Page:Indian Philosophy Volume 1.djvu/21

 INDIAN

PHILOSOPHY

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

General characteristics of Indian philosophy-The natura1situation of India-The dominance of the intellectual interest-The individuality of Indian philosophy-The influence of the West-The spiritual character of Indian thought-Its close relation to life and religion- The stress on the subjective-Psychological basis of metaphysics- Indian achievemeDts in positive science-Speculative synthesis and scientific analysis-The brooding East-Monistic idealism-Its vari- eties, non-dualism, pure monism, modified monism and implicit monism-God is all-The intuitional nature of philO9Ophy-Dar6aDa -Sathkara's qualifications of a candidate for the study of philosoph,. -The constructive coDservatism of Indian thought-The unity and continuity of Indian thought--Consideration of some charges levelled against Indian philosophy, such as pessimism, dogmatism, indifference to ethics aDd unpIogressive character-The value of the .tudy of Indian philosophy-The justification of the title II Indian Philoeophy II ---Historical method-The difficulty of a chronological treatment- The different periods of Indian thought-Vedic, epic, systematic and scholastic-" Indian" histories of Indian philosophy.

I

THE NATURAL SITUATION OF INDIA FOR thinking minds to blossom, for arts and sciences to flourish, the first condition necessary is a settled society providing security and leisure. A rich culture is impossible with a community of nomads, where people struggle fot life and die of privation. Fate called India to a spot where nature was free with her gifts and every prospect was pleasing. The Himalayas, with their immense range and elevation OD one side and the sea on the others, helped to keep India free from invasion for a long time. Bounteous nature