lak.sa.na-suutra

[Agathe Keller]

In Bhaaskara's bha.sya to the Aaryabha.tiiya, commented suutras are
sometimes refered to as ``lak.sa.na suutra" (characterisation rules) to
which illustrations (udde'sana) are opposed.

I have been told, and it does appear clearly from Bhaaskara's bha.sya that
characterisation rules, by their generality bestow a knowledge that
requires some kind of elaboration: they are understood from all the
different cases in which they are applied. Illustrations on the other hand,
give directly to see what a rule is about, and therefore bestow a direct
knowledge (pratyak.sa).

I was wondering if this idea is usually found in commentaries, if it was
typical of some philosophical theory of knowledge, and if any second hand
litterature would be available on this topic.

thanks

Agathe

Agathe Keller
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