On Verbal Cognition. Śāntarakṣita’s and Kamalaśīla’s Treatment of Vivakṣā.

Jinendrabuddhi, Santaraksita and Kamalasila are those who, while putting the ‘intention of the speaker’ ( vivaksa ) at the core of their analysis of verbal communication, opt for a formal and technical treatment of the topic. In order to prove through coherent arguments that sabdajnana is inference and therefore to support Dignaga’s reduction of the valid means of correct knowledge, they all identify vivaksa with the property-possessor ( dharmin ) or probandum ( sadhya ), and sabda (‘word’) with the logical mark ( linga ) or probans ( sadhana ). They do so to counteract the criticisms of the opponents (Kumarila first of all). Nevertheless, while Jinendrabuddhi, following Dharmakirti, recognizes the sheer pragmatic value of verbal cognition, Santaraksita and Kamalasila seem to follow Dignaga more closely and also recognize its epistemic value. The purpose of this article is precisely to describe the essential points of the arguments of Santaraksita and Kamalasila, and show their most original aspects.

Studio sul tema dell'intenzionalita' nel linguaggio nell'ambito della logica buddhista