Schools of Indian Philosophy: a very brief note

 

Indian Schools of Philosophy

 Indian philosophy

     India has a great philosophical tradition. The Indian philosophy has very different and unique notions. It is entirely different from the western tradition of philosophy. It is saying that the torch light of western philosophy- the Greek tradition- is “the quest of truth” and that of the Indian philosophy is “realizing the truth”.

Some of the special features of Indian Philosophy are;

·        *        Indian philosophy is spiritual in nature.

·       *         Its methodology is spiritually designed, not like the modern scientific approach.

·      *       Observation, interpretation, inference and intuition are the approaches to acquire knowledge.

·    *      Indian philosophy emphasizes realization of truth rather than quest for truth (its attempt is not to explain what truth is, but how to be part of truth)

·       *      It is intuitive in knowledge gathering and expansion

·         *    It follows the principles of spiritual realization

·         *    It strongly based up on the realization of body mind and spirit

·        *     It explains three major aspects of life: aadhyatmika, aadhibouthika and aadhi daivika

·         *    It explains the concepts of ‘paramathma and jeevathma’ (universal soul and individual soul)

·         *    It accepts ‘sravana, manana and nidhidhyasa’ as methodology of acquiring knowledge and values.

 

Vedas are the most ancient literary and philosophical scripts in the world. The Indian philosophy can be extracted from the Vedas. Brahmanas, smruthis, upanishads and puranas are the other texts that explain the Indian philosophy.

 Schools of Indian Philosophy

The Indian philosophical ideals are explained under two major schools: they are orthodox (asthik) and heterodox (nasthik) schools.

The basic difference between the orthodox and heterodox is said to be based on the recognition of Vedas. Orthodox schools consider and believe on the authority of Vedas while heterodox schools don’t believe in the authority of Vedas. Orthodox schools say that knowledge and values are divine while heterodox schools reject this concept.

The orthodox schools are six in number. They are called The 6 classical schools (shatdarshan). They are Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa and Uttar Mimamsa (Vedanta/ upanishad). Jainism, Buddhism and Charvaka are the three major heterodox schools

Characteristics of the orthodox schools

The orthodox schools are –

Based on Vedic scripts

Based on the concept that knowledge is divine and values are eternal

Considering Vedas are the sources of knowledge

Basically explaining that all human features and realizations of knowledge are explained in divine scripts

Considering intuition as the best method to acquire knowledge

Following in the concept of “truth alone triumph”

Considering the Vedas, Brahmanas, Puranas and Smruthis as the basic texts.

 

Characteristics of the heterodox schools

The heterodox schools questioned the capacity of Vedas as the only ultimate source of knowledge. The schools may not deny the credibility of Vedas but they questioned the ultimate authority of the holy scripts. They consider that all knowledge may not be divine and knowledge and values can be brought out from human activities and thought. There are different methods to acquire knowledge and values. Other than intuition, man can acquire knowledge through observation and experience. The heterodox schools tried to realize the truth and knowledge beyond the divine scripts also.

Samkhya Philosophy

Sankhya school is considered as the oldest school of Indian philosophy. Rishi Kapila is being known as its primary propagator. Reference to Samkhya can be found in some Upanishads, particularly in Chandogya and Prasna.

Sankhya philosophy provided the basic principles and tenets for Nyaya and Vaisheshika. It is saying that Sankhya Philosophy is dualistic. It explains two entities, spirit (purush) and nature (prakriti). Samkhya advocates for the attainment of knowledge of self. The means to attain self realization are concentration and meditation. Sankhya says that it is not divine power but the self-knowledge that leads to liberation of individuals.   According to this school Purush is the only conscious being, ever existent and immaterial object. Prakriti is said to be the material basis of this universe, composed of three basic elements or Gunas (known as trigunas) – namely Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva. Samkhya propagates the theory of cause and effect to explain the social processes. One of its principles is that all individual things in this world are limited, dependent, conditional and finite.

  

Yoga Philosophy

Yoga presents a method of physical and mental discipline. It proposes eight fold paths to realize the purush and prakrithi. The eight fold paths of Yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Prathyahara, Dhyana, Dharana and Samadhi. Experts say that Samkhya is theory and Yoga is its practice.

Yoga literally means union. Union indicates spiritual union of the individual soul with universal soul. Yoga is the spiritual effort to attain perfection through the control of the body, senses and mind. The ‘yoga sutra’ explains four parts yoga life; Samadhi pada, sadhanapada, vibuthi pada and kaivalya pada. 

