Essentials of Hinduism
Darsanas
Truth is first known by listening to its declaration in the Veda – this is Sravana; it is then stablilized in one’s Mind by thinking over and over again with the help of reasonings – this is Manana. These Systems of Thought are therefore not mere exercises of intellect but Darsanas, Visions of Truth. The six Systems described below are the Practical Part or the Sadhana, to lead one to an intended Goal - to interpret Paramatma as the cause of the Universe, as well as, the author of the Vedas.
The Darsanas are meant only for the Learned Few. For the Common Man, Ithihasa, Puranas (discussed in the Later Chapters) are the easier way to understand Paramatma through Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Knowledge of Paramatma found in the Vedas gave rise to six different Systems of Philosophy, called Darsanas: namely – Sankhya; Mimamsa; Vedanta; Yoga; Nyaya and Vaisheshika. These were developed by Great Sages at different periods of time. They are Religious Philosophical Systems because their Foundations are in the Vedas.
These Darsanas are briefly Explained Below:
1) Sankhya was founded by Kapila. Sankhya means Knowledge in general. Sankhya accepts two Principles – the Purusha or Paramatma (Spirit) and the Three Gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which He formulated (Matter). This was indeed a great contribution. Sattva Guna stands for Knowledge and Happiness; Rajas Guna for Restlessness, Passion and Misery; Tamas Guna for Ignorance and Dullness. For evaluating Character, Action and Qualities, the Three Gunas have been used as the Criteria.
2) Mimamsa (or Purva Mimamsa) was founded by Jaimini – this has been discussed already in the Earlier Chapter 16.
3) Vedanta (or Uttara Mimamsa) was founded by Vyasa – this will be discussed in the Chapter 30.
4) Yoga was founded by Patanjali. The term Yoga is an Application or a Process. The Penance (Tapas) of which one hears so much in the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Epics are the means that the Sages and the Seers adopted for their Self Realization has been defined and set forth concretely for the later ages by Patanjali in terms of his Yoga. The Yoga became very popular, as well as, generalized and is used in conjunction with Knowledge or Jnyana Yoga; Action or Karma Yoga; and Devotion or Bhakti Yoga.
5) Nyaya was founded by Goutama. The Nyaya is a Theistic System and regards Paramatma as the cause of the Universe and the author of the Vedas. Nyaya is also called Tharka Sastra. It states that the pain of the Cycles of Births and Deaths have to annihilated and Moksha has to be obtained with the help of Paramatma. The Nyaya is a System of Logic elaborating the Principles of Debate (Tharka). The logicians belonged to different sects of Saivism.
Understanding Nyaya by a different Approach:
Veda makes a Statement. Mimamsa describes the Meaning. Yes, we Trust the Veda’s Statement. Even if we Trust the Statement, yet we may have a doubt. To clarify this doubt, if we analyse utilizing various possibilities and then come to a conclusion of the Veda’s Statement utilizing proper logical interpretations of each possibility, then we will believe the Vedic Statement for sure is True. The process of deciding the Veda contents utilizing the logical principles is the Nyaya Sastra.
Four Truths are analyzed by the Nyaya Sastra –
(i) Prathyaksha involves looking with the eyes and listening through the ears; (ii) Anumana –inference through association; (iii) Upamana – if we do not know something, we learn about it by comparing with something we know already. For Example, if we do not know how a Fox looks like, but know for sure from Authentic Sources that it looks like a Dog, we then learn how Fox
will look like; (iv) Sabda (Sound) – if we do not know something, we have to believe the Material stated in the Veda and interpreted by Sages and Saints is the Truth.
6) Vaisheshika was founded by Seer-Sage Kanada. The important thing to realize is Kanada practiced Yoga and received his Teaching from Mahesvara or Shiva Himself. The Vaisheshika System aims to justify that the Veda is the source of True Logic based on categorization and Atomism – analyzing Piece by Piece. The categories into which reality is analyzed in the Vaisheshika is accepted in the Nyaya Sastra.
