Schools Of Indian Philosophy An Overview
It has been a convention to count six schools in the Indian philosophy although some works discuss more than that
. These schools are juxtaposed by ideologies of Buddhism, Jainism and materialism which belong to an inherently different line of thought.
Indian philosophy is generally categorized into six schools Yoga, Sankhya, Vedanta, Vaisheshika, Nyaya and Mimamsa. However, dive deeply and you will find several others. Madhavas Sarvadarsanasa?graha (Survey of the Major Philosophical Systems) discusses sixteen philosophical schools. Among these are schools at odds with the conventional Hindu philosophy Buddhism, Jainism and materialism.
Yoga deals with practical methods for direct experience. The school deals at all levels of one's being, focusing on experiencing the eternal center of consciousness. Best described in the Yoga Sutras, the school involves systematic witnessing of your inner states, so that you transcend beyond them. Central doctrine of Yoga philosophy is that nothing exists beyond the consciousness of mind, which is the ultimate reality.
Samkhya, the oldest of the philosophical systems, is a dualistic philosophy believing in the coexistent and interdependent realities Purusha and Prakrti. Purusha which is ever pure, wise and free becomes subject to pain and pleasure when it associates with Prakrti, material cause of the universe and composed of three gunas satva, rajas and tamas, which correspond to light, activity and inertia respectively.
Vedanta school stresses on contemplative self-inquiry, leading to the realization of one's true nature, which is not subject to death, decay or decomposition. The Upanishads best convey the teachings of Vedanta. Vedanta itself can be sub-categorized into various schools like Advaita (nondualistic); Dvaita (dualistic), Dvaitadvaita (dualistic and non- dualistic), Visuddhadvaita (pure non-dualism) and Visistadvaita (qualifies nondualism). Of these schools Sankaras Advaita and Ramanujas Visistadvaita have had more followers.
Vaisheshika emphasizes the physical sciences exploring the elements of earth, water, fire, air and space, as well as time, mind and soul. The philosophy postulates that all objects are reducible to a finite number of atoms. It explains the nature of world with these categories dravya (substance), guna (quality), karma (action), samanya (universal), vishesha (particular), amavaya (inherence) and abhava (non-existence).
School of Nyaya deals with logic, the process of reasoning. All other schools of thought use this system of logic, in whole or in part, as a foundation for philosophical reasoning and debate. Followers of Nyaya ideology believe that obtaining knowledge is the only way to obtain release from suffering.
Mimamsa pursues freedom through action. It accepts Vedas as the final authority on all questions, laying emphasis on rituals, worship and ethical conduct. It rationally investigates the Vedas, offering guidelines for application of Vedantic theory.
Advent of Buddhism and Jainism added a new dimension to Indian line of thought. Earlier Buddhism avoided speculated cogitation on metaphysics, phenomenology, ethics and epistemology. It was instead on empirical evidence gained by the sense organs.
Jain philosophy believes that the universe is without a beginning and without an end. The whole universe is self-regulated and karma plays an important role in its organization. It is karma which provides the basis for the path of liberation.
It may be hard for the commoners to comprehend these philosophies by word, but at the least, they can use the objects associated with them and get spiritually enriched. Yantras, sculptures and paintings like
Om Mani Padme Hum provide you spiritual solace although you may not well versed with the school of thought.
by: Nitin Kumar
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