

"This mountain has smoke which 
is pervaded by (or invariably 
concomitant with) fire." It is 
this cognition that is called linga- 
pardmarsa (the subsumptive 
reflection of the probans). From 
this cognition arises the inferen- 
tial cognition "The mountain 
has fire". This is what is called 



(c) 1 nfetence for ~oik&%3 i s 
th^syllogistic expression which 
Consists of five members and 
which a person employs after 
inferring for himself fire 
from ^moke, with a view to 
enabling another person to have 
likewise the same kind of infe- 
rential cognition. 

E.g. " The mountain has 
fire; because it has smoke; 
whichever has smoke has fire, as 
a hearth; the mountain is such 
(has smoke which is invariably 
concomitant with fire) ; and 
therefore, it is such (has fire). 1 ' 
From this five-membered syllo- 
gism, the other person to whom 
it is addressed comes to know 
the probans (smoke) and infers 
fire from it. 



OH. H] INFERENCE 217 

Professor Keith and some others believe that the 
above distinction of inference into inference for onself 
(svartha) and inference for others (parartha) was 
first introduced by Dignaga and borrowed from him 
by Prasastapada. (Vide Professor Keith's ' Indian 
Logic and Atomism', pages 106 to 108). A careful 
consideration, however, of what Vatsyayana says in his 
Bhasya and Gautama in his Sutras would clearly show 
that the distinction in question should be held to be at 
least as old as the Sutrakara himself. Vatsyayana, 
where he speaks of anuwana as distinct from nydya- 
prayoga, presupposes evidently the distinction of 
svariha and parartha. Gautama's description of the 
five members of a complete syllogistic expression would 
be unintelligible, should it be assumed that he was not 
familiar with the substance of the distinction in ques- 
tion, though the terms parartha and svartha are not 
found used in his Sutras. 

The distinction of anuwana into svartha and 
parartha is not only as old as the Nyayadarsana itself, 
but it is also one of the most vital topics in the 
KTyaya system. It is a natural result of one of the dis- 
tinctive features of Indian logic and it enables intelli- 
gent critics to appreciate duly the pivotal idea on which 
Indian logic turns both in its scope and its development. 
It should be remembered here that Indian logic never 
allowed itself to be restricted in its scope and (fevelop- 
ment to the exclusively formal side of ratiocination, 
but always kept in view as its constant, knowledge or, 
more accurately, knowledge of truth (tattvajfitina) in 



218 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 



relation to what is conceived of as the summum 
In this connection, it would be very interestinjfto- 
consider what Benedetto Croce, one of the greatest 
contributors to contemporary philosophical thought, 
has chosen to observe concerning Indian logic, parti- 
cularly the distinction of si'&rthanutnana and parar- 
thanum&na recognised in Indian logic. Attention is 
invited to the subjoined extract from pages 583 to 585 
of Benedetto Croce's 'Logic as the Science of Pure 
Concept' rendered into English by Douglas Ainslie. 

" This error, which appeared very early in our 
western world, has spread during the centuries and yet 
dominates many minds; so true is this that 'logic' is 
usually understood to mean 'illogic' or 'formalist logic', 
We say our western world, because if Greece created 
and passed on the doctrine of logical forms, which was 
a mixture of thoughts materialised in words and of 
words become rigid in thoughts, another logic is known 
which, as it seems, developed outside the influence of 
Greek thought and remained immune from the forma- 
list error. This is Indian logic, which is notably anti- 
verbalist ...... Indian logic studies the naturalistic 

syllogism in itself , as internal thought, distinguishing 
it from the syllogism for others, that is to say, from 
the more or less usual, but always extrinsic and acci- 
dental forms of communication and dispute. It has 
not even a suspicion of the extravagant idea (which 
still vitiates our treatises) of a truth which is merely 
syllogistic and formalist and which may be false in 
fact. It takes no account of the judgment, or rather it 
considers what is called judgment, add what is really 



OH. ii} INFERENCE 219 

the proposition, as a verbal clothing of knowledge; 
it does not mak^ the verbal distinction of subject, 
copula and predicate; it does not admit classes of cate- 
gorical and hypothetical, of affirmative and negative 
judgments. All these are extraneous to logic, whose 
object is the constant, "knowledge considered in itself." 
Students of philosophical literature in the west 
may find it easy to appreciate, in the light of the above 
extractfthe significance of the distinction which Indian 
logic recognizes between 'inference for oneself 
(svartha) and 'inference for others' (parartha). This 
distinction is not merely one of a formal kind. It is 
rooted firmly on the fundamental doctrine of Indian 
logic that syllogistic reasoning should be viewed, not 
apart from the inductive process of thinking, but mere- 
ly as a continuation and methodical application of it. 
In Indian logic, deduction and induction do not repre- 
sent two mutually exclusive types of inference but they 
should always be looked upon as inseparably connected 
parts of a complete process of thinking called inference 
(anuinana) ; and the chief function of annmSna, as a 
means of valid cognition, is to enable one to realize 
how certain facts are inseparably and necessarily con- 
nected with each other in accordance with a general 
principle. This view of inference influenced the 1 
development of Indian logic for good and saved it from 
falling into the grip of formalism which, till very 
recently, dominated logic in the west. One of the 
chkf advantages which have accrued to Indian logic 
from this view is that it never makes the extravagant 



220 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART n 

claim that formal validity may be viewed apart from, 
and independently of, material validityiy 

A complete syllogistic expression is called nyaya- 
prayoga by Vatsyayana ami all the Naiyayikas who 
followed him. It is a synthesis in expression (mah8- 
v&kya) built upj>y five parts_ or tiKi)iber& (avayavah), 
eachjo^f jwhich embQji^ f orminjjja/necessary 

part of a complete ratiounaijxc |n rt-.v, expressSi in 
word's in order 10 <lc:r,onMra!c k a fact by iK-ii'^Mifit 
iirfiTan established TclfemC of "liniversaT and lifvSfiable 
relation. The N>aya doctrine of five-membereH syllo- 
gism is at least as old as Gautama and accepted by 
Vatsyayana and Prasastapada, and almost all the later 
Naiyayikas and Vaisesikas. These five members are 
described in the following section of the text. 

T 33 

(a) The five members of a 
syllogism are: (1) the thesis 
set down (pratijnd), (2) the 
reason (hetu) t (3) the exempli- 
fication (udaharana), (4) the 
subsumptive COPKlSIion 
naya) and (5) conclusion 
J^^S) J e -9 f "The mountain has 
*tire" this is the thesis. "For 
it has smoke" this is the reason. 
" Whichever has smoke has fire, 
as a hearth" this is the exem- 
plification. "And so is this" 
this is the subsumptive correla- 



CH. n] INFERENCE 221 

tion. "Therefore it is such" 
this is the conclusion. 

(6) In the case of inferen- 
tial cognition for oneself as well 
as that for others, it is the sub- 
sumptive reflection of the reason 
(lingaparamaria) that serves as 
the efficient and special cause 
(karana). So, HngapardmarSa 
in this sense is the instrument of 
inferential cognition (anumana). 

Annambhatta's illustrative description of the five 
members of a syllogism set forth above, read together 
with the remarks in the dipika, throws adequate light 
on the function of each of the members. A typical 
pratifnd is in the form of a proposition consisting of a 
subject (paksa), which is already known specifically to 
bot,h the parties in a discussion, and a predicate which, 
in a specific form, is proposed to be established in the 
subject; in other words, it is in the form of a definite 
thesis to be maintained. Its chief purpose is to bring 
about a definite knowledge of the fakfa as such or 
what is proposed to be proved as having the pro&andum 
(sadkya). The person to whom the pratijnd is 
addressed would naturally desire to know first the 
reason why the paksa is said to have the sddhya; and 
to satisfy this desire, the ling a or the reason which 
serves to establish the sddhya in the paksa is indicated 
ordinarily by a term in the ablative case in Sanskrit* 
It would be possible to satisfy oneself that the reason 



A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART n 

(linga) adduced is capable of proving the sddhya, only 
after ascertaining that the former is invariably con- 
comitant with the latter; and the needed knowledge of 
the invariable connection between the probans and the 
probandum (vyaptijfiatia*) t on which the probative 
capacity of the yrobans depends, is derived from the 
statement of the example, which is usually in a form 
like this: "Whichever has smoke has fire, as a 
hearth." The probatos which is made out to be invari- 
ably concomitant with the Probandum (sddhyavyapya) 
should be specifically known to be present in the paksa; 
without such a knowledge, the subsumptive process of 
thought on which the conclusion rests would not be 
complete; and such a knowledge results from the 
member called subsumptive correlation (upanaya). 
The final statement of the conclusion called 
nigamana is not a purposeless reiteration of the thesis, 
as proved. The purpose of the nig am ana is to indicate 
that the probans is not vitiated by the presence <pf a 
count er-prob CMS proving the contrary (asatpratipaksi- 
tatva), nor stultified by a stronger proof (abadhitatva). 
According to Gautama and his followers, these five 
members are called avayavah in the sense that they 
form the necessary parts of a complete syllogistic 
expression. Vatsyayana, in his Bhasya, refers to and 
rightly discards an earlier view that the total number 
of avayavas is ten vie., a desire to know the probate 
dum (jijMsS), doubt regarding the probandum or its 
reverse (samiaya), belief in the probability of the 
probandum and in the probativeness of the proof 
(sakyapraptih), the object of discussion 



CH.II] INFERENCE 223 

and the removal of doubt on proving the probondum 
(samsayavyudasa), in addition to the five members of 
the Nyaya s\1l'-;,M*rr, already mentioned. Of th^se ten, 
the first five are only psychological conditions which 
lead to a discussion and they cannot, in any sense, be 
said to be logical propositions forming the parts which 
constitute a complete syllogistic expression. It may be 
noted here that the Vaisesika tradition, as recorded by 
Prasastapada uses the terms/>ra/i/fl, apadeta, nidarfaita, 
anusandhana and pratyamnaya as the respective equi- 
valents of the Nyaya terms pratijna, hetu, udaharana, 
upanaya and nigamana. 

