Pratijña

Pratijña is a technical term in Indian logic referring to the proposition or assertion that a reasoned inference is intended to establish. It is the first component of the classical five-part syllogism used in Nyāya and related traditions, which proceeds as pratijñā, hetu, dṛṣṭānta, upanaya, nigamana.

The term is Sanskrit and is typically translated as “proposition” or “assertion” to be proven in an inference. In the five-member syllogism, pratijñā states the claim about the subject that the inference aims to confirm, serving as the foundation for the subsequent reasoning.

Example: Pratijñā: There is fire on the hill. Hetu: Because there is smoke. Dṛṣṭānta: Wherever there is smoke, there is fire, as in a kitchen. Upanaya: This hill has smoke. Nigamana: Therefore there is fire on the hill. This structure makes explicit the claim to be established and how the subsequent parts of the syllogism justify it.

History and usage: The concept originates in early Nyāya logic and was developed further by later Indian logicians, including Buddhist and Hindu authors. The pratijñā component functions to crystallize the subject and predicate relationship that the inference will support, clarifying the aim of the argument within the dialectical method.

Significance: Pratijña remains foundational in studies of Indian epistemology and logic, illustrating the explicit claim that an inference is designed to establish and highlighting the methodological steps by which knowledge is justified in classical Indian philosophy.