This book traces the beginnings of ideas relating to the theory of knowledge in pre-Buddhist Indian thought and their development in early Buddhism. It consists of a comprehensive inquiry into the nature of knowledge and the questions relating to the means and limits of knowledge. The book attempts to work out a general methodology for answering questions that arise in the context of profound and sophisticated philosophical discussions, and attempts to show that the Buddha was an empiricist and verificationist who denied the meaningfulness of metaphysical utterances.
This book investigates the roots of ideas concerning epistemology in pre-Buddhist Indian thought and their development in early Buddhism. It involves a thorough analysis of the nature of knowledge and the questions surrounding its acquisition and scope. The book seeks to establish a general methodology for addressing fundamental philosophical issues and demonstrates that the Buddha was an empiricist who rejected abstract metaphysical discourse.