Prameyas in Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Vedānta, Mīmāṃsa, Sankhya and Yoga

In Vaiśeṣikasūtra Kaṇāda explained only six categories but abhava category is also mentioned. Category is divided into two Bhāva and Abhāva, but Naiyāyikas are accepted this division. In Nyāyasiddhāntamuktavaly the division of categories explained asti anyadapi dravyaguṇakarma sāmanya samavayah prameyam. He also categories divided in to bhāva and abhāva. Substance, quality, action, generality, particularity, inherent are bhāva categories and the seventh category is abhāva. The existing thing is bhāva and non-existing thing is abhāva.

Gautama’s Nyāyasutra the first sutra is pramaṇa prameyasamasyaprayojana dṛstanata siddhanta avayava tarka nirnaya vadajalpavitanda chalajāti nigrastanā tatvajnand nisreyasa dhigamah in explained sixteen categories. These categories are very important to help the argumentation these sixteen categories included in vaiśesika seven categories. So they are not against opinion.

Mimamsa and Vedantins had different opinion about prameyas. Kumarilabhatta accept five padarthas dravya, guna, karma, samanya and abhava. Prābhākaraguru’s opinion is eight padarthas that is dravya, guṇa, karma samanya, paratantra, sakti, sadrsya and samkhya, Murārimisra accept five padarthas, brahmah, dharmavisesa, dharmi visesh ādhāra visesh and pradesa visesh. Vedantin accept only two padarthas–cit and acit. Rāmanuja explained Iswara, cit and acit (isvara and Jada). Nyāya vaisesikas are accepting twelve prameyas, that is soul, body, senses, objects intellect, mind, activity, fault, rebirth fruit, pain and Apavarga. Vaiśeṣika accept seven categories that are dravya, guna, karma, samanya, visesa, samavaya and abhava. All padarthas in the world is included in seven padarthas. They admit nine substance also earth, water fire, air, ether, time space, soul and mind. The first five padarthas known as Mahābhūta, twenty four qualities, five karmas–Utkṣepaṇa, Apakṣepaṇa, Akunjana, Prasarana and gamana. Para and apara visesa, samavaya and four abhavas are in padarthas in vaisesikaphilosophy.

Samkhyas admit twenty five tattvas. It is divided into four parts first part mula prakriti. It is of one it is not produced it is the cause of the growth of all substance so it is called

1) mulaprakrithi,

2) prakrti-vikriti—It includes seven categories–mahatatva, Ahamkara, tanmatra, (sabdatanmatra, Sparsatanmatra, rupatanmatra, rasatanmatra and gandhatanmatra),

3) vikriti—It is karya. It is not the cause of the birth of others.

It is of sixteen panchabhutas—earth, water, fire air and ether.

Pancendriya—eye, nose, tongue, skin, and ear.
Pachabhutas—earth, water, fire, air and ether.
Panchakarmendriyas—vak, pani, pada, paya, and upastha last mind or mana.

There are the twenty-five tattvas Yogas also the twenty five tattvas accepted God is also included. So twenty six tattvas accepted.