The
Indian Philosophy
(Various Schools & Sankhya)
Dr Kanchan Saxena
Schools of Indian Philosophy
Two schools of Indian Philosophy;

Orthodox System
(Summarized into six main systems)

Heterodox System
Orthodox System
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Purva Mimansa
Uttara Mimansa
Vedanta
Sankhya Yog
Nyaya
Vaisheshika
-Jaimini
-Badrayan
-Kapila
-Patanjali
-Gotama
-Kanad
Orthodox System

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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.
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.

Literature of Nyaya Philosophy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Nyaya Sutra
-Gotama
Nyaya Bhashya
-Vatsyayana
Nyaya Vartika
-Uddoyotakar
Nyaya-Vartika-tatparya-tika
-Vachaspati
Nyaya-Vartika-tatparyaparishudhi
-Udayan
Nyaya Kusumanjali-Udayan
Nyaya Manjari
-Jayanta
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
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.

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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
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).

Perception
Gotama defines perception
knowledge which is produced
intercourse of an object with
organ undefinable, determinate
harmony with its objects.
as the
by the
a sense
and in
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

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 AnvayaAnvayatireki
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.

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.

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-Dharmasangraha’ usually known as the Bhasya, reads
like an independent exposition of the
vaisheshita philosophy.

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) .
The Sankhya Philosophy

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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.
The Sankhya Philosophy (contd..)
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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.
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 NyayaVaisheshika 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.
Concept of Prakriti

Prakriti is the state of equilibrium of
Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which are
substances and constitute prakriti.
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.
Evolution (contd..)
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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
Purusha
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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.
Purusha (contd..)
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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.
Liberation and its means

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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.
The Yoga Philosophy
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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.
The Yoga Philosophy (contd..)
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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-sarasangraha are other useful mannuals of the
yoga philosophy.
Meaning of Yoga
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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.
The Eight fold Path of Yoga

For the purification & enlightenment of
chitta or the mind, Yoga gives us the
eightfold means;
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Yama or restraint
Niyama or culture
Asana or posture
Pranayama or breath-control
Pratyahara or withdrawal of the
senses
vi. Dharana or attention
vii. Dhyana or meditation
viii. Samadhi or concentration
Thank You