The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
THE FOURTH PART is the _Prayójana_,[354] that is, “motive,” which they
explain thus: as when one by order goes to find something either good
or bad.
THE FIFTH PART is the _Drishtánta_;[355] that is, “comparison by way
of illustration;” so when they compare a mountain and a kitchen, that
is: the mountain contains fire, and so does the kitchen, and both
indicate it by the smoke which they emit.
THE SIXTH PART is the _Siddhanta_;[356] and this is knowing something
with certainty.
THE SEVENTH PART is _Avayava_,[357] “dividing a subject into minute
parts;” for instance, when they say: “he mountain contains fire on
account of smoke,” so is, in this question, the first part termed
_pratijnya_, or “proposition,” _the mountain contains fire_; the
second part, called _hètu_, or “cause, reason;” in this thesis is: _on
account of the smoke which it emits_.
THE EIGHTH PART is _Tarka_,[358] that is, “arguing:” so when they say:
“the mountain contains no fire,” it may be replied: “consequently it
also emits no smoke.”
THE NINTH PART is _Nirnéya_;[359] which is to find the truth
immediately.
THE TENTH is _Váda_,[360] or “discussion;” that is, to raise questions
about God and the saints.
THE ELEVENTH is _Jalpa_:[361] that is, “wrangling;” when one, in the
establishment of what is right, endeavors to conquer his adversary.
THE TWELTH PART is _Vitandá_;[362] which means that one pays no
attention to his own position, but combats that of other persons.
THE THIRTEENTH PART is _hètwàbhása_;[363] or “fallacious argument;” so
when one says: “sound is eternal;” because what may be seen by the eye
is like the sky, and just as the sky is perceived by sight, so is
sound the perception of the ear.
THE FOURTEENTH PART is _Ch’hala_,[364] “deceit;” this is when one
substitutes one meaning for another: so as the Persian word _náu
kambil_[365] means “a new cover,” or “nine covers,” it may give
occasion to equivocation.
THE FIFTEENTH PART is _Játi_[366] “futile argument;” and this may be
applied to a lying purpose: so when one says that “sound is eternal,”
because it is created, as is the sky; both are the works of a
divinity; and whereas the sky is eternal, sound is everlasting.
THE SIXTEENTH PART is _Nigraha_,[367] or “subjugation;” that is, when
one wishes to be a conqueror at the end of a dispute with another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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