Nyāya Sūtras 79
Nyāyabhāṣya 79
- Language
- Sanskrit
79.2
asti bhoḥ kārakaśabdānāṃ nimittavaśāt samāveṣaḥ/ pratyakṣādīni ca pramāṇāni upalabdhihetutvāt, prameyaṃ copalabdhiviṣayatvāt/ saṃvedyāni ca pratyakṣādīni pramāṇāni, pratyakṣeṇopalabhe anumānenopalabhe upamānenopalabhe āgamenopalabhe/ pratyakṣaṃ me jñānam ānumānikaṃ me jñānam aupamānikaṃ me jñānam āgamikaṃ me jñānam iti viśeṣā gṛhyante/ lakṣaṇataś ca jñāpyamānāni jñāyante viśeṣeṇendriyārthasannikarṣotpannaṃ jñānam ity evamādinā/
[Objection:] Sir, let there be the concurrence of words for grammatical roles depending on the occasion. And perception and the other [means of valid cognition] are means of valid cognition because they are causes of apprehension, and an object of valid cognition because it is an object of apprehension. And perception and the other means of valid cognition are experienced: 'I apprehend by perception,' 'I apprehend by inference,' 'I apprehend by comparison,' 'I apprehend by testimony.' The distinctions are grasped: 'my knowledge is perceptual,' 'my knowledge is inferential,' 'my knowledge is comparative,' 'my knowledge is from testimony.' And being made known by definition, they are known specifically as 'knowledge arisen from the contact of sense organ and object' and so forth.
79.3
seyam upalabdhiḥ pratyakṣādiviṣayā kiṃ pramāṇāntarataḥ athāntareṇa pramāṇāntaram asādhaneti? kaś cātra viśeṣaḥ?
This apprehension having perception and the rest as its object—is it from another means of valid cognition, or is it without a means, devoid of an instrument? And what is the difference here?
79.4
pramāṇataḥ siddheḥ pramāṇānāṃ pramāṇāntarasiddhiprasaṅgaḥ ||
If there is establishment of means of valid cognition from a means of valid cognition, there is the consequence of the establishment of another means of valid cognition.
79.5
yadi pratyakṣādīni pramāṇenopalabhyante, yena pramāṇenopalabhyante tat pramāṇāntaram astīti pramāṇāntarasadbhāvaḥ prasajyata iti anavasthām āha tasyāpy anyena tasyāpy anyeneti/
If perception and the rest are apprehended by a means of valid cognition, that means of valid cognition by which they are apprehended is another means of valid cognition; thus there is the consequence that another means of valid cognition exists. This asserts an infinite regress: 'of that one too by another, of that one too by another.'
79.6
na cānavasthā śakyānujñātum anupapatter iti//
And an infinite regress cannot be admitted, because of its impropriety.
Translations (1)
- English (machine translation) — English, machine translation
Commentaries (3)
- Nyāyavārttika — Uddyotakara, Sanskrit
- Nyāyavārtikatātparyaṭīkā — Vācaspati Miśra, Sanskrit
- Nyāyālaṃkāra — Abhayatilaka, Sanskrit
Linked texts (1)
- Nyāyasūtra — Akṣapāda Gautama, Sanskrit