Nyayamanjari Ahanika 04 05

Author(s): Jayant Bhatt, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 6

FOREWORD
Jayanta Bhatta is one of the first rank thinkers in the history of Indian Logic. His work Nyāyamanjari occupies a unique place among the Nyāya works on account of its intelleciual height and ornamental style of its language. The entire ancient Nyāya system is in fact a development of the sūtra philosophy of Gotama through a process of attack, counterattack and defence among the Naiyāyikas and their hard critics. Wellknown works on Nyaya school of thought, viz. Vātsyāyana's Nyāyabhäsya, Uddyotakara's Nyāyavārtika, Vacaspati Misra's Nyāyavārtikatātparyaţikā, Udayana's Nyāyavārtikatātparyaparisuddhi and Kusumāñjali, and Nyāyamañjari of Jayanta explain and develop the ideas contained in the Nyāya-- sūtra of Gotama and also defend them against the attacks of hostile critics Jayanta who was wellversed in various branches of learning launches an attack against the various schools, especially against Mima. msaka and Buddhist schools of thought. He reviews two well-known theories of Mimāṁsakas in connection with verbal knowledge, viz. Abhihitānvayavāda and Anvitābhidhānavada. He completely refutes the second theory and making certain amendment of the first theory establishes the doctrine of Tātparya. He also refutes the doctrines of almost all the major schools of Buddhism, viz. Vaibhāşika, Sautrântika (Hinay. āna schools) and Mädhyamika and Yogācāra. He vehemently attacks the doctrines of Kşanabhangavāda, Apoha, Isvarabhanga and Sruti-aprāmānya of Buddhists. All this was possible because Jayanta came on the Indian philosophical scene when Mimāṁsā and Buddhist systems were well established. He must have flourished in the end of 10th century A.D. He is quoted by Vādi Devasūri (10th A.D.) and Ratnaprabhasūri. So, certainly Jayanta is earlier than these two.
L. D. Series has already published-critically edited with Gujarati translation of Nyāyamañjari containing three Ahnikas, by the same editor. The present volume consists of 4th and 5th Annikas.
Jo the first Ahnika Jayanta gives definition of pramāņa and their numbers; discusses about postulation (arithapatti) and non-perception or non-existence (abhāva). The second Āhnika is completely devoted to the discussion of perception inference and analogy. The third Annika deals with verbal testimony, theory of error, problem of God and eternality of word in detail.