Vatsyayana, the author of the Nyayabhasya, in his 
Bhasya on the first Sutra, equates nyaya with anvlksa, 
and explains it as amounting to a critical investigation 
of facts by means of instruments of valid cognition 
(PramSnairarthapartksanam nydyah). When such in- 
vestigation is carried on in a methodical way so as to 
convince another person of a fact, it is expressed in the 
form of five-membered syllogistic expression which is 
described as nyayapratfpga or pancavayavavakya. 
Vatsyayana further explains, in his Bhasya on 1-1-1 
and 39, how all the four Pram anas accepted by the 
Naiyayikas meet in the five-membered syllogism and 
tend to demonstrate a fact in a conclusive manner. The 
Bhasyakara points out that the statement of the thesis 
{pratijfta) may be taken to stand for valid verbal 
testimony (fabda), the reason (hetu) for the instru- 
ment of inference (anum&na), the example (uddharana) 
lor the instrument of perception (pratyakfa) and the 
ti ve cor relation (upanaya) for analogy (upa- 



224 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ra 

mdnd). According to him, one should find in the conclu- 
sion (nigamana) the culminating stage of demonstrative 
expression for the reason that it is nigamana that shows 
how all the four pramanas have collaborated to 
maintain conclusively the fact in question; and on this 
ground, nigamana is described as the acme of logical 
demonstration (paramo ny ay ah). In order to appreciate 
fully the significance of 1 he Bhyakara's account of 
ny&yaprayoga as represented by the five-membered 
syllogistic expression described above, it should be 
remembered that the Naiyayikas, from Gautama down- 
ward, look upon logic both as a science and art, that 
the function of logic, according to them, comprises both 
discovery and proof, induction and deduction, and lays 
adequate stress on the material and formal aspects of 
reasoning; and that logical debate, even in its apparent- 
ly non-logical forms of jalpa (successful advocacy) 
and vitanda (destructive objection), is never allowed to 
stand completely divorced from the aim of nyaya, v\z.> 
conclusive determination of truth (tattvadhyavasaya). 
Remembering these facts, one may easily see that the 
structure of the five-membered syllogism is designed to 
meet in an adequate manner the requirements of logical 
demonstration, which seeks to convince another person by 
drawing his attention specifically to fact and by enabling 
his mind to pass through successive stages of thought 
which conclusively establish that fact. Professor 
Handle is inclined to believe that Vatsyayana thinks 
of the five-membered syllogism "as more than inference 
or the expression in words of inference" and that "the 
five-membered formula was influenced by its historical 



CH. 11] INFERENCE 225 

origin in a nyaya which was methodological rather than 
logical and its structure must be regarded as in part 
vestigial, rather than determined by the requirements 
of logical analysis." (Vide pages 165 to 167 of Pro- 
fessor Randle's book 'Indian Logic in the Early 
Schools'). The learned Professor's estimate of the 
five-membered syllogism of Nyaya and his interpreta- 
tion of Vatsyayana's remarks in this connection can 
hardly be said to have given due weight to the fact that 
Indian logic, particularly in its early stages as exhibited 
in the Sutras of Gautama and the Bhasya of V'atsya- 
yana and in the connected early literature, never allowed 
valid anumana (inference) to be divorced from other 
Pramanas, at any rate from the more important of 
them, viz., perceptual instrument (pratyaksa) and 
credible verbal testimony (sabda), and that syllogistic 
formalism abstracted from induction is an aberration 
unthinkable to the Naiyayikas. A careful consideration 
of these facts would show that the structure of the five- 
membered formula need not be regarded as in part 
vestigial. On the contrary, the considerations indicated 
above would show that this formula is based on an 
efficient and self-contained type of verbal apparatus 
which logical methodology has evolved for the purpose 
of demonstration. Professor Randle further observes 
that "either hetu or upanaya, and either pratijnd or 
nigamana are superfluous and this superfluity is inheri- 
ted from the time when the Nyaya was a method of 
debate and not yet a syllogism : and in the case of the 
Nyaya school, the convention of five members may 
have been fixed by a desire to equate the four 'premises' 



226 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

yviih the four Pramaijas." If syllogistic expression, 
Uks any other exj ression, directly or indirectly presup- 
poses a hearer to whom it is addressed, if ny&ya$rayoga 
or syllogistic expression finds a place only in inference 
for others (\par&rthawimana) 9 and if the process of 
^reasoning in inference for oneself (svarthanum&na) is 
not syllogising, a strictly logical debate, as recognised 
by Gautama and his followers, must involve a self-con- 
tained syllogistic expression as its main part. Th$ a,im 
of such a self-contained syllogism is to enable th$ 
hearer, first to specifically think of what has to be 
demonstrated, secondly to learn what the reason is, 
thirdly to understand how the universal and invariable 
relation which forms the basis of inference is arrived 
at through observation, -fourthly how the reason 
actually relied upon is identical with what is known to 
be invariably concomitant with the probandum, and 
fifthly to realize that the probandum is conclusively 
proved by a probans which is not vitiated by a counter- 
probans or by a stultifying proof. As already indicated, 
these five requirements can be fully met by the five 
members of a syllogism, viz., J>ratijfi&, helu, udaharana* 
Wpanaya and nigamana, It wll be seei> from this that 
the five-membered syllogism of Gautanaa, far from 
fqmprising any superfluous member, is the only com* 
plete form of syllogistic expression which would enable 
a hearer's mind to pass in a methodical way through 
each of the five stages of demonstrative reasoning, as 
indicated above. 

The Nyaya theory of five-membered syllogism may 
here be compared with the theory of three members 



CH. n] INFERENCE 387 

(avayav&h) put forward by the Mimariisakas and th 
Buddhist theory of two members. The Mimamsaka$ 
maintain that either pratijna, hetu and ud&haraiia, or 
udaharana, upanayck and nigamana will do; for, the 
conclusion should be specifically stated and a knowledge 
of the general relation between the probans and the 
probandttm and of the presence of the probans in the 
pafcsa (vyaptiand pafcsadharmata) is necessary, and 
these requirements are fully met by the three members 
above-mentioned. The Buddhists hold that syllogistic 
expression is only an aid to reasoning and that it would 
be unreasonable to assume that any hearer endowed 
with the minimum capacity for reasoning would require 
more than the members conveying the needed informa- 
tion about vydpti and paksadharmata, and that the tWQ 
members necessary for that purpose, viz., the example 
and the subsumptive correlation (udaharana and npa- 
naya) would be quite adequate to form a sjllogism. It 
may also be noted here that the three-membered syl- 
logism of the Mimamsakas, represented by the latter 
alternative, viz., udaharana, upanaya and nigamana, 
may be regarded as a close parallel to the Aristotelian 
syllogism of the Barbara mood. The Naiyayikas would 
criticise the three-membered syllogism of the MSniarii- 
sakas and the two-membered syllogism of the Bauddhas 
as incomplete and truncated, for the former, when it 
consists of pratijna, hetu and udaharana omits to make 
provision for equating the probaws in the paksa with ' 
the vyapya and for obviating any possible suspicion of 
a counter-probans or a stultifying proof (satpratipaKi 
satva or badka) ; while, in the form which consists of 



228 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

ud&harana, upanaya and nigamana, it startles the hearer 
by a generalization without adequately preparing him ; 
and the latter adopted by the Bauddhas combines all 
these defects. 

It may be noticed that all the schools of Indian 
logic the Nyaya, Mimamsa, Bauddha and the other 
schools agree in regard to the importance and value 
of the example (uddharana) as a member[of syllogistic 
expression. Ordinarily, udaharaya is in a form like 
this "Whichever has smoke, has fire, as the hearth." 
Its aim, according to the Naiyayikas, is to show how 
the generalization on which deduction rests is arrived 
at. Consistently with this aim, the former part refers 
to the universal connection between the probans and the 
probawdum and the latter part refers to a typical ins- 
tance in which the co-existence between the hetu and 
s&dhya may be observed. Nyaya tradition, which must 
have influenced Gautama's mind when, in his Sutra 
1-1-5, he proceeds to give an account of the different 
classes of anumana after referring to it as tahpurvakam 
(presupposing or resting upon pratyaksa), should have 
also left its stamp, in the shape of specific instance, on 
the pivotal part of the five-membered syllogism, vis., 
uddharaya. Some writers on Indian logic, who lose 
sight of the distinctive features of the Nyaya doctrine 
of syllogism, regard the udaharana as a useless and 
clumsy excrescence. Some others would historically 
account for the present form of the ud&harana by treat- 
Ing it as result of the portion expressing the generaliza- 
tion (vy&pii) coming to be combined at a later stage in 
the history of Nyaya with the latter portion referring 



CH.II] INFERENCE 229 

to a specific instance, the original form of uddh^rana 
being merely like this :as a hearth (yatha tnahfr 
basah). It may, however, be pointed out here that if 
Gautama's Sutra defining uddharana (1-1-36) is 
correctly interpreted, it cannot be held to convey any- 
thing other than this: that udaharanais a typical ins- 
tance (drstdnta) which, on the strength of the invari- 
able connection observed in it between the probafts and 
the probandum, enables one's mind to pass in the patosa 
from a similar case of the probans to a similar case of 
probandum. If it is true that, from the days of Gau- 
tama, the inductive basis of deductive reasoning has 
been treated by the Naiyayikas as an integral part of a 
complete syllogism, it must be accepted that the wdfl- 
harana as known to Gautama and his followers com- 
prises both the parts, viz., the part representing vydpti 
and the part referring to a typical instance, and neither 
the former nor the latter of these two parts can be held 
to be a later addition. The logic of Nyaya seeks to 
combine discovery and proof; the Nyaya syllogism is 
such a harmonious blend of induction and deduction as 
ensures the safe progress of thinking on right lines ; 
and if, sometimes, the syllogism of Nyaya is abused in 
Indian philosophical speculation, it is certainly due to 
the fact that the basis of syllogistic reasoning in such 
cases turns out to be a superficial or unsound induction 
and not to any defect in the scientific method of reason* 
ing formulated by the Naiyayikas. 

