A webinar on 'Indian school of philosophy' organised by Department of Education, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli. Invited Resource Person A.Veliappan, Ph.D Faculty, Department of Education M.S.University, Tirunelveli, TN-627 012

1. Indian School of Philosophy
Department of Education,
Manonmaniam Sundaranar
University,
Tirunelveli.

4. Committee Members Committee Co- members

5. Indian School of Philosophy
A.Veliappan, Ph.D
Faculty, Department of Education
M.S.University, Tirunelveli, TN-627 012

6. Philosophy
 The word philosophy has a Greek origin.
(Philosophia - Phileo and Sophia),
meaning-Love of Wisdom.
 Science of Sciences – Coleridge
 The mother of all arts – Cisero
 Philosophy - attempt of reasoning men to think
through the most fundamental issues of life. Carlis
Lamont

7. Branches of Philosophy
 Meta Physics - Problems of reality
(theology, concept of soul, science of universe, science
of creation, cosmology.)
 Epistemology- problems of knowledge
 Axiology- Problem of Value
(Logic, Ethics, Aesthetics)

8. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT-
The Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Epics are the
sources to know the ancient Indian philosophy and
education.
Veda is derived from the root of Sanskrit word Vid.
Vid means to know God, soul, nature & mind
 Vedas are the earliest available Indian literature
 Vedas Believe In - There are three entities in this
universe – God, Soul and Matter.
 Ultimate aim of life is to obtain salvation (Moksha) in
union with god
 The concept of one God and one world

9.  Dr. Radhakrishnan has distinguished between the periods of
Indian philosophy.
1) Vedic period (2500 bc - 600 bc) This period denotes the
settlement and expansion of the Aryans.
2)Epic period (1000 bc - 600) This period covers the age between
early upanishads and the various schools of philosophy.
(Ramayana & Mahabharata)
3)Sutra period (600 bc - 200) Schools of philosophy that it gave
rise to sutras as a means of encapsulating the literary works.
(After Buddha & Mahavir period)
4)Scholastic period (from ad 200) A lot of literary exercises
being reduced to polemics that generated controversies.

10. Objective of the Indian Philosophy
 The main purpose of the Indian Philosophy has been to turn
human beings to spiritual. The spiritual destiny is viewed as
goal of life as opposed to materialistic pursuits.
 Every major system of Indian philosophy takes its beginning
from the practical and problems of life and searches for the
truth in order to solve the problems of life.
 Almost all Indian philosophy believes that reality is attain
ultimately spiritual.
 "God is one but men call him by many names". Indian
philosophy is clearly characterized by the synthetic approach
to the various aspects of experience and reality.

11. Indian Philosophical Schools
 There were Nine Schools of thought in Indian philosophy
 Since ancient times Indian philosophy has been categorized
into Astika and Nastika schools of thought. The orthodox
schools of Hindu philosophy have been called Sad- darsana
("six systems").
i) Astika schools that accepted the authority of the vedas
ii) Nastika schools reject the authority of the vedas

12. Cont…
 This schema was created between the 12th and 16th
centuries by Vedantins
 The word used for philosophy is Darshana. This word
comes from the Sanskrit root drish (to see / to experience).

15. Orthodox
 These are also called the Astika (Orthodox)
philosophical traditions and are those that accept the
Vedas as an authoritative, important source of
knowledge.
 It include six systems (Darsana) –
Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and
Vedanta.
 Each school of Hindu philosophy has extensive
epistemological literature called Pramana-sastras, as
well as theories on metaphysics and axiology.

17. Sankhya School of Philosophy
 Etymology the word “Sankhya” is derived from the Sanskrit it
means number / enumeration or taking account.
(Khya - knowledge, understanding, wisdom)
Samkhya means the knowledge or number
 It is propounded by Maharshi Kapila and also known as Kapila
Tantra or Kapila Darshana
 Metaphysics - This system classified all objects into two
categories- 1. Purusha 2. Prakriti
 PURUSHA- It is the transcendental self and pure consciousness
 PRAKRITI- It is the first cause of the manifest material universe

18.  Model of Reality – Samkhya is a dualistic philosophy,
meaning that there is a clear distinction between matter and
consciousness - changing and unchanging.
 There is also a clear distinction between right and wrong,
birth and death, and bondage and liberation
 Samkhya is clear, concrete, and specific, it is the foundation
for practical systems of health and wellbeing, mainly Yoga
and Ayurveda. Before Samkhya, there was a tendency toward
non- dual thinking, which says that everything is just one pure
consciousness.

19.  Goal of Samkhya Philosophy - Freedom from Pain
and Suffering. If the pain in our body or mind is so
deep that we can‟t get rid of it, then we want to get
rid of our body or mind.
 Our body, mind, and consciousness are all
intermingled. Therefore, do not impose the thought
on yourself that you are just pure consciousness and
that pain and pleasure are an illusion. Life means
integration of - some desirable and some undesirable.

20. Yoga School of Philosophy
 Yoga philosophy is one of the six major orthodox schools of
Hinduism.
 Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word „Yuj‟ which means to unite
or to join.
 The Yoga school's systematic studies to better oneself physically,
mentally and spiritually has influenced all other schools of
Indian philosophy.
 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a key text of the Yoga school of
Hinduism.
 It is propound by Rishi Patanjali. It is related with self
control through yoga.

