The document provides an overview of the Nyaya-Vaisesika school of Indian philosophy through a PowerPoint presentation. It discusses the historical context and founders of Nyaya and Vaisesika, compares their key similarities and differences, outlines the seven categories or "padarthas" that the school uses to analyze reality, and examines some of the core philosophical issues addressed like the theory of causation. The presentation serves to give attendees a general understanding of the Nyaya-Vaisesika system within the landscape of Indian philosophy.

1. GOOD MORNING TO YOU
ALL
WELCOME TO THE
POWERPOINT
PRESENTATION ON
“NYAYA-VAISESIKA”
HAVE A NICE
TIME

2. • General understanding of Indian philosophy
• Historical perceptive of Nyaya-Vaisesika
system
• General characteristics of Nyaya-Vaisesika
system
• Philosophical issues of Nyaya-Vaisesika

3. General understanding of Indian
philosophy
PHILOSOPHY
Western philosophy Indian philosophy
BEING BECOMING BEING BECOMING
Parmenides Heraclitus Orthodox Heterodox

4. six schools in Indian philosophy
The Six schools of Indian philosophy are:
• Nyaya
• Vaisheshika
• Samkhya
• Mimamsa (Purva Mimamsa)
• Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa)
• Yoga

5. INDIAN SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY
Jainism
Heterodox Orthodox
Nastika Astika
Anatma Tradition Atma Tradition
Vedas
Carvaka
Upanishads
Nyaya-vaisaika
Buddhism
Samkya-yoga
Vedanta
Jainism
Mimamsa

6. Nyaya
Followers believe that
obtaining valid knowledge
is the only way to obtain
release from suffering.
• According to the Nyaya
school, there are exactly
four sources of knowledge
(pramanas)
• perception,
• inference,
• comparison,
• testimony

7. • Closely associated with the
Hindu school of logic Nyaya.
Vaisesika proposes a form of
atomism and claims that all
objects in the physical
universe are reducible to a
finite number of atoms guided
or directed by the will of the
Supreme Being.

8. • Sankhya philosophy regards
the universe as consisting
of two realities
• Purusha (consciousness)
• Prakriti (phenomenal realm of
matter).

9. Mimamsa
(PurvaMimamsa)
• Believe in revelation of the
nature and of dharma, by
following a set ritual
obligations, and prerogatives
to be performed properly.
• Also believed that the nature
of dharma isn't accessible to
reason or observation, and
must be inferred from the
authority of the revelation
contained in the Vedas.

10. • Vedanta is based on two simple
propositions
• Human nature is divine.
• The aim of human life is to realize that
human nature is divine.
• The goal of Vedanta is a state of
self-realization or cosmic
consciousness

11. • Yoga Is the cultivation
of the mind using
meditation (dhyana)
to further one's
acquaintance with
reality and finally
achieve liberation.

12. Historical perceptive of Nyaya system
• Founded by the sage Gutama, also
known as Aksapada.
• Primarily concerned with the conditions
of correct knowledge and the means of
receiving this knowledge (Epistemology).
• The science of logic or reasoning .
• Develops Logic and Epistemology
• Discovers the validity or invalidity of
knowledge.
• Through the process of obtaining valid
knowledge of things one could secure
release from material bondage.
• Obtaining valid knowledge is the only
way to obtain release from suffering.

13. Historical perceptive of Vaisesika
system
• Founded by Kanada.
• Has a close relation with
Nyaya
• Develops metaphysics and
ontology
• It is known for the philosophy
of particularity and logical
realism
• Deals with the categories and
to unfold its atomistic
pluralism
• Entire universe is reduced into
seven categories.

14. Nyaya -Vaiseskika Similarities
Character Feature
Goal Liberation
Cause Of Suffering Ignorance
Aim Analysis Of Experience
Principle Nature And Qualities Of Self
Cosmology Atomist
Metaphysics Realistic And Pluralistic
Vedic Yes
Dualistic Yes

15. Nyaya -Vaiseskika Difference
Characteristics Nyaya Vaiseskika
Name Logic Particulars
Founder Gautama Kanada
Time Newer (500 BC) Older (600 BC )
Sources Of Knowledge Perception, Inference, Perception, Inference
Testimony And
Comparison
Categories Sixteen Seven
Approach Synthetic Analytic
Epistemology Metaphysics
General Particulars
Non-atomist Atomist
cosmology

