Changes

== Etymology ==

== Etymology ==

The word [[Perception]] has come to be used to explain the Samskrit term Pratyaksha. The word Pratyaksha consists of the prefix 'प्र - pra' and the noun 'अक्ष - aksha' used in the meaning प्रतिगतमक्षि इन्द्रियं यत्र । that which goes along with the eye-sense organ, as in Shabdhakalpadhruma, it means इन्द्रियग्राह्यम् । According to Amarakosha it means ऐन्द्रियकम् । इत्यमरः । related to sense organs.<ref>Shrimad Amarsingha (Reprint 2016) Amarkosha Tritiya Kanda, Vishesyanigna varga (3.1.78) Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan (Page 507)</ref>  

The word [[Perception]] has come to be used to explain the Samskrit term Pratyaksha. The word Pratyaksha consists of the prefix 'प्र - pra' and the noun 'अक्ष - aksha' used in the meaning प्रतिगतमक्षि इन्द्रियं यत्र । that which goes along with the eye-sense organ, as in Shabdhakalpadhruma, it means इन्द्रियग्राह्यम् । According to Amarakosha it means ऐन्द्रियकम् । इत्यमरः । that which is related to sense organs.<ref>Shrimad Amarsingha (Reprint 2016) Amarkosha Tritiya Kanda, Vishesyanigna varga (3.1.78) Varanasi: Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan (Page 507)</ref>  

Pratyaksa is defined by Monier Williams<ref>Williams, M. (1872). A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Oxford, London: The Clarendon Press (Page 611)</ref> as ’present before the eyes,’ hence ‘visible,’ ‘perceptible," ‘direct perception,' ‘apprehension by the senses.’ Pramana as ‘mode of proof.’ V.S. Apte, in not dissimilar manner, renders pratyaksa as ‘cognizable by an organ of sense', “apprehension by the sense,’’ “considered as a pramana or mode of proof.”

The terms defining perception and pratyaksha pramana differ while characterizing the Advaitic concept. The terms ‘perceptible’, ‘direct perception’, and ‘mode of proof' are strictly the only ones that apply to its definition of perception (pratyaksa), the rest are in need of qualification as they apply to one aspect of perception only. More precisely, the terms ‘given to senses', ‘cognized by any organ of sense’, ‘present before the eye’, ‘visible’ are inadequate depictions of, and grossly limit the scope of pratyaksa in Advaita.<ref>Billimoria, Purusottama. ''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270239580_Perception_Pratyaksa_in_Advaita_Vedanta Perception (Pratyaksha) in Advaita Vedanta.]'' Philosophy East and West, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan., 1980), pp. 35-44</ref>

The terms of the definitions are, in part, right and, in part, wrong, and could be quite misleading in characterizing the Advaitic conception of perception. The terms ‘perceptible’, ‘direct perception’, and ‘mode of proof' are strictly the only ones that apply to its definition of perception (pratyaksa), the rest are in need of qualification as they apply to one aspect of perception only. More precisely, the terms ‘given to senses', ‘cognized by any organ of sense’, ‘present before the eye’, ‘visible’ are inadequate depictions of, and grossly limit the scope of pratyaksa in Advaita.

In Charaka Samhita we find the definition of Pratyaksha Pramana as follows

 

आतमेन्द्रियमानोर्थानां सन्निकर्षात्प्रवर्तते । व्यक्ता तदात्वे या बुद्धिः प्रत्यक्षं सा नीरूच्यते । (Char. Samh.  

== References ==

== References ==

[[Category:Darshanas]]

[[Category:Darshanas]]