Contribution of Vachaspati-Mishra to Samkhya System
by Sasikumar. B | 2017 | 35,637 words
This page relates 鈥楨pistemological and Ontological Concepts (Introduction)鈥� of the research on the Sankhya [Samkhya] school of Indian philosophy with special reference to the contribution of Vachaspati-Mishra. The study includes concepts such as Epistemology (validity and worth of knowledge), Ontology (theory of being or reality), Psychology (science of behavior and mind), Phenomenology (the philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness) and Ethics (the removal of errors), all forming an essential part of Samkhya philosophy.
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Chapter 3 - Epistemological and Ontological Concepts (Introduction)
[Full title: Contribution of V膩caspati Mi艣ra to Epistemological and Ontological Concepts in 厂腻峁卥丑测补 System (Introduction)]
厂腻峁卥丑测补 is undoubtedly one of the oldest Systems of Indian Philosophy. 厂腻峁卥丑测补 System occupies a prominent place in all the 艣腻蝉迟谤补蝉, since this is either supported or controverted by every philosophical System. Therefore, the importance of this 艣腻蝉迟谤补 is recognized by all the systems.
艢谤墨 艢补峁卥补谤补 says
鈥淭he doctrine, stands somewhat near to the Vedanta doctrine since, it admits the nondifference of cause and effect, and it, moreover, has been accepted by some of the authors of the 诲丑补谤尘补蝉奴迟谤补蝉. For all these reasons we have taken special trouble to refute the 笔谤补诲丑腻苍补 诲辞肠迟谤颈苍别.鈥�[1]
So also in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 it is said:
鈥淭here is no knowledge like that of 厂腻峁卥丑测补, no power like that of Yoga. You should have no doubt as to 厂腻峁卥丑测补 being the highest knowledge.鈥�[2]
John Devis observes:
鈥淭he system of Kapila called the 厂腻峁卥丑测补 or Rationalistic, in its original form and its theoretic development by 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈, contains nearly all that India has produced in the department of pure philosophy.鈥�[3]
Richard Garbe, an eminent critic of 厂腻峁卥丑测补 opines:
鈥淚n Kapila鈥檚 doctrine, for the first time in the history of the world, the complete independence and freedom of the human mind, in full confidence in its own powers, were exhibited. It is the most significant system of philosophy that India has been produced.鈥�[4]
Yoga is intimately allied to 厂腻峁卥丑测补. 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 is the traditional founder of the Yoga system. Yoga means spiritual action and 厂腻峁卥丑测补 means knowledge. 厂腻峁卥丑测补 is theory, Yoga is practice. For all practical purposes 厂腻峁卥丑测补 and Yoga may be treated as the theoretical and practical sides of the same system.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
sa ca k膩ryak膩ra峁嚹乶anyatv膩bhyupagam膩tpraty膩sanno ved膩ntav膩dasya| devalaprabh峁泃ibhi艣ca艣ciddharmas奴trak膩rai岣� svagranthe峁膩艣rita岣�, tena tatprati峁dhe yantro't墨vak峁泃o n膩峁噕膩dik膩ra峁嘺v膩daprati峁dhe|
Brahmas奴tra艣膩峁卥arabh膩峁a, I.4.28
[2]:
艢antiparva, 316. 2
[3]:
John Davis: Hindu philosophy, preface.
[4]:
Richard Garbe: Philosophy of Ancient India, p.30