According to the classical Indian School of Logic which of the following steps of inference involve the application of the universal concomitance to the present case?

(A) This hill has a fire

(B) Because it has smoke

(C) Whatever has smoke has fire, e.g. an oven

(D) This hill has smoke which is invariably associated with fire

(E) Therefore the hill has a fire

Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Key Points The classical Indian School of Logic, also known as the Nyaya-Vaisheshika school, is one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. It is known for its emphasis on logic and epistemology and has made significant contributions to the development of Indian logic.

The Nyaya-Vaisheshika school of thought recognizes five steps of inference, known as the panch-avayava method. These steps are:

1. Pratijna: The proposition or statement to be proved.
2. Hetu: The reason or evidence that supports the proposition.
3. Udaharana: The example or illustration that supports the reason or evidence.
4. Upanaya: The application of the universal concomitance to the present case.
5. Nigamana: The conclusion that follows from the premises.

• In the given options, statement A simply states the conclusion that the hill has a fire.
• Statement B provides the reason or evidence for the conclusion by stating that the hill has smoked.
• Statement C expresses a general rule that states that whatever has smoke has fire, but it does not apply this rule to the present case.
• Statement E is the conclusion that follows from the premises.
• It is a restatement of Statement A and follows from the application of the universal concomitance to the specific case of the hill with smoke.

• Finally, 

Statement D is the one that applies the universal concomitance to the present case.

• It states that "This hill has smoke which is invariably associated with fire."
• This statement expresses the universal concomitance that wherever there is smoke, there is fire.

Therefore, the correct answer is D only.