CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY

The tendency to conceive of philosophical problems in a clear and unambiguous manner is a significant feature of Sanskrit thought. However, from the ninth century onward, the habit of using clear, definite, and precise expressions began to develop remarkably. Consequently, a large number of technical terms were created. These terms are rarely explained thoroughly in the texts themselves; instead, it is assumed that any reader who wishes to study these works already understands them. In ancient times, anyone who took up the study of a philosophical system had to do so under a teacher who explained these terms to them. The teacher had learned them from his own teacher, who in turn had learned from his. There was no attempt to make philosophy popular, for the prevailing idea was that only a chosen few who had demonstrated their suitability deserved to become qualified students original: adhikārī of philosophy under a teacher’s guidance. Only those with the perseverance and high moral character to devote their entire lives to truly understanding philosophy—and to restructuring their lives according to its profound truths—were permitted to study it.

Another difficulty a beginner will encounter is that the same technical terms are sometimes used in very different ways across different systems. The student must understand the meaning of each technical term within the context of the specific system where it appears; standard dictionaries offer little help in this regard Recently, a very excellent Sanskrit dictionary of technical philosophical terms called the Manual of Logic original: Nyāyakośa has been prepared by M. M. Bhīmācārya Jhalkikar of the Bombay Government Press.. Students must pick up these meanings as they progress and encounter them in use. References to the doctrines of other systems—and the refutations of those doctrines during discussions within a specific school of thought—are often confusing, even for an experienced reader. One cannot be expected to know all the teachings of other systems without studying them directly. Therefore, it is often difficult to follow the sequence of arguments and rebuttals presented in these debates. There are two important Sanskrit compendiums Collections or summaries of knowledge. that summarize some of the main systems of Indian thought: the Compendium of All Philosophies original: Sarvadarśanasaṃgraha and the Compendium of the Six Philosophies original: Ṣaḍdarśanasamuccaya by Haribhadra, which includes the commentary of Guṇaratna. However, the former is very brief and provides little insight into the ontological Related to the nature of being or existence. or epistemological Related to the theory of knowledge—how we know what we know. doctrines of any of the systems. It was translated by Cowell and Gough, but I