16. General characteristics of Nyaya-
Vaisesika system
• Nyaya –vaisesika represents the analytic, the positive, constructive, creative
and defensive side.
• Aiming to apply logical enquiry and criticism and they seek to restore the
traditional substance views as well as save Hinduism free dying.
• Nyaya is primarily concerned with the conditions of correct thinking and
means of acquiring a true knowledge of reality. Vaisesika develops
metaphysics and ontology on the basis of seven categories (padarthas).
They accept as true whatever is established by reason.
• Nyaya-Vaisesika school is the chief exponent of pluralistic realism.
• Universe is divided into two parts such as; universe within and universe
without. Universe within refers to the microcosm where the mental activities
are taking place. Universe without is the world outside or material world.
• Nyaya studies the universe within and Vaisesika studies the universe
without. Thus Nyaya system develops the sound theory of knowledge(
Epistemology). Vaisesika system develops the cosmology. Therefore both
the systems together makes the whole study of the universe. Therefore both
must go hand in hand because one needs the other for the study.

17. A. Metaphysical Position of Nyaya-
Vaisesika
Realist / ism pluralists / ism
 Early western philosophy views that Realism is the
universal independently and objectively existing
realities. Modern western philosophy views that
Realism is the things exists independent of mind. The
function of knowledge is to reveal objects. object
should have its own essence and existence
independently.
 Pluralism means everything in the world has its own
existence and different from each other. the world of
objects are directly perceived and exists
independently of our experience of them.

18. Philosophical issues of Nyaya-Vaisesika
1. Belief in Padartha
padarthas catagories
Dravya Substance
Guna Quality
Karma Action EXISTENCE
Samanya Universal
Visesa Particular
Samavaya Inherence
Abhava Non-Being NON-EXISTENCE
 A category is called Pardartha.
 The entire universe is reduced into 7 Padarthas.

19. 1. Dravya: Substance
• Substance, is that in which a quality or an action can exist but
which in itself is different from both quality and action
• Substance does not require anything for its existence.
• A Substance is also the substratum (Adhara) of qualities and
actions. So everything in the world has some sort of
foundation or basis on which other things are gathered
together.
• Attributes/Quality cannot exist by itself. It needs something
to support. Qualities and actions are parasite and it has to
exist on something else (i.e. on Substance).
 Clothness
colour+ weight+ number+ shape+ dimension+ separation

20. Whole and parts
• An object is a whole made up-of parts.
• The part is the cause of the effect (whole).
• The cause of the effect (whole) here means not that
the cause transferring its essence to the effect (Part to
the whole) as Samkya philosophy would say, but the
cause is inhering in the parts, which means the cloth
co-exist with the thread.
• The cloth (whole) inheres in the thread (part). Yet, the
whole is different from part i.e. cloth is always different
from thread, which means both them possess their
own respective essences independently. Therefore we
can say that the essence and the existence are different
and not identical, but only relational.

21. Reasons for the substance exists at
least one Moment
• Qualities has to inhere in the substance
• Substance is the cause and the attributes
is the effect. Cause has to be immediate
antecedent.
• If they are together we cannot make the
distinction between substance and
qualities

22. Substance Types
Earth Ether
Fire Time
Air Physical Elements Space Non-physical Elements
Water Mind
Ether
Self Spiritual Element

23. 2. Guna or Quality
1. Colour (Rupa),
2. Taste (Rasa),
3. Smell (Gandha), While substance is
4. Touch (Sparsa), capable of existing
5. Number (Samkhya), independently by itself,
6. Size (Parimana), quality or guna cannot
7. Individuality (Prthaktva), so exist. It abides in
substance and has
8. Conjunction (Samyoga), itself no qualities.
9. Disjunction (Vibhaga),
10. Priority (Paratva),
11. Posterity (Aparatva),
12. Knowledge (Buddhi),

24. 2. Guna or Quality
13. Pleasure (Sukha),
14. Pain (Dukha),
15. Desire (Iccha),
16. Aversion (Dvesa),
17. Effort (Prayatna),
18. Heaviness (Gurutva),
19. Fluidity (Dravatva),
20. Viscidity (Sneha),
21. Merit (Dharma),
22. Demerit (Adharma),
23. Sound (Sabda), And
24. Faculty (Samskara).

25. 3. Karma or Action
• Karma, or movement, is regarded as an irreducible element of the
universe.
• It is neither substance nor quality, but an independent category itself.
• All movements belong to the substances as much as their qualities.
• Unlike a quality of substance, its activity is a transitory one. Thus the
heaviness of the body is a quality, while its falling is an accident.
• Qualities which continue to exist are called guna, while those that cease to
exist are called karma.
• Karma in all its forms is transient, and comes to an end either by a
subsequent conjunction or destruction of its basic substance.
• Akasa, time, space, soul -- though substances -- are devoid of action, since
they are incorporeal.

