An Outline of
UNIT 1 AN OUTLINE OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY* Indian Philosophy
Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Philosopher’s Look at Reality
1.3 Knowledge in Indian Context
1.4 Philosophy and Life
1.5 Let Us Sum Up
1.6 Key Words
1.7 Suggested Readings and References
1.8 Answers to Check Your Progress
1.0 OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of this unit are:
• To dispel certain misconceptions about Indian philosophy held mainly by
western scholars and certain other misconceptions held by some Indian
scholars. In order to grasp Indian philosophy in proper perspective, it is
necessary that these misconceptions are erased;
• To distinguish philosophy from religion in the Indian context. This unit
shows that, taken in the strict sense of the term, philosophy is not the same
as religion. Some key philosophical issues developed in the Indian context
are on very different lines as compared to western thought;
• To project the essence of Indian thought.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
In the Indian context, philosophy is taken to mean Darśana or tattva. Let’s see
how the etymological meaning of ‘philosophy’ correlates itself with Darśana or
tattva. ‘Dr̩ śyate anena iti darśanam’ translates as ‘the one through which it is
seen’. From a philosophical point of view, to ‘see’ means to ‘realise’. Darśana,
therefore, means to realise. Further, the verb “realise” is a transitive verb.
Whenever we realise, we always realise ‘something’. To say that we realise
‘nothing’ is to admit that there is no realisation at all. If we recollect whatever
that was said about ‘know’, then it becomes clear that to a great extent ‘to realise’
corresponds to ‘to know’, and hence realisation corresponds to knowledge. This
correspondence is nearly one-to-one; i.e., it is nearly isomorphic. This aspect
shall unfold itself in due course.
Simultaneously, the word tattva is derived from two words ‘tat’ and ‘tva’.
Tat means ‘it’ or ‘that’ and tva means ‘you’. Therefore tattva, etymologically,
means ‘you are that’. What is important is to know what tat stands for in Indian
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*Prof. M. R. Nandan, Department of Philosophy, Govt. College for Women, Mandya.
