INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21414, 11 February 1933, Page 9 (Supplement)

INDIAN PHILOSOPHY

COMPREHENSIVE OUTLINE The beginnings of Indian philosophy may be traced back to ahout the middle of the second millenium before Christ, to not long after the Aryans had settled in their new home. The speculative activity then begun continued until a century or two ago, so that its history covers a period of over three thousand years. The task of giving a connected and comprehensive account of this development within the limits of a single volume has been accomplished by Professor M. Hiriyanna, formerly Professor of Sanskrit at the Mysore University. Although his book is primarily intended as a text-book in colleges where Indian philosophy is taught, its appeal is much wider. Owing to Professor Hiriyanna's clarity of expression the book will be eagerly read by those interested in philosophical speculation. Indian thought developed throughout the three thousand years practically unaffected by outside influence. During this time it evolved several systems of' philosophy and created a national religion in Brahminism and a world religion in Buddhism. This was a remarkable achievement, but unfortunately our present knowledge of its early stages is too meagre and imperfect to allow a full history to bo written. The deficiency is due in part to an almost total lack of exact chronology in early Indian history. The only date that can be claimed to have beon settled in the first thousand years, for example, is that of the death of Buddha, 487 B.C. Professor Hiriyanna takes this as a landmark dividing Indian thought into two stages. It marks the close of the Vedic period and the beginning of the Sanskrit, or classical, period. To the former belong those workg that are regarded by the Hindus as revealed. The post-Vedic period is itself split up into two stages. The author designates the later of these as " the age of the systems," and the earlier, for want of a better title, " the early post-Vedic period." The duration of this last-mentioned period lasts from the close of the Vedic to about the beginning of the Christian era. The professor deals with his subject under these three main headings. The account givbn of the several doctrines in each part generally includes a brief historical survey, in addition to an exposition of its theory of knowledge, ontology and practical teaching. In an introductory chapter the professor summarises the distinctive features of Indian thought. There are two elements common to all branches—the pursuit of moksa, or liberation, as the final ideal and the ascetic spirit of the discipline recommended for its attainment. They signify that philosophy as understood in India is neither mere intellectualism nor mere moralism, but includes and transcends them both. In other words, it aims at achieving more than what logio and ethics can. Logic and ethics are not an end in themselves, but the means to an end. The ancient Indian did not stop short at the discovery of truth, but strove to realise it in his own experience. A •fundamental difference between Western and Eastern philosophy is that the former has become divorced from religion and the latter has not. Professor Hiriyanna's volume will provide the Western student with plenty of food for thought. " Outlines of Indian Philosophy," by M. Hiriyanna. (Allen and Unwin.)