A History of Indian PhilosophyThe old civilisation of India was a concrete unity of many-sided developments in art, architecture, literature, religion, morals, and science so far as it was understood in those days. But the most important achievement of Indian thought was philosophy. It was regarded as the goal of all the highest practical and theoretical activities, and it indicated the point of unity amidst all the apparent diversities which the complex growth of culture over a vast area inhabited by different peoples produced. It is not in the history of foreign invasions, in the rise of independent kingdoms at different times, in the empires of this or that great monarch that the unity of India is to be sought. It is essentially one of spiritual aspirations and obedience to the law of the spirit, which were regarded as superior to everything else, and it has outlived all the political changes through which India passed. The Greeks, the Huns, the Scythians, the Pathans and the Moguls who occupied the land and controlled the political machinery never ruled the minds of the people, for these political events were like hurricanes or the changes of season, mere phenomena of a natural or physical order which never affected the spiritual integrity of Hindu culture. If after a passivity of some centuries India is again going to become creative it is mainly on account of this fundamental unity of her progress and civilisation and not for anything that she may borrow from other countries. It is therefore indispensably necessary for all those who wish to appreciate the significance and potentialities of Indian culture that they should properly understand the history of Indian philosophical thought which is the nucleus round which all that is best and highest in India has grown. Much harm has already been done by the circulation of opinions that the culture and philosophy of India was dreamy and abstract. |
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... fact that all its commentaries are of a much later date. It seems to me almost certain that enormous quantities of old philosophical literature have been lost, which if found could have been of use to us in showing the stages of the ...
... fact that all its commentaries are of a much later date. It seems to me almost certain that enormous quantities of old philosophical literature have been lost, which if found could have been of use to us in showing the stages of the ...
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... of such as were thoroughly versed in Vedic and sacrificial lore and competent to act as Brahmans or superintending priests." But in view of the fact that the Brāhma@nas were also supposed to be as much revealed as the.
... of such as were thoroughly versed in Vedic and sacrificial lore and competent to act as Brahmans or superintending priests." But in view of the fact that the Brāhma@nas were also supposed to be as much revealed as the.
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... facts prove this? Let us briefly examine the evidences that Garbe himself ... fact that the transmigration doctrines, the way of the gods (devayāna) and the way of the fathers (pit@ryāna) had ...
... facts prove this? Let us briefly examine the evidences that Garbe himself ... fact that the transmigration doctrines, the way of the gods (devayāna) and the way of the fathers (pit@ryāna) had ...
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... fact that these allegorical interpretations of the Pańcāgnividyā are so much referred to in the Upani@sads as a secret doctrine, shows that some people came to think that the real efficacy of sacrifices depended upon such meditations ...
... fact that these allegorical interpretations of the Pańcāgnividyā are so much referred to in the Upani@sads as a secret doctrine, shows that some people came to think that the real efficacy of sacrifices depended upon such meditations ...
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... fact that germs of diverse kinds of thoughts are found scattered over the Upani@sads 42 which are not worked out in a systematic manner. Thus each interpreter in his turn made the texts favourable to his own doctrines prominent and ...
... fact that germs of diverse kinds of thoughts are found scattered over the Upani@sads 42 which are not worked out in a systematic manner. Thus each interpreter in his turn made the texts favourable to his own doctrines prominent and ...
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Common terms and phrases
___________________________________________________________________ Footnote Abhidhamma according action admitted ākās'a appears associated ātman atoms attained avidyā bhā@sya body Brahma-sūtras Brāhma@nas Brahman buddhi Buddhist called Caraka cause citta cognition collocation colour commentary concomitance connection consciousness desire Devadatta dharma doctrine dravya effect elements entity essence existence experience external world fire Footnote ref gamaka gu@nas hetu Hindu illusory Indian inference interpretation Īs'vara Jaina Jainism Jains jāti kārikā karma kinds Kumārila later Mahāyāna manas manifested māyā means meditation Mīmā@msā mind momentary nature negation non-existence notion Nyāya sūtras object Patańjali perceived perception permanent philosophy pleasure Prabhākara prak@rti pralaya pramā@na probably produced pure puru@sa qualities reality rebirth reference regarded relation right knowledge rūpa S'a@nkara Sā@mkhya sa@mskāra sacrifice Sanskrit sattva Sautrāntika says sense smoke sorrow soul stage substance tanmātras Theravāda things thought truth Upani@sads Vācaspati Vais'e@sika sūtras validity Vasubandhu Vātsyāyana Vedānta Vedas Vedic vijńāna Visuddhimagga word Yoga