A rare palm-leaf manuscript titled Pramana-Samata-Viveka has been identified within a centuries-old family library in Mithila. The treatise, dated to the 11th century, offers a radical departure from traditional Nyaya logic by arguing for "epistemic equity"—the idea that subjective testimony and sensory perception must be weighted with equal mathematical rigor in philosophical debate. This manuscript provides a missing link in the evolution of medieval Indian epistemology, showing a sophisticated attempt to balance empirical data with experiential wisdom.
Researchers at the University of Varanasi, who led the authentication process, stated that the text challenges the perceived hierarchy of Pramanas (means of knowledge) commonly held in medieval academic circles. By analyzing the logic of Samata (equity), the author proposes a dialectical method for resolving contradictions between scripture and direct observation. This discovery is expected to spark a re-evaluation of the Mithila school's influence on later logical developments across the Indian subcontinent.