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TOPIC 2

ANCIENT INDIAN PHILOSOPHY:

HISTORY AND TRADITIONS

Lecture 3. Peculiarities of the ancient Indian philosophy

1. Nature, essence and subject of the ancient Indian philosophy.
2. The place of authority and intellect in the philosophical culture
of India.

3. Indian schools and their influence on the philosophical system.

As the introduction to the study of various types of philosophy in
human history, one should take into account the so-called paradigm

(samples, model) of eastern and western way of understanding the
world, the traditions, which were formed historically. We should specify
that Indian philosophy is considering any problem from the various sides

- in terms of metaphysics, ethics, logics, psychology and epistemology.
This trend is called by scientists synthetic. Indian philosophy has a
broad-minded outlook and its searches are aimed at finding the truth. A

special feature of the Indian way of understanding philosophy is that
before forming his own theory, the philosopher must first set his
opponent's point of view which is considered to be original

(purvapaksha).
Its confutation (khandana) is required, because it results in
providing true principles and profts (uttaraksha) and besides conclusions
(siddkhanta).

The place of authority and understanding in Indian philosophy is
closely linked with the issue of experience. Fundamentals of philosophy
depend, on the one hand - on the data of daily experience, and on the

other - there is dependency on data of separate wise men experience.
Many theoretical statements are based on Vedas and Upanishads. This
method is inherent for the school of mimans and Vedanta. At the same
time Buddhist and Jain schools depend on the teachings of Buddha and

Jain. But the mind was considered to be the main leader, which seeks the
synthesis of knowledge, to some extent, compromise between
philosophy and religious ethics.

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