The history of Indian philosophy

what is the history of Indian philosophy

How are humans different to animals? We have been given a cortex, given the power to reason and think rather than act on instincts. This is the purpose of our brain.

We are innately, at our core, very naturally curious beings. In any situation we try to make sense of it and understand why. Philosophy arose in India as an enquiry into the mystery of life and existence to find answers to the why.

In Greek - Philo means love and Sophia - means wisdom / knowledge. This translates to the “love of knowledge”. Delving so deep into something purely for the love it, to want to understand it better.

In Sanskrit - philosophy is “darshana” - which means viewpoint / perspective. This is derived form the Sanskrit word “Drish” which means to see or experience. Indian philosophy allows us to share our “drish” and our perspective on it.

This is beautiful because there is no one way to see anything. It all depends on your experience and your perspective.

This may explain why there are many different Indian philosophies of which, yoga philosophy is one. The yoga philosophy was developed by Patanjali. Since then there have also been many notable influencers who have shared their yogic philosophies such as BKS Iyanger, Adi Shankarcharya etc.

There are 6 main orthodox (astika) Indian philosophical schools (samkhya, yoga, nyaya, vaishehika, mimamsa, vedanta ) and 3 heterodox (nastika) philosophical schools of thinking (Buddhism, jain, charvaka)

The 6 main orthodox Indian philosophies can all be sourced back to the vedas. They take various interpretations from the Vedas.

The 6 orthodox philosophies are created in pairs, focusing on theory and then the practical implementation. e.g Samkya is the theory and yoga is the practical implementation. This underpins the believe that knowledge is great, but what we do with it is what counts. Action is needed to implement the teachings.

The 3 heterodox philosophies focus on your expereince being your own reality. Not about the vedas. They say walk on your own path and see. Sidhnarth Gautama - on your own experience.

The 6 orthodox schools of Indian philosophy and 3 heterodox schools of Indian philosophy are explored in detail below.

Sankhya

Sankhya philosophy is one of the oldest philosophical systems in India and is attributed to the sage Kapila. It is the first of six schools of Indian Philosophy. It is a philosophy that explores the nature of reality, the human condition, and the path to liberation. Sankhya philosophy provides a conceptual framework for understanding the universe and the individual. It is composed of two fundamental elements: the soul (Purusha) and nature (Prakriti). Purusha refers to pure consciousness or the eternal self. It is the unchanging, non-material aspect of existence that is devoid of attributes or qualities. Prakriti is the primordial matter or the world around us. It is the fundamental cause of the material universe and comprises the three gunas (modes of nature) - Sattva (purity, harmony), Rajas (activity, passion), and Tamas (inertia, darkness). Prakriti is characterised by constant transformation and manifests as the physical world, including the body, mind, and all material objects.

Yoga

Ashtanga yoga was founded by Patanjali as the practical implementation of Samkhya philosophy. It is referred to in the Bhagavat Gita was one of the paths to liberation and true self-realisation. Yoga which comes form the Sanskrit word ‘yug’ translates to union. The union of the mind, body, soul and surroundings. To help us control our senses and the impact of the Prakrit on our purush he sets out ashtanga yoga (the 8 limbs of yoga that are to be practiced to help free the self).

This philosophical school teaches mental and physical discipline methods. It is the concept of emancipating Purusha from Prakriti via self-awareness and body-mind discipline. The Yoga philosophy is based on Sankhya. Yoga philosophy can be found in the Upaniṣads like the Sankhya Philosophy.

Nyaya (Gautama)

Founded by Gautama Muni Nyaya Philosophy states that nothing is acceptable unless it is in accordance with reason and experience (scientific approach). Nyaya is considered as a tecnique of logical thinking.

Nyaya Sutras say that there are four means of attaining valid knowledge: perception, inference, comparison, and verbal testimony. Nyaya means “rules”, from the Sanskrit root nyay, which means “justice”. Sage Gautama laid the foundation of Nyaya School and wrote several texts on logical thinking and reasoning. Its methodology focuses exclusively on the knowledge one obtains via the five senses. It preaches gaining correct knowledge by utilising the five senses. This school believes that it is the only way that a person can get liberated from the birth-and-death cycle.