21.  Rishikesh – known as the birthplace of yoga – is located at
the foothills of the Himalayas along the sacred Ganges river.
 People generally think that yoga is a series of exercises with
twisted body poses, it is not so. The main aim of Yoga is to
help one connect with one‟s inner spirit, which is connected to
the universal spirit or God.
 Yoga creates a balance between the body and the mind and to
attain self-enlightenment.

23. Four Paths of Yoga

25. Vedanta School of Philosophy
 Vedanta (derived from veda, knowledge; anta, end), literally means
end or completion of knowledge.
 Veda is also the term that designates the ancient scriptures (Shastras)
of India. also means “End of the Veda,” and in this sense can refer
technically to the final sections of the four-fold Vedas, so-called
Upanishads.
[
 Emerged between the 7th and 8th century CE
 Vedanta focuses on the three-fold scriptural canon:
The Upanishads (600-300 BCE)
Bhagavad Gita (circa 200 BCE)
Brahma Sutras (circa 200-100 BCE)

26. Cont…
 Each school of Vedanta aimed to systematically explain the nature of
ultimate reality and the goal of human life in accordance with the
teachings of the Upanishads.
 Exploring the Upanishads
 Upanishad Upa- (near), ni- (down), sad (to sit):
sitting near the teacher
 The Upanishads teach that all life forms move through repeated cycles
of birth, death, and rebirth, until final liberation from this cycle.
 The cycle of death and rebirth is called Samsara. Its fuel or energy is
called Karma. The termination of the cycle is called Moksha.

27. Adi Shankaracharya
 Born 11th May 788 AD, at Kaladi near Kochi, Kerala. Took
Samadhi at the age of 33.
 He is associated with Maya Theory, Advaita Vedanata (Non-
Dualism), Tarak Brahma
 He established four Math (Monastery) at Shingeri, Puri, Dwaraka
and Badrinath– for propagation of Sanathana Dharma.
 Government wants to declare his birthday 11th May as National
Philosopher‟s day and Adi Sankaracharya as “National
Philosopher”.
 Adi Shankaracharya was opposed to Buddhist philosophers.

30. Heterodox
 Ancient and medieval India was also the source of
philosophies that share philosophical concepts but
rejected the Vedas, and these have been called nastika
(heterodox or non-orthodox) Indian philosophies.
 Nastika Indian philosophies
include Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka, Ajivika,

31. Buddhist philosophy
 The Buddha was the first most active missionary in the world
 Buddha meaning "the awakened one", or "the one who knows",
 He serve humanity both by example and by percept
 “Strive on with diligence” were the last words of the Buddha no
emancipation or purification can be gained without personal
striving
 Buddhism emphasis on meditation which leads to self-control,
purification and enlightenment .
 Self exertion plays an important part in Buddhism

32. Left out from life …
 First: Siddhartha saw an old man, bent and trembling, and
discovered old age.
 Second: He saw a sick man suffering from disease
 Third: He witnessed a funeral procession and a corpse
 Fourth: He
tranquility
met a wandering monk
despite living an austere
who had an inner
life, suggesting to
Siddhartha that he had come to terms with old age, sickness
and death.
* On his 29th birthday, Siddharta renounced his regal life
leaving behind his family and went out of the palace
*At last, he sat under a Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and did
intense penance, after which he got Enlightenment (Nirvana)
at the age of thirty five.

33. Goal /Aims of philosophy
1) To follow the moral values of Buddhist religion
2) To achieve the final goal of nirvana
3) To give up caste system.
4) To emphasize the progress and development of the society rather
the individual.
5) To provide education through the new system this was started by
Buddha
6) To leave yajna and sacrifices for achieving knowledge
 Belief/Values of Buddhist philosophy are:
* The Four Noble Truths
* Noble Eightfold Path and
* Five Precepts

34. Major area of philosophy
1) There is suffering in the world, to live is to suffer (DUKHA).
The Buddha found this out when he was young and experienced
suffering and death in others.
2) The cause of suffering is self centered desire and attachments (TANHA )
3) The solution is to eliminate desire and attachment ( NIRVANA)
4) To reach NIRAVANA, one must follow the eightfold path

36. Four Noble Truth
1.Suffering - attachment brings suffering
2.Cause of suffering - comes from desire
3.End of suffering - If we change our perception and reduce our
attachment to desire, suffering will also reduce.
4.Path that leads to the end of suffering - The Buddha said that the
way to cease suffering it provides the guidelines for day to day
living.

37. Noble Eightfold Path
 Right Knowledge (View): Seeing the world and everything
in it as it really
 Right Intent: It means persistence and a passion for the
journey
 Right Speech: Involves recognition of the truth, and never
to speak in anger.
 Right Action (Conduct): Recognizes the need to take the
ethical approach in life. Also encompasses the five
precepts which were given by the Buddha, not to kill, steal,
lie, to avoid sexual misconduct, and not to take drugs.

