Philosophy of Language – An Indian Perspective

Summary

Prof. V. N. Jha’s essay surveys classical Indian theories of language and their implications for cognition and conduct. He begins by outlining three kinds of human behaviour—approach, withdrawal and neutrality—and links them to true or false cognition. Behaviour based on accurate knowledge is consistent with reality, whereas behaviour rooted in misperception is inconsistent. This leads to the question of whether the objects of cognition are real. Realist schools like Nyāya and Mīmāṃsā assert the reality of the world, while Buddhists and Advaita Vedāntins regard it as illusory. The article discusses how language mediates between mind and world. Philosophers debated how words convey universals and particulars, how sentences produce meaning and how context shapes interpretation. Jha draws on works such as Bhartṛhari’s Vākyapadīya and the Mahābhāṣya to illustrate Indian insights into semantics and grammar. He emphasises the view that language is a creative principle underlying the universe and that mastering language is integral to both epistemology and liberation. By connecting linguistic theory with metaphysics and ethics, the article highlights the richness of the Indian philosophy of language and its relevance to modern discussions of meaning and communication.