THE EMERGENCE OF SEMIOTICS IN INDIA: Some Approaches To Understanding Lakṣaṇā in Hindu and Buddhist Philosophical Usages

Understanding the mental processes of those in a different culture may require redefining the basic concept of sign. In this study, laksana was examined to discover what information it could provide in regard to the specific Indian culture & to semiotics in general. Laksana does not occur in the early Upanishads but becomes quite frequent in the middle group. It then gradually fades as its usage changes to nonsemiotic (logically-definitional) in the later Upanishads. In the first period there was no need to evaluate the knowledge of the Brahmans & consequently no need of signs. Someone interrupted the teaching of the Brahmans & introduced new behavior requiring them to respond by introducing laksana to explain the situation to themselves. (Specific ways in which the word was used are given.) As the Brahmanical adversary was eliminated, the semiotic usage of laksana faded & the 'un-sign' situation developed. Thus, semiotics emerged in India during the sixth century BC & disappeared by the tenth century AD. J. Atkinson