Nyayamanjari Part 4

Author(s): 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 Nyāyamañjart occupies a unique place among the Nyāya works on account of its intellectual height and ornamental style of its language. The entire ancient Nyaya system is in fact a development of the sutra 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. Vátsyāyana's Nyāyabhāşya, Uddyotakara's Nyāyavārtika, Vācaspati Misra's Nyāyavārtikatātparyafikā, Udayana's Nyaya vārtikatātparyaparisuddhi and Kusumāñjali, and Nyāyamadjart of Jayanta explain and develop the ideas contained in the Nyayasūtra 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 Mimā. ssaka and Buddhist schools of thought. He reviews two well-known theories of Mimāṁsakas in connection with verbal knowledge, viz. Abhihitāovayavāda and Anvitabhidhānavada. He completely refutes the second theory and making certain amendment of the first theory establishes the doctrine of Tatparya. He also refutes the doctrines of almost all the major schools of Buddhism, viz. Vaibhāşika, Sautrântika (Hinay. āna schools) and Madhyamika 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 inust have flourished in the end of 10th century A.D. He is quoted by Vādi Devasüri (10th A.D.) and Ratnaprabhasuri. So, certainly Jayanta is earlier than these two.
L. D. Series has already published critically edited with Gujarati translation of Nyāyamañjarī containing three Ahnikas, by the same editor. The present volumc.consists of 4th and 5th Āhnikas.
In the first Āhnika Jayanta gives definition of pramana and their numbers; discusses about postulation (arithāpatti) and non-perception or non-existeuce (abhava). The second Āhnika is completely devoted to the discussion of perception inference and analogy. The third Ahnika deals with verbal testimony, theory of crror, problem of God and cternality of word in detail.