Introduction to Indian Philosophy

Sreekumar Nellickappilly IIT Madras

Sources of Indian Philosophy

The Vedas: Rik, Yajus, Sama and Atharva The nature of the Vedas: the oral tradition The sruti literature and the authority of tradition The Vedic religion The Karma kand and the Jnana kanda The importance of the Upanishads The Philosophy of the Vedas: tad ekam

Hymn 10.129 of the Rg Veda: The Hymn of Creation

Neither non-being nor being was as yet, Neither was airy space nor the sky beyond; What was enveloped? And where? And sheltered by whom? And was there water? Bottomless, unfathomed? Death did not exist nor life immortal, Nor was there any sign then of night or day, By its inherent force the One breathed windless, Beyond that, indeed, nothing, whatever was. Darkness was there first hidden by darkness, Undifferentiated surge was this whole world. That which, becoming, by the void was covered, In the Principle, thereupon, arose desire, Which of consciousness was the primeval seed. Then the wise, searching within their hearts, Perceived that in non-being lay the bond of being. Their ray extended light across darkness. Was there a below? And was there an above? There were sowers of seeds and forces of might: Potency from beneath and from on high the Will. Who really knows, who could here proclaim, Whence this creation flows, where is its origin? The gods were born after this worlds creation. Who therefore knows from where it has arisen? This flow of creation, from where did it rise? Whether it was ordered, or whether it was not. The Observer, in the highest heaven. That alone knows, or perhaps, It knows it not.

That One by force of heat came into being.

Holygraqce Academy March 2009

Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras

IIT

The Upanishads
Elaborates on tad ekam Aparaa vidya: lower knowledge Paraa vidya: higher wisdom Often knowledge associated with the Veda as belonging to the lower kind Orthodox schools either accepted the authority of the Vedic scriptures, or at least never explicitly doubted their authority.
Holygraqce Academy March 2009 Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras IIT

The six Vedangas

Siksha Kalpa Vyakarana Niruktham Jyotisham Chandassatram

Holygraqce Academy March 2009

Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras

IIT

The upangas of the Vedas

Mimamsa Nyaya Puranas Dharmasastras

Holygraqce Academy March 2009

Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras

IIT

The upavedas
Ayurveda Dhanurveda Gandharvaveda-music Natyaveda-acting

Holygraqce Academy March 2009

Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras

IIT

Hymn 164 of the Rg Veda

Indram mitram varunam agni mahuradho divyah Sa suparno garutman Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti They call it Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni as well as Garutman of heavenly plumage. That which exists is One, sages call it by various names.
Holygraqce Academy March 2009 Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras IIT

Hymn 8.58.2 of the Rg Veda

Eka evagnir bahudha samiddha Ekah suryo visvam anu prabhutah Ekaivosah sarvam idam vibhaty Ekam vaidam vi babhuva sarvam One fire burns in many ways; one sun illumines the world; one dawn dispels the darkness of night; All that exists is One and It has taken all these various forms.
Holygraqce Academy March 2009 Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras IIT

Gayatri Mantra (Rg Veda 3.62.10)

Aum bhur bhuvaswa Tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat Let us meditate on the glory of that Supreme that illumines everything. May That illumine our understanding.

Holygraqce Academy March 2009

Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras

IIT

Unity hymn (Rg Veda 10.191.3)

Samano mantrah samiti samani Samanam manah saha cittamesam Common be your prayers. Common be the end of your assembly. Common be your purpose. Common be your deliberations. The English word same is derived from the Sanskrit samah which means even, level, similar, identical.
Holygraqce Academy March 2009 Dr. Sreekumar Nellickappilly, Madras IIT

The Upanishads
Upa+nishad= sitting nearby The message of the Upanishads The Upanishadic philosophy: Brahman and Atman and their relationship The influence of the Upanishads

The emergence of systematic philosophy

The sruti smriti distinction The decline of the Vedic tradition The pluralistic approaches fostered by the Vedic tradition The opposition to the Brahmanic tradition of kaqrma The emergence of nasthika traditions

The issues discussed

The concept of dharma The notion of purushartha The idea of otherworldiness Life and suffering: the concept of samsara The law of karma: rta and rna The ideal of moksha

The Nasthika tradition

Buddhism Jainism Charvaka materialism Dharma redefined by Buddhism and Jainism with emphasis on ahimsa Moksha redefined: often refuted by the Charvakins

The Asthikas
Important concerns Overcoming of suffering The roles of ignorance and knowledge The karmic forces, sukha, dukha and apavarga/kaivalya/moksha The concept of eternal soul The positive overcoming of suffereings

The Nasthikas
Buddhism: Nirvana the negative ideal The importance of ahimsa The practical philosophy of the nasthikas

Knowledge
The importance of knowledge in enlightenment and epistemology The pramana sastra The triputi

He Samkhya metaphysics
Prakriti and Purusha dualism The notion of suffering The importance of avidya The idea of evolution: teleology Pluralism of purushas: for accounting for the principle of individuality Evolutes of Prakriti