Laukika-nyāya-kośa /6

(vii)
 

 
combined in one volume (the book is published by Niranjanā

publishers and Book sellers, New Delhi, 1983). These Nyāyas

are chosen from various fields including the S'aāstric works.

They encompass different types of beliefs, principles or articles

of faith, minor experiences, canons, deeds, crescendos,

catechisms etc. They underline some popular legends prevalent

in folklores which are surrounded with classical aura. As

they are prudent in nature, they enrich the literature and give

it a didactic tinge.
 

 
The Nyaāya gives some suggested sense. Thus it might

have been clear that a variety of experiences constitute the

main story of the Nyaāya or the maxim. In course of time, the

experiences were crystalized in ever growing manner in the

conversations, in different regions, different action-reaction

plans. The efflorescence of human mind with all its glories

and dark sides have shaped various maxims. Any maxim
presupposes three stages
presupposes three stages--(i) the experience, (ii) couching

the experience briefly in words and then (iii) casting searching

light on human behaviour. The maxims, however, become

impersonal. As such, they attain an abiding place in the

human communications and in the folk literature too and

then to the classical literature.
 

 
The next problem is the classification of the maxims

under probable heads. Some broad method of classification

is suggested by the author of the oldest anthology of the

Nyaāyas-Bhuvanesśalaukikanyāya sāhasrī.
 

 
ये चात्र लौकिकन्यायाः प्रोक्तास्तेषामुदाहृतिः ।

वेदान्तशास्त्रगा काचित् कचिच्च <flag>शब्दशास्त्रगंगा </flag><note>Is this -गा or -गां? I assumed it was a printing error, but seeing मां in the next line and स्फुटं in the penultimate line, I am uncertain.</note>॥६॥

काचिभ्यायानुगा काचिन्मीमांसा शास्त्र गा तथा ।

लौकिकोक्तिर्यथा तद्वत् प्रायः प्रोक्ताऽपरापिवा॥७॥

अर्थमात्रं क्वचित्तेषामर्धे स्पष्टे स्फुटं स्मृतम्।

प्रायः सङ्क्षेपतः प्रोक्तं विस्तरादपि च क्वचित्॥८॥