WITH

Edwin Bryant

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From the ‘six schools of philosophy,’ Nyaya is the school of rationalists that focuses on knowledge and logic. The six schools of Indian philosophy are Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Mīmāṁsā, and Vedānta. Composed by Akṣapāda Gautama, the sutras are divided into five chapters, each with two sections. The work begins with a statement of the subject matter, the purpose, and the relation of the subject matter to the attainment of that purpose. The ultimate purpose is salvation—i.e., complete freedom from pain—and salvation comes from the attainment of knowledge.

This discourse will take a brief look at some of the arguments presented in the Nyaya Sutras. We will explore the rational defense for the necessity of putting forward the existence of a non-material Atman.

The ultimate purpose of the Nyaya Sutras is the attainment of Moksha (liberation), attained by knowledge of the sixteen categories, which are:

1)pramana — means of valid knowledge;
2)prameya — objects of valid knowledge;
3)samshaya — doubt;
4)prayojana — purpose;
5)drstanta – example;
6)siddhanta — conclusion;
7)avayava — the constituents of a syllogism;
8)tarka — argumentation;
9)nirnaya — ascertainment;
10)vada — debate;
11)jalpa — disputations;
12)vitanda — destructive criticism;
13)hetvabhasa — fallacy;
14)chala — quibble;
15)jāti — refutations; and
16)nigrahasthana — points of the opponent’s defeat

This discourse is for those interested in diving deeper into different schools of thought and Self- Realization.