Nyayavatara

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Sanskrit Book Depot P Ltd

Page 41

Translation with Notes
In a proposition the subject is the minor term (pakşa), and the predicate the major term (sādhya). The following is an "inference for the sake of others" :
(1) This hill (minor term) is full of fire (major term)-proposition
(pratijña); (2) because it is full of smoke (middle term); (3) whatever is full of smoke is full of fire, e.g., a kitchen (example,
drstānta); (4) so is this hill full of smoke (application, upanaya);
(5) therefore this hill is full of fire (conclusion, nigamana). The above is a mediocre (madhyama) form of an "inference for the sake of others.” Here the minor term (paksa), the major term (sadhya), the middle term (hetu) and example (drștānta) have been used. The worst (jaghanya) form of an "inference for the sake of others" consists in a mere statement of the reason or middle term (hetu) in addition to the major term (sādhya) and minor term (paksa), thus :
(1) This hill (minor term) is full of fire (major term).
(2) because it is full of smoke (middle term). The best (uttama) form of an inference for the sake of others consists in the statement of the following ten parts or members (dašāvayava): (1) proposition (pratijñā); (2) correction of the proposition (pratijñā-Suddhi); (3) reason or middle term (hetu); (4) correction of the reason or middle term (hetu-Suddhi); (5) example (drstānta); (6) correction of the example (drstānta-Suddhi); (7) application (upanaya); (8) correction of the application (upanaya-Suddhi); (9) conclusion (nigamana) and (10) correction of the conclusion (nigamana$uddhi).
Any form containing less than ten members down to five is called mediocre (madhyama).
साध्याभ्युपगमः पक्षः प्रत्यक्षाद्यनिराकृतः। तत्प्रयोगोऽत्र कर्तव्यो हेतोर्गोचरदीपकः ॥ १४ ॥
साध्यस्य अनुमेयस्य अभ्युपगमोऽङ्गीकरणं प्राश्निकादीनां पुरतः प्रतिज्ञास्वीकार इत्यर्थः। ... प्रत्यक्षाद्यनिराकृत इति प्रत्यक्षं साक्षात्कारिसंवेदनमादिशब्दादनुमानस्ववचनलोका गृह्यन्ते तै: अनिराकृतः अबाधितः । ... तद्यथा सर्वमनेकान्तात्मकम् अस्तिसर्वज्ञ इत्यादि । तस्य पक्षस्य प्रयोगोऽभिधानमन परार्थानुमानप्रस्तावे कर्तव्यो विधेयः । हेतोर्गोचरदीपक इति निर्देशस्य विषयसंदर्शकत्वात् इत्यर्थः ॥ १४ ॥
14. Paksa (the minor term) is that which is asserted to be connected with the major term or) sādhya and is not excluded by perception, etc. : it is to be used here (in an inference for the sake of others) as exhibiting a locus or abode of the reason (i.e., the middle term called hetu).
Some philosophers hold that the minor term (pakşa) is not an essential part of an inference. But this view, according to the Jainas, is untenable, it being absolutely necessary to state the minor term (pakşa) in an inference,