Mohit Tandon

Mohit Tandon is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra, India, Pin 411007. His area of interest covers Philosophy of Mind, Classical Indian Philosophy (especially Buddhism & Vedanta). He edited ‘Identity and Difference – Perspectives in Classical Indian Philosophy’. He co-edited with Pradeep P. Gokhale the special issue of Indian Philosophical Quarterly on Philosophical Contribution of Professor S. S. Barlingay.

Issue: ()

Issue: 12:1/2 (The forty fifth issue)

The paper discusses anumāna and its variety in general from the point of view of inferential cognition for the sake of oneself as well as for the sake of others; i.e. svārthānumāna and parārthānumāna as given in the Buddhist tradition of logic, especially with parārthānumāna, its nature and role. The paper argues that the Buddhist intent of division of anumāna into svārthānumāna and parārthānumāna was to bring Buddha-vacanas under the category of parārthānumāna and to save them from being classified under śabda pramāṇa. It contends that such a division was not just an epistemological demand, but had a deeper philosophical significance in the Buddhist conceptual framework. Such a division is, therefore, intended to reject the role of śabda as an extra causal means or pramāṇa. The paper identifies the logical commitment in Buddhist tradition as hetu-centric commitment as it differs from the Nyāya tradition of vyāpti-centric one.