Sarvadarshanasangraha 12.1-2

12.1

nanu dharmānuṣṭhānavaśād abhimatadharmasiddhir iti jegīyate bhavatā/ tatra dharmaḥ kiṃlakṣaṇaḥ kiṃpramāṇaka iti cet —

Now [an objection is raised]: You loudly proclaim that the desired religious merit (dharma) is attained through the performance of dharma. In that case, what is the definition of dharma, and what is its means of valid cognition (pramāṇa)?

An objector may here ask, "Are you not continually repeating that merit (dharma) comes from the practice of duty (dharma), but how is duty to be defined or proved?" Listen attentively to my answer. A reply to this question has been given in the older[1] Mīmāṃsā by the holy sage Jaimini. Now the Mīmāṃsā consists of twelve books.[2] In the first book is discussed the authoritativeness of those collections of words which are severally meant by the terms injunction (vidhi), "explanatory passage" (arthavāda), hymn (mantra), tradition (smṛti), and "name." In the second, certain subsidiary discussions [as e.g., on apūrva] relating to the difference of various rites, refutation of (erroneously alleged) proofs, and difference of performance [as in "constant" and "voluntary" offerings]. In the third, Śruti, "sign" or "sense of the passage" (liṅga), "context" (vākya), &c., and their respective weight when in apparent opposition to one another, the ceremonies called pratipatti-karmāṇi, things mentioned incidentally (anārabhyādhīta), things accessory to several main objects, as prayājas, &c., and the duties of the sacrificer. In the fourth, the influence on other rites of the principal and subordinate rites, the fruit caused by the juhū being made of the butea frondosa, &c., and the dice-playing, &c., which form subordinate parts of the rājasūya sacrifice. In the fifth, the relative order of different passages of Śruti, &c., the order of different parts of a sacrifice [as the seventeen animals at the vājapeya], the multiplication and non-multiplication of rites, and the respective force of the words of Śruti, order of mention, &c., in determining the order of performance. In the sixth, the persons qualified to offer sacrifices, their obligations, the substitutes for enjoined materials, supplies for lost or injured offerings, expiatory rites, the sattra offerings, things proper to be given, and the different sacrificial fires. In the seventh, transference of the ceremonies of one sacrifice to another by direct command in the Vaidic text, and then as inferred by "name" or "sign." In the eighth, transference by virtue of the clearly expressed or obscurely expressed "sign," or by the predominant "sign," and cases where no transference takes place. In the ninth, the beginning of the discussion on the adaptation of hymns when quoted in a new connection (ūha), the adaptation of sāmans and mantras, and collateral questions connected therewith. In the tenth, the discussion of occasions where the non-performance of the primary rite involves the "preclusion" and non-performance of the dependent rites, and of occasions where rites are precluded because other rites produce their special result, discussions connected with the graha offerings, certain sāmans, and various other things, and a discussion on the different kinds of negation. In the eleventh, the incidental mention and subsequently the fuller discussion of tantra[3] [where several acts are combined into one], and āvāpa [or the performing an act more than once]. In the twelfth, a discussion on prasaṅga [where the rite is performed for one chief purpose, but with an incidental further reference], tantra, cumulation of concurrent rites (samuccaya) and option.

12.2

ucyate/ śrūyatām avadhānena asya praśnasya prativacanaṃ prācyāṃ mīmāṃsāyāṃ prādarśi jaimininā muninā/ sā hi mīmāṃsā dvādaśalakṣaṇī/ tatra prathame 'dhyāye vidhyarthavādamantrasmṛtināmadheyārthakasya śabdarāśeḥ prāmāṇyam/ dvitīya upodghātakarmabhedapramāṇāpavādaprayogabhedarūpo 'rthaḥ/ tṛtīye śrutiliṅgavākyādivirodhapratipattikarmānārabhyādhītabahupradhānopakāraka-prayājādiyājamānacintanam/ caturthe pradhānaprayojakatvāpradhānaprayojakatvajuhūparṇatādiphalarājasūyagata-jaghanyāṅgākṣadyūtādicintā/ pañcame śrutyādikramatadviśeṣavṛddhyavardhanaprābalyacintā/ ṣaṣṭhe 'dhikāritaddharmadravyapratinidhyarthalopanaprāyaścittasatradeyavahni-vicāraḥ/ saptame pratyakṣavacanātideśaśeṣanāmaliṅgātideśavicāraḥ/ aṣṭame spaṣṭāspaṣṭaprabalaliṅgātideśāpavādavicāraḥ/ navame ūhavicārārambhasāmohamantrohatatprasaṅgāgatavicāraḥ/ daśame bādhahetudvāralopavistārabādhakāraṇakāryaikatvasamuccayagrahādisāma-prakīrṇanañarthavicāraḥ/ ekādaśe tantropodghātatantrāvāpatantraprapañcanāvāpaprapañcanacintanāni/ dvādaśe prasaṅgatantrinirṇayasamuccayavikalpavicāraḥ/

It is answered: Listen attentively! The reply to this question was set forth in the earlier Mīmāṃsā by the sage Jaimini. That Mīmāṃsā consists of twelve chapters (dvādaśalakṣaṇī). There, in the first chapter, the epistemic validity (prāmāṇya) of the body of Vedic texts consisting of injunctions, explanatory passages, mantras, traditional texts, and proper names [is established]. In the second, the subject matter consists of the introductory remarks, the distinctions among sacrificial actions, the means [for distinguishing them], exceptions, and the distinctions of performance. In the third, there is the examination of the conflict of direct Vedic statement, inferential sign, syntactical unity, and so forth; the actions taught independently of a specific rite; the subordinate rites that aid many primary rites, such as the preliminary sacrifices; and the duties of the sacrificer. In the fourth, the examination of whether the primary rite is the impeller or the secondary rite is the impeller; the results of things like the spoon made of parṇa wood; and the lowest auxiliary rites within the Rājasūya, such as the game of dice. In the fifth, the examination of sequence based on direct statement and the like, its specific varieties, increase, non-increase, and relative strength. In the sixth, the investigation of the qualified aspirant (adhikārin), his duties, the substitute for a substance, the omission of an object, expiation, sacrificial sessions, gifts, and the sacrificial fires. In the seventh, the investigation of extended application (atideśa) by direct statement, extended application of remaining items, of names, and of inferential signs. In the eighth, the investigation of the extended application of distinct, indistinct, and strong inferential signs, and its exceptions. In the ninth, the commencement of the investigation of adaptation (ūha), the adaptation of chants, the adaptation of mantras, and incidental considerations arising from them. In the tenth, the investigation of the grounds for annulment (bādha), the loss of the intermediary function, amplification, cause of annulment, unity of effect, combination, chanting of the Sāman hymns, miscellaneous matters, and the meaning of the negative particle. In the eleventh, the considerations of the introduction to unified performance (tantra), combined application (āvāpa), elaboration of tantra, and elaboration of āvāpa. In the twelfth, the investigation of secondary application (prasaṅga), the determination of the central agent, combination, and alternative option.