Sautrantika School (Belief in Inference) – School of Buddhism

Both external and internal are real.

External objects’ knowledge is not gained directly by perception, but inferred from our perception.

External objects are momentary in nature. They produce ideas in our mind, on the basis of these ideas, we infer the existence of external objects.

This is similar to Representative Realism of Locke.

Why do we say that external objects are real?

It is because of external objects that we are able to distinguish between illusory and non- illusory experience.

Moroever, if external objects are non-existent, then internal cognitions must appear as external objects. But this is not true, the idea of food alone does not satisfy hunger, external food is required.