Nyaya Theory of Knowledge

SR No.: 011115
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S C Chateerjee
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1939
Total Pages: 440
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 38 MB

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effect by its operation and not the operation itself. The senses are such causes as produce perception by their activity or contact with the objects. As such, it is the sense (indriya) that should be called the karana of perception. Kesava Miśra reconciles these views by reference to the different kinds of perception. He thinks that sense and sense-object contact are the karanas of nirvikalpaka and savikalpaka perceptions respectively. Even nirvikalpaka cognition may be taken as karana in relation to cognitions of the values of objects for us (hānopādānopek sābuddhayah). Others, however, think that sense is the karana of all kinds of perception.'
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERCEPTION
3
The nature and function of the mind (manas)
It is with some hesitation that we use the word mind for manas in connection especially with the Nyaya philosophy In Western philosophy mind is generally taken to mean both the subject of consciousness or the self and the totality of conscious states and processes in which the self is manifested In this sense mind corresponds roughly, not to the manas, but to the atman or soul in the Nyaya system Of course, among European thinkers there are some, the materialists and some behaviourists, who reduce mind or self to a function of the body Thus understood, mind stands for just what the Carvākas mean by atman or the self In deference to the common usage of language we propose to use the word mind for manas, pointing out the differences in their meaning.
According to the Nyaya-Vaiśesikas, manas or mind is a sense like the senses of taste, smell, etc. It is an internal sense having its locus in the heart (hṛdayantarı artı).2 In the Samkhya and Mīmāmsā systems also mind is treated as
1 TB., p. 5.
2 TB., p 20