Tantrayukti

History and Practice

 Background
• 150,000 manuscripts – public - private collections in TN and
Kerala - 12, 250 manuscripts are related to science. - 3,500
are independent science texts- 230 of them have seen the
light of print - manuscripts survey, -
• “It would mean that scholars and historians of India have
all along been wallowing in 7% of texts as the whole and
sole of science texts produced in the land... ”
• (Sastri & Sarma (2002): Introduction
• This is the state of awareness about Ancient Indian
scientific texts. Lesser known is the fact that there was a
methodology or a manual in place, called Tantrayukti, for
construction of scientific and theoretical texts in India.
 Background
• “Had the ancient Indians conceived a form of scientific
composition? Had they developed a method of treatment of the
scientific subject in an orderly manner? Did they expound all the
aspects of the given subject or they confined their discussion to a
few of them only? Did they reproduce the views of the past and/or
the contemporary thinkers? What was their mode of making cross
references? What style did they resort to, to establish their new
thoughts and theories ? Did the idea of rendering the subject
matter intelligible as well as enjoyable ever strike them? Had the
ancient Indian intellectuals devised any methodology of writing
scientific works?”
• (Lele 1981:2)

Tantrayukti
 Definition - 1
• ‘Methodology in Sanskrit texts on Science’
(Sharma 2006:30)
• ‘Forms of Scientific argument’ (Vidyabhushana
1921:24)
• ‘Plan of a treatise’ (Shamashastry 1909:459)
• ‘Method of treatment, maxims for the
interpretation of textual topics’ (Solomon
1978:73)
 Definition 2
• ‘Formal elements which gave form to a scientific
work’ (Obberhammer 1968:600)
• Methodology of theoretico-scientific treatisies in
Sanskrit (Lele 1981: Cover page)
• ‘Methodology and technique, which enable one
to compose and interpret scientific treatises
correctly and intelligently’. – (Muthuswamy
1974:i)
• An expedient in the writing of science – (Mittal
2000:23)
 Etymology of Tantrayukti - 1
Tantra -
• tanoti vipulānarthān tattva-mantrasamanvitān।
trāṇañca kurute yasmāt Tantramityabhidhīyate॥
(Lele 1981:19)
• tatrāyurvedaḥ śākhā vidyā sūtraṃ jñānaṃ
śāstraṃ lakṣaṇaṃ Tantram ityanarthāntaram।
(Carakasaṃhitā, siddhisthāna 12.29-30)
 Etymology of Tantrayukti - 2
• Yukti –
yujyante saṅkalpyante saṃbadhyante parasparamarthā:
samyaktayā prāArthaśāstraraṇike'bhimate'rthe
virodhavyāghātādidoṣajātamapāsyaanayeti Yukti:।

