Verses on Sāṃkhya 5.3

5.3

dṛṣṭam iti pratyakṣaparyāyaḥ | akṣam indriyaṃ pratītya yad utpadyate jñānaṃ tat pratyakṣaṃ dṛṣṭam ucyate | yathā śrotrādīnāṃ śabdādayaḥ pañcendriyārthāḥ pañcānāṃ dṛṣṭaṃ pramāṇam | prathamam idaṃ mukhyaṃ sakalapramāṇānām | yo 'rtho 'munā dṛṣṭena sādhayituṃ na pāryate tatrānumānasyāvakāśaḥ | tac ca trisādhanaṃ pañcasādhanaṃ vā | tryavayavaṃ pañcāvayavam ity apare | tac ca trayastriṃśadābhāsarahitaṃ pratyakṣābhāve pratanyate 'numānam | kam api hetum anvīkṣya tasya hetoḥ paścān mīyata ity anumānam | yathā dhūmaṃ hetum anvīkṣya mahānasa iva pūrvaṃ vahnidarśanād agner astitvaṃ sādhyata ity anumānam | pratyakṣānumānābhyāṃ yo 'rthaḥ sādhayituṃ na śakyas tatrāptavacanam | yathā svarge 'psarasaḥ santi, nandanaṃ vanaṃ, tatra viśeṣāḥ śabdādayo viṣayāḥ, vimāne 'dhivāsa iti | āptā rāgadveṣādirahitā brahmasanatkumārādayaḥ, śrutir vedaḥ, tābhyāṃ upadiṣṭaṃ tathetiśraddheyam āptavacanam |
nanv arthāpattiḥ sambhavo 'bhāvaḥ pratibhā aitihyam upamānaṃ cetiprabhṛtīni santi bahūni pramāṇāntarāṇi katham atra trividhaṃ pramāṇam iti saṅgatiḥ | atrocyate --- sarvapramāṇasiddhatvāt | sarvāṇi hi pramāṇāni pramāṇatraye 'viruddhāni | tatra pīno devadatto divā na bhuṅkta ity ukte rātrau bhuṅkta ity arthaḥ | sārthāpattir anumānam eva | prastha ity ukte catvāraḥ kuḍavā iti bodhaḥ sambhavaḥ | so 'py anumānam eva | abhāvaś ca prāgitaretarapradhvaṃsātyantābhāvabhedāc caturdhā | yathā vrīhiśoṣaṇadarśanān na vṛṣṭo deva iti vṛṣṭer abhāvaṃ sādhayati | so 'py anumānabhedaḥ | pratibhā yathā ---

"The seen" is a synonym for perception. Knowledge that arises dependent upon an indriya, a sense faculty, is called "perception" or "the seen". For example, sound and the other five sense-objects are the means of valid cognition, "the seen", for the five [faculties] beginning with the ear. This is the first and principal among all means of valid cognition. An object that cannot be established by this seen [means of valid cognition] provides room for inference. And that [inference] consists of three factors or five factors; others say it consists of three members or five members. And that inference, free from the thirty-three fallacies, is deployed in the absence of perception. Having observed some mark, one measures after that mark: thus it is "inference" [measuring after]. For example, having observed the mark of smoke, as previously in a kitchen upon seeing fire, the existence of fire is established: thus it is an inference. For an object that cannot be established by perception and inference, there is authoritative testimony. For example: apsarases exist in heaven; there is the Nandana grove; there are distinct objects such as sound; there is residence in celestial chariots. Authoritative people are those devoid of passion, aversion, and the like, such as Brahmā and Sanatkumāra; authoritative revelation is the Veda; what is taught by these two, to be trusted as true, is authoritative testimony.
Now, are there not many other means of valid cognition, such as postulation, probability, non-existence, intuition, tradition, and comparison? How is the statement here that means of valid cognition are threefold consistent? To this it is replied: "Because all means of valid cognition are established [in them]". For all means of valid cognition are uncontradicted within these three means of valid cognition. Among them, when it is said, "Fat Devadatta does not eat by day," the meaning is that he eats at night; that postulation is just inference. When it is said, "a prastha", the understanding that there are four kuḍavas is probability; that too is just inference. And non-existence is of four kinds through the divisions of prior non-existence, mutual non-existence, destructional non-existence, and absolute non-existence; for instance, seeing the parching of the rice crop establishes that "the god has not rained", the non-existence of rain; that too is a variety of inference. Intuition is as follows: