Contents

Unit-1: The Advaita Vedanta System                                                                                     9
An Introduction to Advaita Vedanta: A Non-Dual Vision of Ultimate
Reality
Aim and Purpose of Vedanta
Basic Doctrines of Vedanta
Sankaracharya: Brahman-The Ultimate Reality
Atman-Individual Self
Avidya and Maya
Mäyä in Advaita Vedänta: The Illusion that Conceals Ultimate Reality
The Concept of Jagat in Advaita Vedanta
The Concept of Isvara in Advaita Vedanta
Jiva: Advaita Vedanta
Theories of Evolution and Illusion: Parinamavada
Vivartavada
Questions
Unit-II: The Visistadvaita Vedänta                                                                                       61
An Introduction to Visistadvaita Vedanta
Ramanujacharya: Brahman
Jiva (Individual Soul) in Ramanuja's Visistadvaita Vedanta
The Concept of Jagat (The World) in the Philosophy of Ramanujacharya 

The Triad of Reality: Isvara, Cit, and Acit in Visistadvaita Vedanta
The Idea of Acit (Matter) in Rămânuja's Visistadvaita Vedanta
Isvara: Visistadvaitavada Vedanta
Questions
Unit-III: The Samkhya System                                                                                             91
Introduction to Sankhya Philosophy
Basic Doctrins of Sankhya Philosophy
Sâmkhya: Purusa, Prakrti
Purusa: The Transcendental Consciousness

 Liberation and the Role of Purusa
Prakrti: Sankhya

The Role of Three Gunas in the Samkhya Philosophy
Evolution of the Universe according to Sankhya Philosophy
The Concepts of Guna & Karma in Sankhya philosophy
The Theory of Causation (Satkāryavāda) in Sankhya Philosophy
The Theory of Parinamavada and Vivartavada in Sankhya Philosophy

Questions
Unit-IV: The Nyaya-Vaisesika System                                                                              135
Introduction to the Nyaya Philosophy
Main Theories of Nyaya Philosophy
Scope of Nyaya Philosophy:
Metaphysical Inquiry and Ontology (Padartha) or Categories of Thought
(Padarthas) in Nyaya Philosophy
Padartha: Nyaya
Introduction to the Vaisesika System
Aim and Purpose of Vaisesika Philosophy
Basic Doctrines of Vaisesika Philosophy
The Concept of Categories (Padartha) in Vaisesika Philosophy
The Theory of Atomic Agglomeration (Arambhavada): A Detailed
Philosophical Exposition
The Ideas of Brahman and Isvara: Nyaya-Vaisesika
The Concept of Isvara in the Nyaya-Vaiúecika System
Questions
Unit-V: The Buddha-Jaina Philosophy                                                                          183
Early Buddhism
Buddha: Four Noble Truths
Theory of Dependant Co-origination (Pratityasamutpada)
The Relevance or Importance of the theory of Dependent Origination
(Pratityasamutpāda) in Buddhism
Jainism: Introduction
Sects in Jainism
Tattva: Jaina
Jaina: Atheism
Questions
Bibliography                                                                                                              224