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Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c5.s15: Texts on the Theory of Vāda

Vāda in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c5.s15

Language
English

Texts on the Theory of Vāda

c5.s15.1

The profundity of the debates in the areas of philosophy, *dharma* (ethics and law) and Āyurveda, etc. led to the theoretical discussion on *vāda*, and a conceptual framework for Vādaśāstra was thus created. Independent texts on the theory of *vāda* were written in Sanskrit. Perhaps no other language and no other culture has such a rich tradition of having consistent dialogues on the concept of dialogue, discussions on the discussion, debates on the debate and conversations on the conversation. There are independent treatises exclusively or partly composed for the exposition of the theory of *vāda*. Vasubandhu’s *Vādavidhi*, Dharmakīrti’s *Vādanyāya* are treatises exclusively devoted to *vāda* theory. The theory of *vāda* is taken up in some of the works of Asaṅga and Udayana. Dharmakīrti in his *Nyāyabindu* has devoted the section on the *parārthānumāna* to the theoretical aspects of *vāda*. *Pramāṇapaddhati* on the epistemology of Mādhva school⁷⁴ has discussion on debates. Vasubandhu’s *Vādavidhi* was not available to me. For discussions on debate by Asaṅga, I have depended on Alex Wayman.

c5.s15.2

*Mahābhārata* presents the first authentic exposition on the theory of debate through the discourse of Sulabhā. Even though the tradition of intellectual discourses, debates and discussions was assiduously pursued for more than a millennium in the philosophical discourses, it was the Nyāya philosophy that made it a part of an epistemology within the system. *Nyāyasūtra* of Gautama (sixth-fifth century BCE) discusses the theory of debate in detail. Out of the sixteen *padārthas* (categories) that are supposed to be essential for the discipline of Nyāya, the following fourteen are directly related to debate — *saṁśaya* (doubt), *prayojana* (purpose/motive), *dṛṣṭānta* (illustration), *siddhānta* (theory/tenet), *tarka* (argument/hypothetical reasoning), *avayava* (members of a syllogism, parts of sentence presenting the thesis), *nirṇaya* (conclusion), *vāda* (discussion), *jalpa* (debate/wrangling), *vitaṇḍā* (cavil), *hetvābhāsa* (fallacy), *chala* (trick/quibbling), *jāti* (rejoinder)⁷⁵ and *nigrahasthāna* (clinchers/checks); and the remaining two — *pramāṇa* and *prameya* are indirectly linked with debate.

c5.s15.3

*Hetuviḍambanopāya* by an unknown author and *Jalpakalpalatā* of Ratnamaṇḍana follow Jayarāśi’s design, i.e. demolishing all systems. *Hetuviḍambanopāya* however is limited to the discussion of the theories of *anumāna*.⁷⁶

c5.s15.4

*Vādavidhi* by Vasubandhu, *Nyāyapariśuddhi* of Veṅkaṭanātha, *Vādivinoda* of Śaṅkara Miśra and *Jainatattavaślokavārttika* by Vidyānanda are some other texts dealing with the theory of *vāda*.

c5.s15.5

*Śāstrārthavicārapaddhati* by Mahamahopadhyaya Rajeshwar Shastri Dravid (twentieth century) is a proof of the continuity of the practice of *vāda* and revisits to its theory amongst the traditional pundits in modern times.

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