TOPIC- GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF

INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

INTRODUCTION

Indian philosophy (or Darshanas in

Sanskrit) refers to a variety of intellectual
traditions that originated in India, including
Hindu philosophy, Buddhist philosophy,
and Jain philosophy (see below for brief
introductions to these schools). It is
regarded as a practical discipline by Indian
thinkers, and its objective should always
be to improve human existence.
Philosophy implies 'love of wisdom' in its
broadest etymological de nition. Because
philosophy aspires to know the truth, it is
referred to as "the vision that every school
maintains, in its own manner, that there
can be a direct realisation of reality" in
Indian literature (tattva darshana). A guy
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who achieves his goals gets free; one who
does not achieve his goals becomes
entangled in the world.’

GENRAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN

PHILOSOPHY

Everyone wishes to live their lives in the

light of their knowledge and the world
around them, taking into account not only
the immediate consequences of his
actions, but also their long-term
consequences. This desire for knowledge
stems from man's rational nature.
Philosophy is an attempt to satisfy this
logical desire.

"Men live in accordance with their

philosophy of life, their conception of the
world," says Indian literature, "Philosophy
deals with di culties of this sort since
Philosophy aims at the knowledge of
truth.”
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General characteristics of indian
philosophy are explained below-

Indian Philosophy is Essentially

Spiritual

Indian philosophy, according to Dr. S.

Radhakrishnan, is "essentially spiritual."
Because it considers the spirit or soul to
be superior to the body or matter, Indian
philosophy is considered spiritual. Indian
philosophy, with the exception of the
Cârvâka system, places a strong focus on
spiritual principles. and

encourages people to live their lives with

the goal of attaining these principles. The
Cârvâka doctrine promotes materialistic
philosophy, which sets it apart from Indian
 philosophy in this sense. Although Buddha
philosophy does not acknowledge the
reality of the ego, it does emphasise the
signi cance of spirituality in leading a
disciplined moral life, unlike the Cârvâka.
The superiority of spirit over matter is a
belief shared by all other systems. Indian
philosophy also believes in an eternal
eternal moral system, in which a universal
moral order governs and sustains the
entire universe. This moral order is
everlasting, and no one can break it.

ACCEPTANCE IN AUTHORITIES OF
VEDAS

The Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and

Epics are all good places to start if you
want to learn about ancient Indian
philosophy and education. Veda is derived
from the Sanskrit root vid, which meaning
"to know." The Vedas believe in a single
god and a single world. God is the only
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one who exists (omniscient, omnipotent
and ever present). Orthodox Indian
philosophical schools believe in the
testimony of the Vedas, while heterodox
schools do not trust in the testimony of the
Vedas.

Orthodox Schools-

1. Sankhay- The oldest philosophy is

Sankhya. Kapila was the one who
proposed it. Sankhya philosophy gave
Nyaya and Vaisheshik their materialistic
ontology, yet Sankhya has relatively
little original literature. Because it
contains two entities, purush (spirit)
and prakriti (nature), it is widely
assumed that Sankhya Philosophy is
dualism rather than monistic. Sankhya
promotes the use of focus and
meditation to achieve self-knowledge.
Sankhya believes that it is self-
knowledge, not any external in uence
or agent, that leads to liberation.
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 Yoga's philosophical foundation is
Sankhya. Sankhya does not believe
that God is required for epistemic
clarity on the interrelationship between
the higher Self, the individual self, and
the universe around us.

