4. Pramanas of Tantra

Every Indian traditional philosophy or school of thought, be it theist or atheist, had its own distinct Pramanas and Pramakaras. From Carvaka, considered to be the most ancient, to the Pauraniks had 8 Pramanas and 8 Pramakaras which form their theoretical foundation. They are 1. Pratyaksa, 2. Anumana, 3. Sabda, 4. Upamana, 5. Arthapatti, 6. Anupalabdhi (Abhava), 7. Sambhava, 8, Aitshya. The specific Pramanas meant for each school of thought is authoritatively put forth in sarvamatasangraha thus: pratyaksamekam carvakah, kanadasugatau punah anumanam ca taccatha samkhyah sabdam ca, te pi nyayaikadesino /pyekamupamanam ca kecana, arthapatya sahaitani catvaryaha prabhakarah 23

abhavasasthanyetani bhatta vedantinastatha sambhavaitihyayuktani tani pauranika jaguh | | 11 Melputtur Narayanabhatta has expressed the same idea in Manameyodaya : 'carvakastavadekam dvitayamapi puna bauddhavaisesikau dvau bhasarkajjnasca samkhyastriksatayamudayana dvascatuskam vadanti ; prahuh prabhakarah pancakamapi ca vayam sasthakam, te /pi vedanta vijjnah pauranikastvasthakamabhidadhire sambhavaitihyayogat ± There is no mention of Tantric Pramanas in any of the Pramanic (authoritative) stipulations shown above. But the Tantrics have, nevertheless, accepted and adopted the eight Pramanas and Pramakaras in toto and added one of thier own, called 'Cestha', the proof of which can be found in the following statement. " sambhavaitihyanam saha pramanasthakam paura- - nikanamabhimatam cestha /pi pramanantaramiti tantrika vadanti 43 'Cestha', as the very word signifies, is about gestures and gesticulations shown while performing the Tantric rites. No school of thought questioned the propriety or relevance of this addition. Although the Madhvas who are Dvaitiks, and Ramanujas who adhere to Visisthadvaita, both having Tantric inclination, have not accepted the 9th Pramana. 24