38.  Right Livelihood: Doing home-based or community service
 Right Effort: It means cultivating an enthusiasm, Clear and
honest thoughts with positive attitude in a balanced way.
And feelings of jealousy and anger left behind.
 Right Mindfulness (Memory): It means being aware of the
moment and focused and to be clear and undistracted at that
moment.
 Right Concentration: It is turning the mind to focus on an
object.

41. METHODS OF TEACHING
 Verbal method, Questions and answers, discussion and
debates, Travelling and nature study method, Book method
Preaching and conference method.
 The centers of education were Takshshila, Nalanda, Kashi
 Mental and moral development were emphasized to attain
Bodhisattva.
 The medium of instruction was common language
 Disciplined life • Well organized centres. • Ideal student
teacher relationship

42. Upasampada & Pabajja
 Upasampada: Buddhist rite of higher ordination, by
which a novice becomes a monk.
 Pabajja: Ceremony of initiation of education for lower
ordination to the rank of novice.

43. Cont..
 The primary aim of Buddhism is to break free of the wheel
of Samsara and to reach a new level called Nirvana.
 Truth Nirvana literally means unbinding. it is free from
whatever binds you, from the burning passion of desire,
jealousy and ignorance.

44. Jainism Philosophy
 Jainism founded by Rishabdev i.e. Adinath
 It‟s a collection of teachings of 24 Tirthankars
 Lord Mahavira - 24th/final Tirthankara
 The term Jainism derived from the term “Jin” meaning a
person who has overpowered his sensual vices and had
obtained full control over his worldly desires.

45. Jainism…
 Jainism is a way of life and one of the oldest religions of the world.
 It believes in a cyclical nature of universe. It discourages blind faith
and encourages free and rational thinking.
 Jainism lays emphasis on non-violence (ahimsa) and discipline.
 According to Jain philosophy, all Tirthankaras were born as human
beings but they have attained a state of perfection or enlightenment
through meditation and self realization. They are the “Gods” of Jains.
 Jains have always practiced non-violence, vegetarianism, meditation,
yoga, and environmentalism.

46. Principles of Jainism
Three principles of Jainism / known as Triratnas (three gems):
 Right faith: belief in the teachings and wisdom of Mahavira
 Right knowledge: acceptance of the theory that there is no God
and that the world has been existing without a creator and that
all objects possess a soul
 Right conduct: It refers to the Mahavira observance of the five
great vows
The Five Great Vows
 Non-violence (ahimsa)
 Truth (satya)
 Non-stealing (asteya)
 Chastity (brahmacharya)
 Non-possession (aparigrah)

50. Karma Theory
 The principles governing the successions of life cycles (birth,
life, and death) is Karma.
 The Theory of Karma is founded on the simple law of cause and
effect. What we experience now is the result of our own past
action and our future is a function of our own choice and making.
 Explains the role that karmas play in our lives, how we
accumulate karmas, and how we get rid of them.
 Actions of mind, speech, and body bind us with karma and our
intentions and the passions determine the duration, strength and
the results of the bondage.

53. What does Jainism Teach about Ecology?
 Non-Possessiveness
 Self-restraint is the second most important Jain principle
 Minimizing consumption provides respect for others’ life and
environment.
 Reuse / Recycle Products – Do not waste the gifts of nature
 Share resources
 Nature provides enough for our NEED, but not enough for
our GREED

54. MCQs
1.The two basic divisions in Schools of Indian
Philosophy are
(A) Vedanta and Buddhism
(B) Advaita and Dwaita
(C) Theistic and Atheistic
(D) Orthodox and Heterodox

55. 2. Sankhya philosophy was propounded by-
A) Goutama
B) Kapila
C) Patanjali
D) Bruhaspathi

56. 3. What are the aims of education of Samkhya
philosophy?
A) Knowledge
B) Power
C) Attaining perfection of Purusa
D) Attach in perfection of Wealth

57. 4. Founder of Yoga philosophy is
A) Kapila Muni
B) Patanjali
C)Mahavira
D)

58. 5. Which statement/s is/are true as per Buddhist philosophy
I. Maya is root cause of all troubles.
II. Sorrow is the root cause of all troubles.
III. Birth and death are causes of troubles.
IV.Getting involved in worldly pursuits is the cause of all
troubles.
(A) All I, II, III and IV are true.
(B) Only I and II are true.
(C) Only II and III are true.
(D) Only II, III and IV are true.

59. 6. The ceremony of initiation of education in
Buddhism is called
(A) Vidyarambam
(B) Upanayanam
(C) Pabajja
(D) Uparampada

60. 7. Buddha reached enlightenment at the age of
A) 30
B) 35
C) 40
D) 45

61. 8. A common feature of Hinduism, Buddhism
and Jainism is belief about the
(A) Unreality of the world
(B) Existence of God
(C) Soul
(D) Karma and rebirth

62. 9.The ultimate goal of education in Jainism is
A) Non-violence
B) Renunciation
C) Liberation
D) Philanthropy

63. 10. In which language Mahavir gave his first
sermon?
A) Pali
B) Sanskrit
C) Prakrit
D) English

64. THANK YOU