Hindu Philosophy The Six Dar  anas

Indian philosophy is a practical instrument designed to fathom the conditions of the life process The principal topics are bondage and freedom, in part due to the prevalence of the doctrines of transmigration and karman- Purpose

Questions To Be Answered Why is there suffering in the world? What is the nature of the human person? What is the nature of the world in which he lives? What is the proper method of living in the light of one’s knowledge of himself, the world, and the Supreme Being?

All religions and philosophies abide by conceptual maps designed to explain these questions and to help individuals cope with the chaotic forces surrounding them Answers to Why? What? How? Prevent despair, fatalism, and mental anguish Conceptual Maps

That which provides system, order to the myriad facts bombarding the mind revolve around –Bondage –Transmigration (sa  s  ra-) –Karman- –Freedom The Map

It was in these dialogues that this map was first introduced From the Upani  ads it entered later Indian schools and sects To a degree, it applies to heterodox as well as orthodox schools The only difference between the two is the means of arriving a the end. The Upani  ads

All schools—orthodox and heterodox— sought after the same goal: –A vision (dar  ana-) of truth (tattva) concerning the individual, the world and the Supreme Dar  ana

Truth sets one free: free from all the entanglements of this world –Sa  yag-dar  ana-sampanna  karmabhir na nibadhyate; dar  anena vih  nastu sa  s  ra  pratipadyate –[‘He who possesses the correct vision is not bound down by (his) actions; indeed, he who is devoid of that vision is drawn into the vortex of life and death (sa  s  ra- )] Truth

The search for truth led to the formation of a method of philosophical discussion. With this method comes the intellectual, logical, metaphysical, epistemological and ethical arenas emphasized in all philosophical systems Important also is the understanding of other schools and opinions. Philosophical Method

These were closely investigated. Thus, –A philosopher would first state his opponent’s case (known as the p  rva-pak  a or “prior view” –Followed by refutation (kha  ana) –Finally, a statement and proof of the philosopher’s own position (= “subsequent view: uttara-pak  a or conclusion: siddh  nta) Rival Positions

All schools of Indian philosophy are listed as  stika “those who accept the authority of the Veda” or n  stika “those who don’t accept the authority of the Veda” The first are orthodox (hence Hindu); the latter are heterodox The Hindu Dar  anas

Ved  nta (Uttara-M  m  s  ; J  na- M  m  s  ): B  dar  ya  a M  m  s  (P  rva-M  m  s  ; M  m  s  ): Jaimini Yoga: Pata  jali S  khya:  varak  a Ny  ya: Gautama Vai  e  ika: Ka  da  stika Schools

These are the six traditional schools Other schools also exist, such as –P  in  ya (Grammarian) School –Rase  vara (Medical) School Both are mentioned in the Sarva-Dar  ana Sa graha of M  dhav  c  rya The Six Dar  anas

C  rv  ka ‘Materialist School’ Bauddha ‘Buddhist School’ Jaina (the school of the Jinas or the Conquerors) N  stika Schools

Schema

Directly based upon the Dharma S  tras and -  stras, the Kalpa Sutras, Br  hma  as, and Sa  hit  s One purpose of the school was to systematize the ritual performances in these Vedic Works P  rva-M  m  s 

Emphasized the speculative approach and so derived its main inspiration from the Upani  ads Uttara-M  m  s 

S  khya, Yoga, Ny  ya, Vai  e  ika are all based on experience and reason All are in harmony with the Veda The Bauddha, Jaina, C  rv  ka, however, do not attempt to harmonize the Veda with experience and reason The Other Dar  anas

Ordinary, normal experience, i.e. those findings brought about by intellectualizing on the sense data presented to the brain, is wholly accepted by the Ny  ya, Vai  e  ika, S  khya, and C  rv  ka Intellection

The teacher’s authority or testimony of qualified persons and scriptures are other primary means of knowledge followed by the Ved  nta and M  m  s . Direct realization (dar  ana or s  k  tk  ra-) is also widely accepted by many schools. The Teacher

Two traditions exist in India: –The oral –The written Of the two, the oral is more highly regarded. It is more effective and prestigious to receive the tradition or sacred knowledge from the mouth of the teacher rather than from books. Sources of the Schools

This is the best and, to many, the only way that knowledge is to be acquired. The Veda is the prime example of the oral tradition. Bauddha, Jaina, and other schools also belong to this category As a result the teacher as the bearer and preserver of sacred knowledge was highly venerated Oral Tradition

Introduced with the classical dar  anas. It is probable that the Indian writing systems came from a Semitic script and that it began to take hold from the 3rd century B.C.E. in inscriptions. The script that we commonly see today is devan  gar , which assumed its characteristic shape in the 7th or 8th c. C.E. with the presence of inscriptions. Written Tradition