1.1.1
Nyāya Sūtra / Adhyāya 1 / 1.1.1
प्रमाणप्रमेयसंशयप्रयोजनदृष्टान्तसिद्धान्तावयवतर्कनिर्णयवादजल्पवितण्डाहेत्वाभासच्छलजातिनिग्रहस्थानानां तत्त्वज्ञानान् निःश्रेयसाधिगमः
pramāṇaprameyasaṃśayaprayojanadṛṣṭāntasiddhāntāvayavatarkanirṇayavādajalpavitaṇḍāhetvābhāsacchalajātinigrahasthānānāṃ tattvajñānān niḥśreyasādhigamaḥ
The line
From knowledge of the true nature of the sixteen topics, one reaches the highest good.
नेपालीमा
सोह्र पदार्थको तत्त्वज्ञानबाट निःश्रेयस पुगिन्छ।
Where it sits
No earlier word is in force. This line opens the book and sets the list that the rest of the chapter defines.
Split: pramāṇa-prameya-saṃśaya-prayojana-dṛṣṭānta-siddhānta-avayava-tarka-nirṇaya-vāda-jalpa-vitaṇḍā-hetvābhāsa-chala-jāti-nigrahasthānānām (प्रमाण-प्रमेय-संशय-प्रयोजन-दृष्टान्त-सिद्धान्त-अवयव-तर्क-निर्णय-वाद-जल्प-वितण्डा-हेत्वाभास-छल-जाति-निग्रहस्थानानाम्) + tattvajñānāt (तत्त्वज्ञानात्) + niḥśreyasa-adhigamaḥ (निःश्रेयस-अधिगमः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| pramāṇa-prameya-saṃśaya-prayojana-dṛṣṭānta-siddhānta-avayava-tarka-nirṇaya-vāda-jalpa-vitaṇḍā-hetvābhāsa-chala-jāti-nigrahasthānānām (प्रमाण-प्रमेय-संशय-प्रयोजन-दृष्टान्त-सिद्धान्त-अवयव-तर्क-निर्णय-वाद-जल्प-वितण्डा-हेत्वाभास-छल-जाति-निग्रहस्थानानाम्) | genitive plural, neuter | of the means of knowing, the knowable, doubt, purpose, the familiar case, the established tenet, the members of a proof, hypothetical reasoning, decision, honest debate, wrangling, mere attack, the seeming reason, quibble, the futile rejoinder, and the point of defeat |
| tattvajñānāt (तत्त्वज्ञानात्) | ablative singular, neuter | from knowledge of the true nature |
| niḥśreyasa-adhigamaḥ (निःश्रेयस-अधिगमः) | nominative singular, masculine | attainment of the highest good |
The phrases
Count sixteen names in the long genitive. They are one dvandva. The ending ānām (आनाम्) belongs to the whole list, and the last member nigrahasthāna (निग्रहस्थान) decides the neuter.
pramāṇa (प्रमाण) is a means of knowing. prameya is what is to be known. saṃśaya (संशय) is doubt. prayojana is the purpose for which one acts. dṛṣṭānta (दृष्टान्त) is a case both sides already accept. siddhānta (सिद्धान्त) is a tenet taken as settled. avayava is a member of a stated proof. tarka is reasoning that tests a supposition. nirṇaya (निर्णय) is the decision that ends the doubt.
vāda (वाद) is debate aimed at the truth. jalpa is debate aimed at winning. vitaṇḍā (वितण्डा) is attack with no position of one's own. hetvābhāsa (हेत्वाभास) is a reason that only looks like a reason. chala is a quibble on words. jāti (जाति) is a rejoinder from mere likeness or unlikeness. nigrahasthāna (निग्रहस्थान) is a point at which the debater is defeated.
tattvajñānāt (तत्त्वज्ञानात्) is outside that compound. From knowing these sixteen as they are, one reaches niḥśreyasa (निःश्रेयस). adhigama is the reaching. The line names the sixteen. It does not yet define them.
Sanskrit in this line
The pāṭha (पाठ) file jams tattvajñānāt (तत्त्वज्ञानात्) onto nigrahasthānānām (निग्रहस्थानानाम्). Keep the genitive separate. In recitation, tattvajñānāt (तत्त्वज्ञानात्) meets ni and is heard as tattvajñānān (तत्त्वज्ञानान्), and the final m of ānām (आनाम्) is the anusvāra (अनुस्वार) before ta.
Say it back
Say the sixteen in order, then say that tattvajñāna (तत्त्वज्ञान) of them is the way to niḥśreyasa (निःश्रेयस).