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Upamana

Definition - What does Upamana mean?

Upamana is a Sanskrit word that means “comparison” or “resemblance.” It is one of
the pramana, or sources of correct knowledge, in Indian philosophy, but not all of
the Hindu schools of philosophy accept upamana as a distinct pramana.

Upamana is the association of something previously unknown by virtue of its

similarity to something that is known. For example, someone who has never seen a
wild ox is told that it resembles a cow. When the person sees the wild ox, he/she
observes that it is similar to a cow and, thus, believes it to be a wild ox.

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Yogapedia explains Upamana
According to Hindu philosophy, there are six pramana. Each of the schools of
philosophy acknowledges one or more of these pramana as valid sources of
knowledge:
Pratyaksha (perception) – Acquiring knowledge from experience
Anumana (inference) – Gaining right knowledge from logical conclusion
Upamana (comparison) – Learning by analogy and observing similarities
Arthapatti (postulation) – Supposition of a fact to support a well-established
fact
Anupalabdhi (non-apprehension) – Understanding non-existence by non-
perception
Sabda (testimony) – Gaining authentic knowledge from spoken and written
words
Nyaya, Vedanta and Mimamsa schools all accept upamana as a pramana. The
Vaisheshika and Samkhya systems explain upamana as a form of anumana, while
Jainism considers upamana as a form of pratyaksha. Yoga accepts only anumana,
pratyaksha and sabda as sources of right knowledge.

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