The Yoga presents a practical path for the realization of the self. Like Samkhya, Yoga philosophy also emphasizes the concentration and meditation. Releasing Purush from Prakriti by means of physical and mental discipline is the concept of Yoga. It also explain the need of controlling the activities of mind through self efforts. Paractically Yoga is a path to control the mind – “Chitha vruthi nirodha Yoga”

Founder of Yoga is Pathanjai. Yoga does not require belief in God. It considers that man can attain knowledge through divine path and though divinely designed self efforts.

 

Nyaya Philosophy

Nyaya Philosophy stands for scientific approaches in acquiring knowledge and logic.  It states that nothing is acceptable unless it is in accordance with reason and experience (scientific approach). Nyaya Sutras are the texts explain this philosophy. Nyaya says that the world is real and plural and the philosophy does not follow a monist view. Nyaya explains the atomic pluralism and logical realism. It explains logic as basic quality of epistemology.

Nyaya says that the means of obtaining true knowledge is its epistemology. According to it, the most important means of obtaining knowledge is pratyaksha pramana i.e. the knowledge obtained through the five senses. Other than the perception through senses, one can attain truth and knowledge through the anumana (inference,) and shabda pramana (a statement of experts).

Goutama,  Vatsyayan (who wrote Nyaya Bhashya), Udayan (who wrote Kusumanjali) etc. explained the Nyaya philosophy by introducing theological elements in it.

 

Vaisheshik Philosophy

            The word vaiseshika is derived from ‘visesha’. Visesha means particularity or special feature. It propagates pluralistic realism. Kana (atom) is the base of everything. Each individual and object in the world live with a particularity and uniqueness (visesha)  

Vaisheshika School is considered as the physics of ancient times. It explained the existence and importance of anu (kana) or atom. It propounded the basics of atomic theory of its founder Kanada. Vaisheshik is a realistic and objective philosophy of the universe. Vaiseshika also explains the connections between kana and padartha (matter). The entire universe is reduced to some padarthas (matter). The major pdarthaas are dravya (substance), guna (quality), karma (action), samanya (generality), visesha (particularity), samavaaya (inherence) and abhava (non-being). 

Purva mimamsa (mimamsa)

The word Mimamsa means to analyze and understand thoroughly.  Purva Mimamsa examines the teachings of the Veda in the light of karma-kanda rituals. Purva mimansa emphasized on the performance of the yaga for attaining various spiritual and worldly benefits.

A Veda has four major parts – Brahmana, samhitha, aranyaka and Upanishad. This school relies on the Brahmana and samhita part of the Vedas.

The word Mimamsa means ‘revered or respected thought’. It is explained that Vedas are the texts that are to be respected most. The propagator like Jaimini explained the ritual duty of human being to enquire for the nature of Dharma. Every human being and living objects have specific roles to seek for their dharma. The knowledge and values are eternal and they are explained in Vedas. Neutral knowledge is impossibility. All knowledge is worthy and divine. Those are not divine and unworthy are not knowledge at all.

 

Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanda)

Vedanta says that the world is unreal, Maya. Vedanta is monistic, in other words, it says that there is only one reality, Brahman. Vedanta lays emphasis on the Upanishad part of the Vedas. It has its roots in Sankya Philosophy.

Upanishads (vedantha) are the last part of Veda. The word ‘antha’ in ‘vedantha’ means ‘last.’ Hence it is the essence of Vedic scripts. Vedantha may not be derived from the thoughts of one person. It is the collective thoughts of different rishis and persona. 

There are 108 upanishads. However 11 are retrieved yet. The uttara mimamsa or Upanishads believed in ‘advaitha’ or oneness of godliness. Truth, values and knowledge are eternal. Human beings can also create and interpret the knowledge and values along with the divinity. Uttar mimamsa stands for divine epistemology and axiology. Metaphysics is based on the inherence. Knowledge is attainable to all human being through right effort. It is not the caste or creed explains the quality of human being, but the knowledge. Knowledge has no limitations and any man can attain it. The varna or caste has no role in human effort of attaining the knowledge. One who learn the rituals for godliness is a Brahmin and one can never be a Brahmin by birth. Person from any social strata or creed can become a Brahmin by his effort to attain knowledge. This school also explains that all in this world are equal and individual soul is derived from the universal soul with all its capacities and qualities. Nothing is perishable in a sense, only ‘change’ is happening. Sun is the source of energy for everything and man must consider this fact. Maya is a quality of earthly matters and that support to the explanations of human life.

 

 

 

This note is very brief and to the point. It is according to the M Ed syllabuses of CU. Inforation from websites and text books.