Trairūpya
Encyclopedia
Trairūpya is a conceptual tool of Buddhist logic
. The Trairūpya, ‘three conditions’, is oft accredited to Dignaga
(c 480-540 CE) though is now understood to have originated with his teacher Vasubandhu
(fl. 4th c.) in the Vāda-vidhi, post-reconstruction of this work by Frauwallner
(1957).
):
When a ‘sign’ or ‘mark’ (linga) is identified, there are three possibilities: the sign may be present in all, some, or none of the sapakṣas. Likewise, the sign may be present in all, some or none of the vipakṣas. To identify a sign, we have to assume that it is present in the pakṣa, however; that is the first condition is already satisfied. Combining these, Dignaga constructed his ‘Wheel of Reason’ (Sanskrit: Hetucakra
).
Buddhist logic
Buddhist Logic, the categorical nomenclature modern Western discourse has extended to Buddhadharma traditions of 'Hetuvidya' and 'Pramanavada' , which arose circa 500CE, is a particular development, application and lineage of continuity of 'Indian Logic', from which it seceded...
. The Trairūpya, ‘three conditions’, is oft accredited to Dignaga
Dignaga
Dignāga was an Indian scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian logic.He was born into a Brahmin family in Simhavakta near Kanchi Kanchipuram), and very little is known of his early years, except that he took as his spiritual preceptor Nagadatta of the Vatsiputriya school, before being...
(c 480-540 CE) though is now understood to have originated with his teacher Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu was an Indian Buddhist monk, and along with his half-brother Asanga, one of the main founders of the Indian Yogācāra school. However, some scholars consider Vasubandhu to be two distinct people. Vasubandhu is one of the most influential figures in the entire history of Buddhism...
(fl. 4th c.) in the Vāda-vidhi, post-reconstruction of this work by Frauwallner
Erich Frauwallner
Erich Frauwallner was an Austrian professor, a pioneer in the field of Buddhist studies.-Career and life:...
(1957).
Trairūpya
Trairūpya is a logical argument that contains three constituents which a logical ‘sign’ or ‘mark’ (linga) must fulfill to be 'valid source of knowledge' (pramanaPramana
Pramana is an epistemological term in Hindu and Buddhist dialectic, debate and discourse.Pramāṇavāda and Hetuvidya can be glossed in English as Indian and Buddhist Epistemology and Logic, respectively.-In Hinduism:...
):
- It should be present in the case or object under consideration, the ‘subject-locus' (pakṣa)
- It should be present in a ‘similar case’ or a homologue (sapakṣa)
- It should not be present in any ‘dissimilar case’ or heterologue (vipakṣa)
When a ‘sign’ or ‘mark’ (linga) is identified, there are three possibilities: the sign may be present in all, some, or none of the sapakṣas. Likewise, the sign may be present in all, some or none of the vipakṣas. To identify a sign, we have to assume that it is present in the pakṣa, however; that is the first condition is already satisfied. Combining these, Dignaga constructed his ‘Wheel of Reason’ (Sanskrit: Hetucakra
Hetucakra
Hetucakra is a Sanskrit text on logic written by Dignaga . It concerns the application of his 'three modes’ in a valid inference within the Indian logico-epistemic tradition, sometimes referred to as Buddhist logic....
).