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UGC NET PAPER 1 · UNIT 06 · MODULE 4: INDIAN LOGIC: KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION · TOPIC 9

Indian Logic: Means of Knowledge (Pramana Theory)

Start of Part B. The factors of knowledge, how many pramanas each school accepts (a favourite table), key texts and authors, and how knowledge is validated.

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  • Topic 9 of 19

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  1. 9.1The four factors of knowledge (Nyaya)Indian epistemology asks how valid knowledge arises.
    • Pramata
    • Prameya
    • Pramana
    • Prama
    • Pramiti
  2. 9.2Number of pramanas accepted by each school (very high-yield)School Number Pramanas accepted Charvaka 1 Pratyaksha only Vaisheshika 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana Buddhism 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana Samkhya 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Shabda Yoga 3…
    • Charvaka
    • Vaisheshika
    • Buddhism
    • Samkhya
    • Yoga
  3. 9.3Key texts and authorsWork Author Nyaya Sutra Gautama (Akshapada) Nyaya Bhashya Vatsyayana Nyayavartika Uddyotakara Nyayamanjari Jayanta Bhatta Nyayakusumanjali Udayana Tattvachintamani (founder…
    • Nyaya Sutra
    • 16 padarthas
    • 12 prameyas
    • vada
    • jalpa
  4. 9.4Validity of knowledge (pramanyavada)Covers Svatah pramanya, Paratah pramanya.
    • Svatah pramanya
    • Paratah pramanya

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9.1The four factors of knowledge (Nyaya)#

In brief

Indian epistemology asks how valid knowledge arises.

  • Pramata
  • Prameya
  • Pramana
  • Prama
  • Pramiti
  • smriti
  • anubhava
  • aprama

Indian epistemology asks how valid knowledge arises. Nyaya names four factors:

Term Meaning
Pramata The knower (subject)
Prameya The object of knowledge
Pramana The means (instrument) of valid knowledge
Prama (or Pramiti) Valid knowledge, the result

Prama is yathartha anubhava, true (right) experience (Tarkasamgraha). Cognition (buddhi) is divided into smriti (memory) and anubhava (experience). Anubhava is prama (valid) or aprama (invalid, covering samshaya doubt, viparyaya error and tarka hypothetical reasoning). Smriti is not counted a pramana because it only reproduces an earlier experience and is not a fresh cognition.

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9.2Number of pramanas accepted by each school (very high-yield)#

In brief

School Number Pramanas accepted Charvaka 1 Pratyaksha only Vaisheshika 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana Buddhism 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana Samkhya 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Shabda Yoga 3…

  • Charvaka
  • Vaisheshika
  • Buddhism
  • Samkhya
  • Yoga
  • Jainism
  • Nyaya
  • Prabhakara Mimamsa
School Number Pramanas accepted
Charvaka 1 Pratyaksha only
Vaisheshika 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana
Buddhism 2 Pratyaksha, Anumana
Samkhya 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Shabda
Yoga 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Shabda
Jainism 2 broad Pratyaksha and Paroksha (paroksha includes smriti, pratyabhijna, tarka, anumana and agama)
Nyaya 4 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Upamana, Shabda
Prabhakara Mimamsa 5 The four of Nyaya + Arthapatti (no Anupalabdhi)
Bhatta Mimamsa 6 All six
Advaita Vedanta 6 All six
Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja) 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Shabda
Dvaita (Madhva) 3 Pratyaksha, Anumana, Agama

Memory aid: 1-2-2-3-3-4-5-6-6. Charvaka (1), Vaisheshika and Buddhism (2), Samkhya and Yoga (3), Nyaya (4), Prabhakara (5), Bhatta and Advaita (6).

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9.3Key texts and authors#

In brief

Work Author Nyaya Sutra Gautama (Akshapada) Nyaya Bhashya Vatsyayana Nyayavartika Uddyotakara Nyayamanjari Jayanta Bhatta Nyayakusumanjali Udayana Tattvachintamani (founder…

  • Nyaya Sutra
  • 16 padarthas
  • 12 prameyas
  • vada
  • jalpa
  • vitanda
Work Author
Nyaya Sutra Gautama (Akshapada)
Nyaya Bhashya Vatsyayana
Nyayavartika Uddyotakara
Nyayamanjari Jayanta Bhatta
Nyayakusumanjali Udayana
Tattvachintamani (founder of Navya-Nyaya; four khandas, one per pramana) Gangesha Upadhyaya
Tarkasamgraha Annambhatta
Tarkabhasha Keshava Mishra
Vaisheshika Sutra Kanada
Padarthadharmasamgraha (Prashastapada Bhashya) Prashastapada
Mimamsa Sutra Jaimini (commentary: Shabara; Shlokavartika: Kumarila Bhatta; Brihati: Prabhakara)
Samkhya Karika Ishvarakrishna
Pramanasamuccaya Dignaga
Nyayabindu Dharmakirti
Vedanta Paribhasha Dharmaraja Adhvarindra
Brihaspati Sutra (Charvaka) Brihaspati

Nyaya Sutra lists 16 padarthas (categories of discussion, from pramana to nigrahasthana) and 12 prameyas (atman, sharira, indriya, artha, buddhi, manas, pravritti, dosha, pretyabhava, phala, duhkha, apavarga). Discussion types: vada (honest debate for truth), jalpa (wrangling to win) and vitanda (cavilling without a counter-thesis).

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9.4Validity of knowledge (pramanyavada)#

In brief

Covers Svatah pramanya, Paratah pramanya.

  • Svatah pramanya
  • Paratah pramanya

  • Svatah pramanya: knowledge is self-valid in origin and ascertainment (Mimamsa, held by Prabhakara and Bhatta; Advaita for the ascertainment of validity).

  • Paratah pramanya: validity is established by something external (Nyaya, held for both origin and ascertainment; Buddhism partly).

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