Tutorial on Tantrayukti – Indic Approach to Scientific Discourse and Thesis-writing

https://youtu.be/0zy-EshH4Dk

Being conducted on: 29-30 June 2019 (Sat-Sun)

Being conducted at: Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Nagpur, Maharashtra

MIT SVS Course ID: VSF102 – Tantrayukti – Indic Method of Thesis Construction

Course Designer and Instructor:

Dr. Jayaraman Mahadevan, Director, Krishnamachari Yoga Mandiram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Bharatam

Workshop Organisers:

Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Nagpur, Maharashtra
School of Vedic Sciences, MIT ADT University, Loni Kalbhor, Pune, Maharashtra
Indic Academy Inter-Gurukula-University Centre for Indic Knowledge Studies (IGUC-IKS), Hyderabad, Telangana

Course Syllabus: See below

Last Date to Enroll: 22^nd June 2019

Introduction

Ancient India’s scientific / shaastric tradition is so insistent on coherent and concise expression of thought that it has even codified and classified the various exposition conventions employed in any discourse. These conventions are called Tantrayuktis. While they are used in numerous Indic texts, some have explicitly identified and enlisted them to help readers. Understanding Tantrayuktis and identifying their usage is crucial for correctly interpreting seminal Indic scientific treatises such as Ayurvedic texts and Artha shaastra. About 35-40 yuktis have been identified as most handy. Examples include “enumeration of a taxonomy, term definition, forward / backward reference, extrapolation, etc.).

The word Tantrayukti has multiple meanings. One of them is the “logic / rationale (yukti) that binds a discourse (tantra or shaastra) or its elements together or makes it coherent. Through this workshop, we’d like to revive this glorious tradition for authentic study of Indic knowledge as well as contemporary applications.

Objectives:

To learn and practice India’s systematic approach to scientific discourse and thesis-writing through Tantrayukti, in terms of its content, structure and the language
To learn the attributes of a sound thesis as well as the common defects in thesis construction

Expected Outcomes:

Understanding the Indian systematic approach to organize thoughts and writing in any subject
Understanding the significant elements in any systematic exposition of knowledge content
Understanding the structure of any text – ancient or contemporary
Reviewing a content on account of its readability – ancient or contemporary
Enriching readability in one’s own knowledge content writing
Applying India’s traditional mode of robust thinking in current context

Beneficiaries:

Research scholars
Authors, bloggers, journalists, academicians and other writers working with non-fictional content
Professionals such as engineers, theoreticians, statisticians, psychologists, lawyers, judges and corporate reporters

Course Delivery Plan:

One face-to-face workshop over 2 full days (15 hours total), including theory and applying Indic thesis construction tools to critically analyzing modern articles, blogs, discourses etc. Participation Certificate is issued.
Optional Course certification (15 additional hours):
- Quizzes, assignments and practice home work over two following weekends (total of 15 hours). They will be administered online using an LMS platform.
- Final certification exam: open-book, online exam.
- Incurs an additional fee of Rs. 1000 for non-students and Rs. 200 for students

At a University level this counts as a 2-credit course with 15 hours of teaching and 15 hours of training and evaluation.

Workshop Fees

Non-student Rates

Local (with lunch): Rs. 3100
Outstation (hostel (non-AC) + food): Rs. 3800
Outstation (twin-shared resort room + food): Rs. 5000
Outstation (single resort room + food): Rs. 6500

Student Rates (need valid student ID): Rs. 2100 off

Local students (lunch only): Rs. 1000
Outstation students (hostel acco.): Rs. 1700

Student Scholarships

Scholarships are likely to be provided for attending the workshop as reimbursements to students on submission of their current student identification via e-mail to info.mitsvs@gmail.com. This will be based on the extent of sponsorship procurable by the organizers by the time of the workshop and will be available for those student participants who are local attendees or those choosing hostel accommodation only. (Not available on choice of resort accommodation.)

How to Enroll

For Payment of fees and Registration click the button below or use the link: https://rzp.io/l/tantrayukti-2019

Pay and Enroll Now

Detailed Syllabus

Unit – 1: Introduction to Textual wealth and the need to Organize Knowledge in Sanskrit Tradition

Intellectual climate for knowledge creation – The Upaniṣads

Knowledge Explosion – A Bird’s-eye View on the Textual Wealth of Ancient India

The Vedic Literature
Fourteen Vidyāsthānas
Six Vedaṅgas
Darśanas – Six orthodox and three heterodox
Itihāsas – Two Epics
Purāṇas – 18 Mahāpurāṇas
Poetry – Literature
Technical-scientific literature

