A Hindu Critique of Buddhist Epistemology: Kumarila: On Perception

This is a translation of the chapter on perception of Kumarilabhatta's magnum opus, the Slokavarttika, one of the central texts of the Hindu response to the criticism of the logical-epistemological school of Buddhist thought. In an extensive commentary, the author explains the course of the argument from verse to verse and alludes to other theories of classical Indian philosophy and other technical matters. Notes to the translation and commentary go further into the historical and philosophical background of Kumarila's ideas. The book provides an introduction to the history and the development of Indian epistemology, a synopsis of Kumarila's work and an analysis of its argument.

This is a translation of the chapter on perception by Kumarilabhatta's magnum opus, the Slokavarttika, which is one of the central texts of the Hindu response to the criticism of the logical-epistemological school of Buddhist thought. It is crucial for understanding the debates between Hindus and Buddhists about metaphysical, epistemological and linguistic questions during the classical period.
In an extensive commentary, the author explains the course of the argument from verse to verse and alludes to other theories of classical Indian philosophy and numerous other technical matters. Notes to the translation and commentary go further into the historical and philosophical background of Kumarila's ideas.
The book provides an introduction to the history and the development of Indian epistemology, a synopsis of Kumarila's work and an analysis of its argument. It is a valuable contribution to the field of Indian philosophical studies.

John Taber is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of New Mexico, where he teaches courses in Asian thought and continental philosophy. His research has focussed on the history of Indian philosophy, especially logic, epistemology, and metaphysics during the classical period, 500-1200 C.E. He is also the author of Transformative Philosophy: a Study of Sankara, Fichte, and Heidegger.