Q0666
“There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception and inference.” — Dignaga (Pramāṇasamuccaya (two instruments of knowledge; standard…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Pramāṇasamuccaya (two instruments of knowledge; standard summary). Theme: knowledge.
English
There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception and inference.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Pramāṇasamuccaya (two instruments of knowledge; standard summary) and files it under Indian Classical Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Dignaga
Dignāga (c. 480–540) founded the Buddhist pramāṇa (instruments of knowledge) tradition that reshaped Indian epistemology.
How to read this passage
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge.
Concepts in this quote
- Knowledge
- Knowledge is the philosophical study of what we can justifiably claim to know—and where certainty ends.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Dignaga. (n.d.). There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception and inference. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0666
MLA: Dignaga. “There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0666.
Chicago: Dignaga. “There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0666.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “There are only two instruments of knowledge: perception…”?
The passage is attributed to Dignaga, Pramāṇasamuccaya (two instruments of knowledge; standard summary). The archive attributes this English wording to Pramāṇasamuccaya (two instruments of knowledge; standard summary) and files it under Indian Classical Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Dignaga mean by knowledge?
Epistemology asks whether knowledge is justified true belief, reliable tracking of the world, or something else; it also asks how perception, testimony, memory, and reason contribute. This passage enters that discussion through knowledge.