Essay name: Tarkabhasa of Kesava Misra (study)
Author:
Nimisha Sarma
Affiliation: Gauhati University / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study of the Tarkabhasa of Kesava Misra: a significant work of the syncretic Nyaya-Vaisesika school of Indian philosophy widely used as a beginner's textbook in southern India and has many commentaries. This study includes an extensive overview of the Nyaya and Vaisesika philosophy, epistemology and sources of valid knowledge. It further deals with the contents and commentaries of the Tarkabhasa.
Chapter 4 - Purvabhaga of Tarkabhasa: Contents
70 (of 73)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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discursive judgments, fails of concrete coherence which is the absolute truth.
Coherence may be the test of truth, but if it is regarded as the nature of truth,
then no 'truth' can be completely true. Coherence is mediacy and if validity is
mediate, then no cognition can be absolutely valid.
In our proposed text TB, Ke艣ava Mi艣ra discusses Pr膩m膩峁噛av膩da
elaborately. Before going to his own view, he mentions Mim膩峁僺akas
regarding validity of knowledge. According to Mima峁僺aka, the validity of
145 knowledge is intrinsic and invalidity is extrinsic. For example, when a man
knows that there is water he proceeds to get it only after ascertaining the
validity of his cognition. In some cases he may act even on the basis of
doubtful validity and if he finds water after his effort he determines that his
knowledge is valid. This means, when a man gains a certain knowledge
through whatever means, he gathers its validity also through the same means.
No cause other than those that created that knowledge is required for
ascertaining validity which is a characteristic of knowledge. Thus, validity is
ascertained intrinsically. Knowledge precedes effort. No doubt can arise about
a thing before it is known. Therefore it has to be accepted that before he
proceeds to act man gains knowledge through 鈥榓rthapatti' (presumption)
based on the unaccountability of the knownness (j帽膩tat膩).
Cinna峁僢ha峁弓a says that, the Mim膩峁僺aka theory can be given in two
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146 forms, about origin and awareness. About origin it is said that the
145. pram膩峁嚹乶a峁� pramanyam svato 'pramanya峁� tu parata iti mim膩峁僺ak膩岣�
samgirante. TBP. p.185.
146. pr膩m膩峁噛asya svatastva峁� dvividhamutpattau j帽膩ptau ceti. Ibid.
