The 'other' Pramana

There are three accepted pramanas (other than the perception, inference, verbal testimony etc), 1. Shruti (Vedas), 2. Smrti (recollections) and 3. Yukti and 4. Anubhava (experience).

1.       Shruti – is the ultimate pramana, ehrn compared to all the other pramanas.

2.       Smrti – is the second most important pramana, in the absence of an equivalent shruti. If the shruti and the smrti statements contradict, then the shruti is accepted to be the pramana. The smrti statements supported by the shruti and the statements which are non-contradictory is pramana.

3.       Yukti – normally translated as logic. With reference to the shruti and smrti it also is expressed as nyaya. Here it does not only mean the normal logic, of worldly and logic school, but it means the conclusions of the topics in the Brahma Suta.

4.       Anubhava – the experience with reference to the shruti is the pramana, and not an independent experience. We have the expereice of pot etc objects of the world, they are not paramarthika (ultimate reality), as they make us believe, but vyahavarika (transactional reality) as accepted by the shruti. Therefore the statement “anubhava avasana hi brahmavidya” (brahmavidya (knowledge of the Self) is complete only with the experience of the Self).