Nyaya Philosophy

Literally means recursion. It is based on texts known as the Nyaya Sutras, which were written by Aksapada Gautama from around the 2nd century AD. The basic theme of this darshana is acquiring the Valid Knowledge. The system is based upon Logic. On this basis, the knowledge can be valid or invalid.

• There are four means of obtaining valid knowledge viz.
  • perception (pratyakṣa),
  • inference (anumāna),
  • comparison (upamāna) and
  • verbal testimony (śabda).
• Invalid knowledge includes
  • memory (smṛti),
  • doubt (saṁśaya),
  • error (viparyaya) and
  • hypothetical reasoning (tarka).

The followers of Nyaya believed that obtaining valid knowledge was the only way to obtain release from suffering. They therefore took great pains to identify valid sources of knowledge and to distinguish these from mere false opinions. The most important contribution made by this school is its methodology. This methodology is based on a system of logic that has subsequently been adopted by the majority of the Indian schools.