26. 4. Samanya or Generality
• The idea of samanya is motivated by the desire to
distinguish the unchanging from the changing
• Generality relates to abstract characteristics that
is singular and eternal and yet pervades many.
• Samanya is the essence of the common
characteristics that unites different entities into
one class.
• Generality is regarded as the eternal, one, and
residing in many things belonging to the group of
substance, quality or action

27. 5. Visesa or Particular
• By means of visesa (or particularity) one is
able to perceive things as different from one
another
• Empirical objects are distinguished by means
of the parts of which they are composed
• Atoms, time, space, akasa, souls and manas all
have their particularities, which are not
qualities of classes but only of individuals

28. 6. Samavya or Inherence
• The relationship subsisting among things that are
inseparable, standing to one another in the
relation of the container and the contained, and
being the basis of the idea, "This is in that."
• The relation between cause and effect
• Generally the relation which binds a substance
and its qualities, a whole and its parts, motion
and the object in motion, individual and universe,
cause and effect, is that of samavaya (inherence).

29. Samayoga (Nearness) vs Samavaya
(Inherence)
• Nearness is temporary, allows two more things to
exist together without being affected by each other.
This nearness is an external relationship existing as
an accidental quality of the substances related to it.
• Eg: Earth+ Water
• Inherence, on the other hand, is a permanent
relation between two entities, one of whom inheres
in the other. Here one of the entities depends for its
existence on the other. Inherence is said to be
eternal.
• Eg: Substance+Quality

30. 7. Abhava or Non Existence
• Abhava is different from the first six categories in the sense
that it is negative.
• Nonexistence is not found in any of the six positive categories,
and yet according to VA philosophy nonexistence exists, just
as, for instance, space and direction do.
• e.g., how does not one know that there is no chair in the
room? Answer by looking at the room. Thus nonexistence also
exists as such.
• the non-existence was there all the time, though it was
hidden when the jar was on the ground.
• Thus the absolute non-existence of everything is at all times
present everywhere, though it is hidden for the time and in
the place the thing happens to be.

31. Types of Abhava or Non Existence
1. Antecedent nonexistence
– nonexistence of a thing prior to its creation . this absence
has no beginning but it has an end.
– E.g.. A pot has no existence ,before it was produced. If it
denied then all the things would become beginning less.
2.Nonexistence of a thing after its destruction
– there is something in existence, which shall cease to exist
after its destruction .
– e.g. when a jar is broken into pieces, and then there is
nonexistence of that jar

32. Types of Abhava or Non Existence
3. Absolute nonexistence
– the type of nonexistence that does not belong to time and
space is called absolute nonexistence.
– E.g. son of a barren women, sky flower
4. Mutual Nonexistence
• Mutual nonexistence is the absence of a thing in the other. It
is exclusive and opposed to each other. It is both beginning
less and endless
• For e.g., a pen is different from a book, so there is
nonexistence of the book in the pen and of the pen in the
book.

33. 2. THE NYAYA- VAISESIKA THEORY OF
CAUSATION
• A cause is defined as an unconditional and
invariable antecedent of an effect and an effect
as an unconditional and invariable consequent of
a cause.
– The same cause produces the same effect; and the
same effect is produced by the same cause. The cause
is not present in any hidden form whatsoever in its
effect. The following conditions should be met:
– The cause must be antencedent [Purvavrtti]
– Invariability [Niyatapurvavrtti]
– Unconditionality [Ananyathasiddha]

34. THE NYAYA-VAISESIKA THEORY OF
CAUSATION
• NYAYA RECOGNIZES THREE KINDS OF CAUSE:
• Samavayi Karana or upadana Karana material
cause. E.g. Thread of a cloth.
• Asamavayi, colour of the thread which gives
the colour of the cloth.
• Nimitta', efficient cause, e.g. the weaver of the
cloth.

35. THE NYAYA-VAISESIKA THEORY OF
EFFECT
• An effect (karya) is defined as the „counter-entity of its
own prior non-existence, (pragabhavapratiyogi).
• It is the negation of its own prior-negation.
• It comes into being and destroys its prior non-
existence. It was non-existent before its production.
• It did not pre-exist in its cause.
• It is a fresh beginning, a new creation. This Naya-
Vaisesika view of causation is directly opposed to the
Sankhya-Yoga and Vedanta view of satkaryavada. It is
called asatkaryavada or arambhavada.
• The effect (karya) is non-existent (asat) before its
creation and is a new beginning (arambha), a fresh
creation. It is distinct from its cause and can never be
identical with it.
• It is neither an appearance nor a transformation of the
cause. It is newly brought into existence by the
operation of the cause.

