Abstract
The technical term “tarka” in the Nyāya tradition is the object of the present investigation. Diverse texts including Buddhist ones exhibit a negative estimation of activities using tarka. In contrast, more often than not, later treatises dealing with logico-epistemic problems, especially certain Naiyāyika works, identify the methodological peculiarity of Nyāya with tarka. Such an ambivalent attitude toward tarka can be understood in a coherent way if the essential features of tarka that gave rise to it can be grasped. Starting from the Nyāyasūtra 1.1.40 and the explanation given in the Nyāyabhāṣya on it, the present researcher sorted out three characteristic features of tarka in the early Nyāya tradition. These three features focus on the main feature of tarka: namely, reflective analysis without requiring further factual information on the object of investigation. Based on this, the present researcher critically reviewed what promoted an understanding of tarka as a reductio ad absurdum argument or an a priori reasoning. Furthermore, certain passages from the Nyāyamañjarī, Nyāyakalikā, and Tarkasaṅgraha were examined to demonstrate that the present researcher’s interpretative understanding of tarka was adequate for explaining the usage of this term in a broad sense, with positive connotations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bharadwaja V.K. (1981a) A theory of tarka sentences. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 41(4): 532–546
Bharadwaja V.K. (1981b) The Jaina conception of tarka. Philosophy East and West 31(4): 501–505
Boghossian P., Peacocke C. (2000) New essays on the a priori. Clarendon Press, Oxford
CaS: Trikamji, V. J. (Ed.). Carakasaṃhitā by Agniveśa revised by Charaka and Dṛidhabala. With the āyurveda-Dīpikā Commentary of Chakrapāṅidatta (3rd ed.). Bombay 1941 (reprint 1984: Benares).
DN: Rhys Davids, T. W., Estlin Carpenter, J. (eds.). The Dīgha Nikāya (Vol. 1). London: The Pali Text Society 1890 (reprint 1975).
Frauwallner E. (1958) Die Erkenntnislehre des klassischen Sāṃkhya-Systems. Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Süd- und Ostasiens, 2: 84–139
Halbfass W. (1988) India and Europe. State University of New York Press, Albany
Halbfass W. (1991) Tradition and reflection—explorations in Indian thought. State University of New York Press, Albany
Halbfass W. (1992) On being and what there is—classical Vaiśeṣika and the history of Indian ontology. State University of New York Press, Albany
Jhā, G. (1912–1919) trans. The Nyāya-Sūtras of Gautama with the Bhāṣya of Vātṣyāyana and the Vārtika of Uddyotakara translated into English (4 Vols). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass (reprint 1984).
Kajiyama, Y. (1984). , , , (Eds.). pp. 1–102.
Kang, S. Y. (2003). Die Debatte im alten Indien, Untersuchungen zum Sambhāṣāvidhi und verwandten Themen in der Carakasaṃhitā Vimānasthāna 8. 15–28, Reinbek: Dr. Inge Wezler.
Kang S.Y. (2006) Die Carakasaṃhitā in der Geschichte der indischen Philosophie I. Nyāya und Carakasaṃhitā. Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Südasiens 50: 143–176
Marui H. (2008) On the authorship of the Nyāyakalikā again. Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies (Indogaku Bukkyogaku Kenkyu) 56(3): 1063–1071
Matilal B.K. (1986) Perception an essay on classical Indian theories of knowledge. Clarendon Press, Oxford
Matilal, B. K. (1998). The character of logic in India. In J. Ganeri & H. Tiwari (Eds.). Albany: State University of New York Press.
MN: Trenckner, V. (Ed.). The Majjhima-Nikāya (Vol. 1). London: The Pali Text Society1888 (reprint 1979).
Muroya Y. (2006a) Some observations on the manuscript transmission of the Nyāyabhāṣya. Journal of Indological Studies 18: 23–64
Muroya Y. (2006b) Apropos the Nyāyasūcīnibandha: Some historical problems and the manuscript transmission of the Nyāyasūtra. Journal of the Ganganatha Jha Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha 62: 405–432
Nakamura, H. (1983).
