The Indian Philosophy (Various Schools & Sankhya)

1. TheIndian Philosophy(Various Schools & Sankhya) Dr Kanchan Saxena

2. Schools of Indian Philosophy Two schools of Indian Philosophy; Orthodox System (Summarized into six main systems) Heterodox System

3. Orthodox System Purva Mimansa -Jaimini Uttara Mimansa -Badrayan Vedanta -Kapila Sankhya Yog -Patanjali Nyaya -Gotama Vaisheshika -Kanad

4. Orthodox System These are called orthodox systems because they derive their authorities from Vedas and maintian the existence of Atman as independent of body and mind. Mimansa and Sankhya do not admit of the existence of a personal God and in other systems God appears in varying roles.

5. Nyaya System Founded by Gotama also known as Gautama and Akshpada. It is concerned with conditions of correct thinking and means of acquiring true knowledge of reality. Useful in developing powers of useful thinking and criticism. Therefore, other names of Nyaya Philosophy are Nyaya Vidya, Tarka Shastra and Anvikshi – science of critical study.

6. Literature of Nyaya Philosophy Nyaya Sutra -Gotama Nyaya Bhashya -Vatsyayana Nyaya Vartika -Uddoyotakar Nyaya-Vartika-tatparya-tika -Vachaspati Nyaya-Vartika-tatparya-parishudhi -Udayan Nyaya Kusumanjali-Udayan Nyaya Manjari -Jayanta

7. Literature of Nyaya Philosophy (contd..) Modern school of Nyaya (Navya Nyaya) begins with the epoch making work of Gangesh Upadhyaya i.e. the Tatwa Chintamani

8. Logical Realism of Nyaya It is a system of logical realism. In philosophy realism means the theory or doctrine that the existence of things or objects of the world are independent of all knowledge or relation to mind. Nyaya philosophy is divided into four parts, - theory of knowledge - theory of the physical world - theory of individual self and its liberation - theory of God

9. The Nyaya theory of knowledge. Knowledge or cognition (Gyana or Buddhi) is the manifestation of objects. Knowledge is of different kinds, - Valid knowledge (Prama or Pramiti) sub-divided into perception, inference comparison and testimony. - Non-valid knowledge (Aprama) Includes memory (smriti), doubt (Sanshya), error (Bhrama/Viparyyaya) & hypothetical argument (tarka).

10. Perception Gotama defines perception as the knowledge which is produced by the intercourse of an object with a sense organ undefinable, determinate and in harmony with its objects.

11. Classification of perception Two types of perception -Laukika (ordinary) -Alaukika(extra-ordinary) Ordinary or Laukika is of three types: - Indeterminate(Nirvikalpaka) - Determinate(Savikalpaka) - Pratyabhigna (recognition) Extra-ordinary or Alaukika perception, - Samanya Lakshna - Gyana-Lakshana - Yogaj

12. Inference The classifications of Inference Naiyayikas give three different classifications, - Svartha and Parartha or for self & for others - Purvavat, Sheshavat and Samanyatodrsta - Kevalanvayi, Kevalvyatireki and Anvaya- Anvayatireki

13. Upama or comparison Upamana is the third source of valid knowledge accepted by the Nyaya. It is the source of our knowledge of the relation between a name and things so named or between a word and its denotation.

14. Shabda or Testimony Shabda is the last pramana accepted by the Nyaya. Literally Shabda means verbal knowledge. It is the knowledge of objects derived from words or sentences. All verbal knowledge, however, is not valid. Hence Shabda as a pramana is defined in the Nyaya as valid verbal Testimony.

15. The Vaisheshika Philosophy The Vaisheshika system was founded by Kanada. It is so named in view of the fact that ‘vishesha’ a category has been elaborately discussed in it. The first systematic work of this philosophy is the Visheshika-sutra of kanada. Prashashtapada’s ‘Padartha-Dharma-sangraha’ usually known as the Bhasya, reads like an independent exposition of the vaisheshita philosophy.

16. The Categories (Padartha) Kanada brings all objects of valid knowledge under six categories, - Substance (Dravya) - Quality(Guna) - Action or Motion (Karma) - Generality(Samaanya) - Particularity (Vishesha) - Inherence (Samvaya) Kanad does not mention non-existence or negation (Abhava) .

