Brief Literature review of Pramana in Ayurveda
Pramana:
Pramana are considered to be the tools through which definite knowledge can be obtained. Ayurveda uses the terminology Pareeksha in place of Pramana.
द्विविधमेव खलु सर्वं सच्चासच्च; तस्य चतुर्विधा परीक्षा- आप्तोपदेशः, प्रत्यक्षम्, अनुमानं, युक्तिश्चेति||(च.सू.११/१७)
तस्याङ्गवरमाद्यं प्रत्यक्षागमानुमानोपमानैरविरुद्धमुच्यमानमुपधारय || (सु.सू.१/१६)
परीक्ष्यते व्यवस्थाप्यते वस्तुस्वरूपमनयेति परीक्षा प्रमाणानि..|(चक्रपाणि/च.सू.११/१७)
Major Pramana in Ayurveda Classics:
- Aptopadesha
- Pratyaksha
- Anumana
- Yukti
- Upamana
Aptopadesha
तत्राप्तोपदेशो नामाप्तवचनम्|(च.वि.४/४)
Aptopadesha are the teachings of Apta (persons who are the most reliable).
Who are Apta?
आप्ता ह्यवितर्कस्मृतिविभागविदो निष्प्रीत्युपतापदर्शिनश्च| (च.वि.४/४)
Apta are considered to have following qualities:
- Free from doubts.
- Unimpaired memory
- Knowing phenomenon completely & by determinate experience.
- Observation without any attachment or affection (nishpritiand nirupatapa).
रजस्तमोभ्यां निर्मुक्तास्तपोज्ञानबलेन ये|
येषां त्रिकालममलं ज्ञानमव्याहतं सदा||
आप्ताः शिष्टा विबुद्धास्ते तेषां वाक्यमसंशयम्|
सत्यं, वक्ष्यन्ति ते कस्मादसत्यं नीरजस्तमाः ||
(च.सू.११/१८-१९)
- Not possessing the unfair rajas & tamas in routine decision making process.
- Gained knowledge through meticulous hardwork & experience.
- Conviction to think from all times of view (trikala-past, present and future).
- Also known for qualities like “wise” and the enlightened (vibuddha).
- Their words are considered absolute truth without any doubt.
- As they are free from rajasand tamas, how could they tell lie?
Pratyaksha
आत्मेन्द्रियमनोर्थानां सन्निकर्षात् प्रवर्तते|
व्यक्ता तदात्वे या बुद्धिः प्रत्यक्षं स निरुच्यते||
(च.सू.११/२०)
Knowledge obtained through the proximity of atma, indriya (sensorium), manas (Psychological factor) along with artha (object of study or observation) is Pratyaksha.
प्रत्यक्षं तु खलु तद्यत् स्वयमिन्द्रियैर्मनसा चोपलभ्यते| (च.वि.४/४)
Pratyaksha or direct observation is that which is comprehensible by an individual through his own senses and mind.
Anumana
अनुमानं खलु तर्को युक्त्यपेक्षः||४||
Anumana is the inferential knowledge on the basis of Yukti i.e. rationality & past experience.
प्रत्यक्षपूर्वं त्रिविधं त्रिकालं चानुमीयते|
वह्निर्निगूढो धूमेन मैथुनं गर्भदर्शनात्||
एवं व्यवस्यन्त्यतीतं बीजात् फलमनागतम्|
दृष्ट्वा बीजात् फलं जातमिहैव सदृशं बुधाः||
(च.सू.११/२१-२२)
- Anumana is preceded by
- Three types based on the time- past, present and future.
- Inference of present events: Fire is inferred from the coming smoke:
- Inference of past events: Sexual intercourse from pregnancy.
- Inference of future events: Plant/Tree Features by seeing the seed.
Yukti
बुद्धिः पश्यति या भावान् बहुकारणयोगजान्|
युक्तिस्त्रिकाला सा ज्ञेया त्रिवर्गः साध्यते यया||
(च.सू.११/२५)
- Yukti is the tool through which buddhi perceives phenomenon by considering various factors, valid for past, present and future.
- This is said to be helpful in fulfilling trivarga (dharma, artha, kama).
जलकर्षणबीजर्तुसंयोगात् सस्यसम्भवः| युक्तिः षड्धातुसंयोगाद्गर्भाणां सम्भवस्तथा||
मथ्यमन्थन(क)मन्थानसंयोगादग्निसम्भवः| युक्तियुक्ता चतुष्पादसम्पद्व्याधिनिबर्हणी||
(च.सू.११/२३-२४)
- Water, ploughed piece of land, seeds and the season in which particular seeds are sown, when combined together, result in a crop.