36. ASATKARYAVADA OR
ARAMBHAVADA
• Cause Effect
clay pot
• Upandana Karana = Samvayikarana
– Cause &Effect Co-exist (Or) Inheres
Non-existent Wasn‟t Present In The Cause
And It Is Completely
New
More Stress On “ Difference” Less Stress “Identity”
“Difference In Identity”

37. B. Epistemological Position Of Nyaya-
vaisesika
THE SOURCES OF VALID KNOWLEDGE
All knowledge is a revelation of manifestation of objects.
KNOWLEDGE
Valid Invalid
Doubt
Perception
Memory
Inference
Error
Comparison
Hypothetical
testimony
argument

38. 1.Perception (Pratyaksa)
• Perception is the knowledge produced by the contact of the senses
with the objects of the world.
• Nyaya classifies perception in different ways.
1. Ordinary (laukika) – this takes place when a perception is derived
from direct contact with a sense object.
2. Extraordinary (alaukika) – when an object is not directly present to
the senses but is conveyed to the senses through unusual modes.
3. External (bahya) – any or all of the faculties of sight, sound, touch,
taste and smell are involved in bringing the object to the mind. The
five senses are gross senses…
4. Internal (manasa) - …and the mind is the subtle sixth sense – the
faculty which perceives qualities of soul like desire, aversion,
pleasure, pain and cognition.
5. Laukika (ordinary perception) is either indeterminate (nirvikalpa) or
determinate (savikalpa) – for instance the first glance at a table
shows us just its mere existence, the general appearance – a second
look shows us the details. Determination is always preceded by
indeterminate perception.

39. Extraordinary Perception
Alaukika (extraordinary perception) is of three types:
a. Perception of classes (samanya laksana)
It is the percetion of the universals. The universals are distinct class of reals.
The universals are in the particulars, which belong to the different classes on
account of the different universal inhering in them. The individual belongs to a
particular class because the universal of the class inheres in the individual.
E.g. All men are moral (morality) cow(particular) …… cowness
b. Perception based on association (jnana laksana). This is the second kind of
extraordinary perception. Diiferent sensations become associated and form
one intergrated percetption. An object is not directly presented to the a sense
organ, but it is revived in memory through the past cognition of is and is
perceived through representation.
Eg. One says that something looks delicious, or that a stone looks hard
C. Intuitive perception (yogaja) – Knowledge born of yogic practices. It is intuitive
and never depends on sense-object contact and is never false; it is perceived
after the mind is cleansed through yogic practices. Those who have attained
spiritual perfection and perceive intuitive knowledge of all objects constantly
and spontaneously are called Yukta yogins. Those still on the path and who
are practicing concentration and such conditions are called Yunjan yogins.

40. Various Types Of Sense Object Contact
• Samyoga (conjunction)
It is the relation between two substances.
Eye pot
SENSE-OBJECT CONTACT
TWO SUBTANCES = EYE+ POT

41. 2.Samavaya (Inherence)
• The relation between one substance and any
one of the other categories
substance Qualities
SUBSTANCE IS Eternal
QUALITIES ARE Temporary

42. 3.Samyukta samavaya ( Inherence in
the conjoined)
• Relation between two substances and the
other categories (qualities,action) that is
inherent in the substance.
Red colour pot
Eye
• Again a relation between eye and colour of the pot = red

43. 4. Samyukta Samaveda Samvaya
(Inherence In The Inherent In The Conjoined)
• Relation between the universal (which is
inherent) and the particular quality and its
(particular quality) relation with the substance,
which is in contact with the sense organs.
REDNESS RED
POT

44. 5. Samveda samavada
(Inherence in the inherent)
• Relation between a substance-universal and a
quality
The In a
perception particular
of sound by
soundness the ear

45. 2.INFERENCE
It is the detailed process of knowing something not by means of contact between the senses
and the objects of the world and not by observation but rather through the medium of a
sign that is invariably related to it.
Anumana – the cognition or knowledge that follows from some other knowledge.
Eg. You see smoke on the hill and arrive at/infer knowledge of fire on the hill because of
previous knowledge of the universal relationship between smoke and fire, as in a kitchen.
The knowledge of smoke on the hill is called linga, or sign.
Next arises the awareness of the universal relationship between smoke and fire based on past
observations – this is known as vyapti.
As a result, knowledge of the unperceived (directly) fire on the hill arises – this is known as
nirnaya or conclusion.
The hill, the subject under consideration, is the minor term in this inferential argument – paksa.
The fire, what one wants to prove in relation to the hill, is the major term – sadhya.
The presence of smoke on the hill is the linga, the sign that indicates the fire. It is also called hetu
or meaning “the reason or grounds for inference”.

