Define Samanya.

In Indian philosophy, especially within the Nyaya-Vaisesika and Samkhya schools, the term "Samanya" refers to the concept of universals or generalities. Samanya represents the commonality or generality that underlies a class of particular objects or individuals.

Samanya is the universal aspect that allows us to recognize similarities and categorize individual entities into broader classes or categories. For example, in the case of individual horses, the concept of Samanya encapsulates the universal qualities that define what it means to be a horse, such as having four legs, being a mammal, and so forth.

In the Nyaya-Vaisesika tradition, Samanya is considered a real entity, existing independently of particular instances. It is one of the padarthas or ontological categories, representing a type of substance.

In Samkhya philosophy, Samanya is also recognized as a principle inherent in Prakriti (primordial nature). Samkhya identifies three gunas (qualities) – sattva, rajas, and tamas – and the interplay of these gunas gives rise to the diversity of particular objects while Samanya represents the unifying aspect.

The concept of Samanya is crucial for understanding how individuals are conceptually grouped into classes or categories, allowing for the organization and recognition of similarities in our cognitive processes. It plays a significant role in the classification and analysis of the diversity found in the world.