The Buddhist Concepts of Pramana and Pratyaksa

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The book is a critical analysis of basic concepts of pramana and pratyaksa of Buddhist epistemology, found in the works of Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Santarakita et al. The theories of these Nyayavadi Bauddhas regarding these concepts play a significant role in Indian epistemology. The debate raging between the Buddhist, Nyaya and Mimamsa systems regarding these concepts has enriched classical Indian epistemology. The Nyaya and Mimamsa critiques of these concepts help us to understand the complex structure of the Buddhist thought. Yet, a proper perspective of the Buddhist position cannot be gleaned from these, because the Buddhist views do not always correcpond to the critique’s interpretations and critics chose to analyse them in the backdrop of those views which are indigenous to their own systems. To have a proper perspective of the Buddhist views, we need to anlyse them in the light of those doctrines, which form the cornerstone of Buddhist philosophy and we require a study of the original texts of Dignaga, Dharmakirit, Santaraksita et at. The present work tries to show that a careful study of these text reveals that most criticisms of Mimamsa, Nyaya and Jaina philosophers could be refuted in the light of the fundamental Buddhist view on pramana and its different forms can be defended against the onslaught of the critiques. Current deconstructionist thinking is supported by the Buddhist theory of perpetual flux. The book has a modern relevance in that it look at cognitive episodes in the light of the flux theory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rita Gupta

Rita Gupta (b. 1938) obtained B.A. and M.A. degrees from Calcutta University and M.Phil and Ph.D. degrees from London University in Philosophy. She worked as a Lecturer in Universities like NEHU, Shilong, Visva-Bharati and Reader in Visva-Bharati, before becoming Professor in Philosophy and Comparative Religion in Visva-Bharati from which post she retired in 2003. She was a visiting scholar in Manchester University and a Spalding Trust scholar for work on Buddhism with the assistance of Late B.K. Matilal (Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics). Her publications include 25 papers and 15 book reviews in Indian and international journals and a book Essays on Dependent Origination and Momentariness (1990). She has written on moral philosophy, theories of action and Western epistemology and comparative religions. She has presented papers and occasionally chaired sessions in about 35 conferences in India and abroad (Italy, Taiwan, Mexico, Switzerland and UK).

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Bibliographic information

Title
The Buddhist Concepts of Pramana and Pratyaksa
Author
Edition
1s ed.
Publisher
ISBN
8175741597
Length
xxi+276p., Notes; References; Bibliography; Index; 23cm.
Subjects