Course Content

Module 1: The Six Means of Valid Knowledge (Ṣaṭ-pramāṇa)

1: Perception (Pratyakṣa)

• Direct perception of objects
• The role of sense organs and mind

2: Inference (Anumāna)

• Inferring the unperceived from the perceived
• The five-membered syllogism (pañcāvayava-nyāya)

3: Comparison (Upamāna)

• Understanding the meaning of a word by comparing it to a known object
• The role of similarity and difference

4: Verbal Testimony (Śabda)

• The authority of Vedic texts and their interpreters
• The criteria for evaluating Vedic testimony

5: Implication (Arthāpatti)

• Inferring a fact from a contradictory situation
• The role of implication in understanding Vedic texts

6: Non-apprehension (Anupalabdhi)

• Inferring the absence of a thing from its non-perception
• The role of negative evidence in Mīmāṃsā

Module 2: The Five Objects of Knowledge (Pañca-prameya)

1: Substance (Dravya)

• The nature of physical objects and their properties
• The concept of eternal and non-eternal substances

2: Quality (Guṇa)

• The inherent qualities of substances
• The distinction between essential and non-essential qualities

3: Action (Karma)

• The dynamic aspect of reality
• The concept of efficient cause and effect

4: Universality (Sāmānya)

• The general nature of a class of things
• The role of universality in categorization

5: Particularity (Viśeṣa)

• The specific difference between individuals of a class
• The role of particularity in individual identity

Module 3: The Bhāṭṭa and Prābhākara Schools

1: The Debate on Pramāṇa and Prameya

• The Bhāṭṭa view on the nature of knowledge and its objects
• The Prābhākara view on the nature of knowledge and its objects

2: The Implications of the Debate

• The impact of the debate on the interpretation of Vedic texts
• The relevance of the debate for contemporary philosophical discussions