________________
DEFINING THE PRAMĀNA
___R.C. DWIVEDI
Definitions of the Pramāņa proposed by the Jaina logicians may be broadly divided into six types, the first of which are simply derivative, such as :
(i) प्रमिणोति प्रमीयतेऽनेन प्रमितिमात्र वा प्रमाणम् ।
Pujyapāda, Sarvārthasiddhi, 1.12. (ii) प्रकर्षेण संशयादिव्यवच्छेदेन भीयते परिच्छिद्यते वस्तुतत्वं येन तत्
प्रमाणं, प्रमायां साधकतमम् ।
Hemacandra, Pramāpamīmāmsa, p. 2.
These follow the Nyaya tradition first recorded by Vatsyāyana! and continued through the ages down to the times when popular handbooks, like Tarkabhäşa' ruled the day.
Defining the pramaņa derivatively, that it is the unique and active cause (karana)4 of valid congnition, serves the purpose of excluding such general conditions of all knowledge as subject (pramäia), object (prameya), time and space etc. within the scope of means of knowledge. Pramana being the source, means, instrument or organ of valid
1. उपलब्धिसाधनानि प्रमाणानीति समाख्यानिर्वचनसामर्थयाद बोद्ध व्यं प्रमीयतऽनेनेति करणार्थाभिधानो हि प्रमाणशब्द.
Nyayabhrsya, I 1.3.
2. (i) प्रमासाधनं हि प्रमाणम् x x x सामान्यलक्षण तु प्रमाणपदादेव समास्या
निर्वचनसामर्थ्यसंहितादवगम्यते. Nyryavrtikat tparyatik7, p. 21. (ii) प्रमीयते येन तत्प्रमाणमिति करणार्थामिधायनः प्रमाणशब्दात् प्रमाकरणं प्रमाणमवगम्यते.
Nyayamanjari, 25.
3. प्रमाकरणं प्रमाणम्.
Tarkabhasa. 4. व्यापारवदसाधारणं कारणं करणम्. or साधकतमं करणम्.
The term Pramana is formed by susfixing lyut (ana) to-✓ mū (to measure) prefixed by pra.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