Students of western logic, when they compare 
the Nyaya syllogism with Aristotelian syllogism, 
are not likely to miss the striking contrast between 



280 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

theifi. This contrast consists in the Nyaya system 
lt tecognizing anything really corresponding to thfe 
syllogistic figures and moods known to western 
logic. Ordinarily, the generalization on which the 
typical Nyaya syllogism rests is a universal affirma- 
tive proposition, the proposition corresponding to the 
minor premise is usually stated in the form of A and 
the conclusion is also usually in A, So, it may be said 
that the typical Nyaya syllogism is of the Barbara type* 
In this Connection, a student of Nyaya, familiar with 
the distinction made in Nyaya literature between 
p&Ttsat&vwchedakasamanadhikaranyenanumiti and 
paksat&vaccheddkavacchedenanumiti may feel that 
there is some reason to find in the former case a con- 
clusion in I and to connect such conclusions in I with a 
minor premise in I; thus, in such cases, he may feel 
inclined to find instances of the mood represented by 
Datii. In the same way, one may be inclined to find an 
instance of the mood Camestres in a syllogism like this 
-"Whichever has negation of fire has negation of 
smoke. No tank has fire. No tank, therefore, has 
smoke". But a careful consideration of the Nyaya 
theory of syllogism in the light of the NySya view 
regarding the interpretation of propositions would make 
it clear that, strictly speaking, it would not be correct 
to find in any Nyaya syllogism, a parallel to any 
western figure or mood. CJtl fi Nygyg conception of a 
typical syllogism is that it depends chiefly upon a pro- 
poaitiojn embodying vyapli. Vyapti is ftn invariable or 
univtrpal generalization in the sense that it consists in 
unfailing connection between a probans and 



CH.H] INFERENCE Hi 

looked upon as attributes predicated of certain subjects 
rather than as things having such attributes. The Nyaya 
view is generally in favour of adopting the 'intensive or 
connotatio'tfal method of interpreting propositions and 
mostly avoids the extensive or detootational method^ 
When a proposition like "All S is P" has to be inter- 
preted by a Naiyayika, he would first think of the uff 
versal and invariable connection between the essential 
attribute connoted by S and that connoted by P and 
would not so readily think of all the individuals denoted 
by S and P. It would also be remembered in this 
connection that there is no fundamental difference 
between a vyafiti of two positive factors and that of 
two negative factors. In fact, the proposition "Wher- 
ever there is no fire, there is no smoke" is for all 
practical purposes taken by the Naiyayikas to be equiva- 
lent to "Wherever there is negation of fire, there is 
negation of smoke". A Naiyayika would have as little 
hesitation in saying "Negation of fire is" (vahnya- 
bhavo'sti) as in saying "Fire is*' (vahnirasti), abhdva 
or non-existence being as much a real category as a 
bhftva ot positive entity. In these circumstances, one 
may easily see how Indian Nyaya did not attach much 
importance in syllogistic reasoning to the artificial dis- 
tinctions of A, I, E and O propositions, though the 
Sanskrit language was quite capable of expressing such 
distinctions, and how the formalistic formulas of 
different figures and moods cahie to be almost com- 
pletely eschewfed in Indian logic. 

34 T 

(tt) Probans ( ftw#a=literal- 
ly, matk) is of three kinds 



232 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAETIH 

concomitant in affirmation and 
negation (anvayavyatireki), con- 
comitant in affirmation alone 
(kevalOnvayi) and concomitant 
in negation alone (kevalavyati- 
reki). 

(&) The anvayavyatireki 
type of probans is that which 
has affirmative concomitance 
(anvayavyapti) and negative 
concomitance (vyatirekavyapti) 
with the probandum; as smoke 
when fire is the 'probandum. 
"Where there is smoke, there 
is fire, as in a hearth" this 
is affirmative concomitance. 
"Where there is no fire, there is 
no smoke, as in a tank" this is 
negative concomitance. 

(c) The kevalanvayi pro- 
bans has affirmative concomit- 
ance alone ; as "Jar is namable, 
because it is knowable, like a 
cloth". In this instance, nega- 
tive concomitance is impossible 
between knowability (jprame- 
yatva) and vamaUlity (abhidhe- 
yatva) ; for all things are know* 
able and namable. 



Cn.n] INFERENCE 233 

(d) The kevalavyatireki 
proteins has negative concomit- 
ance alone ; as in the syllogism 
"Earth is different from the 
rest (not-earth), for it has 
smell; whichever is not different 
from the rest (not- earth) has no 
smell, as water; this (earth) is 
not so i.e., it does not have 
absence of smell or gandha- 
bhava, with which the absence 
of difference from not-earth 
(prthivitarabhedabhava) is in- 
variably concomitant (vy&pya) ; 
therefore, it is not so i.e., it is 
not devoid of difference from 
non-earth". In cases like this, 
there is no example in which the 
affirmative concomitance 
"Whichever has smell, has 
difference from non-earth" may 
be made out; for all varieties of 
earth come under the paksa 
(subject). 
35 T 

(a) Paksa (subject) is that 
in which the presence of the 
probandum is not known for 
certain and is yet to be proved ; 
as a mountain, when Smoke is 
relied upon as the probans. 



234 /A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC F^AIT til 



(b) Sdpak$Q^*is a similar 
instance, in which the proban- 
dum is known for certain ; as a 
hearth, in the same case of 
inference. 

(a) Vipaksa is a counter- 
example in which the non-exis- 
tence of the probandum is known 
for certain; as a tank, in the 
same case of inference. 

In section 34 of the text given above Annambhatta 
explains the three types of probans recognized by 
the Naiyayikas viz., the affirmative-negative probans 
(anvayavyatireJsi), the exclusively affirmative (kevalan- 
vayi) and the exclusively negative (kevalavyatireki). 
The Advaita-Vedantins insist that there is only one type 
<of probans, viz., anvayi (affirmative) and that inference 
arises always through subsumption to an affirmative 
generalization. The Bbattas, though they are inclined 
to recognize the anvayavyatireki and kevalanvayi types 
of probans, are generally in favour of bringing the 
kevalavyatireki type under a distinct pramana called 
arthapatti. The MImamsakas maintain that a negative 
generalization (vyatirekavyQpti) is fit to be treated 
as the basis of a presumptive conclusion (arthapatti) 
and only an affirmative generalization admits of being 
treated as the basis of a subsumptive conclusion 
(otttmt'ti). In this connection, it would be desirable to 
peruse again pages 140 to 146 (part III supra), which 
contain a full discussion of all the important questions 
relating to arthapatti as a distinct prawdna and an 



CH, 11] INFURENOE 235 

explanation of the chifcf rekjs<>q$ why Naiyayikas would 
bring cases of arthdpatti uncfef' the kevalavyatireki 
type of reasoning. 

36 T 

(a) Fallacious reasons (het- 
vdbhasdh liter ally, semblances 
of reason) are of five kinds: 
viz., the reason that strays away 
(savygbhicdrg), the adverse rea- 
son (viruddha), the opposable 
reason (satpratipaksa), the un- 
established reason (asiddha), and 
the stultified reason (bddhita). 

(b) The straying" reason 
(savyabhicara) is otherwise 
known as anaikantika (literally^ 
not unfailing in its association 
with the probandum). It is of 
three kinds: viz., common (sa- 
dharana), uncommon (asddha- 
rand) and non-conclusive (anupa- 
samharin ) . 

The common strayer (sd- 
dhardna) is that variety of stray- 
ing reason which is present in a 
place where the frobandum 
(s&dhya) is not present; as t in 
the argument "The mountain 
has fire, because it is knowable" 
In this argument "know ability is 



236 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

found in a tank where fire is not 
present. The uncommon strayer 
(asadharana) is that reason 
which is present only in the sub- 
ject (paksa) and not present in 
any similar example (sapaksa) 
or counter-example (vipaksa) ; 
as sound-ness (sabdatva), in the 
argument ''Sound is eternal, 
because it is sound", sabdatzv 
(sound-ness) being present only 
in sound, and nowhere else, eter- 
nal or non-eternal. 

The non-conchisive strayer 
(anupasamharin) is that reason 
which has no affirmative or 
negative example (anvayadr- 
st&ntaor vyatirekadrstanta) ; as 
knowableness (prameyatva) in 
the argument "All things are 
non-eternal, because they are 
knowable". Here, no example 
is available since all things are 
treated as paksa. 

(c) The adverse reason 
(viruddha) is one which is in- 
variably concomitant with the 
non-existence of the probandum; 
as producibility (krtakatva), in 
the argument "Sound is eter- 



OH. H] INFERENCE 237 

nal, because it is produced". 
Here producibility is invariably 
concomitant with non-eternality, 
which amounts to the non-ex- 
istence of eternality. 

(rf) The opposablc reason 
(satpratipaksa) is one which 
admits of beingcounter-balanced 
by another reason that proves 
the non-existence of the pro- 
bandum; as audibility in the 
argument "Sound is eternal, 
because it is audible, like sound- 
ness (sabdatva*)'*. The counter 
reason in this case is produci- 
bility (karyatva) in the counter- 
argument "Sound is non-eter- 
nal, because it is producible". 

(<?) The uneslablished rea- 
son (asiddha) is of three kinds: 
viz., uncstablished in respect of 
abode (dsraydsiddha), unesta- 
blished in respect of itself 
(svarapasiddha) and unesia- 
blished in respect of its concom- 
itance (vyapyatvasiddha}. 

The reason is dsraydsiddha 
in the argument "Sky- lotus is 
fragrant, because it is a lotus, 



A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PA*TW 

like the lotus of a pond". Here, 
sky -lotus is the abode or subject 
and it never exists. 

The reason is svarup&siddha 
in the argument "Sound is a 
quality, because it is visible, like 
colour". Here, visibility cannot 
be predicated of sound, which is 
only audible. 