46. 3.COMPARISON – UPAMANA
• This kind of knowledge comes when one perceives the similarity
between the description of an unfamiliar object and its actual
appearance to one‟s senses.
• Eg. A friend describes crab apples as looking like a regular red apple but
it is smaller and has a longer stem. You go into the forest and find a tree
bearing this fruit you have never seen but you remember the description
and conclude that this is a crabapple tree.
• The Carvaka system of philosophy does not recognize this mode as a
source of knowledge; it maintains that perception is the sole source of
knowledge.
• Buddhism recognizes it as a valid source of knowledge but regards it as
a mere compound of perception and testimony.
• The Vaisesika and Samkhya systems explain upamana as simply a form
of inference.
• The Jaina systems maintains that it is merely a kind of recognition.
• The Mimamsa and Vedanta systems consider upamana an independent
source of knowledge but they explain it in a different way.

47. 4.TESTIMONY – SABDA – “WORDS”
• It is the knowledge derived from words or sentences. But not all verbal
knowledge is sabda. Sabda is defined as the statement of an apta or a
person who speaks and acts the way he thinks; a person whose mind,
action and speech are in perfect harmony and is therefore accepted as
an authority.
• The validity of verbal knowledge depends on two conditions:
1. The meaning of the statement must be perfectly understood
2. The statement must be the expression of a trustworthy person, an apta.
• There are two ways of classifying sabda:
• I. Based on the nature of the object of knowledge:
1. The trustworthy assertions of ordinary persons, saints, sages and
scriptures on matters related to the perceptible objects of the world. Eg.
Testimony in court, doctor‟s diagnosis, ritual prescriptions.
2. The trustworthy assertions of persons, saints, sages and scriptures on
matters concerning the super-sensible realities. Eg. Physicist on atoms,
nutritionist on vitamins, seer‟s instructions on virtue, scriptural
statements on God and immortality.

48. LIBERATION
• Liberation means absolute freedom from all pain and misery – a state in
which the soul is completely released from all bondage and its
connections to the body.
• To attain this one needs to acquire true knowledge of the soul and all the
objects of experience. This knowledge is called tattvajnana which means
“to know reality as completely distinct from unreality”.
• There is a 3-stage path.
1. Sravana – study of the scriptures, understand their authority.
2. Manana – rumination – the aspirant must use his own reasoning power to
ponder what he has learnt.
3. Nididhyasana – contemplate on the soul, confirm your knowledge and
practice that truth in life.
• The truth realised within dispels the darkness of self-identification and
misunderstanding (mithyajnana) concerning “I-ness” and “Thy-ness”.
• When this happens, the person ceases to be moved by his passions and
impulses and begins to perform his duties selflessly without having any
desire to reap the fruit of these actions.
• The fire of true knowledge roasts one‟s past karmas like seeds making
them unable to germinate.

49. THE CONCEPT OF GOD
• God is considered the efficient cause of creation, maintenance and destruction
of the universe. God does not create the world out of nothing or out of himself
but rather out of the eternal atoms of space, time, mind and soul. The “creation”
of the universe refers to the ordering of these entities which are in coexistence
with God in a mortal world.
• NYAYA‟S ARGUMENTS FOR GOD:
GOD
1. WORLD Effect Efficient cause…
GOD
2. ATOMS…….Inactive cannot form different combination……….
GOD
3. WORLD …..Sustained & destroyed unintelligent Adtsta……….
4.WORD…….Reference…….object………….comes from………………. GOD
5.AUTHOR ……………Infallible Veda……………………………….. GOD
GOD
6. VEDA………..Gives Existence of God…………….. GOD
7. VEDA…..full of moral rules…….creator and promulgator of laws……………….
8. CREATION OF NUMBERS……………Divine consciousness GOD GOD
9. MORAL JUDGE OF OUR ACTION……Merit & Demerit……………………………………….

50. SIGNIFICANCE
• Nyaya's most important contribution to Hindu
thought is its elucidation of the pramanas (tools
of epistemology).
• It developed a system of logic adopted by other
Indian schools of philosophy.
• Nyaya differs from Aristotelian logic in that it is
more than logic in its own right.
• Obtaining valid knowledge was the only way to
obtain release from suffering.
• To identify valid sources of knowledge and to
distinguish these from mere false opinions.

51. THANK YOU DEAR FATHER AND FRIENDS