Sample Material of UPSC Mains Philosophy (Optional) Study Kit
Topic: Indian Philosophy (What is Philosophy?)
What is Philosophy?
The philosophy is concerned with the understanding of the life and the
universe. It is aimed at comprehending the nature of existence. Philosophy is a
human endeavor that leads to the Ultimate Truth.
The English word ‘philosophy’ has its root in the Greek term – ‘philosophia’.
The term ‘philo’ refers to ‘love’ and ‘sophia’ refers to human reason. The
Greek terms can be literally translated in English as “love of reason” or “love
of human judgment and discrimination.”
From the Indian viewpoint, the word ‘philosophy’ suggests “observing and
surveying” the existence.
In Sanskrit, the philosophy is referred to as ‘darshana’. The
Sanskrit word ‘darshana’ has its root in the word ‘drs’ that means ‘to see’, ‘to
look’ or ‘to view’. “Seeing” or “viewing” the reality and the facts of
experience forms the basis of philosophy. Senses, mind and even consciousness
are involved in this ‘seeing’. “Seeing” also encompasses “contemplation”. Seeing
is not simply a sensory activity. ‘Seeing’ may primarily be a perceptual
observation. But it may also concern the conceptual knowledge or an intuitional
flash. Thus ‘darshana’ suggests vision. In other words, ‘darshana’ is a whole
view revealed to the inner self, what we term as the soul or the spirit or the
inner being. Philosophy or ‘darshana’ is concerned with the vision of ‘truth and
reality’.
In Sanskrit, the ‘philosophy’ is also referred to as ‘tatva’. The Sanskrit
word ‘tatva’ is concerned with ‘the nature of reality.’
In India, the philosophy is not restricted to the intellectual pursuit.
According to Indian view, the word ‘philosophy’ is concerned with ‘the
revelation of the nature of reality’ or ‘the vision of Ultimate Truth and
Reality’.
Indian Philosophy
The Indian philosophy has its roots in the Vedic period.
The great Rishis, settled in the peaceful, invigorating
environment of the forests, meditated over the fundamental questions of
existence: What is the world? If it’s a creation, what are its constituents? Who
is the creator? What is life? What is ‘truth’? What is ‘the nature of reality’?
What was revealed to them was expressed in hymns. With the passage of time,
the systematized collection of these hymns constituted the Vedas and the
Upanishads.
Indian philosophy distinctly exhibits a spiritual bent. The essence of
religion is not dogmatic in India. Here, religion develops as philosophy
progressively scales higher planes.
Some of the fundamentals expressed in the Indian philosophy
and the Western philosophy may be similar. However, Indian philosophy differs
from the Western philosophy on several counts. While the Western philosophy
deals with metaphysics, epistemology, psychology, ethics etc. separately, Indian
philosophy takes a comprehensive view of all these topics.
For an Indian philosopher, philosophy is something beyond an
intellectual pursuit. The Indian philosopher exemplifies philosophy in his life.
His intelligence, knowledge and wisdom are reflected in his life. This is why
his life positively influences the life of masses.
The Indian philosophy uniquely describes four purusharthas of life.
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