How we know what we know- Chapter 5

Pramana vichara (प्रमाण विचारा) is the field of knowledge that deals with the theory of knowledge (epistemology) in Vedanta philosophy. According to pramana vichara (प्रमाण विचारा) the following are the key principles of pramanam (प्रमाणम्).

1.       Prama (प्रम) or knowledge can be acquired only through the use of appropriate pramanam (प्रमाणम्) or means of knowledge.

2.       Knowledge is the change that takes place in the mind known as vruthi (वृथि) when the 5 sense organs (organs of hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste) come in contact with sense objects (objects that can be perceived by the 5 sense organs) and therefore knowledge can only be acquired intellectually.

3.       When pramanam (प्रमाणम्) is operational the free will is suspended. Free will only aids in bringing the sense objects within the range of sense organs and thereafter knowing takes place without free will having any role to play.

In Vedanta philosophy there are 6 accepted pramanam (प्रमाणम्).

1.       Pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्) – In pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्) the means of acquiring knowledge is direct and through perception. Pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्) is of two types; external and internal. In external perception the sense organs come in contact with sense objects and result in one acquiring knowledge. Identifying an object that one sees as a flower or a pot using one’s organ of sight is an example of knowledge gained through pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्). Internal perception is perceiving feelings such as pain or hunger through our inner sense or the mind where the knowledge gained is direct but does not involve the usage of the sense organs.

2.       Anumana pramanam (अनुमान प्रमाणम्) – Unlike pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्) here the means of acquiring knowledge is not direct and is through inference and the knowledge thus acquired is called anumiti (अनुमिति). For such knowledge to be acquired there needs to be an indicator known as lingam (लिङ्गं) which is knowledge acquired through pratyaksha pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्) and an invariable connection known as vyapti (व्याप्ति) needs to exist between the lingam (लिङ्गं) and anumiti (अनुमिति) for the inference to be established logically. The method of inference consists of 3 parts; pratijna (hypothesis), hethu (a reason) and udaharanam (example to support the logical connection between lingam and saadhya). Inferring that there is a fire raging in a distant mountain seeing smoke rising up from it based on the knowledge that when there’s fire in the kitchen invariably smoke rises up is an example of knowledge gained through anumana pramanam (प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाणम्). The observation of smoke rising up from the mountain is the indicator (lingam) here and the association of fire and smoke is the vyapti(व्याप्ति) and udharanam or example is given of such as an association existing in the kitchen when one cooks using firewood.

3.       Arthapatthi pramanam (अर्थापत्ति प्रमाणम्) – Here the means of acquiring knowledge is by using a known fact to arrive at an unknown fact using the rationale that the unknown fact has to be true for the known fact to be true. Conversely, the known fact is inexplicable without unknown fact being true. Thus in (अर्थापत्ति प्रमाणम्) knowledge itself becomes means of knowledge. Inferring that Devadutta must be eating at night based on the knowledge that he is fat despite not eating anything at all during the day is an example of knowledge gained through arthapatthi pramanam (अर्थापत्ति प्रमाणम्).

4.       Upamana pramanam (उपमान प्रमाणम्) – In upamana pramanam (उपमान प्रमाणम्) knowledge is acquired by establishing a connection between an object and its name based on similarity in an example that one has heard before. The knowledge thus gained is called upamiti jnanam (उपमिति ज्ञानं). Devadutta inferring that the animal he saw is a wild cow (gavayaa) despite seeing it for the first time based on Yajnadutta telling him that a wild cow (gavayaa) looks very much like a cow (gau) is an example of knowledge gained through upamana pramanam (उपमान प्रमाणम्).

5.       Anupalabdhi pramanam (अनुपलब्धि प्रमाणम्)– Here the means of knowledge is non-perception or absence of an object/person/attribute. Inferring that there is no elephant in the room based on the non-perception of an elephant is an example of knowledge gained through anupalabdhi pramanam (अनुपलब्धि प्रमाणम्) where the absence of knowledge becomes the means of knowledge.

6.     Shabdha pramanam (शब्ध प्रमाणम्) – Spoken or written words are the means of knowledge in shabdha pramanam (शब्ध प्रमाणम्). Sabdha pramanam (शब्ध प्रमाणम्) is of two types; laukika shabdha pramanam (लौकिक शब्ध प्रमाणम्) and vaidika shabdha pramanam (वैदिक शब्ध प्रमाणम्). In Laukika shabdha pramanam (लौकिक शब्ध प्रमाणम्) knowledge is gained through words spoken by people of the world. These are essentially restatement of knowledge gained through the other 5 means of knowledge. Knowing about a place one has not visited through the description of a person who has visited is an example of knowledge gained through laukika shabdha pramanam (लौकिक शब्ध प्रमाणम्). In vaidika shabdha pramanam (वैदिक शब्ध प्रमाणम्) the words of Vedas are the means of knowledge. We gain from the Vedas such knowledge that can’t be gained by the other 5 pramanas and neither can this knowledge be negated logically by any other means of knowledge.