“Nyāya as Cognitive Architecture: A Four-Phase Model of Valid Knowledge”, Indica Today, November 06, 2025

“Reclaiming a Lost Epistemology

Nyāya, one of the six classical darśanas of Indian philosophy, stands as a rigorous science of reasoning and cognition. Its goal is to attain valid knowledge, or pramā. This goal is achieved through disciplined inquiry, clear perception, and precise reasoning. Nyāya articulates a comprehensive cognitive architecture that anticipates—and in many respects surpasses—key principles of modern epistemology. These aspects include structured inference, dialogical examination, and error classification. It offers a systematic method for acquiring true knowledge, correcting errors, and deepening understanding through the integrated use of reason, perception, and ethical intent.

This tradition was transmitted through a deeply embedded oral pedagogy. The guru-śiṣya paramparā formed the backbone of Indian intellectual culture, where knowledge was passed through dialogical engagement, memorisation, and lived instruction. Central to this transmission was the sūtra-paddhati—a method of encoding vast philosophical insight into terse aphorisms. Each sūtra functioned like the tip of an iceberg: a compact verbal form concealing a vast substratum of interpretive depth, experiential practice, and societal application. The sūtra holds its meaning in condensed depth, revealed gradually through the teacher’s elucidation, the student’s inquiry, and the contextual reflection that brings it to life.

This ecosystem of knowledge endured for millennia, shaping generations of thinkers, practitioners, and communities. The decline of the Vijayanagara Empire, followed by the rise of colonial education—especially Macaulay’s utilitarian model—disrupted this continuity. What had been a living science of cognition gradually became marginalised, surviving only in textual fragments and academic footnotes……”

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