Tarka-Sangraha

Tarka-Sangraha (IAST: Tarka-saṅgraha) is a treatise in Sanskrit giving a foundational exposition of the Indian system of logic and reasoning. The work is authored by Annambhatta and the author himself has given a detailed commentary, called Tarka-Sangraha Deepika, for the text.^[1][2] Annambhatta composed the text as well as the commentary in the second half of 17th century CE.^[3] The text of Tarka-sangraha is a small book with about 15 pages only^[4] and it was composed to help boys and girls learn easily the basic principles of Nyaya. Of all the works of Annambhatta, only Tarka-Sangraha and its commentary attained wide acceptance. They have been used as basic text for beginners for several generations.

In Indian philosophical writings, the traditional structure of presenting a system consisted of three things: uddesa (listing of items to be discussed), laksana (defining each item in the list) and pariksa (critically examining whether the definitions apply properly to the items defined). The Tarka-Sangraha follows this model except for the third item of pariksa. The text presents the ontology, logic and epistemology of the Nyaya-Vaiseshika system.^[5]

Title

Tarka-Sangraha is a compound of the words "tarka" and "saṃgraha."^[6] Saṃgraha means collection or compilation.^[7] Tarka has various meanings, but Annambhatta defines it in his commentary, Tarka-Samgraha-Dipika, as all the categories accepted in Vaiśeṣika philosophy.

Content

Annambhatta begins the Tarka-Sangraha with a verse in prayer to Shiva and salutations to his guru.^[7]

Annambhatta, author of Tarka-Sangraha

Practically only very little is known about Annambhatta the author of Tarka-Sangraha. From the scanty references to other works and writers contained in his works, it has been estimated that Annambhatta must be a comparatively modern author and he must have flourished during the seventeenth century CE. His father was Tirumala Ācārya from Advaitavidyācārya Rāghava Somyāji's family.^[8] Tirumala was Tailanga Brahmin of North Arcot District of erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh who had settled down in Benares.^[5] He was a Rigvedi Smarta Brahmana well versed in Vedanta philosophy.

Annambhatta's native village was Garikapāḍu.^[6] Annambhatta was a learned man in several areas of traditional scholarship, namely, Nyaya, Vyakarana, Vedanta and Purva-Mimamsa. He studied grammar with Śeṣa Vīreśvara while in Varanasi.^[8] He learned about Advaita Vedanta from Brahmendra Sārasvatī and Mimamsa from Viśvanātha.^[9]

Though not as well known as Tarka-Sangraha, many of Annambhatta's works on other disciplines have survived. Besides, Tarka-Sangraha and its Commentary Dipika, the following works have been attributed to Annambhatta:^[10]

• Mitakshara (on the Brahma Sūtras)^[8]
• Tattva-Bodhini-Tika
• Nyaya-Parisishta-Prakasa
• Subodhini-Sudhasara
• Katyayana-Pratisakhya-Vyakhyana
• Mahabhashya-Vivarnodyatana
• Tattvacinthamnyaloka-Siddhanjana
• Brahmasutra-Vritti

Annambhata only mentions his name in the colophon of the Tarka-Sangraha.^[6]

Sanskrit	English
kaṇādanyāyamatayorvālavyutpatti siddhaye | annaṃbhaṭṭena viduṣā racitastarkasaṃgrahaḥ ||The learned scholar, Annambhaṭṭa, has composed this text called Tarkasangraha in order to facilitate the understanding of the learners about the doctrines of Kaṇāda i.e. Vaiśeṣika and Nyāya.[11]

Commentaries on Tarka-Sangraha

Because of its wide popularity, several scholars have written commentaries on Tarks-Sangraha. Annambhatta, the author of the treatise, himself has written a commentary named Tarka-Samgraha-Dipika. Researchers have located as many as 90 different commentaries on Tarka-Sangraha including the one by Annambhatta.^[5]

Notes

• For a detailed discussion on the date of Annambhatta, author of Tarka-Sangraha, see Tarka Sangraha of Annambhatta (Bombay Sanskrit Series).^[10]
• The text of Tarka-Sangraha without any commentary has been reproduced in the Devanagari script itself in the website of Sanskrit Documents.org.^[12]