NBhJ1: (Jaina-)Devanāgarī-Manuscript from Jinabhadrasuri Bhandar, Jaisalmer. Listed on p. 188 (Poṭhī 5, Ms. 67) in Punyavijayaji (1972). New catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit manuscripts, Jesalmer collection (Ahmedabad: 1972).
NBhJ2: (Jaina-)Devanāgarī-Manuscript from Jinabhadrasuri Bhandar, Jaisalmer. Listed on p. 356 (Poṭhī 65, Ms. 1274(3)) in Punyavijayaji (1972). New catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit manuscripts, Jesalmer collection (Ahmedabad: 1972).
NBhT: Malayalam-Manuscript from Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, Trivandrum. Listed in Vijayan, K., Visalakshy, P., & Girija, R. Alphabetical index of the Sanskrit manuscripts in the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, Vol. 4, no. 27865, Ms. 14980A (Trivandrum: 1995).
NBh(E D ): Thakur, A. (Ed.). (1997). Gautamīyanyāyadarśana with Bhāṣya of Vātsyāyana. New Delhi: Indian Council of Philosophical Research.
Nīlakaṇṭha-Prakāśikā: Tarkasaṃgraha of Annambhaṭṭa and Tarkasaṃgrahadīpikā of the Author. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office 1969.
NKali(E B ): Kavirāja, G. N. (Ed.). (1925). The Nyāyakalikā, the Princess of Wales Sarasvati Bhavana texts no. 17. Benareṣ Vidya Vilas Press.
NM(E M ): Vardācārya, K. S. (Ed.). (1969/1983). Nyāyamañjarī of Jayantabhaṭṭa with ṫppaṇī –Nyāyasaurabha by the Editor (two volumes). Mysore: Oriental Research Institute.
NM(E V ): Sastri, G. (Ed.). (1982–1984). Nyāyamañjarī of Jayanta Bhaṭṭa with the commentary of Granthibhaṅga by Cakradhara (three parts). Varanasi: Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya.
NV(E D ): Thakur, A. (Ed.). (1997). Nyāyabhāṣyavārttika of Bhāradvāja Uddyotakara. New Delhi: Indian Council of Philosophical Research.
Oberhammer G. (1963) Ein Beitrag zu den Vāda-Traditionen Indiens. Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Süd- und Ostasiens 7: 63–103
Ruben W. (1928) Die Nyāyasūtra’s - Text, Übersetzung, Erläuterung und Glossar. Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft, Leipzig
Steinkellner E., Much M.T. (1995) Texte der erkenntnistheoretischen Schule des Buddhismus, Systematische Übersicht über die buddhistische Sanskrit-Literatur II. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen
TS: Athalye, Y. V., & Bodas, M. R. (Eds.). (1974). Tarka-Saṃgraha of Annambhaṭṭa with the Author’s Own Dīpikā and Govardhana’s Nyāya-Bodhinī. Bombay Sanskrit Series 55. Poona: Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
TSD: Tarkasaṅgrahadīpikā in TS.
TSI: Oberhammer, G., et al. Terminologie der frühen philosophischen Scholastik in Indien—Ein Begriffswörterbuch zur altindischen Dialektik, Erkenntnislehre und Methodologie. Bd. I. (1991), Bd. II. (1996), Bd. III (2006). Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
YD: Wezler, A., & Motegi, S. (critically Eds.) (1998). Yuktidīpikā the most significant commentary on the Sāṃkhyakārikā. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (KRF-2007-361-AL0016).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kang, S.Y. An Inquiry into the Definition of tarka in Nyāya Tradition and Its Connotation of Negative Speculation. J Indian Philos 38, 1–23 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-009-9078-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-009-9078-8