The reason is said to be 
vydpyatvdsiddha when it is asso- 
ciated with an adventitious con- 
dition (upadhi). That is said to 
be an adventitious condition 
(upadhi), which is pervasive of 
the probandum but not perva- 
sive of the probans. 'To be 
pervasive of the probandum' 
means 'never to be the counter- 
correlative (pratiyogin) of 
non-existence (abhava) which 
co-exists with the probandum'. 
Not to be pervasive of the jpro- 
bans* means 'being the counter- 
correlative of non-existence 
which co-exists with the probans. 9 
In the argument "The moun- 
tain has smoke, because it has 
fire", contact with wet fuel is 
the adventitious condition (upd* 
dhi). "Where there is smoke, 



INFERENCE 239 

there is contact with wet fuel" 
thus it is pervasive of the pro- 
bandum. There is no contact 
with wet fuel in every place 
where there is fire; for instance, 
a red-hot iron ball has no contact 
with wet fuel; thus the upadhi is 
non-pervasive of the probans. In 
this manner, contact with wet 
fuel is the up&dhi in the present 
instance, because it is pervasive 
of the probandum but not perva- 
sive of the probans. And fire t 
in the argument under reference, 
is vyapyatv&siddha, since it is 
associated with an adventitious 
condition (upadhi). 

(/) The stultified reason 
(b&dhita) is one which is put 
forward to prove a p ( robanduin 
whose non-existence is establish, 
ed by another proof. "Fire is 
not hot, because it is a sub- 
stance", the probandum is 'not 
being hot'; its reverse 'being 
hot' is perceived through tactile 
perception; so, the probans is 
stultified (badhita). 

Thus ends the chapter on 
Inference. 



240 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

A hetv&bh&sa is a semblance of reason. It is a 
fallacious reason or defective reason. It would not be 
quite correct to use the term fallacy as an equivalent of 
hetvtibhfisa. In western logic, the term fallacy is gene- 
rally understood in the sense of 'a defective conclusion 
or interpretation/ resulting from a defective process of 
thinking. The classification and elucidation of falla- 
cies in western logic are generally influenced in a direct 
or indirect way by Aristotle's division of fallacies into 
those which are related to expression and those which 
are not. Students of western logic are aware that the 
basis of the Aristotelian classification of fallacies can 
hardly be considered satisfactory either from the logi- 
cal or from the rhetorical point of view. As early as 
in the age of Gautama, the Nyaya system of Indian 
thought equipped itself with a fairly satisfactory and 
well-defined scheme of hetvabhdsa or defective probans. 
Gautama definitely classifies defective reasons under 
five heads and uses the significant expression hetva- 
bhasa, which suggests the futidanicntum divisionis of 
his classification. The expression hetvabhasa literally 
means 'a semblance of reason* or 'what appears to be a 
reason while it is really not such'. The true function 
of a hetu or probans is to prove. The defects which 
vitiate a probans are called hetudosah. The common 
feature of such defects is that they vitiate the probative 
value of a probans. That this common feature viz.* 
vitiating the probative value of a prabans is the 
fundamental basis of Gautama's classification of defec- 
tive reasons is implicitly conveyed by the significant 
name hetv&bhtisa used by Gautama. It may be noted 



CH.II] INFERENCE 24t 

here that the same philosophic instinct, that helped the 
Nyaya theories of inference and syllogism over the for* 
malistic barriers which western logic still finds it diffi- 
cult to surmount, has also made it possible for the 
Nyaya system to equip itself with a really helpful 
scheme of defective probans, hinging on the concept of 
hetu which forms the main ground of syllogistic rea 
soning. The Naiyayikas who came after Gautama* 
more especially later Naiyayikas like GangeSa, effec- 
tively used the hint afforded by Gautama's classification 
and clearly and definitely elucidated the principle 
underlying the Nyaya classification of hetv&bhds&s. 
The principle is taken for granted by writers like 
Annambhatta and is embodied in the definition of bet- 
v&bh3sa in general. This definition may be set forth 
thus: A defective frobans (hetvfibh&sa or dusfahetu) 
is a reason whose 'probative value is vitiated by a 
circumstance, a valid knowledge of which would pre- 
vent the inferential cognition (annmiti) kept in view 
or the efficient cause of such cognition (anumitikarana), 
For instance, a vyabhicdrihetu, which is of the sadha- 
r an a type (common strayer), such as 'a jar' in the 
argument "The mountain has fire, because it has a 
jar", is a defective probans (dustahetu or hetvabhdsa) 
because its probative value is vitiated by the fact that 
it happens to be present in a place where fire is not 
present and a valid knowledge of this fact would pre- 
vent the generalization (vy&ptijnana) "Wherever 
there is jar, there is fire". This is a typical case where 
the efficient cause of inference (anumitikarana) is 
prevented. In an argument like this "Fire is not hofc, 
16 



142 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAtx 10 

because it is a substance", the hetu is of the bad hit a 
tjrpt (stultified probans) ; in this case, the probative 
tf Jdae fcf the probans is vitiated by the fact that it hap- 
9*113 to bie put forward to prove a thing which is already 
disproved by perceptual experience; that fire is not cold 
is a fact established by pratyaksa; and a valid know- 
ledge of the fact that fire is never cold would directly 
prevent the inference that fire is cold. Thus, it will 
be seen that a valid knowledge of some vitiating ele- 
ments (hetudosa), would directly prevent inferential 
cognition (anumiti) and a valid knowledge of some 
Others like vyabhic&ra would prevent only the efficient 
cause of inference (anumitikarana) , such as generali- 
sation, in the form of knowledge of the invariable re- 
tfetton between the probans and probandum. The Naiya- 
yikas would insist that it is only a real defect, and not 
It fancied one, that should be taken to vitiate the pro- 
bative value of a probans. Any erroneous notion that 
the connection between a valid probans, like smoke, 
fttid a probandum f like fire, is not invariable, should 
not be held to vitiate the probative value of the probans. 

Of the three varieties of the vitiating circumstance 
tailed vyabhic&ra (literally, straying away or incon- 
stancy), the first, known as sQdharana, is the most im- 
portant It generally proceeds from a careless or 
hasty generalization and when detected, it prevents a 
yalid knowledge of invariable connection (vyapti- 
}ff*a) 9 The uncommon stray er (asadh&rana) is con- 
ceived of by the earlier Naiyayikas as a reason which 
jus known not to co-exist with the probandum in any 



CH.U} INFERENCE 143 



sapaksa, where the probandum is recognized to be 
sent. In the illustration of & ad ha ran a given in the 
text, sabdatva (sound-ness) is present only in the^tfJtfa 
and nowhere else. According to the earlier Naiyayikas 
asadharanatva is anityadosa or operates as a defect only 
under certain circumstances. They draw a distinctioa 
between nityadofd (permanent defect) a defect* 
which, when rightly detected, always vitiates the fro- 
bans, and anityadosa (occasional defect) a defect 
which, when rightly detected, vitiates the probans only 
under certain circumstances. They also hold that orfU 
dh&ranatva is an occasional defect (anityado^a) in the 
sense that a valid knowledge of its presence vitiates the 
reason only so long as there is a doubt regarding the 
presence of the probandum in the paksa. For 
instance, in the example given in the text, iabdatva 
(sound-ness) may be said to be not present in a 
sapaksa, only so long as there is some doubt regarding 
the presence of the probandum in the pak$a\ and if one 
should be sure of the presence of the probandum in the 
Pakfa and still desire to confirm one's knowledge by 
means of inference, the probans sabdatva cannot be 
said to be not present in any place where the probandum 
is known for certain to be present, for the obvious 
reason that the probaus is present in the pak$a t where 
the probandum is already known for certain to be pre- 
sent. Annambhatta adopts the view of the earlier 
Naiyayikas in this matter. The later Naiyayikas define 
atadharana to be a probans which is not co-existent 
with its probandum (sadhy&sani&ntidhikaranah) ; and a 
knowledge of the no*- existence of the probans and the 



244 A PK1MER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAXT ra 

probandunt would prevent a knowledge of their invari- 
able co-existence. The non-conclusive strayer (onupa~ 
samhdrin) is defective reason which has neither an 
affirmative example (anvayadrstQnta) nor a negative 
example (vyatirekadrstQnta). This is the view of the 
earlier Naiyayikns and the illustration given by Annam- 
bhatta in his text is based on this view. In this illus- 
tration, all things come under paksa\ when there is 
doubt regarding the probandum everywhere, there can 
be no certainty concerning the co-existence of the pro- 
bans and the probandum, anywhere; thus one cannot 
have a conclusive knowledge of vyftptim such cases; 
and this is how, in such cases, the probative value of 
the probans comes to be vitiated. The later Naiyayikas 
do not accept this view. They contend that, even 
when 'o/r are pakfas, those particular cases in which 
one may be sure of the co-existence of the probans and 
the probandunt, may well be treated as drstanta; and 
so, a toon-conclusive strayer (anupasamharin) should be 
defined to be a defective probans, whose 'probandunt 
happens to be omni-present (kevalGnvayin). The viti- 
ating circumstance in this case is, according to the later 
Naiyayikas, that a knowledge of the negative concomit- 
ance (vycttirekary^pii) is prevented; and, in spite of 
this defect, inferential cognition (anumiti) may arise 
from a knowledge of positive concomitance alone 
(anvayav^pti). 

The adverse probans (viruddha) and the oppos- 
able probans (satpratipaksa) should be carefully 
distinguished. In the case of viruddha, the same 



CH. n] INFERENCE 

probans proves the contrary, the probandum being 
known to be invariably concomitant with the absence of 
the probans. In the case of satpratipaksa, the probans 
admits of being counter-balanced by an opposite pro- 
bans, which may be put forward to prove the contrary. 
The vitiating circumstance in a viruddha is that it 
prevents inference (anumiti). In the case of a sahprali- 
paksa, the two counter-balancing reasons prevent each 
other from producing the inference connected with it. 
Some Naiyayikas hold that, in cases of satpratipaksa, 
a dubitative type of inferential cognition (samSaya- 
rupGnuwHi) arises. It will be seen that viruddhaiva is 
a more serious defect than satpratipafaatva, for the 
obvious reason that the former involves a greater 
degree of carelessness in reasoning. 

