Concept of Mind in the Major Upanishads
by Gisha K. Narayanan | 2018 | 35,220 words
This page relates ‘The Astika Darshana’ of the study on the concept of Mind as found in the Major Upanishads: the philosophical backbone of the four Vedas. This study explores the various characteristics and psychological aspects of the mind (described by the Seers of ancient India thousands of years ago) including awareness (samjna), understanding (vijnana) and knowledge (prajnana).
1. The Āstika Darśana
Philosophy has been named as ‘darśana’, which means vision, insight, intuition and also the instrument of vision.
The word ‘darśana’ was first practiced by Kaṇāda in his Vaiśeṣikasūtra.
It is a study of the world and the relation between man and the world. Indian philosophy intensively emphasizes an intellectual quest for truth. Thus the intuitive vision of reality leads to the practical realization of truth. The origin of Indian philosophy may be traced back to the Vedas. ‘See the Self’ is the keynote of all Schools of Indian Philosophy. It begins with an enquiry into the essence of the objective world.
Dr. S. Radhakrishnan has pointed out;
“Philosophy in India is essentially spiritual. It is the intense spirituality of India, and not any great political structure or social organization that it has developed that has enabled it to resist the ravages of time and the accidents of history. External invasions and internal dissensions come very near crusting it is civilizations many timer in it is history. The Greeck and the Scythian, the Persian and the Mughal, the French and English have by turn attempted to suppress it, and yet it has it is head held high. India has not been finally subdued, and it is old flame of spirit is still during. Throught out it is life it has been living with one purpose. It has fought for truth and against error. It may have blundered but it did what it left’ able and called upon to do”.[2]
The philosophical thought of the ancient Hindus is ordered and summarized in six main systems. They are āstika darśanas. The orthodox are Sāṃkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Pūrvamīmāṃsa and Uttaramīmāṃsa and the heterodox are Buddha, Jaina and Cārvāka. The branches of philosophy deal with metaphysics and ontology, epistemology, logic, ethics and aesthetics. The nature and its functions can be explained with the help of these systems of philosophy. The concept of mind in India has been widely discussed on the basis of the study of philosophical debates. Several theories and concepts have been postulated by different schools of philosophy from time to time. They have discussed the mind as the sense organ and it is the soul or consciousness. But the schools of heterodox have not admitted the mind as soul. They consider mind as the combination of elements, which are eternal. They regard the soul as a product of matter.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Vaiśeṣikasūtra of Kaṇāda-IX.2.13
[2]:
Dr. S.Radhakrishnan., Indian Philosophy, Vol-I, P-24