Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c7.s1.17

c7.s1.17

*Vāda* is a pervasive concept. It is defined by Gautama as the conversation between the master and the disciples or between peers involving discussions of friendly nature. Both the sides of a theory are discussed in *vāda* employing five-member syllogism.²⁰ In his presentation of *Nyāyadarśana*, Haribhadra (sixth century CE) in his *Ṣaḍdarśanasamgraha*²¹ defines *vāda* in the following way: The means for the practice of discourse between the master and the disciple with taking up positions and counterpositions is *vāda* (discussion).²²