The unestablished reason (asiddha) is defective 
in that a knowledge of the fact that the probans 
is unestablished prevents a knowledge of the 
presence of the invariably concomitant probans in the 
Paksa (i.e., prevents paramaria) in the first two 
varieties viz., Gfraydsiddha and svarup&siddha; while, 
in the third variety v\z. % vy&pyatvasiddha, it is defec- 
tive in that a knowledge of the relation of invariable 
concomitance (vydptijiidna) is prevented. In con- 
nection with the elucidation of the nature of uptidhi, 
which is associated with the third kind of asiddha, 
Annambhatta speaks of four kinds of adventitious cir- 
cumstance (u pad hi) in his Dlpikd. These four varieties 
are: (1) an adventitious circumstance with which, the 
ptobandum, taken by itself, is concomitant (kevala- 
s&dhyavyapakah) ; (2) one with which, the probvndum, 



246 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

as determined by an attribute of paksa, is concomitant 
(pakfadharm&vacchinnas&dhyavy&pakah) ; (3) <me 
with which, the probandum, as determined by the p*o- 
bvns, is concomitant (sadhanavacchinnasOdhyavyG- 
P&kah) ; and (4) one with which, the probandum is 
concomitant, as determined by an attribute not belong- 
ing to the paksa, nor being the protans (udfisiHQ- 
dharmfivacchinnasadhyavyaipakah). The instance cited 
in the text, vis., con tact with wet fuel (firdrendhanasam- 
yoga) is typical of the first variety of upddhi. In the 
argument "Air is perceptible; because it has touch 
which is perceptible" 'perceptible colour' (udbh&ta- 
rftpa) is upadhi of the second variety; ior, with this 
upadhi, the probandum perceptibility is invariably 
concomitant, as determined by the attribute being an 
external substance (bahirdravyatva) which belongs 
to the pakfa. In the argument " Antecedent negation 
is destructible; because it is producible", bhQvatiw 
(ens-ness) is upadhi of the third variety; for, with this 
up&dhi, the probandum-~ destruclibilit) is con- 
comitant, as determined by the probans producibility. 
In the argument "Antecedent negation is destructible; 
because it is knowable", bhavatta is upadhi of the 
fourth variety; for, with this upadhi, the Probandum is 
concomitant as determined by producibility, which is 
neither the pro bans nor any other attribute of the pak$a. 
In all these four varieties, it will be seen that the 
probans may be present in a place where the upadhi 
may not be present (i.e., upadhivyabhicarin) ; that the 
s&dhya (probandum) 9 in one of its fourformsdepcribcd 
above, U invariably associated with the upadhi, which 



QH. u] INFERENCE 24* 

is thus sadhyavyfyaka] and that the probans, which 
strays away from the sphere of sddhyavydpata, must 
necessarily stray away from the sphere oisddhya itself. 
A thing* whose extent is represented by a circle, which 
has a portion falling outside the sphere of a second 
thing represented by a second circle, must necessarily 
have a portion falling outside the sphere of a third 
thing represented by a third circle contained within the 
second circle representing the sphere of the second 
thing. This relation is embodied in the generalization: 
"Whichever strays away from thejervadcr, must strajr 
away from the pervaded" (yo yadvydpakavyabhicarQ 
sa tadvyabhicdrl). On the basis of this generalization, 
every case of upddhi leads to the inference of vyabhicfirv 
and through such inference, prevents a knowledge of 
vyapti. Some Naiyayikas hold that the vitiating cir- 
cumstance in upddhi is that the negation of the parti- 
cular upddhi admits of being put forward as a counter- 
balancing probans to prove the contrary and that it 
leads thus to the inference of satpratipaksatva. These 
two vjiews are usually expressed thus in Sanskrit :-~ 
"Upddhih vyabhicdronndyakah" ; "Upddhih saiprali* 
paksonndyakah". 

The defect called bddha consists in the negation of 
the probandum being already established by a stronger 
proof, This defect directly prevents inference (a*lf*? 
miti). It is sometimes suggested that it is unnecessary 
to recognize bddha as a distinct defect of the probamj 
for, it may be merged in vyabhicdra in cases where 
probans is known to be present in pakfa which is 



248 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART nr 

to be devoid of the probandum ; and it may be merged 
in asiddhi in cases where the paksa is known to be 
devoid of the probans. It should, however, be remem- 
bered that the suggested merger is not possible in certain 
arguments like this. "A jar at the first moment of its 
creation has smell; because it is earth" (ntpattiksane 
ghatah gandhavan, prthivltvat); and that, in such 
cases, the only defect that may be pointed out is badha. 

The Vaisesikas recognize only three hctvdbhasas 
viz., viruddha (the adverse probans), asiddha (the 
uncstablished probans) and samdigdha (the doubtful 
probans}. The last corresponds to what the Naiyayi- 
kas call vyabhicara. The satpratipaksatva of the NySya 
system may he brought under viruddha, according to 
the Vaisesikas, and the badha, partly under samdigdha 
and partly under asiddha. 

It is necessary to differentiate the defective varie- 
ties of the probans (hctvabhasah) described above, 
from what are known in Gautama's Nyaya as chala, 
j&ti and nigrahasthana. Chala is dialectic quibbling 
mainly through equivocation. J&ti is a futile respon- 
dence through parity or disparity. Gautama shows at the 
end of the first ahnika of the fifth chapter of Nydya- 
s&tras, how a debate, carried on exclusively through 
j&ti, is bound to become a barren type of dialectic tu 
quoque, leading to nothing. Nigrahasth&na is a vulne- 
rable point which makes for defeat in a debate and need 
not necessarily invalidate an argument. When a person 
is described as navakambala in the sense that he has a 
new blanket, it would be chala to object to the state- 



CH.II] INFERENCE 249 

ment by perversely misinterpreting it to mean 'having 
nine blankets'. It should be noted here that the expres- 
sion navakambala is ambiguous and may mean 'having 
a new blanket* or 'having nine blankets/ To the argu- 
ment "Sound is non-eternal, because it is produced, 
like a jar'*, it would be a futile respondence (j&tyut tara) 
to say "Sound may well be said to be eternal, because 
it has no activity (niskriya), like ether". To shift 
one's ground without adequate reason and give up the 
thesis proposed to be maintained (pratifnahani and 
fratijfiasariinyctsa), to be unable to give a suitable reply 
when a reply is called for (apratibha) weak points 
like these are vulnerable points (nigrahasthana) which 
make for defeat in a debate. All the defective varie- 
ties of probans (hctvabhasah) may also be treated as> 
vulnerable points, while the latter, other than defective 
reasons, do not invalidate an argument. 



CHAPTER III 

ASSIMILATION OR ANALOGY (uipamana) 

37 T 

Assimilation (upamana) is 
the instrument of assimilative 
cognition. Assimilative cogni- 
tion (upamiti) consists in the 
knowledge of the relation bet- 
ween a name and the object de- 
noted by it. Knowledge of simi- 
larity is the efficient instrument 
(karana} of such cognition. 
This may be illustrated thus : 
A person happens to be ignorant 
of the exact meaning of the 
word gavaya (a particular ani- 
mal of the bovine species). From 
a forester, he learns that a 
gavaya is similar to a coze;; he 
goes to a forest, sees the animal 
called gavaya, which is similar 
to a cow and recollects the in- 
formation conveyed by the as- 
similative proposition (atidefa- 
vakya). Then the assimilative 
cognition, "This is the animal 
(of the bovine species) denoted 
by the word gavaya' 9 arises. 

Thus ends the chapter on 
upamana. 



CH. m] ASSIMILATION OR ANALOGY 251 

The NyJya conception of upam&na as a distinct 
instrument of valid cognition restricts its scope to as- 
certainment of the primary denotative or significative 
power of a word (saktigraha). The chief object of 
the Naiyayikas in so restricting its scope is to save it 
from being swallowed up in inference (anumana). It 
should be carefully noted here that, according to the 
MImamsakas, the cognition embodied in the proposition 
"The animal called gavaya is similar to a cow" is the 
efficient instrument (karaya) and the cognition <4 My 
cow is similar to this animal called gavaya' 9 is the 
resultant upamiti (assimilative cognition); whereas, 
according to the KTaiyayikas the resultant upamiti is in 
the form of the knowledge of the primary significative 
power of the word gavaya (gavayapadasaktigraha). 
It could be easily seen that the relation between the 
karana (efficient instrument) and the phala (result), 
according to the MImamsakas, is exactly similar to the 
relation between the two propositions "A is similar 
to B" and "B is similar to A". The Vaisesikas and 
Bauddhas could easily show how the latter, viz. 9 "B is 
similar to A" may be taken to be inferred from the 
former, viz., "A is similar to B". The Naiyayikas 
cleverly escape from this danger by narrowing the 
scope of upamana as indicated above. One might, 
however, remark that the Nyaya conception of upam&na 
is singuhrly unpractical and unfruitful. V&tsy&y ana'f 
remarks on upamtina, under l-i-6 and II-i-44 to 48, 
throw some light on the practical value of this pramana. 



,252 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART ra 

The BJt&fyak&ra points out bow it would be of great 
practical value to know exactly what is denoted by cer- 
tain technical names of medicinal herbs, as used in the 
Ayurveda literature. It should be remembered here 
that the Indian view of a pram&na is that it is an effi- 
cient instrument of valid knowledge, which possesses 
such unchallenged certitude as is usually associated with 
validity or as is not nullified by subsequent experience; 
or according to some Indian thinkers, it is an efficient 
instrument of valid knowledge, which possesses such 
practical utility and effectiveness as is usually associa- 
ted with validity. In this way, it would not be difficult 
to appreciate the reasons why the Nai>ayikas regard 
upamfina as a distinct pram&na. 



CHAPTER IV 

VALID VERBAL TESTIMONY. Sentence or 
proposition (sab d ha) 

38 T 

(a) Valid verbal testimony 
is a proposition set forth by a 
trustworthy person (&pta). One 
who habitually speaks only truth 
is a trustworthy person (#/>/a) r 
A sentence or proposition is a 
group of words like "Bring a 
cow" (gdntdttaya) . 

(b) A word is that which 
has significative potency (Sakti). 
"From th'.s word, this concept 
should be known" God's will 
to this effect (Uvarasamketah) 
is cabled fakti (significative po-. 
tency). 

