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Chapter Five: Upamana Pramana (Comparison)
Chapter Five: Upamana Pramana (Comparison)
CHAPTER FIVE
Upamana Pramana (Comparison)
1. p r a s i d d h a - s a d h a r m y a t s a d h y a - s a d h a n a m
upamanam. N S . , I. 1.6 , p. 4 2 4 .
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In the Nyaya system, we have divergence of view regarding
instrumentality in Upamana. Guatama equates Upamana with the
well known similarity, Vatsyayana accepts it as the authoritative
statement conveying similarity, whereas Uddyotakara takes it as
the knowledge of the well known similarity.
2. sadhyasadhanamityucyamane pratyaksadisa
dhanesu sukhaduhkhasadhanesu prasangah.
atah uktamprasiddhasadharmyaditi. NVTT.,1.1.6
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T h u s , a c c o rd in g to th e N a iy a y ik a s , U p a m a n a is th e s o u rc e
of k n o w le d g e of re la tio n e ith e r b e tw e e n na m e (s a rh jn a ) a nd a
th in g (s a rh jn in ) o r b e tw e e n w o rd a n d its d e n o ta tio n 3.
T h e M fm a rtis a k a s a ls o a c c e p t U p a m a n a a s an in d e p e n
N a iy a y ik a s . It is re m a rk a b le th a t J a im in i, th e a u th o r o f th e
M im a m s a -s u tra d o e s n o t s p e a k of U p a m a n a . It is S a h a ra w h o
d is c u s s e s th e n a tu re of U p a m a n a . T h e P ra b h a k a ra a n d the B h a tta
s c h o o l of M im a rfis a co m m e n te d u p o n S a h a r a ’s e x p o s itio n .
S a b a ra s v a m in d e fin e s U p a m a n a a s k n o w le d g e of an u n
p e rc e iv e d o b je c t a s b e in g sim ila r to so m e k n o w n o b je c ts 4. H e
u s e s th e sa m e term fo r th e m e a n s of k n o w le d g e a n d th e re s u lt
an t k n o w le d g e . T h e d e finition le a v e s th e n a tu re of re su lta n t kn ow l
e d g e u n e x p la in e d .
H e h a s e x p re s s e d it w ith th e h e lp of an e x a m p le - ‘ju s t a s
3 . ‘y a t h a g a u r e v a r t i g a v a y a h ’ i t y u p a m a n e p r a y u k t e
g a v a s a m a n a -d h a r m a m a r t h a m in d riya rth a -sa n n i
karsad u p a la b h a m a n a h a s y a g a v a y a -s a b d a h
s a r h j n a iti s a r h j n a - s a r h j n i - s a m b a n d h a r h
pra tipa d ya te . N B . , p p . 1 6 9 - 1 7 0 ( 1 .1 .6 )
5. y a th a g a v a y a d a rs a n a m g o sm a ra n a sya . ib id .
6. s a d r s a d u p a j a y e t a y a m a tih s a d r s a n t a r e /
d h y a n a d is m r tit u ly a tv a t s a n a r a n a m k a th a m
b h a v e t // S V . , ( u p a m a n a 4 ) ,, p. 30 8.
7. g o s m a r a n a s y e ti, a n u b h u ta g o h p u r u s a s y a .
B r h ., p. 107.
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8. u p a m in o m i it y a n u v y a v a s a y a c c a .t a s m a d u p a m a -
n a m m a n a n ta ra m . V P .,p .8 4
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verbal when it is uttered by an elderly-experienced person
(vrddhavyavahara) to cognise an unexperienced people about
the unknown beast ‘gavaya’. The Yuktidlpika takes notice the
view of the Nyaya on Upama only and includes Upamana under
verbal testimony(sabda). It is the valid statement which lead one
g
to the knowledge arrived at through Upamana .
10. tan i p r a m a n a n i p r a t y a k s a n u m a n a s a b d a k h y a n i
t r im . Y M D . , p. 8
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11. a r t h a p a t t y u p a m e a n u m a n a v i s e s a . P P R ., p . 4 4
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tioned three sources of valid knowledge, viz. (i) perception, (ii)
inference and (iii) verbal testimony. According to them, Upamana
is included under these three.
13. t a t h a h i . . . n a g a r e s u d r s t a g o p i n d a s y a p u r u s a s y a
v a n a r ih g a t a s y a g a v a y e n d r i y a s a n n i k a r s e s a t i
b h a v a t i p r a t i t i h - ‘ a y a r f i p i n d o g o s a d r s a h ’ iti.
t a d a n a n t a r a r f i c a b h a v a t i n i s c a y a h - ‘a n e n a
s a d r s l m a d i y a g a u h ’ iti. ib id ., p . 8 3 .
14. t a t r a n v a y a v y a t i r e k a b h y a r f i g a v a y a n i s t a g o s a d f -
s y a jn a ja rh k a r a n a m , g o n is t a g a v a y a s a d r s y a jn a n -
a r fi p h a l a m . ib id ., p . 8 3 .
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sagara in his Nyayacandrika defines Upamiti as the knowledge
of similarity which the object situated at a distance bears to that
pressent near the observes15. He explains the position with the
help of the example containing the psychological process in
Upamana that the resultant knowledge through it refers to the
hi a
cow qualified by the similarity to ‘gavaya’ .
NC., p. 279.
16. sadrsyavisistagojnanamupamiti. Ibid., p. 279
17. na cedarh pratyaksena sambhavati, gopindasya
tadendriyasannikarsat. VP., p. 84.
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well. To put it more clearly, the Advaita Vedanta argues that the
resultant knowledge supposed to be acquired through Upamana
is acquired through Anumana also. This cow bears the similarity
to that gavaya, because of having same quality etc., as that
gavaya. Dharmarajadhvarindra further says that the knowledge
of similarity cannot be acquired through Anumana, because the
similarity which the gavaya bears to the cow can not serve as a
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mark or probans in Anumana . It can not be acquired from
anumana, for similarity existing in a wild cow with a cow cannot
serve as a mark of anumana as follows : My cow is similar to this
wild cow (gavaya), because she is the correlate of similarity ex
isting is this wild cow, whatever is the correlate (pratiyogi) of
similarity with another thing is similar to it, as Caitra, the corre
late of similarity existing in Maitra, is similar to Maitra.
18. n a p y a n u m a n e n a , g a v a y a n is t a g o s a d f s y a s y a a ta
Ilin g a tv a t. j b id . , p .8 4
[ 17/6 J
like his own cow. At that moment the person forms the judge
ment that his cow is like that gavaya. This perception of the simi
larity to the cow present in the gavaya is the special cause of the
upamiti , the cognition of the similarity in the cow to that of the
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‘gavaya’ is the result . This type of knowledge by comparison is
neither perception nor inference.
d e c id e th e in va ria b le c o n co m ita n ce .
‘g a v a y a ’ (g a v a y a n is ta g o s a d rs y a ) is not p re s e n t in th e cow , it
c a n n o t b e h e ld to b e p re s e n t in th e su b je c t (p a k s a ) a s it will b e a
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