2. Yoga- Yoga is a technique for both

physical and mental discipline. Yoga
stresses the attainment of self-
knowledge through focus and
meditation, whereas Samkhya
promotes the attainment of self-
knowledge via concentration and
meditation. Yoga is based on the
concept of releasing Purush from
Parkriti via physical and mental
discipline. Pathanjai is the founder of
Yoga. Yoga does not necessitate
believing in God, however it is
recognised as bene cial in the initial
stages of mental concentration and
mind control.
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 3. Nyaya- Nothing is acceptable in Nyaya
Philosophy unless it is in harmony with
reason and experience (scienti c
approach). Gautam is the founder of this
philosophy, and the principles are laid
down in the Nyaya Sutras. Nyaya claims
that the world is real, and that his
philosophy is not monist.
Nyaya philosophy's epistemology is based
on numerous pramanas, or ways of
attaining real knowledge. Pratyaksha
pramana, or knowledge received through
the ve senses, is the pradhan pramana,
or primary manner of receiving knowledge,
according to it. Other pramanas include
anumana (inference, which allows us to get
accurate knowledge) and shabda pramana
(a statement of an expert).

4. Vaisheshik- The physics of ancient times

was Vaisheshik, a traditional Indian
philosophy. It promoted its originator
Kannada's atomic theory. Because physics
is a branch of science, Vaisheshik was
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once considered part of the Nyaya
philosophy. Vaisheshik was eventually split
from Nyaya and presented as a separate
philosophy because physics is the most
fundamental of all disciplines. To
summarise, Vaisheshik is a universe
philosophy that is both realistic and
objective.

5. Purva mimansa (mimansa) -

Mimamsa is a Sanskrit term that means "to
thoroughly evaluate and comprehend."
Purva Mimamsa analyses Vedic teachings
in light of karma-kanda rituals, i.e. purva-
mimamsa is a karma-mimamsa system.
Purva mimansa (or briefly mimansa)
emphasises the yagya's performance for a
variety of spiritual and worldly advantages.
As a result, this philosophy is based on the
Vedic Brahmana (and samhita) section.
6. Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanda)- Vedanta
says that the world is unreal, Maya.
Vedanta is monistic, in other words, it says
that there is only one reality, Brahman.
Vedanta lays emphasis on brahmagyan,
hence relies on the Upanishad part of the
Vedas. Vedanda has its roots in Sankya
Philosophy.

Heterodox Schools

1. Charvaka- It is characterised as a
materialistic and aesthetic school of
thought. Accepted direct perception as the
surest method to prove the truth of
anything. Insists on joyful living.
Also known as Lokayata, Carvaka is a
materialistic school of thought. Its founder
was Carvaka, author of the Barhaspatya
Sutras in the nal centuries B.C.
The original texts have been lost and our
understanding of them is based largely on
criticism of the ideas by other schools. As
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early as the 5th Century, Saddaniti and
Buddhaghosa connected the Lokayatas
with the Vitandas (or Sophists), and the
term Carvaka was rst recorded in the 7th
Century by the philosopher Purandara, and
in the 8th Century by Kamalasila and
Haribhadra.

2. Buddha- It is a system of beliefs based

on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautma.
Buddhism is a non-theistic philosophy
whose tenets are not especially concerned
with the existence or non-existence of
God.
Four Noble Truths in Buddhism are the
following.
i. There is su ering

ii. There is a cause of su ering

iii.There is a cessaSon of su ering

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 iv.There is a way to the cessaSon of
su ering

Buddhists philosophy of life to get

‘Nirvana’ from su ering is based on the
following eight principles:
i. Right Faith (Samyak DrisS)

ii. Right Resolve (Samyak Sankalpa)

iii.Right Speech (Samyak Vakya)

iv.Right AcSon (Samyak Karmanta)

v. RightLiving(SamyakAjiva)

vi.Right Thought (Samyak SmriS)

vii.Right concentraSon (Samyak Samadhi)

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viii.Right E ort (Samyak Vyayama)

3. Jaina- Already in existence by 6th

century B.C, it was revived by Mahavira,
the 24th Jain Tirthankara. According to
Jainism, Nirvana or liberation is obtained
through three jewels: Right Philosophy,
Right Knowledge and Right Conduct (Tri-
ratna). Right conduct implies 5
absinences: not to lie, not to steal, not to
strive for luxury and not to strive for
possessions, not to be unchaste and not
to injure (Ahimsa).

