Logic is the core element in the quest for truth. It is the means to grasp the facts of life. It is the essential means to separate truth from untruth, fact from fiction, illusion from reality, and the grain from the chaff. It is the prime principle embedded in human thought and action, according to which every phenomenon has an underlying reason or cause and nothing happens by chance. This principle also embodies the understanding that action and reaction are equal and opposite in both the mundane and the spiritual worlds.
There is little wonder that logic has been extolled as an important element in philosophy and spiritual discourse. The Indian school of philosophy is marked by six schools of thought, collectively called Darshan Shastras. One of these is Nyaya Darshan, whose primary text was authored by Maharishi Gautam almost 2,600 years ago. This philosophical scripture helps humans understand the truth of things because without comprehension of truth human endeavours cannot be successful, human fulfilment is not possible, and human salvation is unthinkable.
Our rishis were persons of deep knowledge and understanding, as they derived such understanding through yogic practice, which enables humans to dive deep into the realm of spirituality, where the human soul exists along with the super soul, Ishwar. Besides being perfect practitioners of yoga, our sages were erudite scholars of the divinely revealed Vedic texts, which have eternally enlightened humankind.
Logic happens to be the most important element in the process of evidence establishment and arriving at the truth. Even in modern philosophical architecture, logic operates through several modes of reasoning—deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, abductive reasoning and fallacy recognition.
The text Nyaya Darshan expounds on the definition and description of logic, which in Sanskrit is called tarka. Describing logic as the cornerstone of the process of knowledge acquisition and enlightenment of humans, this text goes on to provide the various means through which concrete and credible evidence of things is established.
Logic has been treated by ancient scholars as a rishi—a source of wisdom. It is the instrument for dispelling the dark clouds of illusion
Right knowledge is essential for the successful culmination of human efforts in any field of endeavour. If you are removed from reality or even in a state of half-knowledge, you are bound to fail. If you go by rumours and hearsay, you have scripted your decline. Taking the significance of truth further, it is described as equivalent to divine dharma—the principles underlying cosmic order.
Hence, truth is the core liberator of the human soul. Conversely, untruth or falsehood entangles the human in the labyrinth of mundane miseries.
Logic is the veritable instrument for dispelling the dark clouds of ignorance and illusion. It is the means to unravel the reality of things and the springboard to human success and happiness. It is so important that all religious and sectarian schools hold it in high importance.
Even modern-day atheists and agnostics discount the discourse of religions, harp on the potent instrument of logic and swear by its power. Scientists, engineers, physicians and epistemologists operate fully and completely on what they think is logic, which runs through a process of experimentation, observation, and resultant evidence.
However, human senses have grave physical limitations. A person has limited powers of vision, hearing, smell and other sensory faculties. Even with modern, supposedly advanced scientific devices like the electron microscope or the Hubble optical telescope, we cannot see subtle things like subatomic particles and distant objects in the intriguingly vast universe.
But we know there are entities called the human mind, human intellect, and the human soul. These are so subtle that no physical device, even in the foreseeable future, will enable humans to perceive them.
Hence, we have to go by the concepts of the omniscient Creator of the universe. Extending this logic further, we can comprehend that the Creator gave His human subjects strands of divine knowledge in the form of the Vedas. These are designed by Ishwar in line with the immanent desire of human souls to achieve freedom from all sorrow and attain divine bliss.
It therefore makes logical sense for us to decode and decipher the knowledge enshrined in these primeval scriptures for our enlightenment and progress.
For the reasons explained above, logic has been treated by our revered ancient scholars as a rishi—the source of knowledge, truth and wisdom. We must practise the application of logic on a daily basis in our thoughts, speech and actions to live better and happier lives.