The VaiSesikas would bring valid verbal testimony 
also under inference. The Naiyayikas however, con- 
tend that, in cases where valid knowledge is derived 
from valid verbal testimony (<pram&nafabda) , one is 
not conscious of any conclusion through subsumption 
to a generalization ; but one is, on the contrary, con- 
scious of a valid verbal cognition or judgment (tebda- 
bodha) resulting from a knowledge of words, without 
the mediacy of any such subsumptive process of 



254 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAtT in 

thought. For this reason, the Nyaya system holds that 
Jabda deserves the rank of a distinct pram&na. 

The recognition of fab da as a distinct firam&nahzs 
laid most of the Indian systems of philosophy open to 
the charge of dogmatism. Careful students of Indian 
philosophy know well that this charge, when put for- 
ward in a sweeping form, can easily be exposed as 
on certain misapprehensions. Certain objections 
be raised by advocates of independent thinking 
agaitist the vfcw of the Mlm&rtisakas that the relation 
between a word and its meaning is eternal and that the 
statements constituting the Vedas should be held to be 
eternal and eternally valid and to possess self-evident 
validity. But these objections cannot be raised 
against the Ny&ya view of sabdapramana. This 
view seeks to reconcile the Nyaya stand point of 
ra/!0na/u*n with the conception of fabda as a distinct 
source of valid knowledge, through the Nyaya theory 
of extrinsic validity (paratahpr&manya). According to 
the Naiyfiyikas, it should be remembered that a fabda 
is a source of valid knowledge only in so far as the 
source of sabda is a perfectly trustworthy person and 
that validity (framdtva) of the knowledge derived from 
a Sabda is extrinsically caused (paratah utpadyate) 
through the reliability of the speaker and is also ex- 
trinsically made out (faratah j nay ate) through verifi- 
cation in direct experience. The Naiyayikas seek to 
gain a twofold advantage by this view of tabda* One 
advantage consists in the fact that they have succeeded 
in freeing their rationalistic system of thought from the 



Off. iv} VERBAL TESTIMONY 2*5 

reproach of dogmatism ; and the other advantage con- 
sists in the fact that they are able to base a theistic 
argument on this view by pointing out that belief in the 
infallibility of the Veda would necessarily imply a belief 
in the Veda having been produced by an infallible 
author such an infallible author in the case of Veda 
being none other than the Omnipotent and Omniscient 
God. 

The primary significative potency of a word, called 
padasakti, is the eternal significative relation between a 
word and its sense, according to the Mimamsakas; and 
it should be brought under fakti, which is a distinct 
category or quality according to them. The Naiyayikas 
refuse to accept this view and hold that the utmost that 
could be said about padasakti is that it is the will of 
God to the effect that a particular word should convey 
a particular sen&e. This is on the assumption that 
speech is not a human product but made by God for the 
benefit of humanity. 

39 T 

(a) Vebal expectancy, con- 
gruity and proximity these are 
the causes which bring about 
verbal cognition or judgment 
from a proposition, 

(t) Verbal expectaacfc 
(ak&nk$a) consists in a word not 
being capable %f conveying a 

complete judgment in the absence 
of another word. 



256 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PA*T m 

(c) Congruity (yogyaid) 
consists in the sense being not 
stultifiable. 

(d) Proximity (sannidhi) 
consists in the articulation of 
words without undue delay. 

(e) A sentence which is 
devoid of expectancy and the 
other two requirements (con- 
gruitytnd proximity) does not 
bring about a valid cognition. 
For instance, a string of words 
like "Cow, horse, man, elephant" 
does not produce any judgment ; 
for there is no verbal expectancy 
(&k&nks&) here. The sentence 
"One should sprinkle with fire" 
does not produce a valid judg- 
ment, as there is no congruity 
here. Words like "Bring a 
cow", uttered at long intervals, 
cannot produce a valid judg- 
ment, owing to want of proxi- 
mity. 

In section 39, Annambhatta briefly states the 
Nyaya view regarding the accessories necessary for 
arriving at a valid judgment from a proposition. In 
every language, ftrtain words necessarily require certain 
other words to complete the sense. For instance, a 
verb denoting an action necessarily requires a kQraka 



OH* tv] VERBAL TESTIMONY 257 

such as a word denoting the agent or instrumtnt or 
object of the action ; and in the absence of such a word* 
it cannot convey a complete sense. This kind of 
syntactic need is what is called verbal expectancy or 
akfink?&. Words which are not required for syntactic 
completeness or which have no kind of syntactic rela- 
tion whatever cannot form a proposition. YoyyatA or 
congruity of the sense is stated to be another require- 
ment. One can easily see that, in the example given in 
the text, the concept of fire is incongruous as a means 
of sprinkling; because sprinkling is done with water* 
and not with fire. When the words constituting a 
sentence are uttered at long intervals, one cannot have 
any connected thought and complete judgment in the 
form of verbal cognition does not arise. With regard 
to the causal connection between yogyata and s&bdor 
bodha, there is difference of opinion among the Naiylr 
yikas. Many Naiyayikas hold that a decisive know* 
ledge of congruity (yogyattiniscaya) i a pre-requisite 
of verbal cognition. Some of them maintain that a 
decisive knowledge of incongruity (ayogyatanticaya) 
prevents verbal cognition (Sabdabodhafratitwd/taka) 
and the absence of sijch a counteracting 0gent is neces- 
sary lot having the effect. 

In this connection, attention may be drawn to the 
relation between a decisive knowledge of the speaker's 
intention (tatparyanifcayo) and the verbal cognition 
(fabdabodha) arising from a sentence. Some hoGt 
that tatfarywUcaya is an accessory cause of sdbda- 
bodhai others hold that it is required only io cases 
where ambiguous words or expressions are used ; and 

'7 * 



258 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

yet others maintain that, though it is required, it need 
not be referred to separately as a cause of i&bdabodha* 
for the reason that dkankjfl (syntactic expectancy) 
consists in the need which one word has for another 
word in order to convey the complete sense intended 
to be conveyed and that, in this form, akankffi includes 
tatparya. 

Students of Nyaya will do well to note the essen- 
tial features of the NySya theory of sdbdabodha. 
This theory is, for all practical purposes, the Nyaya 
theory of the import of propositions. The Nyaya view 
is that only a determinate judgment (savikalpakajfidna) 
is embodied in, and conveyed by, a proposition; every 
proposition comprises at least a subject (uddefya) and 
predicate (vidheya) ; in a verbal judgment (s&bda- 
V.odha) arising in the hearer's mind from a proposition, 
the meaning of the chief substantive in the nominative 
case (pratham&totartha) plays the role of the leading 
concept (mukhyavie?ya) and all the other concepts 
are directly or indirectly subordinated to it ; the cogni- 
tion arising from a proposition is always non-percep- 
tual (par ok f a) ; and the additional element conveyed 
by a sentence, over and above the separate concepts 
conveyed by separate words, is the intended relation of 
the concepts (padfirthasarnsarga) and this additional 
element, which is the distinctive feature of a verbal 
judgment (v&ky&rtha), is conveyed through the parti- 
cular juxtaposition of words (samMrgamarytdd)^ and 
not through a primary or secondary significative 
power of words (abhidhd or lakfana). It may be 
1 observed here that the juxtapositioa 



OH. iv] VEDBAL TESTIMONY 259 

yad&), referred to here, turns out to be identical with 
co-utterance (samabhivydhtra), which i$ reducible to 
the form of what is technically known as syntactic 
expectancy (&kdnk$a). 

It may be useful here to contrast the Nyaya theory 
of iabdabodha with the sdbdabodha theories of certain 
other Indian schools. According to the Vaiy&karanas, 
the activity denoted by the root of the finite verb 
(dhatvartha) is the leading concept in a verbal cogni* 
tion arising from a sentence ; and according to the 
BhaJtas, the wf to do 9 (fyti) denoted by the ending 
of the finite verb is the leading concept there. If, from 
the stand-point of logical analysis, the subject is the 
central concept of a judgment, the meaning of the root 
of the finite verb may be regarded as its central concept 
from the stand-point of linguistic analysis; or the "will 
to do\ denoted by the ending of the finite verb, may J>e 
viewed as its central concept from the stand-point of 
Mimariisa legalism. 

The Nyaya system recognizes only two main types 
of significative force (fabdavrtti) viz., abhidhd (the 
primary significative force) and lak$an& (the secondary 
significative force). It refuses to accept the third type 
of significative force called vyanjana or suggestion, 
which is recognized by the Alamkarikas as a distinct 
type of sabdavrtti, and brings it under inference. 
According to the Nyaya system, the primary significa- 
tive force (abhidhd) includes two phases, which corres- 
pond to connotation and denotation, and relate to j&ti 
(generality) as the connoted attribute, and to vyakti 
(the individual thing) as the denoted object qualified 



260 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC 

by such attribute. In other words, the Naiyayikas 
generally maintain that the primary sense of & word is 
ordinarily an individual qualified by a generic attribute 
(jWtvUiftovyakti). Students of modern philosophy 
will find it easy to see that, according to the Nyaya 
system, the concepts conveyed by separate words are 
apparent simples* but really petrified judgments. AH 
the names, including proper names, are connotative, 
according to Nyaya. 

40-T 

(a) There are two classes 
of sentences : those that belong 
to the Veda and those that 
belong to secular speech. Those 
that belong to the Veda are all 
statements of God and therefore 
authoritative. Of those that 
belong to secular speech, such as 
produced by trustworthy persons 
are authoritative and others are 
not authoritative. 

(6) Verbal cognition (Mb* 
dajnfaa) is the knowledge of 
the meaning of a sentence. Its 
efficient instrument (fear ana) 
is sentence (iabda). 

Here ends the chapter on 
Verbal Testimony. 

Thus valid experience 
(yathtrthfaubhwa) has been 
explained, 



<?H. iv} ERROR 36! 

41 T 

(a) Erroneous experience 
is of three kinds the three 
varieties being doubt, misappre- 
hension and indirect argument 
(reductio ad alsurdum). 

(b) A doubt is a cognition 
which relates to several incom- 
patible attributes in the same 
thing as, in the dubitative cog- 
nition "It may be a post or a 
man". 

(c) Misapprehension is a 
false cognition as in the erro- 
neous cognition of a nacre, in 
the form ''This is silver". 

