Perception and Perceptual Error in Nyāya and Advaita Vedānta: A Comparative Review
Snehal Vinayak Mane, Rina Puradkar
International Journal of Novel Research and Development July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.56975/ijnrd.v11i7.326813 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness Ignorance Perceptual system Realism Object grammar Cognitive psychology Contrast vision Categorical perception Quality philosophy Epistemology Qualia Visual perception Social perception Cognitive science |
| Key points | Argues that Nyāya explains perception through sense-object contact producing knowledge in the self, while Advaita Vedānta holds that perception manifests self-luminous consciousness through a mental modification, disclosing rather than producing knowledge. |
Abstract
This paper investigates the concept of perception (Pratyakṣa) and perceptual error in Nyāya and Advaita Vedānta. Though both the systems recognise perception as primary means of valid knowledge they vary conceptually in understanding the nature of object, self and consciousness, and the kind of knowledge perception reveals. Nyāya’s realism explains perception in terms of sannikarṣa: sense-object contact and resultant knowledge is the quality produced in self. By contrast Advaita Vedānta explains perception is the manifestation of self-luminous consciousness through the vritti, that removes veil of ignorance and knowledge of the object is disclosed not produced. The paper analyses the concept of perception in Nyāya in terms of sense-object contact (sannikarṣa), and for Advaita through Anthakaran vritti, consciousness and self-luminosity. It also undertakes a comparative study of how perceptual knowledge is shaped by Nyāya’s realism and Advaita’s non-dualism and the concept of perceptual error in both the systems, to expound the epistemic depth.