Abstract

Naiyāyikas say that the highest good is achieved through the right knowledge (tattvajñāna) for the sixteen topics (padārtha), beginning the means of knowledge, the object of knowledge, etc. The acquisition of the right knowledge would be the direct cause to remove the wrong knowledge (mithyājñāna), and the mental disturbances (doṣa), the bad activities (pravṛtti) by body-language-mind, birth (janman) one after another would be removed. Finally, the right knowledge leads to reaching liberation (apavarga), being in the complete extinction of suffering. This order to get liberation is backward against the order to generate suffering. Therefore, it could be said that the attainment of the right knowledge is the key to have liberation that is the highest good. The classic Nyāya theory, however, does not concretize the acquisition method of the right knowledge, but in Sarvadarśanasaṃgraha (SDS) Ⅺ, there is a supplement on how to get the right knowledge. That is the role of the Supreme Being (parameśvara) as the direct cause to raise the right knowledge. It is defined as the authority (or proof) of the right means of knowledge (prāmāṇya) that tends not to be emphasized in the classic Nyāya school. Mādhava says in SDS Ⅺ that it is required to attain preveniently dharma on the Supreme Being as the authority of the right means of knowledge through śabda, one of the means of the right knowledge-s (pramāṇa-s) defined as teachings by a trustful teacher (āptopadeśa) according to Nyāya’s theory. Practicing the contemplation (samāhi) repeatedly and continuously, keeping the dharma of the Supreme Being at the same time, Yogi could, at last, come to the right knowledge. It does not mean the Supreme Being is the object of knowledge, but the means of knowledge in the yoga practice. The concept of the dharma is supposed to be influenced by the dharma in VS 1.1.2. The sūtra defines dharma as the means to reach at exaltation (abhyudaya) and the highest goods (niḥśreyasa). The paper considers the above summary of Nyāya’s liberation theory with the right knowledge as the central figure through the examination of the quoted Nyāyabhāṣya and Udayana’s Nyāyakusumāñjali 4.5.-6. in SDS Ⅺ, splitting up the contents on the right knowledge into the definition of, the role of, and the attainment of the right knowledge chapter. The paper would have a chance to introduce Nyāya school’s liberation and the practice. There may have been overemphasized the aspect of the epistemological and logical theory of the Nyāya school as compared to the aspect of the liberation and truth of the Nyāya school. On the other hand, the paper would show the fragmentary aspect that Mādhava tries to consolidate the liberation theories of the traditional philosophy schools (āstika-s) into one theory in SDS Ⅺ based on the thought of Udayana, who had integrated both theories of Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika school.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call