(d) Indirect argument (re- 
ductio ad absurdum) consists in 
the hypothetical admission of 
vyapya (an invariably concomi- 
tant fact) which leads to the 
admission of the pervasive con- 
comitant (vytifiaka) ; as, "If 
there were no fire, there would 
be no smoke''. 

42T 

Recollection is also of two 
kitfds: true and false. The 
former is the result of a valid 
experience; and the latter arises 
from an erroneous experience. 



262 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAW m 

In this connection students may be advised to read 
again pages 104 to 146 of chapter I part III. 

43 T 

(a) Pleasure is a quality 
which all consider agreeable. 

(6) Pain is a quality which 
all consider disagreeable. 

(c) Desire is wish. 

(d) Dislike is ill-feeling. 

(e) Volitional effort is the 
will to do. 

(/) Dharma is the unseen 
spiritual benefit accruing from 
the performance of actions 
which are enjoined by the Vedic 
law. 

(g) Adharma is the unseen 
spiritual demerit accruing from 
the performance of forbidden 
actions. 

(h) Cognition and the 
following seven qualities (eight 
in all) are the specific qualities 
(vihsagun&h) found only in the 
soul. Cognition, desire and 
volitional effort may be eternal 
or non-eternal; they are eternal 
in God and non-eternal in the 
ordinary souls of living beings 



CH. iv] QUALITIES 26S 

(i) There are three kinds 
of tendencies or impressions- 
speed, reminiscent impression 
and elasticity. Speed belongs 
to the substances earth, water, 
fire, air and mind. Reminiscent 
impression belongs only to the 
soul and it results from a previ- 
ous experience and causes recol- 
lection. Elasticity is the ten- 
dency of a thing to recover its 
original form when it is changed. 

Here ends the section dealing 
with Qualities. 

It would be useful if students read again, in this 
connection, pages 13 to 15 of chapter I part III. 

44 T 

Activity is of the nature of 
motion* Upward motion leads 
to contact with an upper place. 
Downward motion leads to con- 
tact with a lower place* Con- 
traction leads to contact with a 
place near one's body. Expan- 
sion leads to contact with a place 
remdte from one's body. All 
the other varieties of motion 
come under 'going*. 



264 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PAHTJB 

45 T 

Generality is a generic attri- 
bute which is eternal and one 
and inheres in many things. It 
is found in substances, qualities 
and activities. Existence (sattS) 
15 the most comprehensive type 
of generality. Substance-ness 
and such others are less compre- 
hensive. 

46 T 

Specialities are the differen- 
tiating features belonging to 
eternal substances. 

47 T 

Inherence is the eternal 
relation, which belongs to the 
inseparables. An inseparable 
pair consists of two things of 
which one thing, so long as it 
does not come to an end, exists 
only in the other thing: as 
component part and the compo- 
site whole, quality and subst- 
ance, motion and moving body, 
generality and the individual 
having it, and speciality and the 
ternal substance having it. 
In this connection, students will do well to read 
again pages 18 to 37 pi chapter I, part III. 



CM, iV] NON-EXISTENCB 

48 T 

(a) Antecedent non-exis- 
tence has no beginning but has 
an end. It relates to the period 
preceding the production of art 
effect. 

(b) Annihilative non-exis- 
tence has a beginning but has no 
end. It relates to the period 
subsequent to the production of 
an effect. 

(c) Total non-existence is 
the negation of a counter-corre- 
lative in respect of relation to 
all the three times present, 
past and future as in the 
statement* -"There Is no jar on 
this spot" 

(rf) Reciprocal non-exist- 
ence is the negation of a counter- 
correlative in respect of its 
identity with another thing 
as in the statement "A jar is 
not a cloth". 

Here, students should peruse again pages 37 to 52 
of chapter I, part III. 

49 T 

All the other padSrthas may 
be brought under one or the 
other of the seven paddrthas 



266 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

enumerated at the beginning of 
this work. So, there are only 
seven categories. 

Here, attention is drawn to pages 4 to 8 of 
chapter I, part III. 

50 T 

Annambhatta has written 
this treatise called Tarkasam- 
graha with the object of intro- 
ducing beginners to a study of 
theNyaya and Vaisesika systems 
of Gautama and Kanada. 



THUS ENDS THE TARKASAMGRAHA 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 

akhandadesa: indivisible space. 

akhandopadhi : an attribute which is not a jati but 
similar to it. 

akhyati: non-apprehension, 
acit: non-spirit; matter, 
arm: atom; minute part, 
anutval smallness. 
anuparimana: atomic size, 
atidesavakya : assimilative proposition, 
ativyapti : over-applicability ; being too wide. 
atyantabhSva : absolute non-existence, 
atyantasat : non-being out-and-out, 
adharma: unseen spiritual dement, 
adhikarin: a qualified person or one to whom the 
result accrues. 

adhisthana: real substratum. 

adhyavasaya: determinative cognition. 

anavastha: endless regression. 

anatman: non-soul. 

anadi: without beginning. 

anitya: non-eternal, 

anityado?a: occasional defect. 

anirvacanlyakhyati : indefinable's apprehension. 

anirvacaniyata : indefinability. 

anudbhuta: sub-perceptional. 

anupasamharin ; non-conclusive reason. 



268 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

anubhava : experience. 

anumana: inference; instrument of inference, 
anumiti: inference, 
anuyogin: correlated substratum. 

anuvyavasaya : after-cognition, in which the subject 
also is presented. 

anunasita: lukewarm. 

antahkarana: inner instrument of knowledge. 

antyavisesa: ultimate particularity. 

anyathakhyati : misapprehension. 

anyathasiddha: dispensable antecedent. 

anyonyabhava: reciprocal negation; mutual non- 
existence. 

anvayadrsjanta : affirmative example. 

anvayasahacara: sequence of positive factors. 

anvayavyatirekin : concomitant in affirmation and 
negation. 

anvayav) apti : positive or affirmative concomitance. 

ap: water. 

apara : less comprehensive. 

aparatva : spatial or temporal proximity. 

apavarga : final emancipation. 

apeksabuddhi : enumerative cognition. 

apratyaksa : imperceptibility. 

apramanya: error; invalidity. 

abhava : non-existence. 

abhidheya: denotable thing. 

abhidheyatva : namability. 

abhighata: striking; a kind of contact producing 
sound. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 269 

abheda: identity. 

abhyasapratyaya : repetitional cognition, 
amla: acid. 

ayathartha: erroneous, 
ayatharthanubhava : erroneous experience, 
ayutasiddha : inseparable, 
arani: tinder-stick, 
artha: substance. 

arthapatti: presumptive testimony, 
alaukika: extra-normal, 
avaksepana: downward motion, 
avacchedaka : delimiting, 
avacchedya: delimited, 
avacchinna: delimited. 

avayava: member; member of a syllogism; component 
part. 

avayavin : composite structure or product, 
avinabhava: invariable relation, 
aviveka : non-discrimination, 
avyapadesya: non-verbal; unverbalisable. 
avyapti: partial inapplicability, 
avyapyavrtti : non-pervasive, 
asakti : inability, 
asat: non-being. 

asatkhyati: non-being's apprehension, 
asamavayikarana: non-inherent cause, 
asambhava: total inapplicability, 
asadharana ; special ; uncommon strayer. 
asadharanadharma: specific feature, 
asiddha: un-established reason, 
asurabhi: non-fragrant. 



270 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

akaraja : mine-born ; born of the mine. 

akanksa: verbal expectancy; syntactic expectancy. 

akaSa : ether. 

akasatva: etherness. 

akuncana : contraction. 

agama ; verbal testimony. 

atman: soul. 

atmakhy&ti : self-apprehension. 

atmasraya: self-dependence. 

adarapratyaya : regardful cognition. 

Aditya: Sun. 

anumanika: inferential. 

apta: trustworthy person; truth-teller. 

ayojana: concretive activity. 

arambhavada : creationistic theory of causation. 

aropa : hypothetical admission. 

asrayasiddha : unestablished in respect of abode. 

iccha: desire. 

indriya: sense-organ. 

indriyatva: senseness. 

indriyarthasannikara : relation between sense-organ 

and object, 
indhana: fuel. 
Isvara : God. 

utksepana: upward motion, 
utpatti: production, 
udarya: that of the stomach ; gastric, 
udaharana : exemplification, 
uddesa: enumeration. 
uddeSya: subject, 
udbhuta: perceptible; not sub-perceptional. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 271 

upanaya : subsumptive correlation. 

upamana: instrument of assimilation; assimilative 

instrument; comparison, 
upamiti : assimilative cognition or experience, 
upalabdhi : apprehension, 
upastambhaka : supportive, 
upasthiti : thought, 
upadanakarana: material cause, 
upadhi : adventitious condition ; an attribute which is 

not a jati. 

upeksa: indifference. 

usna: hot. 

usnasparsa : hot touch. 

eka : one. 

katu : pungent. 

kadamba : a kind of flower. 

kapala: potsherd. 

kapisa : brown. 

kampana: shaking. 

karana: efficient or instrumental cause. 

karma : activity. 

kalasatva : jarness. 

kalpana : presumptive knowledge ; fictitious fabrication. 

kasaya: astringent. 

kama: wish. 

karya : product. 

kala : time. 

kalikasambandha : time-relation. 

krtakatva : producibility. 

krti : volitional effort. 

krsnatara: dark pupil. 



