A farmer sees the river water level rising rapidly and concludes that it must…
2023
A farmer sees the river water level rising rapidly and concludes that it must have rained heavily in the hills. Which instrument of knowledge is used in this example?
Answer: B. Inference (Anumana) — ConceptA pramāṇa is a means by which valid knowledge is obtained. Perception gives direct knowledge of what the senses encounter, whereas inference reaches an…
- A.
Perception (Pratyaksa)
- B.
Inference (Anumana)
- C.
Comparison (Upamana)
- D.
Extra-ordinary perception (alaukika Pratyaksa)
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
A pramāṇa is a means by which valid knowledge is obtained. Perception gives direct knowledge of what the senses encounter, whereas inference reaches an unobserved fact from an observed sign through a known relation.
In Nyāya reasoning, observing an effect and inferring its unseen cause is a form of anumāna; more specifically, it follows the śeṣavat pattern.
Application
The farmer directly perceives the rapid rise in the river level, but he does not directly perceive the rain in the hills. He treats the rising water as an effect and reasons to its unobserved cause, heavy rain upstream.
Contrast
Perception (Pratyaksa) accounts for the directly observed rise in water level, not the conclusion about unseen rainfall.
Comparison (Upamana) identifies an unfamiliar object through similarity with a familiar exemplar; no such comparison occurs here.
Extra-ordinary perception (alaukika Pratyaksa) concerns non-ordinary modes of sensory cognition; this conclusion instead follows an ordinary cause–effect relation.
Therefore, the instrument of knowledge used to reach the conclusion is inference (Anumāna).