Insights : Nyaya Shastras

Nyaya in medieval times, history of Nyaya Shastra, the enriched knowledge of logic and analysis.

Last episode covered Nyaya Shastra from the great ancient times, being one of the Shad Darsanas, one of the ways to understand the Vedas. Goddess Parvati mentions in Kurmapurana, Darsanas as a way of worshiping, the knowledge form of worship of Lord Shiva.

Goutama Maharishi also known by Akshapada Goutama developed the Nyaya Sutras and brought to the world Nyaya Shastra. Nyaya Bhashya by Vatsyayana Rishi, Nyaya Vaartika by Uddyotakara, AtmaTattva Viveka and Nyaya Kusumanjali of Udayanacharya are some renowned texts to learn and understand Nyaya philosophy.

Nyaya from Sanatana Dharma developed in parallel with the Buddhist philosophies, focusing primarily on logic in debate, in philosophical standings. War fares did not happen like in other religions in the world, but intellectual debate and intense exchanges making strong standpoints, which mutually contributed to the growth of both religions.

Key point to know in NyayaShastra, its evolution, based on questions, like when we see nature around, its vastness with great number of animate and inanimate elements in it and when we see so many things, how we define and categorize its elements. A categorical method then evolved…and became the premeya – something to be measured and proved. Sophisticated reasoning, logical thinking led to questioning, on existence, real, unreal, or somewhere in between real and unreal, covering Udayanacharya the famous logician’s theories.

The essence of Nyaya can be grasped in 3 fold, first being categorization of objects, elements in Universe, secondly the explanation of difference between Atman & Brahman-on realities of existence and thirdly Navyanyaya – era of modern logic, proving different pramana shastras, help us in learning and defining sources and boundaries of knowledge.

Watch video recoding for more depth explanation…