Vaisheshika

The Vaisheshika school, founded by the sage Kanada, is mainly concerned with matters of metaphysics. According to Vaisheshika scholars, the composition of everything in the universe is based on the five elements which are earth, water, air, fire, and sky. The basis of the school's philosophy is that all objects in the physical universe are reducible to a finite number of atoms and Brahman is regarded as the fundamental force that causes consciousness in these atoms.

Purva Mimamsa

This philosophy encompasses the Nyaya-vaisheshika systems and emphasises the concept of valid knowledge. According to Purva Mimamsa, Vedas are eternal and possess all knowledge. The Sanskrit word Mimamsa which means reflection or critical study refers to a tradition of meditation that deals with comprehending the meanings of specific Vedic texts in this context. It states that the Vedas have ultimate authority. It illustrates that for the sustenance of balance in the universe, yajnas and mantras are essential. The belief is that humans can only reach moksha by living according to Vedic principles.

Vedanta

The Vedanta, or Uttara Mimamsa, school concentrates on the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads (mystic or spiritual contemplations within the Vedas).

Vedanta which translates to “conclusion (summary) of the Vedas,” was heavily influenced by knowledge and liberation, as described in the Upanishads. The Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita are among the various sub-traditions of Vedanta based on common texts.

Vedanta philosophy provides a profound understanding of the nature of reality, the self, and the path to liberation. It offers a framework for exploring the Vedanta has had a significant influence on spiritual traditions and continues to inspire seekers on the quest for deeper dimensions of existence, self-realisation and spiritual awakening.

The school separated into six sub-schools, each interpreting the texts in its own way and producing its own series of sub-commentaries:

Advaita (Adi Shankara): It states that both the individual self (Atman) and Brahman are the same, and knowing this difference causes liberation.

Visishtadvaita (Ramanuja): It believes that all diversity is subsumed to a unified whole.

Dvaita (Madhvacharya): It considers Brahman and Atman as two different entities, and Bhakti as the route to eternal salvation.

Dvaitadvaita (Nimbarka): It states that the Brahman is the highest reality, the controller of all. Shuddhadvaita (Vallabhacharya): It states that both God and the individual self are the same, and not different.

Achintya Bheda Abheda (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu): It emphasises that the individual self (atman) is both different and not different from Brahman.

The 3 heterodox focus on your experience and your reality. These Schools do not accept the authority of Vedas. The following schools belong to heterodox schools of Indian Philosophy.

Jain philosophy Jains believe in the existence of souls (jivas) and advocate for a path of renunciation, self-discipline, and spiritual purification to attain liberation (moksha). Jain philosophy centers around the principles of non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-attachment (aparigraha), and non-possessiveness (anekantavada). A basic principle of anekantavada is the idea that reality is perceived differently from different points of view, and that no single point of view is completely true. It asserts that reality is complex and cannot be fully grasped through a single perspective. Jain philosophy encourages embracing multiple viewpoints and considering the relativity of truth.

Buddhist philosophy

Buddhism is a non-theistic philosophy that is not concerned with the existence or nonexistence of God. Buddhism, founded by Gautama Buddha, challenges various aspects of Hindu philosophy and rejects the authority of the Vedas. Buddha considered the world as full of misery and considered a man’s duty to seek liberation from this painful world. It teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path as the means to overcome suffering and attain enlightenment (nirvana). Buddhism emphasises the impermanence of all things and rejects the existence of a permanent self (anatman).

Charvaka

Charvaka is a materialistic, sceptical and atheistic school of thought. It is also known as the Lokayata Philosophy-the philosophy of masses. According to Charvaka there is no other world. Hence, death is the end of humans & pleasure is the ultimate object in life. It is a materialistic school of thought that emerged in ancient India. It rejects the authority of the Vedas and denies the existence of the soul, afterlife, and any higher spiritual entities. The philosophy emphasises sensory perception and materialism, asserting that the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain are the primary goals of life.