The Essentials of Indian Philosophy – M.

Hiriyanna

Introduction

The beginnings of Indian philosophy could be traced to Rg Veda in

the second millennium before Christ

Did it develop without any outside influence? – moot point

Dates are sketchy – only the death of Buddha in 487 BC is confirmed

Most of the ancient works of the Vedic period are preserved for
religious and ritualistic purposes – the arrangement is more as a
collection and less as a system

The works of the Classical period is better preserved and systematic

The age of the systems and the early post-vedic period – chronology

Characterization of Indian thought as pessimistic, negative or other-

worldly

Orthodox vedic systems and heterodox non-vedic systems

Vedic Gods represent powerful natural forces

Religion Vs Philosophy debates

Indian thought has several strands – theistic, atheistic, mono-theistic,

pan-theistic, heno-theistic, polytheistic and panen-theistic

Questions of metaphysics – moksha – is it all pervasive? – Jivanmukti

or videhamukti or kaivalya or nirvana – state of enlightenment

Moksha as an ideal of perfection – practical not eschatological

“When all the desires the heart harbours are gone, man becomes
immortal and reaches Brahman here.” – Katha Upanishad

Asrama system – varna and asrama vs sramana – “Dialogue between

Father and Son” – Maharabharata
The challenge of asceticism – “Renunciation in action and
renunciation of action” – The Gita – disinterested action or non-
attached action

Asceticism – self-denial for what

Ritualism – prosperity in this life or next life

Rg Veda – optimistic and speculative generally; critical strands

within Vedic system later developed into their own strands such as
Buddhism, Jainism, Carvaka and Ajivikas are pessimistic and realistic

Ushas – “Obeying the behest of the gods, but wasting away the lives
of mortals, Ushas has shone forth – the last of many former dawns
and the first of those that are yet to come.” (R.V. I. 124.2)

Philosophy and religion have their central purpose as the meaning of

existence.

Max Mueller – Philosophy was recommended in India ‘not for the

sake of knowledge, but for the highest purpose that man can strive
after in this life.”

Jaina “Tirthankara” Ford-maker – the way to the other shore across

the troubled ocean of samsara

The “Dialogue between Father and Son” – Mahabharata – Asrama vs

Srama doctrines

Is Indian philosophy beyong ethics and logic as Hiriyanna claims?

Buddhism – no self – anatta or anatma

Nyaya Vaisesika – annihilation of aham-kara

Taittriya Upanisad – “He is not troubled by thoughts like these: Have

I not done right? Have I done wrong?”

Common morality vs Enlightened morality

Rights Vs Duties – Social Vs Individual – Does individual right

disappear if one is a realized soul due to the renunciation of the
personal interest? According to Hiriyanna, the duality of the moral
world is transcended.

“Every living being is your neighbour.” Romain Rolland in his work

titled "Mahatma Gandhi"

Ahimsa paramo dharmah – Jainism

Human beings need to raise above the anthropocentric view – a yogi

is the one who treats equally “a cow or elephant or dog, the cultured
brahmin or the outcaste that feeds on dogs.” – The Gita

Jnana and Vairagya – Enlightenment or Knowledge and Self-

renunciation

19th century Tamil Saint – Ramalinga Adigalar – “When I see a

withered crop, I wither”

“Owning the whole world while disowning oneself.” –

Malavikagnimitra – Kalidasa

Gitanjali 35 By Rabindranath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought
and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

------------------

M. K. Gandhi

"I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows

to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my
house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by
any. I refuse to live in other people's houses as an interloper, a beggar
or a slave." (YI, 1-6-1921, p. 170)

https://www.news18.com/news/india/greatest-indian-
debate-mahatma-gandhi-and-rabindranath-tagore-on-
nationalism-1533331.html

Part I

Mantras – hymn or religious song in the Vedas

Brahmanas – liturgical and written in prose – includes Upanishads in
their final section – considered to be the fountainhead of all Indian
philosophy
Samhitas – collection of mantras or songs – oldest is Rig Veda- Yajur
and Sama are the other two - Atharva Veda well preserved

Gods – div, deva, deus

Yaj – to worship (yajna)

Mitra – Vedic and Avestan (very popular in Western Asia and Europe
during ancient times)

Gods of the sky – Mitra and Varuna

Gods of mid-air – Indra and Maruts
Gods of Earth – Agni and Soma

Agni – fire – medium – carrier of gift of Gods

Vayu – wind
Surya – sun
Parjanya - cloud

These natural forces are personified. Nature’s bounties like the four
seasons or wrath like cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and
drought are due to the agency of these powers.

Varuna and Indra were the two most imposing Gods – “The two
monarchs who support all living beings.’
Varuna – God of order – rtasya gopa, rtayu – righteousness, guardian
of all that is worthy and good – benevolent – impartial observer – just
– “Set us free from the sin we have committed

Varuna is the god of sky and heavenly light, fixes the laws of physical
universe which is inviolable – also ensures that moral law is adhered
to

Rta – cosmic order – course – right – real trustee of rta - dharma

Indra – God of valour and force – fond of soma rasa - purandara –

God of thunder – destroyer of forts – rain

Part II

Early Vedic gods were propitiated with ghee, milk and grain to seek
blessing in terms of worldly goods – then an organized sacrificial
culture evolves with elaborate rituals in the age of later mantras and
brahmanas (p. 36, Outlines of Indian Philosophy)

Can you control the Gods through sacrifice?

Sacrifice as rna (debt)

Part III

Monotheism – the search for ultimate cause, the unitary god head

Henotheism – belief in one God as distinguished from monotheismor

belief in one only God – Max Mueller – not accepted by many and
called “opportunist monotheism”

“What is but one, wise people call by different names – as Agni, Yama
and Matarisvan.” – Rg Veda – “Mahat devanam asuratvam ekam.” –
The worshipful divinity of the Gods is one.” - Hiriyanna

Viswe-devas – all – Gods (the Gods of the Universe)

Viswa-karma – Sun and Indra
Prajapati – Lord of the living beings – savitr – later becomes
independent and pre-eminent