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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... follow the series of answers and refutations which are poured forth in the course of these discussions. There are two important compendiums in Sanskrit giving a summary of some of the principal systems of Indian thought, viz. the ...
... follow the series of answers and refutations which are poured forth in the course of these discussions. There are two important compendiums in Sanskrit giving a summary of some of the principal systems of Indian thought, viz. the ...
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... follow the advanced philosophical literature, even though he may be acquainted with many of the technical philosophical terms. I have spoken enough about the difficulties of studying Indian philosophy, but if once a person can get ...
... follow the advanced philosophical literature, even though he may be acquainted with many of the technical philosophical terms. I have spoken enough about the difficulties of studying Indian philosophy, but if once a person can get ...
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... follows will I hope show the falsity of their beliefs. If they are not satisfied, and want to know more definitely and elaborately about the contents of the different systems, I am afraid they will have to go to the originals referred ...
... follows will I hope show the falsity of their beliefs. If they are not satisfied, and want to know more definitely and elaborately about the contents of the different systems, I am afraid they will have to go to the originals referred ...
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... follow the original sources as accurately as I could. This has sometimes led to old and unfamiliar modes of ... follows more or less the same modes of rational thought. I have never tried to compare any phase of Indian thought with ...
... follow the original sources as accurately as I could. This has sometimes led to old and unfamiliar modes of ... follows more or less the same modes of rational thought. I have never tried to compare any phase of Indian thought with ...
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... follow. Thus when Tva@s@t@r performed a sacrifice for the production of a demon who would be able to kill his enemy Indra, owing to the mistaken accent of a single word the object was reversed and the demon produced was killed by Indra ...
... follow. Thus when Tva@s@t@r performed a sacrifice for the production of a demon who would be able to kill his enemy Indra, owing to the mistaken accent of a single word the object was reversed and the demon produced was killed by Indra ...
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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