Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Later Philosophical Literature
a descriptive style - as if the thing said by him has been ascertained by him with the aid of a sagely eye. And in the course of doing so in case he occasionally feels the urge to refute a rival view he usually simply makes a mention of this view adding that it is a false standpoint or not a right standpoint. Alternatively, he even refers to such view3 as so many prelimi. nary stages leading upto his own doctrine and thus makes a synthesis of even such views in the form of so many different views suited to the capacity of so many different grades of students. 14 (2) Another characteristic circumstance is that the details taken up in the later division of thoughtcurrent in connection with a chief problem and the discussion of new issues raised while doing so are absent in the earlier division.
In what manner was philosophical speculation conducted in this land of Aryans since olden days and how much extensive was this speculation - about all this important researches have been made by the Western as well as Indian scholars. On perusing them and on going through the original text-passages mentioned therein any one whatsoever can learn as to how within the body of both the thought-currents in question the chief philosophical problems have been discussed in an identical fashion.
The Characteristic Features of the Later Philosophical Literature
Broadly speaking, the period of philosophical aphoristic texts begins after the days of Buddha and Mahavira. The impelling forces behind that novelty which philosophical speculation assumed ever since this period are briefly as follows:
(1) To investigate each problem in an organized fashion and after having first formulated appropriate definitions.
(2) To adopt a particular style of examining problems --Viz. one in which a rival view is refuted through undertaking an ever more detailed analysis thereof and one's own view is sought to be established with the aid of logic.
(3) A tendency to undertake an ever wider and ever deeper study of all the possible rival views and therethrough to elucidate and further clarify one's own views whenever a suitable occasion arises.
14 Some examples of a synthesis made keeping in view the different grades of students
are Madhusudana Sarasvati's Prasthānabheda, Vijñānabhikṣu's Sankhyapravacanabhāşya pp. 2ff. ( Chaukhamba edition ) as also the verse from Madhyamikakärikā.
Sarvam tathyam na vä tathyam tathyam catathyam eva cal
Naivātathyam naiva tathyam etad Buddhănuśāsanam//18.8 and the commentary thereon. Besides, see Yogadrstisamuccaya, kārikās 132 ff. and the Pratyabhijñāhrdaya aphorism 8. Tadbhumikāḥ sarvadarśanasthitayah'.