“… that which removes blemishes like impropriety,

contradiction, etc., from the intended meaning and
thoroughly joins the meanings together.”.
• (Sharma 1949:1)
• itaretarābhisambaddhasya arthasamūhasya upadeśaḥ -
• nyā.sū.bhā1.1.26
It is the discussion of mutually connected ideas
 Origins of Tantrayukti
• “The Tantrayukti which literally signifies ‘scientific
arguments’ was compiled possibly in the 6th
century BCE. (i.e. even before Arthaśāstra) to
systematize debates in pariṣads or learned
councils.”(Vidyabhushana 1921;24)
• Since there are indications of Tantrayukti in
aṣṭādhyāyī of Pāṇini, his era being 5th century
B.C.E. Approximately the doctrine should have
evolved in the post- Pāṇini era. (Lele 1981:5)
 Components of Tantrayukti
Three basic elements viz.,
a. Tantrayukti (32)- Tantrayukti-s are the tools
that help an author present his ideas in the
form of a systematic text.
b. Tantraguṇa (19)- Tantraguṇa-s are the
characteristics of a good treatise.
c). Tantradoṣa (15)- Tantradoṣa-s are the flaws
that impair a systematic treatise.
 The list of 32 Yuktis (ArS.A.15) - 1
1. Adhikaraṇa (Topic), 8. upadeśaḥ (advice),
2. Vidhānam (statement of 9. apadeśaḥ (reference),
contents) 10. atideśaḥ (application),
3. Yogaḥ (employment of 11. pradeśaḥ (indication),
sentences), 12. upamānam (analogy),
4. Padārthaḥ (meaning of 13. arthāpattiḥ
the word), (Iimplication)
5. Hetvarthaḥ (reason), 14. saṃśayaḥ (doubt),
6. Uddeśaḥ (mention) 15. prasaṅgaḥ (situation)
7. Nirdeśaḥ (explanation) 16. viparyayaḥ (contrary)
 The list of 32 Yuktis (ArS.A.15) -2
17. vākyaśeṣaḥ (completion
of a sentence)
18. anumatam(agreement)
19. vyakhyānam(emphasis)
20. nirvacanam(derivation)
21. nidarśanam(illustration)
22. Apavargaḥ(exception)
23. svasaṃjñā(technical
term)
24. Pūrvapakṣaḥ (prima facie
view)
25. uttarapakṣaḥ (correct
view),
26. ekāntaḥ (invariable rule),
27. anāgatāvekṣaṇam
(reference to a future
statement),
28. atikrantāvekṣaṇam
(reference to a past
statement),
29. niyogaḥ (restriction),
30. vikalpaḥ (option),
31. samuccayaḥ (combination),
32. ūhyam (what is understood)
 Tantraguṇas – (19)
1. sumahadyaśasvī
2. dhīrapuruṣasevitam
3. āptajanapūjitam
4. arthabahulam
5. trividhaśiṣyabuddhihitam
6. apagatapunaruktam
7. ārṣam
8. Supraṇītasūtrabhāṣyakram
am
9. svādhāram
10. anavapatitaśabdam
11. akaṣṭaśabdam
12. puṣkalābhidhānam
13. kramagatārtham
14. arthatattvaviniścayapradh
ānam
15. saṅgatārtham
16. asaṅkulaprakaraṇam
17. āśuprabodhakam
18. lakṣaṇavat
19. udāharaṇavat
 Tantradoṣas (15)
1. aprasiddhaśabdam 10. niṣpramāṇakam
2. duṣpraṇītam 11. aprayojanam
3. asaṅgatārtham 12. asamāptārtham
4. asukhārohipadam 13. vyāhatam
5. viruddham 14. anarthakam athavā
6. Ativistṛtam apārthakam
7. atisaṅkṣiptam 15. bhinnakramam
8. sandigdhārtham
9. punaruktam Ref: Aṣṭ.hṛda.Sarvāṅgasudara
vyākhyā, uttaratantra
40.78
 Salient Features of Tantrayukti
doctrine
1. Held the sway for over 1,700 years –
methodology of composition - scientific and
theoretical treatises.
2. Had pan Indian influence.
3. Fundamental aspects in the Thesis
construction.
4. Adapted and adjusted according to the
requirements.(Customize-able).
 1.1700 Years usage - 1
• Polity –
– Arthaśāstra – 500 BCE
• Philosophy -
– Nyāyasūtrabhāśya (400 CE)-
– Yuktidīpikā (700 CE)
• Āyurveda –
– Carakasaṃhitā –
– Suśrutasaṃhitā (200 CE, 600 CE)
– Aṣṭāṅgasaṅgraha (300 – 400 CE)
 1.1700 Years usage -2
• Purāṇa –
– Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa(400 CE)
• Independent works –
– Tantrayuktivicāra (900 CE),
– Tantrayukti (date not known).
• Tantra –
– Isvarapratyabhijna-vivriti-vimarshini, (10th Century CE)
– Svacchandatantra (10th Century CE)
– Vamakeśvarimata-vivaraṇa (12th Century CE)
 2.1 Pan Indian influence
• Tamil texts –
– Tolkāppiyam (I00 BCE – 100 CE),
– Yapperungalakkārigai (1200 CE),
– Nannūl (1400)
– Māranalaṅkāram (1540 CE)
– Ilakkaṇaviḻakkam(1700 CE)
– Cuvaminātham(1800 CE)
• 32 Yuktis (uttis), Tantraguṇas and Tantradoṣas
• Pali texts – Nettipakarana, Petakopadeśa
(Wardner 1998:319)
2.2.Tamil Yuktis - sample
Comparative Table of Sam-Tam
Yuktis – 1
 How do these Yuktis help? - 1
yathābujavanasyārkaḥ
pradīpo veśmano yathā।
Prabodha-prakāśārthāḥ
tathā Tantrasya yuktayaḥ॥
(CS. Sid 12. 46)
• Just as the sun causes the bed of lotuses to
bloom or just as the lamp lights up a house,
similar are these Tantrayuktis.
 Prabodha-prakāśa
• Research is Prabodha – Expanding - potentials of
Yogic practices impact on the mind-body etc.

• Research is Prakāśa – Bring to light existent but

unperceived things/principles – Eg: Theory of
Gravity and other scientific truths or literary
truths of Yoga.

• To be Prakāśa comes first Prabodha comes later

• Bring to light and then expand.
 How do these Yuktis help? - 2
• As the sun causes the closed petals of the bed of
lotuses to spread and bloom, so does the
Tantrayukti elucidate and dilate those sections of
the śāstra which seem to be cryptic.

• From the example of the lamp it can be surmised

that as the lamp brings to light an object that is
very much present but enveloped by darkeness, so
does the TY-s act to bring out the present but
unmanifest meanings.
(Āyurvedadīpikā. Sid. 12. 46)
 3. Fundamental aspects in the
Thesis construction.
Yuktis for …

• Content – developing (9)

• Structure – streamlining (14)

• Diction – Delivering (9)

 4. Customize-able
tantre samāsavyāsokte bhavantyetā hi kṛtsnaśaḥ ।
ekadeśena dṛśyante samāsābhihite tathā ॥
(CS. Sid.12.45)
• “All these (Tantrayukti-s) occur in a scientific work in brief
and in detail. But only some of them occur in a work
written in brief.”

• “It is not as if every item in the above list (of Tantrayukti-s)

should have to be applied in the case of every work, nor in
the same sequence. It only means that these are the
methods of presentation of ideas in a work and shall have
to be made use of appropriately as required in a context.”
(Sharma 2006: 31-32)