SRIMAD VEDANTA DESIKA GADHYAM Continued- Part 3 - (17 to 18)

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SRIMAD VEDANTA DESIKA GADHYAM

Continued- Part 3 - (17 to 18)

(Anbil Ramaswamy)

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17. SAnkhya, naiyAyika, vaisEshika, chAruvAka, Aarhatha

vaibAshika, soudhrandrika, yogAchAra, mAdhyamika,

prachchannabouddha, pAsupatha, bhatta-prabhAkara,

bhAskareeya, yAdhavaprakAsa, ekAyana

itjhAdhi matha tamO nivAraNa diwAkara !

 

(meaning and Notes)

You are the brilliant Sun dispelling the darkness spread by the

philosophies of -

 

1.SANKHYA (School of enumeration)

also known as Evolutionary dualism founded by

sage KAPILA.

 

This is a philosophy of dualistic monism. Samkhya has

several meanings like `enumeration', `investigation' or

`analysis' of the categories of the phenomenal world.

It differentiates between spirit (Purusha) and matter

(prakriti). It holds that salvation is to be obtained by

a complete separation of soul and matter. The most

important work on Samkhya philosophy are VACHASPATI

MISIRA'S TATTVA KAUMUDHI and ISVARAKRISHNA'S

SAMKHYA KARIKA

 

2. NAIYAYIKA or NYAYA

(School of Rule and Logical Analysis or realism) founded by

GAUTAMA aka AKSHAPADA (not Gautama Buddha)

The achievement of individual liberation (mOksha) where one

does not feel pleasure or pain is sought to be proved by logical analysis

and philosophical argument. But, the system was empirical,

relying too rigidly on perception and inference like

Aristotle's syllogistic analysis, comparison and testimony

and on its inductive premises.

 

3. VAISESHIKA

(School of distinct characteristics also known as Atomistic or Realistic

pluralism) founded by KANADA also known as `ULUKA'. This refers to `visEsha'

- a category of knowledge concerning essential differences, individuality,

particularity of the eternal substances called `dravya' comprising prithvi

(Earth), Apas (Water) tEjas (Light) vAyu (Air) AkAsa (Ether) kAla (Time) dis

(Space), Atman (Self) and manas (mind) which differed from each other

essentially. Vaiseshika accepted only perception and inference. Like the

NYAYA school, it failed to carry its theism to the point where the supreme

being is the reality. Ultimately, like NyAya, the Vaiseshika philosophy

became integrated with Vedanta.

 

All the above schools are called `haituka' from `HEtu' meaning questioning

why seeking the cause and reason for everything in the phenominal world.

 

4. CHARVAKA

Attributed to one `CHARVAKA' about whom very little is known. It is a

materialistic school. The word Charvaka means 'beautifully '(Charu) 'told'

(Vak). The work representing its views viz., BRIHASPATI SUTRA (600 BC) is

lost. It arose out of growing scepticism towards Vedic dogmas. They recognize

only Pratyaksha or Anubhava (Direct experience) and to a limited extent

AnumAna and upamAna (Inference and Analogy) and rejected all PramAna

(authority) and SampradAya (Practices of holy ones). Their philosophy is

known as `YadrEcha vAda' - the theory of accidental causation. Pursuit of

pleasure was their only aim and object in life.

 

5. AARHATHA:

Founded by PARSVANATHA (8c.B.C) and MAHAVIRA VARDHAMANA (6c. B.C.). The word

is derived from the root `JIT' (victorious) a celibate order of itinerant

monks which also split into Digambara (Skyclad) and Svetambara (white robed)

based on discipline and convention rather than on doctrine. They united again

as `Arhatas' and belonged mainly to the ruling class (KSHATRIYAS) and placed

great emphasis on AHIMSA (Non Violence).

 

BOUDDHA : of Gautama Buddha (6c. B.C)

Consisting of-

6. VAIBHASHIKA,

7. SOUDHRANDRIKA,

8. YOGACHARA and

9. MADHYAMIKA

This was founded by SIDDHARTHA who came to be known as `BUDDHA' (Enlightened)

who advocated an 8 - fold path of Right view, Right thought, Right speech,

Right livelihood, Right effort, Right action, Right mindfulness and Right

concentration to achieve, what they call " nirvana" and accepted only the 3

fold jewels to surrender oneself to viz Buddham, Sangam and Dhammam (a

prakrit word for Dharma).

 

The curious thing about Buddhism is that while BUDDHA started as an

`lconoclast' he soon came to be worshipped as `icon' himself. Buddhism was

inevitably drawn into the vortex of Hinduism and became totally extinct in

the land of its birth.

While early Buddhism was known as HinAyAna (or thErAvAda) later day Buddhism

came to be Known as MahAyAna - meaning "little vehicle" and the "Great

vehicle" respectively - Finally, Buddhism split into several scattered

communities. Hinayana split into VaibAshikas and Sourandrikas while Mahayana

split into YogAchAras (or VirnamavAda) and MAdhyamika (or SoonyavAda) - only

to disintegrate and disappear in due course in India.

 

10. PRACHCHANNA BOUDDHA or MAYAVADINS

ADVAITA ( MAyAvAda) founded by GAUDAPADA, the first exponent of Advaita was

followed by ADHI SANKARA. Influenced by Soonya vAda, the Advaita Philosophy

relied on AbEda Srutis (Non-differential) of the Vedas. They held that ATMA

of JEEVATMA and of PARAMATMA are one and the same. They were never

different. If they appeared different, it is due to MAYA (illusion). Except

PARAM all the rest was unreal very much akin to Soonyavada (non existence or

void or Nirvana) argument of the Buddhists. Hence, the Advaitists were called

' Prachchanna Bouddhas.'-Crypto-Buddhists.

 

11. PASUPATA,

12. BHATTAPRABHAKARA,

13. BHASKARIYA,

14. YADHAVA PRAKASA and

15. EKAYANA

Those which did not accept the authority of the Vedas are called NASTIKA

(Denial). They are heterodox in their outlook and cannot in the strictest

terms be called `DARSANAS'. Though there arose several schools of `NASTIKA'

thoughts most of them had no significant following and no foundations strong

enough to sustain and therefore perished with their founder exponents

 

16. ITHYADHI- and others including such mushroom faiths like-

(a) SOUGATHA

(b) KUMARILA

(c ) BHARHASPATYA etc. besides others already extant and were *yet to

appear.*

 

18. pAshANDa, vithaNDA-vAdha, nAstika, hythuka, kudrishti, kuyukti, jalpa

dhruma shaNDa KhaNDana chaNDa pavana/

 

(meaning and Notes)

You were the fierce tornado that uprooted and smashed to smithereens the wild

forest of -

pAshAnDis: heretics and hypocrites who pose to be virtuous but are vile

VithaNDAvAdhins: those engaged in vain arguments

NAstikas: Atheists

Hythukas: those who heckle for the sake of embarassing demanding

reasons for everything

kudhrishtis: those whose views are distorted

kuyuktas: those who misinterpret, being mentally perverse,

conceited and taking delight in tormenting and vilifying

others.

 

(To continue)

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