The Methods of Attaining Knowledge:

The starting point in philosophical discussion is epistemology-establishing the basis of knowledge. Srila Jiva Goswami lists in his Sad-sandharbha ten methods of attaining knowledge, including tradition, history, guessing, comparison, probability, and logic, and shows how all of them fit into three main categories:

Pratyaksa (Direct sense perception / direct experience) - The knowledge we get through the five senses,

Anumana (Mental reasoning / inference) - Literally "to follow (anu) the mind (mana)" ,

Sabda (Authoritative testimony / hearing from bona fide authority without interpretation) - Literally "sound"

The Vedas = Knowledge:

• Absolute—free from the four defects of conditioned souls.
• Original & Perfect—existing from the beginning of creation and from which different branches of knowledge are derived.
• Divine, or apauruseya—knowledge originating beyond the material world.
• Universal-Includes all aspects of material and spiritual life and applies to all, everywhere.
• Axiomatic-Self-evident, independent, established truth and Has to be accepted as it is despite apparent contradictions.
• Authoritative-The only infallible knowledge.