Yoga Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi, Bhagu F Karbhari
Publisher: Devchand Lalbhai Pustakoddhar Fund

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MYSTICISM IN INDIA
mental, moral and spiritual development he becomes part and parcel of the immutable course of nature and never suffers.
All philosophy has this fourfold development and spiritual peace in view. In India there have been six such schools of thought. Each starts with a more or less rational demonstration of the universe and ends with a sublime code of ethics. There are first the atomic Vaisheshika and dialectic Nyaya schools, seeking mental peace in devotion to the ruler of the universe. Then there are the materialistic Sankhya and the practical Yoga schools, teaching mental peace by proper analysis and practical training. Lastly there are the orthodox Mimamsa and the unitarian Advaita schools, placing spiritual bliss in strict observance of Vedic injunctions and in realizing the unity of the Cosmos. Buddhism and Jainism are based on different foundations, as we shall see later on, (in my second lecture).
Yoga philosophy—the mysticism of India, then is a complement of the Sankhya and therefore a clear idea of latter is indispensable to the proper understanding of the former. The Sānkhya is an enumeration (Sankhyā) or analysis of the Universe. It starts with the proposition that the world is full of miseries of three kirds, physical, supernatural and corporeal and that these are the results of the properties of matter (I'rakriti) and not of its inseperable correlate intelligence of consciousness (Purusha)-the soul. The inseparable Prakriti and Purusha are enough in themselves io account for