Organizing knowledge for preservation of knowledge

Major Varieties of Texts of Sanskrit Traditions and their definitions

Sūtra – An aphoristic treatise
Bhāṣya – A commentary
Vārttika – A text of revisions and rejoinder
Kārikā – A versified technical treatise
Vyākhyā – A gloss

Scattered Hints for construction of various components of Texts/thesis

Thoughts as seeds and their varieties – Vṛttis and their definitions
Definition of Question – Praśna-lakṣaṇam
Definition of Answer – Uttara-lakṣaṇam
Definition of a segment – Adhikaraṇa-lakṣaṇam
Creating a Hypothesis and systematically addressing it – Pañca-avayava-vākyam
Conveying a single theme throughout a text – Tātparyanirṇāyaka-liṅgas
Defining the scope of a Work – Avoiding Avyāpti and the other two Doṣas

Unit – 2: Tantrayukti – Comprehensive Text Construction Manual – Introduction, History and Components

Definitions and derivations of Tantrayukti
Component of Tantrayukti
- Tantrayukti/ Tantrasampat
- Tantraguṇa
- Tantradoṣa
History of Utilization
- In Sanskrit Literature – 1500 years
  - Texts of philosophy
  - Text of Polity
  - Ayurvedic Texts
  - Purāṇic text
  - Tantraśāstra Texts
  - Works on Tantrayukti
- In Tamil Literature – 1900 years
Functions of Tantrayukti as has been discussed in the texts
- Discover and Understand concepts/texts
- To connect sentences and meanings
- A set of methods that can be generalized across disciplines
- Customizable

Unit – 3: Tantrayukti – the tools with definitions based on Arthaśāstra and illustrations from texts of diverse disciplines

The number of Devices – 32/36
The Yuktis/Devices of Thesis Construction with Definition and Illustration
- For Content creation – 11 yuktis
  - 1 संशयः (जिज्ञासा/विचिकित्सा) – Doubts (the research question/problem)
  - 2-3 अनुमतम्, अपदेशः – Acceptance of other’s views /quoting other’s views (literary survey)
  - 4 हेत्वर्थः – (root)Cause/core area/crux
  - 5-10 उपदेशः, एकान्तः/नियोगः, अपवर्गः/ विकल्प/समुच्चयौ – Cause/ suggestion/ Mandatory prescription/ Phenomenon without exceptions/ Generalizations with exceptions/optional rules/combination of factors (based on observation and experiment)
  - 11 ऊह्यम् – Generalizations! Limits!
- To structure the text/thesis – 12 Yuktis
  - 1-2 अधिकरण-विधाने – Subject matter and Contents
  - 3-4 उद्देश-निर्देशौ – Listing and Elaborating
  - 5-6 पूर्वपक्ष-उत्तरपक्षौ – Arranging arguments against and for topic under discussion
  - 7-8 अतिक्रान्त-अनागतावेक्षणे – Yuktis to help as to where to elaborate upon a specific topic – earlier or later
  - 9-10 अतिदेश-प्रदेशौ – Devices for optimum utilization of arguments
  - 11 प्रसङ्ग – Pointing out commonness of certain factors for the current topic with earlier or later topic
  - 12 विपर्यय: – Stating a rule for a specific purpose and reversing the same rule to achieve it inverse
- To refine Language – 9 Yuktis
  - 1- 6 पदार्थः, योगः, व्याख्या, निर्वचनम्, उपमानम्, निदर्शनम् – Devices to Clarify/Explain
  - 7, 8 वाक्यशेषः, अर्थापत्तिः – Imply/refine
  - 9 स्वसंज्ञा – Invent
- Tantraguṇas and Tantradoṣas – A few Illustrations

Scope of further work: In consolidating the Tantrayukti as a Trans-discipline, Trans-lingual methodology of construction and interpretation of Texts of past and contemporary times

Suggested activities

One Participant One Yukti– Choose any one device and present your thoughts
Group Discussion: In three Groups – whether the sets of Yuktis on structure, content and Language of a thesis/text are adequate.

Practicals

Identifying Tantrayuktis in traditional texts or contemporary books and research papers.
Attempting a short Monograph incorporating as many appropriate yuktis possible – on the topic of the participants’ choice.

Course Evaluation Methodology

Surprise quiz – 15%, Class Participation – 5%, Assignment – 30%, Practical – 50%

References

Vidyabhushana, Dr. Satis Chandra (1921), A History of Indian Logic, Motilal Banarsidas, Calcutta
Lele, W.K, (2006), Methodology of Ancient Indian Sciences, Chaukhamba Surabharati Prakashan, Varanasi.
Muthuswamy, N.E., (1974), Tantrayuktivicāra, Publication Division, Government Ayurveda College, Trivandrum.
Online Resource: https://dharmawiki.org/index.php/Tantrayukti

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