Essay name: Nyaya-Vaisheshika (critical and historical study)
Author:
Aruna Rani
Affiliation: Panjab University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies Nyaya-Vaisheshika—A combination of two of the six orthodox schools of Indian philosophy. The study also discusses in detail the authors of various works and critically analyzes key concepts of Nyaya-Vaisesika. Such Indian philosophies seek the direct realization of the Atman (the self) to attain ultimate freedom and bliss.
Chapter 2 - Historical Study of Nyaya system
3 (of 54)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
ין 31 others, we find ample proofs of the existence of the
science of reasoning.
Mahābhārta is also full of references to the science
1 of reasoning. In the Adiparva of Mahabharta, it is
mentioned along with the Veda and Cikitsa (the science of
medicine), and the hermitage of Kasyapa is described as
being filled with sages who were versed in the Nyaya-tatt va
(categories of logic), and who knew the true meaning of
demonstration, objection and conclusion. The santiparva
refers to numerous tenets of Nyaya supported by reasoning
and scripture, while in the Asvamedhaparva" we find that
the sacrificial ground of Yudhisthira was crowded by
logician who employed arguments and counter-arguments to
vanquish one another's idea. In the Sabhāparva, the
sage Narada is described as being versed in logic and
skilful in distinguishing unity and plurality, conjunction
and co-existence, genus and species, etc., capable of
4 deciding questions by evidences and ascertaining the
validity and invalidity of a five-membered syllogism.
Besides, the Mahābhārta has mentioned the word 'Nyāyatantra'
1. Mahābhārta, Ādiparva, Ch. I.
2. Ibid. Ch. 70.
3. Mahābhārta, Santiparva, Ch. 21.
4. Mahābhārta, Agvamedhaparva, Ch. 85.
5. Mahabharta, Sabhāparva, Ch. 5.
6. Mahābhārta, Santiparva, Ch. 210, Verse 22.
1 6
