Indian art and culture / Religion and philosophy
Six orthodox schools and heterodox philosophies
Practise 2 PYQsConcepts to cover
- The six systems in pairs: Nyaya and Vaisheshika, Sankhya and Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta; founders Gautama, Kanada, Kapila, Patanjali, Jaimini, Badarayana
- Sankhya: dualism of purusha and prakriti, evolution of tattvas, accepts rebirth and karma, liberation by self-knowledge (viveka) without an external agent or god
- Yoga's eight limbs and Ishvara; Nyaya logic and pramanas; Vaisheshika atomism and categories
- Purva Mimamsa on Vedic ritual as eternal and authoritative; Vedanta sub-schools: Advaita (Shankara), Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja), Dvaita (Madhva), Dvaitadvaita (Nimbarka), Shuddhadvaita (Vallabha), Achintya Bhedabheda (Chaitanya)
- Heterodox: Charvaka or Lokayata materialism (Brihaspati), Ajivikas (Makkhali Gosala, niyati, Barabar caves), Kapalika and Kalamukha Shaiva tantric orders
Where to study
India’s Ancient Past · R. S. Sharma
- ch. 29
Indian Art and Culture · Nitin Singhania
- ch. 21
Themes in Indian History Part I, Class XII, Theme 4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings: Cultural Developments
- Theme 4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings, pp. 1-33 (printed 82-114)
- Theme 4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings, 2. The Background: Fatalists and materialists?, p. 6 (printed 87)
Our Pasts I, Class VI, ch. 6 New Questions and Ideas
- ch. 6 New Questions and Ideas, Six Schools of Indian Philosophy, p. 3 (printed 59)
Tamil Nadu State Board Class XI History Volume II (lessons 12 to 19), full text
- Lesson 13 Cultural Syncretism: Bhakti Movement in India, 13.1 Bhakti Movement in the South; 13.2 Spread of Bhakti Movement to the North (Advaita, Visishtadvaita, Dvaita), pp. 22-23 (printed 18-19)
Tamil Nadu State Board Class XI History, Volume I
- Lesson 3 Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects, 3.4 Ajivikas; Ajivikas in Tamil Land; Lokayata and Carvaka, pp. 50-51 (printed 46-47)