AnumÄna as interpreted in SÄṁkhya-Yoga philosophy: A brief study
Sangita Chakravarty
The present paper makes a measly attempt to examine / survey the different interpretations offered by the SaÌ„ṁkhya-Yoga philosophers on the subject of anumaÌ„na (inference). As regards the SaÌ„ṁkhya theory of knowledge, the contributions of GaudÌ£apaÌ„da and VaÌ„caspati MisÌra are initially examined, thereby making explicit references to their scholarly illustrations. The paper further examines the contributions of the SaÌ„ṁkhyakaÌ„rikaÌ„ and the SaÌ„ṁkhya-SuÌ„tra, two informative documents of the SaÌ„ṁkhya system, to bring out the concept of vyaÌ„pti. Thus, referring to the deliberations of the SaÌ„ṁkhya-Yoga logicians like MaÌ„tÌ£hara, GaudÌ£apaÌ„da, VaÌ„caspati MisÌra, VaÌ„rsÌ£aganÌ£ya, VyaÌ„sa, and Kapila on the nature and function of vyaÌ„pti, a contention is arrived at that no knowledge can be inferred without the knowledge of vyaÌ„pti. Finally, the study makes an investigation into the kinds of anumaÌ„na as mentioned by the SaÌ„ṁkhya-Yoga philosophers.