‘Pramaanas’ or Proofs are tools used by our intellect. What are they?
Proofs in Hindi and Sanskrit are called ‘प्रमाण’. Through logic or in other words, through proofs, we are able to sort out a problem and reach at a conclusion. When knowledge of a thing passes on directly to our soul through our sense organs or ‘मन’, then that knowledge is said to be obtained through ‘प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण’, that is, direct cognition. Knowledge arising from ‘प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण’ or direct perception should be unchangeable, convincing or doubtless and should not arise through words. For example, if in the dark, a pillar is mistaken for a man but in the light, knowledge of man disappears and there remains in its place knowledge of a pillar, this shows that knowledge of the pillar was changeable. Further, knowledge arising from a word is a subject of ‘शब्द प्रमाण‘ or verbal proof, for example, word water refers to a thing, which quenches our thirst and the knowledge arising from the word water is subject matter of verbal testimony. Accordingly, it is outside the ambit of ‘प्रत्यक्ष प्रमाण‘. When we know a thing through inference, then the knowledge so obtained is said to be through the Proof called ‘अनुमान प्रमाण’ or inference. When we have a knowledge that two particular things happen together, then, knowing one of those things through direct perception, we can know the other thing by inference. It is must that for knowing through inference, we must have knowledge of a part through direct cognition. But speculation about a thing is not covered by this Proof. This proof is of three types. Firstly, we may infer effect from a reason. For example, knowledge about rain by seeing clouds, knowledge of existence of education by seeing a student et cetra. Secondly, we may infer reason from the effect. For example, knowledge of rain on seeing increase in water of a river, knowledge about existence of father on seeing his children, knowledge about the existence of the creator, that is, on seeing this organised world et cetra. Thirdly, we may infer a fact from a known law. For example, we know that the earth, the sun, the moon et cetra move by seeing changes in their position and by deducing from the law that nothing changes its place without movement. Although, we do not see movement in these bodies . Third proof is ‘उपमान प्रमाण‘ or comparison. When knowledge of a thing is obtained by comparing it with a well established fact of some other object. then it is said to be obtained through the proof of comparison. This proof is very commonly used in our daily life to know a thing. For example, the liveliness of God can be understood by comparing it with liveliness of souls. When to reach at a conclusion, we use the words of some body as proof, those words are called ‘शब्द प्रमाण’ or verbal testimony. According to the nature of the subject, we use the words of a particular person as proof. For example, for a child, words of his father on a subject are proofs for him and he uses these to prove a thing. Similarly, a person may use the words of a physicist as authority to prove a topic of physics. But, only the Vedaas come under the head authority as they are the words of God. The teachings of ‘aapt’ men are also verbal testimonies. ‘आप्त’ men are those, whose lives are in consonance with the Vedaas with regard to knowledge-beginning from the earth right up to God. The Fifth प्रमाण or proof is tradition or history. When we know a thing from a past event, then such knowledge is said to be obtained through ‘ऐतिह्य प्रमाण ‘. Biography of a person is called ‘ऐतिह्य’. Since, this proof relates to words about past, it can be included under the Proof-Authority or Verbal Testimony. The sixth प्रमाण or proof is Presumption. When our knowledge is based on corollary of another fact, then such knowledge is said to be obtained through ‘अर्थापत्ति प्रमाण‘. This Proof can be included in अनुमान प्रमाण. The seventh प्रमाण or proof is Probability. Only, that thing is probable which is in consonance with laws of nature. For example, birth of children without parents, being against the laws of nature is improbable. This Proof, too, can be included in अनुमान प्रमाण. The eighth प्रमाण or proof is Negation, that is, a thing cannot be present where it is non-existent. This Proof, too, can be included in अनुमान प्रमाण. These are eight प्रमाण or proofs. Fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth प्रमाण or proofs can be included in the first four and thereby we are left with mainly four ‘प्रमाण‘ or proofs viz direct perception, inference, comparison and verbal testimony.