Six Schools of Indian Philosophy

Introduction 

Indian philosophy encompasses the countless, unending intellectual traditions that developed on the Indian subcontinent across various epochs. Its origins cannot be pinpointed to a specific time period, but rather date back to endless antiquity. Origin of philosophies takes place, from these three stages- Pre-logic, Logic, and Ultra-Logic.

• The pre-logic spans both the pre-and post-Mauryan eras.
• The logic period begins from the Kushans to the Gupta period.
• The dawn of the ultra-logic span began in India when India coincided with the advent of imperialism and the western philosophies of utilitarianism, idealism, and empiricism.

Indian Philosophy 

Hindu philosophy, also known as Indian philosophy,  looks for the way to salvation and the meaning of life. The concepts of Karma and moksha, or freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth, were central to all Indian philosophy. There were two groups of philosophers here- 

• Ashthika– which follows conventional philosophical ideas and regards the Vedas as the main source of knowledge. It has two primary branches, Atheistic (which denies the existence of a God) and Theistic (which believes in the existence of a God). Six Indian philosophical schools made up the Ashthika school of thought. They were Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa, Uttara Mimamsa, or Vedanta.
• Nastika– Disregarded the authority of the Vedas as the fundamental source of knowledge. The three branches of the Nashthika school of philosophy are Charvaka, Jainism, and Buddhism (the school of materialism).

Schools of Philosophy 

The schools of philosophy which made up the Ashthika school of thought comprise 6 schools. They are as follows- 

• Samkhya

It is one of the oldest philosophical traditions and was given by Kapila Muni. It holds that two components, Purusha (consciousness or soul) and Prakriti (nature and matter) are the sources of all things in the universe. Despite being the earliest school of thinking, it was formed on logical and scientific principles. These thinkers held that nature, instead of the soul or Purusha, was responsible for the world’s creation; but, by the fourth century A.D., they started giving equal importance to the Purusha in the creation of the universe. Because Samkhya combined both the materialism and spiritualistic aspects in the creation of the world, it was also known as dualistic philosophy. The Samkhya philosophy serves as the theoretical foundation for the Yoga school of thinking.

• Yoga

Yoga is the application of the Samkhya theory. This school of thought was established by the sage Patanjali. According to this theory, nirvana can be attained by mastering the body, mind, and sense organs. Ashtanga yoga, which consists of various asanas and breathing exercises, can help one achieve this nirvana. In this instance, God is viewed as a mentor or teacher rather than a creator.

• Nyaya

The Nyaya, whose literal meaning is “justice,” was another logical, scientific school of philosophy. This idea was put forth by Gautam Muni. This philosophy is based on parmana or pratyaksha pramana, or proof. It emphasizes that anything should be accepted based on logic and personal experience. Nyaya states that accurate knowledge can be obtained through inference, comparison, perception, and testimony.

• Vaisheshika

The Vaisheshik philosophy is founded on metaphysical theory, which emphasizes that everything in the universe may be broken down into atoms, or parmanu.

It was put forth by the wise Kanada. It recognized just two paths to accurate knowledge: pratyakṣa (perception) and anumāṇa (inference). It resembles a naturalistic and objective philosophy of the cosmos in which each atom in the universe is given significance.

• Purva Mimamsa

The wise man Jaimini founded this school of thought. It discusses the significance of mantras and yajnas in maintaining the cosmos. In a sense, it acknowledged the Vedas’ supreme authority, where adherence to their teachings can lead to the route to nirvana. It also says that studying the Vedas is a reliable way to learn and gain knowledge.

• Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta

The founder of this philosophical system was Badarayana. The Upanishadic section of the Vedas serves as the foundation for Vedanta philosophy, which places a strong emphasis on the Brahma Gyan. Advaita by Adi Shankara, Visishtadvaita by Ramanuja, Dvaita by Madhvacharya, Dvaitadvaita by Nimbarka, Shuddhadvaita by Vallabhacharya, and Achintya Bheda Abheda by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are the six divisions of the Vedanta philosophy.

Effects of Indian Philosophy on Society 

Indian philosophy had a great impact on society.

• They provided a variety of perspectives regarding the world or the universe.
• Although these six schools of philosophy had different roads, they all pointed toward the same direction of nirvana or liberation.
• These philosophies were founded on the ideas of metaphysics, religion, logic, and epistemology.
• Indian philosophy gave the people the ability to think rationally, because people now began seeking the logic or justification for everything rather than just accepting it, based on blind faith.
• To be liberated from the afflictions of the world, these ideologies stressed the significance of self-realization and made society more logical.

Summary 

Indian philosophical systems have developed millions of years ago and since then were responsible for shaping the community. The Hindu philosophy gave maximum importance to obtaining nirvana, or ultimate salvation. This can be obtained through various paths, which they named schools of philosophy. The 6 schools of philosophy were Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva Mimamsa, Uttara Mimamsa, or Vedanta. All these Indian philosophical systems had the same goal: to make society and the people dwelling in it stronger

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Describe Charvaka.
Ans: Chravaka belonged to the Nashthika philosophical tradition. It stressed that there is no other world and that death marks the end of human life. In addition to this, they also believe in materialism.

2. What are the various yoga Techniques under Ashtanga Yoga?
Ans: Ashtanga yoga includes- Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharna, dhyana, and Samadhi. These yoga techniques help in keeping command over the mind, body, and sense organs.

3. Jainism is considered a Nastika Philosophy. Explain.
Ans: Nastika is primarily a philosophy that rejects the notion of a deity.

Similar to this, Jainism rejected the significance of god, placing ‘Jina’ higher than god. This philosophy was primarily founded on the following three ideas: correct belief, proper knowledge, and right behaviour.

4. What was Buddhist Philosophy?
Ans: Between the severe ritualism of Hinduism and the extreme asceticism of Jainism, Buddhism offers a middle way. This philosophy also gives importance to logical thinking and reasons instead of blind faith.