The Shaddarshanas are six great works (Philosophical systems) that shed light on Indian culture, which many consider to be based on blind belief. Explaining the Vedas explicitly, they share with the world the wisdom contained therein. The six texts are based on (a) The Vedas (b) Non-belief and (c) Inner Vision. They explain incidents and events that pertain to all the three times of past, present and future. They have taught man how to do away with suffering, restlessness etc., and lead a good life by removing the dirt in him. They explicitly state that the Vedas, the Vedanta and the knower of Vedas are all one and the same.
They explain the nature of the mind, which is responsible for all intelligence, intellect and discrimination. These six great Darshanas (text) are: (a) Nyaya (b) Vaisheshika (c) Samkhya (d) Yoga (e) Purva Mimamsa and (f) Uttara Mimamsa. Nyaya Darshana forms the life for other darshanas. Nyaya Darshana was given by Sage Gautama and hence it is also called Gautama Shaastra. This forms the life for the remaining five Darshanas. We have measures to judge the quantity and volume of material in the world. Even in respect of Divinity, a measure must be available by which the proof may be obtained. Vedas speak of four kinds of proofs. They are (1) Pratyaksha (direct perception), (2) Anumana (inference), (3) Upamana (comparison) and (4) Shabda (sound).
Pratyaksha pramana: This is called direct proof, as it is perceived by the sense organs. These organs are only instruments. The mind enters them and helps them to function. There are some limitations on the senses like disease and imperfection that make proof obtained by this method to be infirm. For example, a normal eye can see all colours; a jaundiced eye sees everything as yellow. Though the laddu is sweet, the tongue of a malaria patient classifies it as bitter. Here, there are two points of view. From the point of view of the matter it is sweet. But from the point of view of the senses it is bitter. It can be concluded, therefore, direct proof is not complete evidence for real justice.
Padartha and Parartha: Students must remember that the findings of ancient Indian sages were based on extensive investigations that went beyond the four regions of mind and even the Over-mind. They were the expositions of saints who had the vision of the Divinity.
Many scientists today are anti-God and are proud that they have discovered something our ancient sages could not. How wrong! Our ancient seers concluded that all these findings of today pertain to the Low-mind and are associated with Padartha (matter). Their findings were based on the study of the Over-mind, associated with the Parartha (Supreme Source) and were hence of a highly elevated nature. Before the shining splendour of these, today’s investigations and discoveries look like glow worms.
Investigation
Any enquiry made with machines is subject to errors just like the machine itself. It is the investigation of the heart that vouch as real proof. These four methods of obtaining proof is very important because all religions attach great importance to justice. It was said of Muhammad the Prophet, that when his son committed a sin, he was awarded the 100 strokes by whip prescribed by the religion for that particular mistake. When he died after 50 strokes, the Prophet ordered that the remaining 50 be carried out on his son’s grave!
Anumana pramana: This is based on doubt and inference. One sees cranes in the distance, for example, one infers that water could be available there. Similarly, one infers about fire by seeing the smoke. From the Svabhava (natural traits), one makes out about the Swarupa (the real form).
Upamana pramana: This kind of testimony is based on comparison. It enables us to understand many things that cannot be otherwise easily understood, by comparing them to some others that can be. By studying the Pratibhasika (apparent reality) and the Vyavaharika (empirical reality), one can infer about the Paramarthika (transcendental). For example, by studying the foam (empirical reality) that originates from the waves (apparent reality), one can understand the reality of the Ocean (transcendental reality). This is possible as both the foam and the waves originate from the Ocean, and mirror its character in them. This is the example cited for all beings emanating from the Ocean of Divinity as waves.
Shabda pramana: It is proof garnered on the basis of sound. It is considered to be the ultimate proof. It is based on the testimony of the sound that the Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishad and the Bhagavad Gita came into existence, but, to be able to perceive this testimony, one must be properly attuned and extremely careful. It needs one to travel beyond the mind and the senses. At this stage of Samana citta (mental equanimity), sound becomes the very form of God.
The eight forms of God are Shabda brahmamayi (Sound), characharamayi (All pervasiveness), parathpara mayi (Transcendental nature), vaagmayi (Speech) Nityanandamayi (Blissful), jyotirmayi (Effulgence), mayamayi (Illusion) and srimayi (Prosperity).
Another significance in this is that God is most pleased with sound in the form of Sama Gaana (songs in praise of God). It is said that Lord Vishnu once told Narada that He would always install Himself wherever his devotees sang his glory with a full and devoted heart. This is the actual sound-the songs that contain the glory of the Lord. In this way, Nyaya Darshan lays down the four methods of gathering proof.
Students must listen to sounds that are Divine in nature. Nyaya Darshana declares that it is the human conscience that is the best judge. Conscience is beyond the mind; it is the vibration of life.
Words originate in the mind. But, when it comes to the tongue (body) it appears different under different situations. When it goes beyond the mind, the word becomes Truth itself. Vedas call this truth as Bhur, It is the radiation. In the materialization of body, this truth is all pervasive and it is the vibration of that truth which is the conscience. Hence from Radiation comes Vibration; from Vibration comes Materialization.