17. The Sankhya Philosophy The Samkhya system advocates the ontological dualism of Prakriti and Purushas (individual souls). The Sankhya system derives its name from the word Sankhya meaning number, since it enumerates the metaphysical principles of reality. The word sankhya also means perfect knowledge.

18. The Sankhya Philosophy (contd..) The Sankhya system is the work of a great sage Kapila. According to tradition, the first work of the sankhya school is the ‘Sankhya-Sutra of Kapila. Ishvarakrisha’s ‘Sankhya-karika’ is the earliest available & authoritative text-book of the Sankhya.

19. The metaphysics of Sankhya The nature of Purusha and Prakriti and their relation form the central doctrine of the Sankhya philosophy. The Sankhya reduction of the numerous Categories(especially those of Nyaya-Vaisheshika system) into two fundamental categories of Purusha and Prakriti for describing the world makes the Sankhya philosophy a real advance on the theory of atomic pluralism.

20. Concept of Prakriti Prakriti is the state of equilibrium of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which are substances and constitute prakriti.

21. Evolution Prakriti is the substratum of the changing phenomena of the world. It is the equilibrium of sattva, rajas and tamas. it is not a state of inactivity, but a kind of tension. Prakriti and its evoluates (vikriti) are subject to transformations. They can never be deprived of their essential nature of modifiability, evolution and dissolution.

22. Evolution (contd..) Prakriti is transformed into ‘mahat’ or cosmic intellect (Buddhi). Mahat is transformed into Ahankara or cosmic egoism. Ahankara is transformed into the eleven sense organs, and the five tranmatras or subtle essences of sound, touch colour, taste and smell. The five subtle essences are transformed into five gross elements of sky, air, fire, water and earth. These are the twenty four principles. In addition to these there are purushas. These are the twenty five principles according to sankhya

23. Purusha The sankhya advocates the dualism of Prakriti and Purusha, they are entirely different from each other , because they have opposite characteristics. Prakriti is composed of sattva, rajas and tamas, while Purusha is not composed of them. Prakriti is non-discriminating while purushas are discriminating. Prakriti is an aggregate, while purusha is simple. Prakriti is the object of knowledge, while purusha is knower. Prakriti is unconscious while purusha is conscious.

24. Purusha (contd..) The Sankhya recognizes the plurality of soul and the spiritual unity of each soul. The soul is distinct from its material vestment , the body, mind, intellect and egoism. It is distinct from prakriti and its effects and devoid of sattva, rajas and tamas, it is discriminating, simple intelligent, non-productive, uncaused, eternal and immutable. It is beyond time space and causality. It is the conscious knower.

25. Liberation and its means Liberation consists in absolute cessation of pain, which is the highest good. Knowledge is the direct means to release. It is discrimination of the self from prakriti and its evoluted or direct knowledge of the self (Pursuha). It annihilates suffering. It is aided by the practice of eightfold yoga.

26. The Yoga Philosophy The yoga adopts the Sankhya metaphysics and engrafts concept of God upon it. It is called theistic Sankhya, while the sankhya system is called the atheistic Sankhya. The Yoga philosophy is an invaluable gift of the great Indian sage Pattanjali to all for spiritual realisation. It is a great aid to those of the spirit as an independent principle, free from all limitations of the body, the senses and the mind.

27. The Yoga Philosophy(contd..) The yoga-sutra of Pattanjali-sutra is the first work of this school of philosophy. Vyasa wrote a brief but valuable commentry on the yoga-sutra called yoga-Bhashya or Vyasa-Bhashya. Vachaspati’s Tattva-Vaishardi is a reliable sub commentary on Vyasa’s commentary. Bhojaraja’s Vritti and yoga-mainprabha are very simple and popular works of the yoga system. Vijyanbhikshu’s yoga-vartika and Yoga-sara-sangraha are other useful mannuals of the yoga philosophy.

28. Meaning of Yoga Yoga means the cessation of mental functions or modifications (Chittavrittinirodha). It odes not mean any kind of contact between the individual self and some other reality like God or the Absolute. The aim of yoga is to prevent the self from identifying itself with mental modifications.

29. The Eight fold Path of Yoga For the purification & enlightenment of chitta or the mind, Yoga gives us the eightfold means; Yama or restraint Niyama or culture Asana or posture Pranayama or breath-control Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses Dharana or attention Dhyana or meditation Samadhi or concentration

30. Thank You