Matharavritti 6
English (machine translation) 6
- Language
- English
6.1
There, the distinct definition of the threefold means of valid cognition is set forth:
6.2
The seen is the determination of each respective object; inference is stated to be threefold;
It is preceded by a mark and a mark-bearer; but authoritative testimony is authoritative revelation. //
6.3
The determination towards each respective object on the part of the five sense faculties—the eye and the rest—in respect to the five [kinds of objects] such as form, that is perception, whose nature is apprehension, designated as 'the seen'. Inference is of three kinds. Others say it has three proofs, [that is,] three members, or five members. It is 'declared', [meaning] stated. 'Thesis, reason, example'—this is the three-membered [inference]. A thesis is the statement of the proposition, as for instance: 'This place possesses fire.' A thesis is the presentation of the entity to be proved. The others are the nine pseudo-theses, beginning with that contradicted by perception. The reason has three forms. The threefold condition, furthermore, is: presence in the subject, presence in the similar instances, and absence from the counter-instances. An example here is: 'Because it possesses smoke.' The others are the fourteen pseudo-reasons, beginning with the unproved, the inconclusive, and the contradictory. The example is of two kinds, through similarity and through dissimilarity; as for instance, 'the kitchen'. The others are the ten pseudo-examples. In this way, the three-membered inference is free from the thirty-three fallacies. Others say it has five members. He states that: 'The members, furthermore, are the proposition, the reason, the example, the application, and the conclusion.' Thus, demonstrating to another an object ascertained for oneself by means of a five-membered statement is inference for the sake of another. And that is of three kinds: possessing an antecedent, possessing a consequent, and seen through commonality. There, from seeing a particular rise of clouds, one considers that rain will occur; because 'this was seen previously', it is 'possessing an antecedent'. Or, from the sight of a river's flooding, the apprehension that 'the god has rained above'. 'Possessing a consequent', as for instance: having tasted a drop of seawater, the saltiness of the rest is inferred—thus it is 'possessing a consequent'. 'Seen through commonality': from seeing a mango tree in bloom, [inferring] that mango trees are in bloom elsewhere. Or again, as when someone says, 'there is brightness outside,' and another says regarding that, 'the moon must have risen'—such is the connection of meaning. 'Preceded by a mark and that which has the mark': through a mark, [such as] through the sight of a triple staff and the like, even one who is unseen and possesses the mark is established: 'Surely there is a renunciant here, whose triple staff this is.' 'Authoritative revelation is authoritative testimony': this is the third instrument of knowledge. The 'authoritative' are the teachers, Brahmā and others; 'revelation' is the Veda; both of these together are authoritative testimony. 'Authority' is direct attainment of an object, perception of things as they are; one who proceeds through that is 'authoritative'—one who has directly realized virtue, who grasps the revealed meaning through an accurate attainment; what is spoken by him is authoritative testimony. There too, there are three functions of words: conventional, metaphorical, and qualitative. In that regard, the threefold nature of metaphor—exclusive metaphor, inclusive metaphor, and exclusive-inclusive metaphor, etc.—is extensively elaborated in treatises on epistemology. Here, only the view of the blessed Kapila that is under discussion is set forth:
6.4
"Authoritative tradition is indeed authoritative speech; they consider someone authoritative because of the destruction of flaws. / One whose flaws have dwindled would not speak an untruthful sentence, because of the absence of a motive.
6.5
He who is devoted to his own duty, free from passion and aversion, / and constantly honored by those who know that—such a person is to be known as authoritative."
6.6
Thus, such is this threefold instrument of knowledge. //