Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c5.s9.2

c5.s9.2

Dharmakīrti, a very serious Buddhist philosopher, displays a rare sense of subtle humour, when he chides his opponents — specially the orthodox Naiyāyikas. He then uses some of the finest proverbial expressions for mockery and satire. Here are some examples revealing Dharmakīrti as a philosopher who can also laugh and rejoice by the way of defeating the opponents in the battle of arguments. In the discussion of the causal property of *svabhāva hetu* (self-nature kind of probans) Dharmakīrti makes fun of his opponent for the view that a incapable cause is seen to produce its effect, by these remarks: