The Concept of Mind in Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Philosophy and Its Relevance to Modern Cognitive Science
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) July 15, 2026 Babita Sarkar
Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika philosophy posits the mind (manas) as a subtle, independent substance that mediates between the self, sense organs, and external objects, rather than identifying consciousness with bodily processes. Consciousness arises only when self, mind, sense organs, and objects are appropriately linked. The system distinguishes mind from self and treats mind as an internal organ necessary for cognition, perception, memory, desire, pleasure, pain, and other mental states. The paper examines the ontological status of mind, its role as an internal sense organ, and its function in knowledge acquisition, including the Naiyāyikas' theory of attention, perception, and cognition. It integrates these insights with current psychology, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind, arguing that observations about attention, inner perception, and the mediation of experience remain relevant to contemporary debates.