Indian Philosophy in brief

 India never felt the world was a field of battle and hence people began to think of the higher life, how to life more perfectly in the spirit. None of the rulers of India affected the spiritual integrity of Indian Culture. Be it Greeks, Huns, Scythians or Moguls. India escaped the doom that Plato pronounced as the worst of all “The hatred of reason”. The Conservative Liberalism is the secret of the success of Indian culture and civilization.

 Periods of Indian Thought :

-          Vedic Period (1500 – 600 BC)

-          Epic Period (600 BC – 200 AD)

-          Suthra and scholastic period (from 200 AD)

 Broad domain of religious and philosophic thoughts :

-          Weltanschauung (or world view) : Hinduism is a world view

o       Vedas (Shruthis)

§         Samhitha

·         Collection of mantras(hymns),prayers,charms,litanies,fromula

§         Brahmanas

·         Meaning of mantras and their application, related stories, ritualistic portion, sacrifices Rajasuya,Ashvamedha,Agnishtoma and Soma Yaga

§         Aranyakas

·         Using mantras and samhithas as spiritual exercises in prayer and meditation – aspect of philosophic mysticism

§         Upanisahds

·         Philosophiccal discussions of the hermits and ascetics on soul, god, world, and human being.

o       Smrithis

§         Ithihasa

§         Dharmashastras

§         Purana

§         Agama

-          Philosophy

-          Religion(or sect)

 Six Orthodox schools

-          Nyaya

-          Vaisheshika

-          Sankhya

-          Yoga

-          Purva Mimamsa

-          Vedanta

o       Non Dualism or Advaitha – Sankara

o       Qualified non dualism – Ramanuja

o       Dualism – Madhava

 Vedas

-          Rg-Veda Samhita

o       Collection of Manthras(hymns), primarily concerned with praise to the gods, and the main book of Manthras

-          Sama Veda

o       Collection of songs mostly taken from the Rg-Veda set to music for singing during the sacrifice

-          Yajur Veda

o       Collection of sacrificial formulas in prose and verse to be chanted at the proformance of sacrifice (Krishna , Sukla recensions)

-          Atharva Veda

o       Collection of spells, charms and incantations in verse meant for different lower purposes than the purely spiritual