- Similarly, combination of six factors (pancamahabhutaand atma) is responsible for formation of a fetus in the uterus.
- Fire is produced by lower-fire-drill, upper-fire drill and the act of drilling or churning done by a person.
- In a similar manner, the treatment of disease is possible by applying the fourfold therapeutics measures (The vaidya, medicines, paramedical staff, and the patient).
Upamana
प्रसिद्धसाधर्म्यात् सूक्ष्मव्यवहितविप्रकृष्टस्यार्थस्य साधनमुपमानं; तेनाविरुद्धं यथा- माषवन्मषकः, तिलमात्रस्तिलकालकः, विदारीकन्दवद् विदारीरोगः, शालूकवत् पनसिकेत्यादि| (डल्हण/सु.सू.१/१६)
- The knowledge obtained through the method of comparison with a well-known phenomenon is called as Upamana.
- The comparison helps in understanding of even difficult, hidden & broader aspects.
Disease | Comparison |
Tilakalaka | Tilamatra |
Vidari | Vidarikanda |
Panasika | Shaluka |
Utility of Pramana in Research
सिद्धान्तः
अथ सिद्धान्तः- सिद्धान्तो नाम स यः परीक्षकैर्बहुविधं परीक्ष्य हेतुभिश्च साधयित्वा स्थाप्यते निर्णयः|
स चतुर्विधः- सर्वतन्त्रसिद्धान्तः, प्रतितन्त्रसिद्धान्तः, अधिकरणसिद्धान्तः, अभ्युपगमसिद्धान्तश्चेति|
(च.वि.8/37)
अथ हेतुः- हेतुर्नामोपलब्धिकारणं;
तत् प्रत्यक्षम्, अनुमानम्, ऐतिह्यम्, औपम्यमिति; एभिर्हेतुभिर्यदुपलभ्यते तत् तत्त्वम्|| (च.वि.८/३३)
PararthaAnumana
– Pancaavayavavakya
प्रतिज्ञा, हेतुः, दृष्टान्तः, उपनयः, निगमनम्,…(च.वि.8/27)
Current Research Methods | AnumanaPramana |
· Proposition | प्रतिज्ञा |
· Need Of The Study · Aims And Objectives · Materials And Methods | हेतु |
· Previous Work Done | दृष्टान्त |
· Analysis Of Results | उपनय |
· Conclusion | निगमन |
Pratyaksha
Data collection by utilizing the five sensory organs falls under this category.
Sense organ | Object | Clinical Examples |
Shrotrendriya | Shabda | Sounds produced through joint movements, intestinal motility, breathing, etc. |
Sparshanendriya | Sparsha | Changes in skin texture, temperature, etc. |
Cakshurendriya | Rupa | Changes in colour of tongue, conjunctiva, nail, skin, urine, etc. |
Rasanendriya | Rasa | Subjective changes in taste perception and any other features experienced by the subject. |
Ghranendriya | Gandha | Changes in smell through therapy, medications, reduction of sweat, etc. |
Aptopadesha
- Referring to Previous works done before starting a new research proposal always is a must in avoiding repetition & also improvising the method of research. This step is a part of Aptopadesha.
- Major steps of research such as research question & formulation of hypothesis is not possible without the prior knowledge gained through Aptopadesha.
- Literary research which is a part of basic research is entirely dependent on existing information in the form of Aptopadesha.
- Even in observational & clinical research, various proforma, pharmaceutical process and so on are dependent on Aptopadesha.
Yukti
- Yukti is specifically helpful in deducing the result by data analysis through statistical methodology.
- “Discussion” part of dissertation work is an outcome of properly applied Yukti Pramana.
- Limitations of current study & Future scope also require Yukti Pramana.
Upamana
- In comparative researches, Upamana Pramana plays a major role in analyzing the results.
- It can be literary research or observational or even interventional research design.
Conclusion:
- Pramana are a part & parcel of any research work being undertaken.
- It is the combined application of Pramana which gives desired outcome.
न हि ज्ञानावयवेन कृत्स्ने ज्ञेये ज्ञानमुत्पद्यते|(च.वि.४/५)
One cannot acquire authoritative knowledge about anything in all its aspects simply by examining it through a part of these “sources of knowledge”.