Shashti-tantra, Ṣaṣṭi-tantra, Shashtitantra, Ṣaṣṭitantra: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Shashti-tantra means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit terms Ṣaṣṭi-tantra and Ṣaṣṭitantra can be transliterated into English as Sasti-tantra or Shashti-tantra or Sastitantra or Shashtitantra, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Samkhya (school of philosophy)
Ṣaṣṭitantra (षष्टितन्त्र) refers to the “system of sixty categories”, according to the 7th century Yuktidīpikā: an anonymous commentary on the Sāṃkhyakārikā by Īśvarakṛṣṇa which represents the core text of the Sāṃkhya school of Hidnu philosophy.—[...] From these verses, it is not clear whether the author of the Yuktidīpikā views these categories as an aspect of Kapila’s original system or as a product of the later teachers mentioned in the previous verses. Elsewhere, however, the commentator mentions that Kapila had innate knowledge of ‘all categories’. As suggested by Larson and Bhattacharya (1987), it appears that the Yuktidīpikā thus views the Ṣaṣṭitantra as a system initiated by Kapila himself and reflected in Īśvarakṛṣṇa‘s summary of Sāṃkhya doctrine. Thus, Kapila’s original system (apparently featuring sixty categories), after being summarised in a fixed composition and then expanded upon by later teachers in debate with other schools, was re-summarised by Īśvarakṛṣṇa in the Sāṃkhyakārikā.
Note: The Yuktidīpikā indicates in its introductory verses that the scheme [the Ṣaṣṭitantra] was handed down by Kapila himself and that it involved a huge treatise that could not be mastered even in a hundred years; hence, the need for Īśvarakṛṣṇa’s summary. Rather, as has become evident, Kapila‘s system went through an initial summarisation, then a period of expansion by later teachers, then a re-summarisation by Īśvarakṛṣṇa.
Samkhya (सांख्य, Sāṃkhya) is a dualistic school of Hindu philosophy (astika) and is closeley related to the Yoga school. Samkhya philosophy accepts three pramanas (‘proofs’) only as valid means of gaining knowledge. Another important concept is their theory of evolution, revolving around prakriti (matter) and purusha (consciousness).
General definition (in Hinduism)
The name for a lost Sāṃkhya work of Vṛṣagaṇa.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Ṣaṣṭitantra (षष्टितन्त्र).—the doctrine of 6 conceptions (of the Sāṃkhya philosophy).
Derivable forms: ṣaṣṭitantram (षष्टितन्त्रम्).
Ṣaṣṭitantra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms ṣaṣṭi and tantra (तन्त्र).
Ṣaṣṭitantra (षष्टितन्त्र):—[=ṣaṣṭi-tantra] [from ṣaṣṭi > ṣaṣ] n. the doctrine of 60 conceptions or ideas (peculiar to the Sāṃkhya [philosophy]), [Sāṃkhyakārikā; Tattvasamāsa]
Ṣaṣṭitantra (षष्टितन्त्र):—n. das System der sechzig Begriffe im Sāṃkhya [SĀṂKHYAK. 72.] [GAUḌAP.] zu [17.] [Sânkhya Philosophy 45.]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches (+0): Shashti, Tantra.
Full-text (+0): Liu shi ke lun, Shashtividya, Samkhya.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Shashti-tantra, Ṣaṣṭi-tantra, Sasti-tantra, Ṣaṣṭitantra, Sastitantra, Shashtitantra; (plurals include: tantras, Ṣaṣṭitantras, Sastitantras, Shashtitantras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 4 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 4 - Kapila’s philosophy in the Bhāgavata-purāṇa < [Chapter XXIV - The Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 4 - An Early School of Sāṃkhya < [Chapter VII - The Kapila and the Pātañjala Sāṃkhya (yoga)]
Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 26 - Kapila’s description of Creation (Sāṃkhya Cosmology) < [Book 3 - Third Skandha]
Part 2 - The Date and Authorship of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa < [Introduction]
Glories of India (Culture and Civilization) (by Prasanna Kumar Acharya)
Introduction to the Samkhya-sutra of Kapila < [Chapter 7 - Original literatures]
Anumana in Indian Philosophy (by Sangita Chakravarty)
Vedic schools (2): The Sāṃkhya-Yoga < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Devala-smriti (critical study) (by Mukund Lalji Wadekar)
3.6. The Tanmatras, known to the Tantras of Sankhyayoga < [Chapter 10 - Philosophical aspect of the Devalasmriti]
7.1. Devala’s indebtedness to the works on Sankhya and Yoga < [Chapter 10 - Philosophical aspect of the Devalasmriti]