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
