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Philosophy- a brief introduction
Schools of Philosophy:
The six systems of Indian philosophy or the Shad-Darsanas are the six orthodox systems of philosophy. They are the six ways of looking at the Truth. These are:
The Nyaya
The Vaiseshika
The Sankhya
The Yoga
The Purva Mimamsa
The Uttara-Mimamsa or The Vedanta.
The Nyaya :
The Nyaya is intended to furnish a correct method of philosophical enquiry into all the objects and subjects of human knowledge, including the process of reasoning and laws of thought.
The vaiseshika Atomic Theory of the Universe
In the Vaiseshika system, the formation of the world is supposed to be effected by the aggregation of atoms.
These atoms are countless and eternal. They are eternally aggregated, disintegrated and re-disintegrated by the power of Adrishta (unseeen).
The Vaiseshika has, for its chief objective, the analysis of experience. It begins by arranging its enquiries under categories (Padarthas), i.e., enumeration of certain general properties or attributes that may be predicted of existing things. It formulates general conceptions, which apply to things known, whether by senses or inference, or by authority.
The Sankhya:
The Sankhya system is generally studied next to the Nyaya.
It is a beautiful system of philosophy. The Western philosophers also have great admiration for this system. It is more categorically dualistic. It denies that anything can be produced out of nothing.
It assumes the reality of Purusha and Prakriti, the knowing Self
and the objects known.
Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga
Patanjali’s Yoga is Ashtanga-Yoga or Yoga with eight limbs.
This Yoga deals with the discipline of the mind and its psychic powers. Hatha Yoga treats of the methods of bodily control and regulations of breath. The culmination of Hatha Yoga is Raja Yoga.
The Purva Mimamsa
Purva Mimamsa or Karma-Mimamsa is an enquiry into the earlier portion of the Vedas, an enquiry into the ritual of the Vedas or that portion of the Vedas which is concerned with the Mantras and the Brahmanas only.
Mimamsa is not a branch of any philosophical system.
It is rather a system of Vedic interpretation. Its philosophical discussions amount to a kind of critical commentary on the Brahmana or ritual portion of the Veda.
The Vedanta Philosophy (Also known as the Uttara Mimamsa)
Uttara Mimamsa or the Vedanta philosophy of Vyasa or Badarayana is placed as the last of the six orthodox systems, but, really, it ought to stand first.
The Uttara Mimamsa conforms closely to the doctrines propounded in the Upanishads. The term Vedanta means literally the end or the essence of the Veda. It contains the
doctrines set forth in the closing chapters of the Vedas.
The closing chapters of the Vedas are the Upanishads.
The Upanishads really form the essence of the Vedas.
for full text articles please visit our recomended sites
http://www.hinduism.co.za/philosop.htm
http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/F002
http://www.hfb.org.uk/Default.aspx?sID=770&lID=0
