Concepts of Buddhist Logic

Buddhist Logic is a very important branch of Indian Logic, which covers up within its scope the examination of the objects through the means of valid knowledge (Pramana) like Perception (Pratyaksa), Inference (Anumana) including syllogism. It is traceable in the teachings of Lord Buddha, in the old Buddhist literature like Tripitakas, Kathavatthu etc. and also in the important works of Idealistic Thought of Yogacara Buddhism. Ac Dignaga is regarded as the Founder of Buddhist Logic, who provided a sound footing to it.

The present work entitled as 'Concepts of Buddhist Logic' is an endeavour to expose all the important points of discussion regarding the Buddhist Logic e.g. Nature of Prama and Pramana, its kinds (Perception and Inference), Theory of Validity of Cognition, etc. Three types of Fallacies (Pakssabhasa, Hetvabhasa and Drstantabhasa) have also been dealt with in detail. A Chapter on 'Prasanganuman' is a special feature of this work. The book has been written in a very simple, lucid but scientific manner.

It is anticipated that it will prove to be of great importance to the researchers and scholars of Buddhist Logic.

'Buddhist-Logic' is a very important branch of Indian wisdom. The word 'Logic' (Nyaya) covers up whole of the Indian Logic, starting from the Vaidika scriptures, to all of the Indian Philosophical systems. According to Dr. S.C. Vidyabhusana, "its definition generally accepted, is the science which ascertains valid-knowledge either by means of the six senses, or by the means of the five-membered- syllogism." Nyaya Bhasyakara Vatsyayana has also asserted, ie to examine the object through the means of valid-knowledge, is called 'Nyaya'. He has also accepted that ' Syllogism is the highest Nyaya'. Infact, study on Perception and Inference is the main subject-matter of Indian Logic.

Due to some social, religious and philosophical changes in the society, Indian Logic got changed from time to time and accordingly it has been divided into three periods by the scholars:

Among them, the Buddhist Logic is mainly concerned with the Medieval period. Although the seeds of Buddhist Logic are traceable in the teachings of Lord Buddha himself and also in the old Buddhist Literature like Tri-pitakas, Kathavatthu, Milinda-panho and so on, but a systematic line of thinking according to the Idealistic thought of Yogacara Buddhism, was given to it only by the great logician Dignaga. That's why he avails the priviledge of being called the 'Father of the Budhist Logic'. He is the person who provided a sound foundation to the study of Buddhist Logic. His 'Pramana-samuccaya' with its 'vrtti' is the first authentic exposition of Buddhist Logic, although it is not available in Sanskrit in its complete form. After him, Sankarasvamin, Isvarasena, Dharmakirti, Dharmottara and other latter scholars made their contributions time to time to the Buddhist Logic.

**Contents and Sample Pages**