272 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

kevalabhutala : empty floor. 
kcvalavyatirekin : concomitant in negation alone, 
kevaladhikarana : mere container, 
kevalanvayin : concomitant in affirmation alone, 
kriya : activity, 
kriyatva: motion-ness, 
krodha : ill-feeling, 
ksana: moment. 

kanikavijnana : momentary consciousness, 
gandha: smell, 
gamana: going, 
guna: quality, 
gurutva : weight, 
ghatatva : potness. 

ghrana: olfactory sense; sense of smell, 
caksus: visual sense; sense of sight, 
calana: motion, 
cit 2 spirit; consciousness. 
citra: variegated, 
curna : powder, 
chala: dialectic quibbling, 
janya: producible thing, 
japa: China rose, 
jala : water. 

jalpa: argument for victory; successful ad^v^x^v- 
jati: generic or class attribute; specious and unavail- 
ing objections or futile respondence. 
jihva: tongue, 
jiva: individual soul, 
jivatmant individual soul, 
jnapti: knowledge. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 273 

jnana: knowledge, 
ineya : knowable thing. 

attvadhyavasaya: conclusive determination of truth, 
adutpatti : casuality. 
antu : thread, 
amas: darkness. 

arka : reductio ad absurdum ; indirect argument, 
.adatmya : complete identity. 
;ikta: bitter, 
tun: shuttle. 
:rna: straw. 
:ejas: light; fire. 

trasarenu : triad ; ternary product, 
truti: triad; ternary product, 
tvak: tactus; sense of touch. 
Janda: stick, 
dik: spatial direction, 
divya: that of the sky. 
dlrgha: long. 

dustahetu: defective probans. 
duhkha: pain, 
drstanta: typical instance. 
Jravatva : fluidity, 
dravya: substance, 
drav^' *va : substanceness. 
dvyanuka : dyad ; binary product, 
dvesa : dislike. 

dharma : merit ; unseen spiritual benefit; attribute* 
dharmin: thing qualified, 
dhatu : verbal root, 
dbrti : sustaining effort. 



#4 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

dhvani: noise. 

naman : name. 

nigamana : conclusion. 

nigrahasthana : vulnerable point. 

nitya: eternal. 

nityadosa: permanent defect. 

nityaguna: eternal quality. 

nididhyasana : constant meditation. 

nimittakarana: instrumental cause. 

niyata: invariable. 

niyatapurvavrtti : invariable antecedent. 

nirupaka: correlating; correlated. 

nirnaya: decisive knowledge. 

nirvacana: definite predication. 

nirvikalpaka: indeterminate. 

niScaya : determination. 

nikampapravrtti : unfaltering effort. 

nila: blue. 

nodana: pushing. 

naimittika: artificial. 

paksa: minor term; subject. 

pakata : subject ness. 

paksadharmata : subject-ad junctness. 

pata: cloth. 

patatva : clothness. 

patupratyaya : vivid cognition. 

padftrtha ; category. 

para: more comprehensive. 

paratva: temporal or spatial remoteness. 

paratastva : extrinsicality. 

paratahprSmanya : theory of extrinsic validity. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 275 

paratograhya : made out extrinsically. 

paramanu : atom. 

paramatman : Supreme Soul. 

paramparasambandha : indirect relation. 

paramarsa: subsumptive reflection. 

pararthanumana: inference for others. 

parardha: one thousand crores of crores. 

parinama: modification; digesting. 

parimana: size. 

parlksa: investigation. 

paroksa: non-perceptual. 

paka: heat; baking. 

pacaka : a cook. 

parimandalya : the smallest size conceivable; atomic 

size. 

paana: stone, 
pinda: lump, 
pita: yellow, 
puruja: spirit, 
pf thaktva : separateness. 
prthivl: earth, 
prthvi: earth, 
prakara: adjunct, 
prakarata: adjunctness. 
prakasa : luminosity, 
prakrti : primordial matter, 
pracaya : loose contact, 
pratijfia: thesis, 
pratipadyapratipadakabhava : relation of the 

and the treatise, 
pratibandhaka: counter-agent. 



276 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART m 

pratiyogin: correlative; counter-correlative. 

pratiyogitS : correl&tiveness>. 

pratiyogitatva: the state of being correlativeness. 

pratyaka: perception; perceptive instrument 

pradhvmsabhava : annihilative non-existence. 

prama : valid knowledge. 

pramana: means of valid knowledge; valid knowledge. 

pramatva : validity. 

prameya: object of valid knowledge; cognizable thing. 

prameyatva: knowability. 

prayatna: volition, 

prayojana : purpose ; aim. 

pralaya: dissolution; universal dissolution. 

pravrtti: volitional decision. 

prasarana: expansion. 

pragabhava : antecedent non-existence. 

pratyaksika; perceptual. 

pramanya: truth; validity. 

pretyabhava : cycle of death and birth. 

phala: result. 

phallbhutajnana: resultant cognition. 

baddha: bound. 

badhakapratiti: sublating cognition. 

badhita : stultified reason. 

buddhi : cognition. 

bhavakarya : positive product. 

bhavana: reminiscent impression. 

bhavapadartha : existent entities. 

bhasvara; brilliant. 

bhitti: wall. 

bhuta : elemental being. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 277 

bhutatva : elementness. 

bhuyodarsana : repeated observation. 

bheda: difference. 

bhedasahisnu : compatible with difference. 

bhauma: that of the earth. 

mani: lens. 

madhura: sweet. 

inanas: mind. 

manana: reflective thinking. 

manusyatva: humanity. 

mahat : large. 

mahattva: largeness. 

mahakala: undivided time. 

mahasamanya: grand generality ; the summum genus. 

mana: measurement. 

manasapratyaksa : mental perception. 

mithya: unreal. 

mithyajnana: false cognition. 

mukti : final emancipation. 

murta: moving substance; limited in size. 

mrgatva : bcasthood. 

mrt: clay. 

yatna: volitional effort. 

yathartha: real. 

yogyata: congruity. 

yogyanupalabdhi: effectual non-cognition. 

rakta: red. 

rajas: passion. 

rasa: taste. 

rasana: sense of taste; gustatory sense. 

rupa: colour. 



278 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [?ART m 

rupatva: colourness. 

lakana: definition. 

lavana: salt. 

laghava: principle of parsimony or economy. 

linga: probans; mark; reason. 

lingaparamarsa : subsumptive reflection of the probans. 

loka: world. 

Varuna: Water-God. 

varna: alphabet. 

vahni: fire. 

vakyarthabodha : verbal judgment. 

vada: argument for truth. 

vayu: air, 

vayuloka : world of Wind-God. 

vikalpa : fictitious fabrication. 

vijnana: consciousness. 

vitaruja: destructive argument or objection. 

vidyut: lightning. 

vidheya: predicate. 

vipaka: counter-example. 

viparitakhyati : contrary experience. 

viparyaya : misapprehension. 

vibhaga: division; disjunction. 

vibhagaja: caused by disjunction. 

vibhudravya: all-pervasive substance. 

viruddba : adverse probans or re; son. 

visi|apratiti: determinate cognition. 

visesa : particularity. 

viSesaguna : specific quality. 

vis^sana: adjunct. 

visesyata ; substantiveness. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 279 

visaya; object; subject-matter. 
viayata: objectness. 

visayatatva : the state of being objectness. 
visayita: subjectness. 
vrksa: tree. 

vrtti: activity; modification, 
vega: speed, 
veman: loom, 
vyakti : individual unit, 
vyanjana: suggestion, 
vyatirekadrstanta : negative example, 
vyatirekavyapti : negative concomitance; negative gene- 
ralization. 

vyatirekasahacara : concomitance of negation, 
vyavasaya : cognition in which an object is presented 

and not the subject, 
vyapara : activity ; intermediate cause, 
vyapti: co-extension; invariable concomitance, 
vyapyatvasiddha: unestablished in respect of its con- 
comitance. 

vyapyavrtti: pervasive, 
vyavartaka: differentiating feature, 
vyavrtti : differentiation, 
vyasajyavrtti : partially contained, 
sakti: significative potency or power; potentiality, 
sabda: proposition; verbal testimony; sound, 
sabdaja: caused by sound, 
sabdatanmatra: subtle sound, 
sabdavrtti: significative force, 
sarira: body; form, 
sabda : verbal ; verbal experience. 



280 A PRIMER OF INDIAN LOGIC [PART in 

Sabdajnana: verbal cognition. 

s&bdabodha : verbal cognition. 

Ita: cold. 

sitasparsa: cold touch. 

Sukti: nacre. 

Sukla: white. 

syama: black. 

sravana: understanding. 

gruti: Revealed Texts. 

sakatnpapravrtti ; halting effort. 

sakrddarsana : single observation. 

sat : being. 

satta: existence. 

sattva: goodness. 

satpratipaksa : opposable reason. 

sapaksa: similar instance. 

samavaya: inherence. 

samavayin : constitutive. 

samavayik3rana : constitutive or inherent or intimate 

cause, 

samudra: ocean. 

samuhalambana : group cognition, 
samkhya: number, 
sarhdigdha: doubtful probans. 
sannikarsa: sense-relation, 
sannidhi: proximity, 
sambandha: relation, 
sarhyoga: conjunction, 
sarhyogaja : caused by contact, 
sarhsaya: doubt, 
samsarga; relation. 



SANSKRIT GLOSSARY 281 

samsargata:: relationness. 

samskara: tendency or impression; reminiscent 

impression, 
sarit : river. 

Sarvajna: Omniscient, 
savikalpaka : determinate, 
savyabhicara : straying reason, 
santa: having an end. 
sadrsya: similarity, 
sadhana : middle term ; probans. 
sadharana: general; common strayer. 
sadhya: probandum; major term, 
samagri: the whole causal apparatus, 
samayikabhava : temporary non-existence, 
samanya: generality, 
samanyavisesa : generic differentia, 
samkarya: unwarranted blend, 
samsiddhika: natural, 
siddhanta: established conclusion, 
sukha: pleasure, 
surabhi: fragrant, 
suvarna : gold, 
srsti: creation, 
sthitasthapaka : elasticity, 
sneha: viscidity. 
sparSa: touch, 
sphatika: crystal. 

sphota: the eternal substratum of significativcncs?. 
smrti: recollection, 
smarana: recollection, 
svatastya: intrinsicality. 



282 A PRIMER OF 1NDIJLN W&IC [ PART .in 

svatograhya: intrinsically made out* 
svafojanya : intrinsically brought about, 
svatovyavartaka : self-discriminating, 
svatovyavrtta : self-differentiated, 
svarupasambandha : self-relation; self-linking* 
svarupasiddha: unestablished in respect of itself . 
svarthanumana : inference for oneself, 
svetarabheda: difference from the rest, 
harita: green. 

hetu: probans; reason; valid reason ; middle Ufm. 
hetvabhasa : fallacious reason ; semblance of 

defective probans. 
hrasva: short. 



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