Pramanavada

Pramanavada is a philosophical doctrine that centers on the concept of pramana, the means or instruments by which valid knowledge (jñāna) is obtained. The term is used primarily within Indian philosophical systems, especially in Jainism and certain schools of Hinduism such as Nyāya, where it delineates the epistemological framework that determines what can be regarded as true knowledge, belief, or inference.

In Jain epistemology, pramanavada is one of the three basic means of acquiring knowledge, along with lipi (scriptural testimony) and anubhūta (personal experience). The doctrine outlines five pramanas: pratyaksha (direct perception), anumana (logical inference), upamāna (analogy or comparison), arthapatti (postulation or reasoning), and anupalabdhi (non-observation or negative inference). Each pramana is evaluated for its reliability and scope, forming a hierarchical structure that guides the Jain srestāvār (scholar) in distinguishing between veridical cognition (satadvijñāna) and non-knowledge. Pramanavada also establishes the criterion of ahimsa (non-violence) in the process of knowledge acquisition, insisting that the pursuit of knowledge should not harm sentient beings.

In the Nyāya tradition, pramanavada is the epistemological system that defines the nature of perception, inference, comparison, testimony, and non-cognition. It provides a detailed analysis of the conditions for a pramana to be considered valid or fallible. While Nyāya pramanas are similar in name to their Jain counterparts, they differ in application; for example, Nyāya gives a strong analytical emphasis on inference (anumana) and denies certain Jain forms of postulation.

Across these traditions, pramanavada functions as a foundational analytic tool that shapes doctrine, informs logical reasoning, and regulates the methods by which philosophical and scientific assertions are justified. The doctrine remains a subject of scholarly debate, especially in comparative studies of Indian epistemology, where it is analyzed alongside Pāṇinian and Buddhist theories of knowledge.