Paksilasvamins Introduction To His Nyayabhasyam

SR No.: 269261
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Gerhard Oberhammer
Publisher: Gerhard Oberhammer
Total Pages: 21
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 2 MB

Page 18

PAKŞILASVĀMIN'S INTRODUCTION TO HIS NYAYABHAṢYAM 319
process of nyayaḥ possible." This becomes plain, if we bear in mind, that Pakşilasvamin takes his stand on the logic of analogy, in which the conclusiveness of an argument can be known only by its example. For only if "(an example) is given, are inference and verbal cognition (anumānāgamau) possible; if it is missing, they are not possible."" Finally, the syllogism (avayavaḥ) requires no further justification as necessary topic of the Nyaya doctrine, since it is the highest form of nyayaḥ itself". Pakṣilasvamin connects it in a double manner with the topics of his school: "It is only through (syllogism) that discussion (vādaḥ) debate (jalpaḥ) and wrangling (vitanda) take place, and in no other way. In dependence on it is the ascertainment of truth." Thus, the nyayaḥ is not only constitutive method of the Nyaya to ascertain the truth, and consequently necessary condition of the Nyaya as Anvīkṣiki, but likewise a means of dealing with the truth in philosophical exchange of ideas.
Thus, a group of topics (padarthah) must be subjected to inquiry, which, though of minor importance from the systematic point of view, yet is not less typical from the historical point of view due to its broad treatment in the Nyayasutras, namely, the vadaḥ and those categories which Pakṣilasvamin deduces from it as necessary topics of the Nyaya. Pakṣilasvamin had deduced the nyayaḥ, and through it the categories subordinated to it, from the knowledge of truth (tattvajñānam) as movement of thought, and. thus justified their necessity. In the same way, he deduced also the necessity to deal with the topic of vadaḥ, the philosophical exchange of ideas. For while nyayah was the method of the knowledge of the truth, vadah was for Pakṣilasvamin the very movement of thought itself, which leads to the knowledge of truth: "Deci
46 Ibid., 5, 1.
47 Ibid.
48 Ibid., 5, 12. It may be observed in this context that Paksilasvamin in several places endeavors to bring the concept of nyayaḥ in relation with certain categories of the NS, not only to show that they are necessary topics of the system, but especially to interpret the concept of the nyayaḥ into the categories of the NS, where it does not occur at all. For this purpose he had to identify the avayavāḥ through an appropriate interpretation (namely, through the relation he established between the members of syllogism and the means of knowledge) with the nyayaḥ of the Anviksiki and to declare the avayavah to be the highest nyayah. It seems, therefore, possible to assume Pakṣilasvamin's school could be designated as "Nyaya" only because of his interpretation of it as nyayavidyā (=ānvīkṣiki).
49 Nbh., p. 6, 8.