Chapter Re-cap:
1) Darsanas consists of Sankhya, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga, Nyaya and Vaisheshika Philosophies to Interpret the Truth that Paramatma is the cause of the Universe and He is the Author of the Vedas.
2) Each of these Six Darsanas are the Different Methods adopted by the various Sages to Interpret the Truth of the Vedas.
3) The Darsanas can be understood only by the Learned Few. For the Common Man, the easy way to understand the Paramatma is through the Ithihasas and Puranas only.
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These Darsanas are briefly Explained Below:
1) Sankhya was founded by Kapila. Sankhya means Knowledge in general. Sankhya accepts two Principles – the Purusha or Paramatma (Spirit) and the Three Gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which He formulated (Matter). This was indeed a great contribution. Sattva Guna stands for Knowledge and Happiness; Rajas Guna for Restlessness, Passion and Misery; Tamas Guna for Ignorance and Dullness. For evaluating Character, Action and Qualities, the Three Gunas have been used as the Criteria.
2) Mimamsa (or Purva Mimamsa) was founded by Jaimini – this has been discussed already in the Earlier Chapter 16.
3) Vedanta (or Uttara Mimamsa) was founded by Vyasa – this will be discussed in the Chapter 30.
4) Yoga was founded by Patanjali. The term Yoga is an Application or a Process. The Penance (Tapas) of which one hears so much in the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Epics are the means that the Sages and the Seers adopted for their Self Realization has been defined and set forth concretely for the later ages by Patanjali in terms of his Yoga. The Yoga became very popular, as well as, generalized and is used in conjunction with Knowledge or Jnyana Yoga; Action or Karma Yoga; and Devotion or Bhakti Yoga.
5) Nyaya was founded by Goutama. The Nyaya is a Theistic System and regards Paramatma as the cause of the Universe and the author of the Vedas. Nyaya is also called Tharka Sastra. It states that the pain of the Cycles of Births and Deaths have to annihilated and Moksha has to be obtained with the help of Paramatma. The Nyaya is a System of Logic elaborating the Principles of Debate (Tharka). The logicians belonged to different sects of Saivism.
Understanding Nyaya by a different Approach:
Veda makes a Statement. Mimamsa describes the Meaning. Yes, we Trust the Veda’s Statement. Even if we Trust the Statement, yet we may have a doubt. To clarify this doubt, if we analyse utilizing various possibilities and then come to a conclusion of the Veda’s Statement utilizing proper logical interpretations of each possibility, then we will believe the Vedic Statement for sure is True. The process of deciding the Veda contents utilizing the logical principles is the Nyaya Sastra.
Four Truths are analyzed by the Nyaya Sastra –
(i) Prathyaksha involves looking with the eyes and listening through the ears; (ii) Anumana –inference through association; (iii) Upamana – if we do not know something, we learn about it by comparing with something we know already. For Example, if we do not know how a Fox looks like, but know for sure from Authentic Sources that it looks like a Dog, we then learn how Fox
will look like; (iv) Sabda (Sound) – if we do not know something, we have to believe the Material stated in the Veda and interpreted by Sages and Saints is the Truth.
6) Vaisheshika was founded by Seer-Sage Kanada. The important thing to realize is Kanada practiced Yoga and received his Teaching from Mahesvara or Shiva Himself. The Vaisheshika System aims to justify that the Veda is the source of True Logic based on categorization and Atomism – analyzing Piece by Piece. The categories into which reality is analyzed in the Vaisheshika is accepted in the Nyaya Sastra.
Chapter Re-cap:
1) Darsanas consists of Sankhya, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga, Nyaya and Vaisheshika Philosophies to Interpret the Truth that Paramatma is the cause of the Universe and He is the Author of the Vedas.
2) Each of these Six Darsanas are the Different Methods adopted by the various Sages to Interpret the Truth of the Vedas.
3) The Darsanas can be understood only by the Learned Few. For the Common Man, the easy way to understand the Paramatma is through the Ithihasas and Puranas only.
This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.
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