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能立法不成

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: undemonstrated middle

Senses:

  • In Buddhist logic 因明, one of the five fallacies that occurs due to an error in positive exemplification 似同喩過, which is one of the two divisions of the ten fallacies of exemplification 喩十過 (Skt. sādhana-dharma-asiddha, sādhana-dharmâsiddha). Failure in demonstrating the property expressed by the middle term. E.g., a Śābdika against a Vaiśeṣika: "Sound is permanent because it is incorporeal. Whatever is incorporeal is permanent, like atoms." Neither party accepted that atoms are incorporeal. Sound is permanent because it is non-obstructive 無質礙 (amūrtatva). Whatever is non-obstructive is permanent, like the atom 極微 (paramāṇu). The example adduced by the Śābdika 聲論師—the atom —fails to demonstrate the target property of the reason 因 — namely, incorporeality. Both parties to the debate agree that atoms are permanent, but neither accepts that they are non-obstructive. In fact, according to the doctrines of both parties to the debate, atoms are understood to be obstructive by nature. Hence, the property of the major premise 能立法 (sadhana) remains unproved 不成 (asiddha) For Skt. passage from Nyāyapraveśa, see edition of Dhruva (1930, 6). Also see Haribhadrasūriʼs commentary (Dhruva 1930, 31-2).

    References:

    Dhruva, Anandshankar Bapubhai, ed. 1987. Nyāyapraveśa of Dinnāga: With Commentaries of Haribhadra Suri and Parsavadeva. Delhi, India:  Sri Satguru.

    〔明入正理論疏T 1840.44.133c23〕 〔入正理論 T 1630.32.12b1〕 1088a →ごごひゃくさい [Charles Muller, Billy Brewster; source(s): Nakamura, Hirakawa, BFL]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Bukkyōgo daijiten (Nakamura) 1088a

    Ding Fubao {Digital Version}

    Buddhist Chinese-Sanskrit Dictionary (Hirakawa) 0967

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)4170b

    Bukkyō daijiten (Oda) 633-1-3*1384-3

    Copyright provisions

    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 2007-02-27

    Updated: 2021-08-16