Unit 4: Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Philosophy

Table of Contents

Nyāya: Pramā and Pramāṇa

The Nyāya school is one of the six orthodox (Āstika) schools, focusing on logic and epistemology (theory of knowledge). Its primary goal is to establish the means of acquiring valid knowledge, as this is the way to end suffering (Mokṣa).

The Nyāya school accepts four independent Pramāṇas:

  1. Pratyakṣa (Perception)
  2. Anumāna (Inference)
  3. Upamāna (Comparison)
  4. Śabda (Testimony or Word)

Nyāya: Pratyakṣa (Perception)

Pratyakṣa (Perception) is the most fundamental Pramāṇa. It is defined as direct, non-erroneous knowledge produced by the contact of sense organs (indriyas) with objects.

Nyāya classifies perception into two main types:

Nyāya: Anumāna (Inference) and its kinds

Anumāna (Inference) is the second Pramāṇa. It is knowledge that *follows* (anu) other knowledge (māna). It is how we know things we cannot directly perceive (like fire on a distant hill).

Inference depends entirely on Vyāpti: the invariable, unconditional concomitance (relationship) between the hetu (middle term, e.g., smoke) and the sādhya (major term, e.g., fire).

Nyāya uses a five-step syllogism (Pañcāvayava-vākya) to prove an inference to others:

  1. Pratijñā (Thesis): "The hill has fire." (What you want to prove)
  2. Hetu (Reason): "Because it has smoke." (The middle term)
  3. Udāharaṇa (Example): "Whatever has smoke has fire, like a kitchen." (This establishes the Vyāpti)
  4. Upanaya (Application): "This hill has smoke, which is invariably associated with fire." (Applying the rule)
  5. Nigama (Conclusion): "Therefore, the hill has fire." (The thesis is proven)

    6. Kinds of Anumāna:

    • Based on purpose:
      • Svārtha: "For oneself." A psychological process of inferring (e.g., "I see smoke, so I know there's fire").
      • Parārtha: "For others." A logical demonstration to convince others (using the 5-step syllogism).
    • Based on Vyāpti (classical):
      • Pūrvavat: Inferring an effect from a cause (e.g., "I see dark clouds, so I infer it *will* rain").
      • Śeṣavat: Inferring a cause from an effect (e.g., "I see the river is muddy, so I infer it *has* rained").
      • Sāmānyatodṛṣṭa: Inferring one thing from another based on a general (non-causal) association (e.g., "The moon moves, so I infer it's a substance").

Vaiśeṣika: Categories (Padārthas)

The Vaiśeṣika school is the "sister school" to Nyāya. It provides the metaphysics and ontology (theory of reality) that the Nyāya logic is based on. It is a philosophy of **pluralistic realism**—many types of real things exist.

Vaiśeṣika's main goal is to classify all of reality into its fundamental categories, or Padārtha ("the meaning of a word" or "an object of knowledge").

There are seven Padārthas:

Padārtha Meaning Example
1. Dravya Substance: The "substratum" where qualities and actions exist. A pot, a tree, the soul, an atom.
2. Guṇa Quality: A static property that inheres in a substance. Color (e.g., the "redness" of a pot), taste, smell.
3. Karma Action/Motion: A dynamic property (like up, down, across). The "throwing" of a ball.
4. Sāmānya Generality/Universal: The "class-ness" that makes many things one. "Cow-ness," which exists in all individual cows.
5. Viśeṣa Particularity: The unique essence that makes one eternal atom *different* from another. This is their key idea. The "uniqueness" of atom A vs. atom B.
6. Samavāya Inherence: The inseparable, eternal bond between two things. The relation between a pot (Dravya) and its redness (Guṇa).
7. Abhāva Non-existence: (Added later) The reality of absence. "There is no pot on the table." (A real fact).

Vaiśeṣika: Atomism (Paramāṇuvāda)

This is the Vaiśeṣika theory of material causation, explaining the nature of Dravya (Substance).