European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

FROM VADA TO EVIDENCE: REINTERPRETING AYURVEDIC REASONING FOR CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH

Dr. Vikas Bhardwaj*, Dr. Pankaj Sharma, Dr. Sahana C.

ABSTRACT

Background: Ayurveda possesses a well-developed intellectual tradition of systematic inquiry, reasoning, debate, and establishment of knowledge. Among these, Vada provides a structured framework for examining propositions through doubt, purpose, reasoning, evidence, questioning, counter-argument, and conclusion. Contemporary research methodology similarly emphasizes systematic formulation of research questions, hypothesis development, evidence generation, critical appraisal, analysis, and reasoned interpretation. However, the classical Vada framework and modern research methodology arise from distinct epistemological traditions and should not be regarded as identical. Objective: The present conceptual study aims to examine the utility of Vada as a classical framework of logical inquiry in relation to contemporary research methodology, with particular emphasis on its potential contribution to scientific reasoning, critical examination, and systematic knowledge generation. Methodology: A qualitative, textual, and conceptual analysis was undertaken using relevant classical Ayurvedic literature and authoritative commentaries describing Vada and its constituent concepts. The identified concepts were first analyzed within their original textual and philosophical context. Subsequently, their functions were compared with corresponding stages of contemporary research methodology, including identification of research problems, formulation of objectives and propositions, evidence generation, critical questioning, analysis, interpretation, and conclusion. The comparison was based on functional similarity while maintaining distinctions between the classical and contemporary epistemological frameworks.

Keywords: Vada, Ayurveda, Research Methodology, Ayurvedic Epistemology, Logical Reasoning, Pramana.