Acceptance of Certain Valid Sources of

knowledge
1. Perception(pratyaksh)-The meaning of
word perception is “that which is before
one’s eyes”. In Indian philosophy,
perception, the rst of the ve means of
knowledge, or pramanas, that enable a
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 person to have correct cognitions of
the world.

2. Inference(anumana)-The meaning of
word inference is “measuring along
some other thing”. In Indian philosophy,
the second of the pramanas, or the ve
means of knowledge. Inference
occupies a central place in the Hindu
school of logic (nyaya).

3. VerbaltesSmony(shabda pramana) - In
Indian philosophy, verbal testimony as
a means of obtaining knowledge. In the
philosophical systems (darshans),
shabda is equated with the authority of
the Vedas (the mostancient sacred
scriptures) as the only infallible
testimony, since the Vedas are deemed
to be eternal, authorless, and
absolutely infalliable.
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 4. Comparison(upmana)-Upamana is the
associaSon of something previously
unknown by virtue of its similarity to
something that is known. For example,
someone who has never seen a wild ox
is told that it resembles a cow. When
the person sees the wild ox, he/ she
observes that it is similar to a cow and,
thus, believes it to be a wild ox.

5. Implication(arthapao)–The meaning of
word implication is “the incidence of a
case”. Arthapao is knowledge arrived at
through presumption or postulation.

The Belief in Dharma/Mortality/Eternal

Moral order of the Universe

This is also an important character that is

present in almost every school of Indian
Philosophy, except Charvaka (the only
materialistic school). Indian philosophy
also believes in an eternal eternal moral
order i.e., the whole universe is being
governed and sustained by a universal
moral order. This moral order is eternal and
cannot be violated by anybody.
Many di erent schools have their own
principles in di erent forms like apurba for
Mimansa, adsta for Nyaya- Vaisheshika,
and law of karma which is accepted by
almost every school of Indian Philosophy,
including heterodox system Jaina and
Buddha.
Dharma means the righteous way of living.
It is intended to provide guidelines in all
social acSon and to harmonize relation
between Kama and Artha. Dharma implies
those rules according to which a man must
behave as a member of society.
In Buddhism, dharma is the doctrine, the
universal truth common to all individuals at
all times, proclaimed by the Buddha.
Dharma, the Buddha, and the sangha
(community of believers) make up the
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Triratna, “Three Jewels,” to which
Buddhists go for refuge. In Buddhist
metaphysics the term in the plural
(dharmas) is used to describe the
interrelated elements that make up the
empirical world.
In Jain philosophy, dharma, in addiSon to
being commonly understood as moral
virtue, also has the meaning— unique to
Jainism—of an eternal “substance”
(dravya), the medium that allows beings to
move.

The Unity Of Moral and Spiritual

Outlook

The philosophy of India is spiritual. Indian

philosophy is based on the belief that the
soul is real and that it can be realised in its
purest form. The goal of all Indian
philosophical traditions has been the
realisation of the soul. The same
inquisitiveness has inspired them all, from
the Upanishads to Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya,
Vaisesika, and Vedanta. In the life of an
individual, this moral system is manifested
through the principle of Karma. Karma is a
theory that almost all Indian philosophers*
believe in. The e ects of acSons
(Karmaphala) are constantly with us in the
form of impressions (samskarsa) and direct
the direction of our lives, according to it.
As a result, the world is a theatre on which
everyone is predestined to play their part
according to their Karma. Emancipation
from the shackles of Karma is what
liberation is all about. Di erent
philosophical systems have proposed
various methods for achieving liberty.

