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A Review of the Philosophy of Madhva
[CH.
Svataḥ-prāmānya (self-validity of knowledge). In the system of Madhya the doctrine of self-validity (svatahprāmānya) means the consideration of any knowledge as valid by the intuitive agent (sākṣī) which experiences that knowledge without being hindered by any defects or any other sources of obstruction?. The sākşi is an intelligent and conscious perceiver which can intuitively perceive space and distance, and when the distance is such as to create a suspicion that its defect may have affected the nature of perception, the intelligent intuitive agent suspends its judgment for fear of error, and we have then what is called doubt (samsáya). Vyāsa Yati, in his Tarka-tāndava, expresses the idea in the language of the commentator of the Tattva-nirnaya by saying that it is the sākși that is capable of comprehending both the knowledge and its validity, and even when obstructed it still retains its power, but does not exercise it. When there is an illusion of validity (prāmānya-bhrama), the sāks remains inactive and the manas, being affected by its passions of attachment, etc., makes a mis-perception, and the result is an illusory perception. The operation of the sākşi comprehending the validity of its knowledge is only possible when there is no obstruction through which its operation may be interfered with by the illusory perceptions of manas. Thus, though there may be doubts and illusions, yet it is impossible that the sākṣī, experiencing knowledge, should not at the same time observe its validity also, in all its normal operations when there are no defects; otherwise there would be no certainty anywhere. So the disturbing influence, wherever that may be, affects the natural power (sahaja sakti) of the sākṣī, and the doubts and illusory perceptions are created in that case by the manas. But,
ana-grāha wamo hi Fukti-ma
doşādy-apratiruddhena jñāna-grāhaka-sākşină svatastvam jñānamānatranirniti-niyamo hi nah.
Yukti-mallika, I. 311. yato dūratva-dosena sva-grhitena kunthitaḥ, na niścinoti prāmānyam tatra jñāna-grahe'pi sva deśa-stha-viprakarso
hi duratvam sa ca sākşiņāvagra hitum sakyate yasmád akāśavyākyto hyasau.
Ibid. I. 313, 314. * sāksyena jñānam tat-prāmänyam ca visayłkartum kşamah, kintu pratibaddho jñānamätram grhitva tat-prāmānya-grahanāya na kramate. Tarka-tandava, p. 7.
Raghavendra-tirtha, in commenting on this, writes: prāmānyasya sahajaŚakti-visayatvam pratibandha-sthale yogyatā asti.
