Indian Philosophy, Part III

Indian philosophical reflection interacted with Vedic ritualist and non-Vedic meditative practices.

The orthodox philosophical systems accept the authority of the Vedas including the Upanishads, the end of the Vedas, "Vedanta."

Of the six orthodox systems:

four systematize logic, atomism, soul pluralism and ritualism, respectively;
the Yoga system synthesizes meditation with the soul pluralism of the Samkhya system;
the Vedanta system synthesizes meditation with Upanishadic theism or monism.

Of the three unorthodox systems:

Jainism formulates meditation as soul pluralist asceticism;
Carvaka is materialist and hedonist;
thus, they are a thesis and its antithesis;
Buddhism synthesizes meditation with a philosophical critique of souls and presents a middle way between asceticism and hedonism;
thus, it synthesizes aspects of Jainism and Carvaka.

I accept:

philosophical reflection
meditation
logic
modern atomic theory
monism
philosophical materialism
Buddhist "no soul" teaching and middle way

and reject:

ritualism
soul pluralism
theism
asceticism
hedonism

Indian Philosophy, Continued

The Three Pairs of Orthodox Systems
Logic and atomism.
Soul pluralist theory and practice.
Ritualism and mysticism.

The Unorthodox Systems
Soul pluralist asceticism.
Materialist hedonism.
The no-soulist middle way.

The four meditative traditions:

Yoga
Vedanta
Jainism
Buddhism

- are highlighted.

Indian Philosopy

Indian philosophy comprises:

three unorthodox systems;
three pairs of orthodox systems;
three main interpretations of the main orthodox system.

Orthodoxy is acceptance of the Vedas.
The Upanishads are the end of the Vedas, "Vedanta."

There are two orthodox and two unorthodox formulations of the ancient tradition of meditative practice.

Yoga formulates meditation and accepts the Vedas. Vedanta synthesizes meditation with the Upanishads.

Jainism and Yoga are soul pluralist.
Buddhism is no-soulist.
Advaita Vedanta is monist.

The three interpretations of Vedanta are Dualism, Non-Dualism and Qualified Non-Dualism, i.e., theism, monism and monistic theism.

Perspective And Practice

Acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of actions is a perspective.
Meditation is a practice.
The perspective preexists the practice or exists without it.
With neither, we are motivated only by greed, hate and delusion.