Fragments from Dinnaga

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About the Book:

This treatise, originally written as part of a study of logic in the Early Schools, contains seventeen fragments attributed to Dinnaga by Vacaspati Misra as also confirmed by the Tibetan version of the Pramana-samuccaya, the authorship of which is also attributed to Dinnaga. Sanskrit text transliterated in Roman script, translated and annotated into English. The text deals with the various topics of logic such as Perception, Inference, Valid Testimony, Analigy, Apoha etc.

The book is divided into 22 sections. Section 1 is introductory. It discusses the date of Dinnaga. Section 2 deals with the probable arrangement of topics in the Pramana-samuccaya. Section 3 to 22 contain seventeen fragments which deal with the different topics of Indian logic. Their range is wide. From the description of the valid means of knowledge the extend to the definition of Vada and cover the Vaisesika doctrine of the real.

The book covers two appendices: (1) Dinnaga and Prasastapada. (2) Summary of Buddhist logical doctrine. It is documented with Preface, Bibliography, Abbreviations and Index.

This treatise was originally written as part of a study of Indian logic in the early schools undertaken for the doctorate in philosophy of the University of Oxford. Dr. F.W. Thomas to whom I am greatly indebted for his encouragements and assistance suggested its separate publication and my thanks are due to the council of the Royal Asiatic society for deciding to publish it as a monograph. I desire also to express my gratitude to Mr. A.H. Mackenzie Director of Public government for the grant of study leave which has enabled me to carry out the work.