Indian Philosophy Begins with

Pessimism and ends with Optimism
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Indian Philosophy, in general is found to
start with a note of pessimism.
Indian thinkers were distributed at sight of
human pain and su ering and presence of
evil that made man’s life miserable on
earth. They speculate over these issues
and tried to nd out the cause of these
and as a result, di erent philosophies
developed.
At the school, all their way has shown that
we can get over the su ering of life. There
are ways that led to freedom from the
miserable state of existence on earth.
Optimism and pessimism are two
opposing worldviews or states of mind.
The former amounts to an overall positive
view of things (the glass is half full), while
the latter corresponds to a negative view
(the glass is half empty). But optimism and
pessimism are not limited to such a
psychological predisposition.
Philosophically, optimism is linked to the
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noSon that the world is fundamentally
good, that it has purpose and meaning
and that, therefore, one can reasonably
expect ful lment. It is also prevalent
whenever there is a sense that humans
can control their environment and their
destiny. Pessimism is linked to the notion
that people are fundamentally evil, that life
is devoid of meaning and thus destined to
lead to increasing su ering and the
frustration of one’s goals. Historical
circumstances that suggest our inability to
reach these goals generally contribute to a
pessimistic outlook. Optimism is often
associated with the notion that the world
was created by a benevolent deity;
pessimism is often associated with the
noSon that there is no meaningful
explanation for the world’s existence. The
two are also often associated with the
expectation that there is, or respectively
isn’t, eternal life.
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The Belief in Law Of Karma
‘As a man sows, he reaps’. Our acSons are
the cause that produces proper e ects at
proper times. This is the eternal & universal
law of karma. Each society is responsible
for his or her own acSons. But the whole
society is responsible for its joint,
corporate or collection actions. So, the
entire society has to experience the fruits
of the joint acSons, which the society as a
whole might have performed. People of
India were subject to foreign rule and
faced innumerable hardships because of
internal dissension and mutual ghting that
our forefathers indulged in. Friends if only
they were united Bharat’s history might
well have been di erent. Every man must
keep this law in mind before performing
any activity. If he does so he will not
perform any bad actions and feel elated to
perform good actions. However, if one
performs bad actions, expresses regret
after experiencing the fruits of earlier
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 actions and resolves not to repeat such
actions, then one would surely be
bene ted. To say that the law of karma is
right or true but to yet perform bad actions
implies that we do not have faith in the law
or that we prefer immediate material gain
to the prevention of the future bi]er results
or consequences. At times when we are
constrained to disregard the law of karma
and forced to do evil acSons against our
will, we do bind Karmas as a result of
which we have to experience their bi]er
fruits at the time of fruition, but the
duration of such karmas is short and the
bitterness of their fruits is less intense.
The doctrine of karma implies that one
person’s karma cannot have an e ect on
another person’s future. Yet, while karma is
in theory speci c to each
individual, many aspects of Indian religions
re ect the widely held belief that karma
may be shared. For example, the doctrine
of the transfer of merit, whereby one
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 person can transfer his good karma to
another, is found in both Buddhism and
Hinduism. Ancestral o erings and other
rituals for the departed show that acts
done by the living are believed to in uence
the well-being of the dead. Finally, pious
activities, including pilgrimages, are often
performed for the bene t of living or
deceased relatives.
कम िवाधका र मा फलेषु कदाचन।
माकम लहतेुभू स ऽ कम ण॥
Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the theory
of Karmas. He said believe in yourself and
do your Karma (acSon) and success will
follow you automatically. Doing Karma is in
our hands only, Result is not in our hands.

Ignorance is the cause of Bondage or

Su ering, Hence Knowledge is
Necessary for Liberation
र्ण्ये
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र्फ
र्मा
स्ते
र्ते
ङ्गो
स्त्व
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र्ि
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“Tapaha-swadhya-ayaeshwara-
pranidhana-kriya-yogaha”.

Ignorance of the true nature of things leads

to a desire for worldly commodities that
can satisfy one's senses. Such
attachments to sense objects make men
slaves to their appetites, passions, and
other desires, obstructing the path to
ultimate reality. Only through proper
knowledge of things can one be set free
from this state of enslavement.

