The six systems of philosophy(The Shaddarshan)

The Saddarshana or Six Systems of Philosophy: There are two classes of the Hindu system of philosophy in which philosophical thoughts are divided: Nastika and Astika.

• Nastika means naasti (it is not). They are three in number: Buddhists, Jainas and Charvakas. 

• Astika-mata or the orthodox schools are six in number. These are Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta, Mimamsa, Nyaya and Vaisheshika.

They were further divided into three groups – Nyaya and Vaisheshika; Sankhya and Yoga, and Mimamsa and Vedanta.

Nyaya

Nyanya means ‘analysis’. Aksapada Gautam was the teacher. It is believed that clear thinking and logical argument are important for gaining highest bliss. This is a system of reasoning which was given a religious basis.

Vaisheshika

Vaisheshika was the school of individual characteristics. It deals with physics and metaphysics.

Sankhya

Sankhya refers to count’. Kapila was its founder. There are some matters in which the philosophy similar to Jainism.

The theory states that: there are twenty-five basic principles (fattva) of which the first is prakriti and the last is purusha. 

An important characteristic of the metaphysics of Sankhya is the doctrine of the three constituent qualities (guna), causing virtue (sara). passion (rajas) and dullness (tamas).

Yoga

Yoga refers to the spiritual discipline’ or ‘application and consists of all kinds of religious exercises and acts of self-mortification present in Indian religions. Yogi is the one who follows yoga.

Yoga represents a distinct system in which psychic training is the chief means of salvation. The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali is its basic text. There are eight stages in the training of yoga:

(i) Self-control yama)

(ii) Observance (niyama)

(iii) Posture (asana)

(iv) Control of breath (pranayama)

(v) Restraint (pratyahara)

(vi) Steadying the mind

(vii) Meditation (Dhyana)

(viii) Deep Meditation (Samadhi).

The yogic practices aim to awaken Armaturi is the method of attaning spiritual strength and salvation. In this practice, susunina is the chief vein of the body which runs through the spinal column.

Then there are six wheels and at the top of the vein, inside the skull is akosreng also called as the lotus which is a very powerful psychic center.

The lowest wheel behind the genitals in a chakra is kundalini, the serpent power.”

Mimamsa

Mimamsa is a school of exposition which explains the vedas external self-existent and wholly authoritative. 

This led to some development of logic, semantics and dialectics in this school and also the development of full philosophy of salvation. The school was merged with the Vedanta.

Vedanta

This means “the end of the Vedas and is also called Ullara Mimamsa tradition. The doctrines of the Vedanta are based on the Upanishads and Brahma Sutras of Badarayana.

The classical Vedanta is that of the great philosopher Shankara (788-820 CE) who had produced extensive commentaries on the Brahma Sutras and the chief Upanishads.

The philosophy says that on the everyday level of truth, the world is produced by Brahma and there is an evolutionary process which similar to the one present in the Sankina school. Brahman is the ultimate reality

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