[Advaita-l] The method of nyAya in the Shankara BhaShyam - a case study

[V Subrahmanian]

Yet another instance from the Bhashya:

Verse 31 of the Gaudapada kArikA reads thus along with the bhAShya: *
मनोदृश्यमिदं* *द्वैतं* यत्किञ्चित् चराचरम् । मनसो ह्यमनीभावे
*द्वैतं*नैवोपलभ्यते ॥ 31 ॥  — रज्जुसर्पवद्विकल्पनारूपं द्वैतरूपेण मन
एवेत्युक्तम्।
तत्र किं प्रमाणमिति, *अन्वयव्यतिरेकलक्षणमनुमानमाह*। कथम् ? तेन हि मनसा
विकल्प्यमानेन दृश्यं मनोदृश्यम् *इदं द्वैतं सर्वं मन इति प्रतिज्ञा *(this is
the pratijnA)*,* तद्भावे भावात् तदभावे *चाभावात्*। (This is the hetu).  मनसो
हि अमनीभावे निरुद्धे विवेकदर्शनाभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां *रज्जवामिव सर्पे लयं गते
वा सुषुप्ते* (here two dRShTAnta-s are given) *द्वैतं* नैवोपलभ्यत इति
अभावा*त्सिद्धं
द्वैतस्यासत्त्वमित्यर्थः* । (here the hetUpanayaH and the nigamanam can be
discerned clearly)

 [ 3.31: All the multiple objects, comprising the movable and the immovable,
are perceived by the mind alone. For duality is never perceived when the
mind ceases to act] ‘This duality, as a whole, that is perceived by the
mind, is nothing but the mind, which is itself imagined (on the Self)’ –
this is the pratijnA, *proposition*.  For duality endures so long as the
mind does (anvaya), and disappears with the disappearance of the mind
(vyatireka). (this is the *Reason*). For, when the mind ceases to be the
mind, when, like the illusory snake disappearing in the rope, the mind’s
activity stops through the practice of discriminating insight and
detachment, or when the mind gets absorbed in the state of deep sleep (*two
examples* are given), duality is not perceived (here the *'application'*).
From this non-existence is proved the unreality of duality. (here the
*'conclusion'
*is stated). This is the purport.//

Regards,
subrahmanian.v

On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 12:26 PM, V Subrahmanian
<v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>wrote:

> Namaste.
>
> Here is another instance of a syllogism in the Shankara Bhashya:
>
> In the Mandukya kArikA 2.4 bhashya we have:
>
> jaagrat dRshyAnAm bhaavAnAm vaitathyamiti *pratijnA*. dRshyatvAditi
> *hetuH*. svapnadRshyabhAvavaditi *dRShTAnta*H. yathaa tatra svapne
> dRshyAnAm bhAvAnAm vaitathyam tathA jAgarite api dRshyatvam avishiShTam iti
> *hetUpanayaH.* tasmAt jaagarite api vaitathyam smRtamiti *nigamanam*.
>
> //The *proposition* (major premise) to be established is the unreality of
> objects seen in the waking stae.  'Being perceived' is the *ground of
> inference* (middle term).  And the *illustration* (in confirmation) is
> 'like an object seen in a dream.'  And the
> *assertion* of the presence of the middle term in the minor term is made
> thus: yathaa tatra svapne, as (objects 'perceived') there in a dream, are
> false, so also are they false in the waking state; the fact of being
> perceived being equally present.  And the *concluding reiteration* is:
> therefore falsity is admitted of ojbects in the waking state as well.//
>
> In the above instance the five 'limbs' of anumAna are clearly brought out.
>
> Regards,
> subrahmanian.v
>
> Namaste.
>
> The Tarka sangraha, a book authored by Annam BhaTTa on the elementary study
> of the Tarka shastra, presents the five-limbed syllogism, पञ्चावयवाक्यम् ,
> that characterizes the process of an inference, अनुमितिज्ञानम्,  thus:
> प्रतिज्ञा,हेतु,उदाहरण,उपनय,निगमनानि पञ्चावयवाः । पर्वतो वह्निमान् इति
> प्रतिज्ञा । धूमवत्त्वादिति हेतुः । यो यो धूमवान् इत्युदाहरणम् । तथा च अयम्
> इति उपनयः । तस्मात् तथा इति निगमनम् ।
>