Lesson plan
Abara
(also ) is a commentator on Jaimini's Purva Mimamsa Sutras, the Śābara-bhāṣyam, in turn commented upon by Kumarila Bhatta. He dates to the early centuries CE, later than Patanjali's Mahabhashya, and earlier than Vatsyayana. In his commentary on the Mimamsa Sutra, Śabara writes that perception, inference, supposition, or comparison cannot be a means of knowing dharma. He writes that the rest of the means of knowing depend on perception. Since perception cannot be used to understand dharma, neither can the other means of knowing. Based on this reasoning, Śabara posits that testimony, specifically the Veda, are the only way to know dharma.
Article summary
(also ) is a commentator on Jaimini's Purva Mimamsa Sutras, the Śābara-bhāṣyam, in turn commented upon by Kumarila Bhatta. He dates to the early centuries CE, later than Patanjali's Mahabhashya, and earlier than Vatsyayana. In his commentary on the Mimamsa Sutra, Śabara writes that perception, inference, supposition, or comparison cannot be a means of knowing dharma. He writes that the rest of the means of knowing depend on perception. Since perception cannot be used to understand dharma, neither can the other means of knowing. Based on this reasoning, Śabara posits that testimony, specifically the Veda, are the only way to know dharma.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.