Tharka

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A new group for the study of TharkaSasthra , Indian logic started for those who

are interested. The URL is

 

TharkaSasthra . Otherwise contact sarojram18

 

Tarka-Indian Logic

 

 

 

`kaaNaadham paaNineeyam cha sarvaSasthropakaarakam'

 

 

 

Logic and grammar are indispensable aids for every branch of knowledge.

 

 

 

The Tarka Sasthra or Indian logic is also known as aanveekshikee, nyaay dharsana

and nyaaya Saasthra. It consists of methodical reasoning based on perception

inference and verbal testimony. Hence it is also called pramaaNa sSasthra as it

is based on the pramaNas or means of knowledge such as perception etc. Initially

it was inductive logic and was called vaiSeshika system and later on the

deductive logic school of Nyaya came in and later both are synthesized and now

it is known as the school Nyayavaiseshika. The author of Nyayasuthras was

Gouthama and that of vaiseshika suthras was KaNadhaa, whose name is mentioned in

the above sloka as he was the earliest logician.

 

 

 

The Nyaya vaiseshika system which is collectively known as Tharka Sasthra or

Nyaya Sasthra is profusely resorted to by all schools of philosophy, especially

advaita and Buddhism. The development of Nyaya is mainly due to Buddhist

thinkers as they had to establish their theory which was not based on

scriptures.

 

 

 

The purpose of my starting this group is that those who are interested should

know about the reasoning through which the tenets of the different schools of

philosophy came to be established and also becaseu tharka is an essential

subject for Sanskrit students apart from Panini in order to understand the

higher texts.

 

 

 

Those who join become members automatically and do not require my approval. So

far 8 have joined and I hope more will be inquisitive and interested to know

what tharka is and join the group. I want to k make this apart of the curriculam

in our online Sanskrit class but at this stage it is not suitable to introduce

it among the subjects like prose and poetry. We may perhaps have it later.