The Theory of Nigrahasthāna in Vādanyāya of Dharmakīrti

Abstract

Vādanyāya is one of the representative works of Dharmakīrti. It is concerned with debate logic and deals with win-or-lose reasoning rules in the broad sense of logic. In this paper, we will concentrate our discussion on Dharmakīrti’s theory of nigrahasthāna (fault) in his debate logic, a key issue in Vādanyāya. First, we point out that the justification of three logical reasons as proof conditions of debate constitutes the rational point of departure for Dharmakīrti’s debate logic. Second, we analyze the differences between Dharmakīrti’s and the Naiyāyika’s notion of debate and point out that Dharmakīrti’s ‘debate’ involves two parties (the disputant and the opponent) attempting to rationally refute the other’s opinion to persuade the other to change their wrong ideas. Last, based on the discussion of Dharmakīrti’s concept of debate logic, we identify seven types of nigrahasthāna in Vādanyāya with regard to the two parties of a debate (the disputant and the opponent).

KEYWORDS:

• Dharmakīrti
• Vādanyāya
• nigrahasthāna
• Buddhist logic
• debate logic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 See, for example, Sāṅkṛtyāyana 1935, Pāṇḍey 1988, Much 1991and Gokhale 1993. by the Naiyāyika, see Yao 2003.

2 For more detailed classification of ‘nigrahasthāna’

Additional information

Funding

This article is funded by the National Foundation of Social Science, China [No. 20CZJ004].