Vibhāṣā

Vibhāṣā is a term meaning 'compendium', 'treatise' or simply 'explanation',

Vibhāṣā (विभाषा).—Optionally, alternatively; the word is explained by Pāṇini as नवा (navā) in the rule न वेति विभाषा (na veti vibhāṣā) (P.I.1.44)in consonance with its derivation from the root भाष् (bhāṣ) with वि (vi); cf. नेति प्रतिषेधे वेति विकल्पस्तयोः प्रतिषेधविकल्पयो-र्विभाषेत्ति संज्ञा भवति । विभाषाप्रदेशेषु प्रतिषेधवि-कल्पावुपतिष्ठते । तत्र प्रतिषेधेन समीकृते विषये प्रश्चाद्विकल्पः प्रवर्तते (neti pratiṣedhe veti vikalpastayoḥ pratiṣedhavikalpayo-rvibhāṣetti saṃjñā bhavati | vibhāṣāpradeśeṣu pratiṣedhavi-kalpāvupatiṣṭhate | tatra pratiṣedhena samīkṛte viṣaye praścādvikalpaḥ pravartate). The option (विभाषा (vibhāṣā)) is further divided into three kind प्राप्ते विभाषा, अप्राप्ते विभाषा (prāpte vibhāṣā, aprāpte vibhāṣā) and उभयत्र विभाषा (ubhayatra vibhāṣā). For details see Mahābhāṣya

vibhasa