Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c7.s1.16

c7.s1.16

*Kathā* (conversation) is a generic term for all kinds of debates, discourses and dialogues. *Vāda* (discussion), *jalpa* (debate) and *vitaṇḍā* (cavil) — these are the three forms of *kathā* according to *Nyāyasūtra*. *Jalpa* (debate) is a defence or attack with the aim of winning over the opponent. *Chala* (quibble), *jāti* (objection) and *nigrahasthānas* (clinchers) are essentially employed in it.¹⁷ Mere attack on the opposite side is *vitaṇḍā* (cavil). The proponent in *vitaṇḍā* makes refutations of other systems without ascertaining his own position.¹⁸ *Jalpa* is thus a tricky debate whereas *vitaṇḍā* is destructive debate involving scholastic exercise with arguments from one side only. The practitioner of *vitaṇḍā* does not argue for establishing his own theory, but demolishes all the other theories, so that his theory alone remains vindicated. Texts written exclusively in the genre of *vitaṇḍā* have been discussed earlier (see Chap. 2). There are two categories of *vitaṇḍā*. The higher category of *vitaṇḍā* serves its *siddhānta-pakṣa* through refutation of all rival systems. The second category is comprised in the misuse of *vitaṇḍā* just for scholastic exercise. Those who practise this basic form of *vitaṇḍā* are called the *durvaitaṇḍikas* by Śrīharṣa.¹⁹