The Vedas
It is said that the word is itself Rig Veda. It is all effulgent. The mind is the Yajur Veda and life is itself Sama Veda. Life gives breath. From this breath comes the song. Hence Sama Veda is the form of life itself. The Yajur Veda is the form of the Mantras that originate in the mind. The three Vedas hence collectively state that God who is the effulgent One (as stated by Rig Veda) must be prayed to and worshipped with the Mantras (as stated in Yajur Veda) and pleased by sweet songs that are most endearing to Him (as said in the Sama Veda). God is most pleased by songs alone and not by words or speeches. Once you understand and follow the six Darshanas, you need not do any other Sadhana. Without understanding such lofty ideas, Indians are today groping in ignorance. Our ancient truths are eternal. You must know that they are based upon investigations of a kind unattained or unattainable in the world today.
Vaisheshika Darshana
Sages and seers, in a state of deep dedication understood and grasped the spiritual reality in all matter. They hence gave little importance to the kind of secular education seen today. They understood that the same five elements within the human body constituted the tree, mountain and the entire creation. Only the forms differed.
The saints propounded that matter is constituted of atoms, but each atom was unique in itself. The difference between two atoms is the Vishesha (speciality) and the Vaisheshika Darshana (that which brings out the speciality) speaks about this speciality.
Matter and nature are reality: Matter is unchangeable. It is only the form that changes; for example, the mud and water are creation of God; they are matter. The pot made out of mud and water may assume various shapes. It may break and splinter but the mud and water remain. Hence matter being unchangeable, is reality.
Nature consists of the five elements that are unchangeable. For example, sound is of different kinds, but the Primordial Sound, Aum is unchanging. All the Saptasvaras - Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni - are Vikaras of the Omkara (The different forms of the Primordial Sound). Matter and Nature are hence both unchanging.
Equality of men and women: This is another truth propounded by the Vaisheshika Darshana. Men and women differ only in gender and one is not weaker than the other. Just as woman cannot work without man’s help, man also cannot function without woman’s help. Basing its adhara (proof) on the world, this Darshana also states that society is in trouble when it does not accept this equality and attempts to diversify the essential unity in both men and women.
Do good to the society: When man constantly asks for happiness, he expects the world to give him peace. How is it possible? If he asks himself the question what he has done for the good of the society, there is no answer. If he asks himself the question what he has done to promote peace in the world, there is no answer. Only if one does good to the society and strives to promote peace in the world, can he expect good from the society and peace from world. This is another Vishesha (speciality) expressed in the Vaisheshika Darshana.
This Darshana explains there is enormous power in the microcosm that man can harness by learning with discretion. It is this kind of study that explains the differences in the past, present, future and also the truth that remains the same in all the three times.
The Shukla Yajur Veda has made an exhaustive study of unity in diversity. The same shows up in the Vaisheshika Darshana, which states ‘All are birds of the same house (family); all men are children of the same mother; all are flowers of the same creeper; all are citizens of the same nation.’
- The first statement is: ‘All are the birds of the same house.’ The house is the body. It is like a nest that restricts the bird. The bird remains in the nest till it acquires wings. It then leaves its nest and flies away to freedom. In the same way, with the wings of Antar-jnana (Wisdom), man can develop detachment and fly away to liberation. This much is common in all men.
- The second statement explains, ‘All are children of the same mother.’ This mother is ‘Mother Earth’. All of us are born from earth, as we are composed of mind. A newly born baby is bathed and made to sleep in the cradle. But yet, in the baby’s hand can be found mud, after a few hours. This is ample proof that man’s body is made of mud.
- The third statement is: ‘Flowers of the same creeper.’ This creeper is the heart. The flower is the sweetness of the heart-to heart relationship that each man has with another. All hearts are thus inter-related.
- The fourth statement is: ‘All are citizens of the same nation.’ We are all members of the human race. Ours is a nation of men and not animals or rocks. We form the human society. Just as the waves originate from the ocean, all the different forms come from the Sat-cit-ananda.
With these explanations, the Vaisheshika Darshana points out the essential unity among all men. Thus the Vaisheshika appeals to them not to fight over petty matters.
Nimitta-adhara and Muladhara: There is nothing good or bad in creation. But, as long as body consciousness exists, one has to experience both. It is said: For one, who lacks intelligence and wisdom, detachment becomes a burden. For one who lacks knowledge, the body becomes a burden.
For one who lacks love, the mind becomes a burden. Man must develop discrimination to be free from all these burdens. It enables him to understand the Truth or the basis of everything. What is this truth? One must know two things: The Nimitta-adhara (instrumental) and the Muladhara (basis). Muladhara is the basis on which the Nimitta-adhara (instrumental) builds something. Example: Mud and water are the Muladhara-the basis. The potter becomes the Nimitta-adhara, who uses them and makes pots of different shapes and sizes.
Man must control senses
The child Prahlada told his father Hiranyakashipu ‘O father! You have earned victory over all the three worlds, but are a slave to your senses.’ Such a one who knows not himself and is a slave to his senses has no authority at all. He, who succumbs to the enemies within, can never defeat the foes without.
Man must control his senses to the extent possible. Otherwise, he will suffer grief. Man must not commit the blunder of resigning everything to his fate. With enquiry and determination, one can achieve anything. But today, man is becoming a slave to the mind. Man is the master of mind. He alone is a real man who understands the reality-that the microcosm is in the macrocosm and the macrocosm is in the microcosm. (SSS Vol.26)