Interrogating the Theory of Khyātivāda with Special Reference to Four Major Buddhist Schools: Some Observations

Abstract

In classical Indian Philosophy the concept of error is treated as an epistemological concept. The concept of error (khyāti-vāda) plays a significant role as a part of epistemology. Khyāti-vādas are mostly discussed through the illustrations derived from perceptual sources like mistaking a snake to be a rope, a shell to be silver etc. It is known from this that each of these theories of error centres its discussion over the nature and content of erroneous perception. In explaining the erroneous perception further the paper focused on the general aspects of the theory of errors namely anyathākhyāti, akhyātivāda, viparītakhyātivāda, anirvacanīyakhyātivāda, satkhyātivāda, atmākhyativāda and asatkhyātivāda. Further, the paper focuses on the nature of a judgement with reference to truth and error and how is that all judgments are by default erroneous. If this is the case how are we account for the distinction between a true and false judgment leads to khyāti-vādas discussed in classical Indian philosophy in general and the Buddhists in particular is the crux of this paper.