Nyayasutra 82.6

82.6

viśeṣahetuparigrahe sati upasaṃhārābhyanujñānād apratiṣedhaḥ --- viśeṣahetuparigṛhītas tu dṛṣṭānta ekasmin pakṣe upasaṃhriyamāṇo na śakyo 'nujñātum/ evaṃ ca saty anekānta ity ayaṃ pratiṣedho na bhavati/
pratyakṣādīnāṃ pratyakṣādibhir upalabdhāv anavastheti ced, na saṃvidviṣayanimittānām upalabdhyā vyavahāropapatteḥ --- pratyakṣeṇārtham upalabhe, anumānenārtham upalabhe, upamānenārtham upalabhe, āgamenārtham upalabhe iti, pratyakṣaṃ me jñānam, ānumānikaṃ me jñānam, aupamānikaṃ me jñānam, āgamikaṃ me jñānam iti saṃvidviṣayaṃ saṃvinnimittaṃ copalabhamānasya dharmārthasukhāpavargaprayojanas tatpratyanīkaparivarjanaprayojanaś ca vyavahāra upapadyate, so 'yaṃ tāvaty eva nivartate/
na cāsti vyavahārāntaram anavasthāsādhanīyaṃ yena pratyuktānavasthām upādadīteti//20//

When there is the support of a differentiating reason, there is no negation, because the conclusion is admitted. But an example supported by a differentiating reason, when concluded in one thesis, cannot be denied. And such being the case, this negation ‘it is inconclusive’ does not apply. If it is objected that there is an infinite regress if perception and the others are apprehended through perception and the others; no, because ordinary practice is justified through the apprehension of the object and instrumental cause of cognition: ‘I apprehend the object through perception; I apprehend the object through inference; I apprehend the object through comparison; I apprehend the object through testimony; my cognition is perceptual; my cognition is inferential; my cognition is comparative; my cognition is verbal’—for one who thus apprehends the object of cognition and the instrumental cause of cognition, ordinary practice having as its purpose righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and liberation, and having as its purpose the avoidance of their opposites, is justified; and that ceases precisely at that point. Nor is there any other ordinary practice to be established by an infinite regress, because of which one should resort to the infinite regress that has been answered. ||20