Ignorance, what is it? You consider

something that isn't permanent to be such.
You believe that, supposing what is
changing to be constant. What isn't joy as
joy, and what isn't self as self. Although I
am not the body, I believe that I am. I am
not my ideas or emotions, but I believe I
am. You've never considered or realised
how much your body resembles a river. It's
always evolving. An individual must gain a
full understanding of the self, or Atman, in
order to achieve liberation (tattva- jnana).
All schools of Indian philosophy agree on
the importance of developing an ethical
and practical understanding of the concept
of liberation.

The Belief in Liberation and the Aim of

Indian Philosophy is to get Liberation
(Moksha)

All systems except Charvaka, believes that

liberation or freedom is the only ultimate
goal life. Liberation means complete
cessation of su ering, end to miseries of
life.
Normal ends of life considered as dharma,
arth, kama, moksha(liberation) and among
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these four liberations is considered as
ultimate and highest goal of life.
Liberation are paths of Gyana, Bhakti and
Karma.
Moksha, also spelled mok a, also called
mukti, in Indian philosophy and religion,
liberation from the cycle of death and
rebirth (samsara). Derived from the
Sanskrit word muc (“to free”), the term
moksha literally means freedom from
samsara. This concept of liberation or
release is shared by a wide spectrum of
religious traditions, including Hinduism,
Buddhism, and Jainism. The foremost aim
of man according to Indian systems of
philosophy is liberation or freedom from all
forms of identity. This freedom is referred
to as moksha, nirvana or Jina. Jainism
refers the one who conquers himself as
Jina or the victor.
The Buddhists consider attaining the
Buddha Mind — full of compassion for all
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 living beings — as imperative to mitigating
su ering. Sense liberation hints at
sel essness, at leong go of our anger and
ego, acknowledging the broader reality
that exists beyond name and form, as
Brahman in Vedanta and as Shunayata in
Buddhism and Kaivlya Jnana in Jainism.
Moksha means liberation, the realization of
the Self, and is the ultimate destination of
this human birth. It is the stage of inner
realization that the individual self is the
same as the Supreme Self. Moksha is the
experience of the cosmos within one’s self.
It is the experience of the ow and fusion
of the Shiva and Shakti energies in one’s
self. The experience of union, Oneness or
Ekatvam with one’s Higher Self is Moksha.

The Belief in Existence of Reality

(God, Soul, World)
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Metaphysics is a discipline of philosophy
that explains the underlying truth of
physical objects' existence as well as the
precise causes for their existence. It
discusses the existence of god, soul, and
world in Indian philosophy. Within
Hinduism's four major sects or
denominations: Saivism, Shaktism,
Vaishnavism, and Smartism, there is a vast
range of religious belief. While they have
considerably more in common than they
do not, they inevitably have di erent
viewpoints on God, the soul, and the
universe. Siva is the personal God and the
main temple Deity in Saivism. He is
immanent and transcendent love and
compassion, grati ed by followers' purity
and striving. God Siva is one with the soul
philosophically, a mystic reality that is
ultimately understood via his grace.
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 CONCLUSION

In India, philosophy has a long history. In

fact, philosophical debate began in India
during the Vedic period. The philosophical
thoughts that begin and grow on Indian
soil are referred to as Indian philosophy.
Indian philosophy is divided into nine
di erent systems. Six of them consider the
Vedas to be authoritative. They are referred
to as vedic or astika (orthodox) systems.
These are the systems of Nyâya, Vaieika,
Skhya, Yoga, Mms, and Vedânta. The three
other systems are known as non-vedic or
nastika (heterodox). Cârvâka, Jaina, and
Buddha are their names. These nine
systems di er in various ways, but
philosophically, they share some
signi cant similarities. They share several
important characteristics.
What interests me the most is not
philosophy with all of its theories, but
rather the human mind that generates all of
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these thoughts, or, in other words, the
question of what makes it tick. Then it's
fascinating to see how minds separated by
space and time ponder the same
questions. Not just for a few hours or days,
but for centuries.