Indian Philosophy

Explore core concepts of Indian philosophical traditions, including metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, and aesthetics, and learn about influential thinkers and their diverse perspectives.

Indian Philosophy

1 Nature of Philosophy and Characteristics of Indian Philosophy

  1. Metaphysics
  2. Logic and Epistemology
  3. Ethics or Moral Philosophy
  4. Religion
  5. Characteristics of Indian Philosophy
  6. Special Features of Indian Philosophy

2 Introduction to Vedas and Upanisads

  1. Vedas and Its Contents
  2. A General Survey of the Vedic Literature
  3. Some Important Vedic Concepts – I
  4. Some Important Vedic Concepts – II
  5. Upanisads

3 Introduction to Tirukkural

  1. Philosophical Insights of Tirukkural
  2. Moral Philosophy of Tiruvalluvar
  3. Social Philosophy of Tiruvalluvar
  4. Political Philosophy of Tiruvalluvar

4 Introduction to Epics, Puranas and Bhagavat Gita

  1. Itihasas – Epics
  2. Ethical Insights of Epics
  3. Political Thought in Epics
  4. Eighteen Puranas
  5. Bhagavat Gita
  6. Idea of God in Gita
  7. Three Margas in Gita
  8. Path of Bhakti as means to Liberation

5 Carvaka

  1. Origin of the School
  2. The Literary Sources of Carvakas/Lokayatas
  3. Epistemology
  4. Metaphysics of Carvakas
  5. Carvakas Views on God and Religion
  6. Ethics of Carvakas

6 Buddhism – I

  1. Four Noble Truths
  2. Philosophical Pre-suppositions

7 Buddhism – II

  1. Main Schools In Hinayana (Early) Tradition
  2. Vaibhasika (Sarvastivada) School
  3. Sautrantika School
  4. Main Schools In Mahayana Tradition
  5. Madhyamaka (Sunyavada) School
  6. Yogacara (Vijnanavada) School

8 Nyaya – Vaisesika

  1. Nyaya and Vaisesika
  2. Nyaya Theory of Knowledge
  3. Nyaya Theory of Causation
  4. Nyaya Concept of God
  5. Vaisesika Concept of Padartha or Category
  6. Vaisesika on Atoms and Creation
  7. Bondage and Liberation

9 Samkhya

  1. Theory of causation
  2. Theory of knowledge
  3. Prakrti
  4. Purusa
  5. Bondage and Liberation

10 Yoga

  1. Modifications of Chitta
  2. Chitta Bhumi
  3. Kinds of Klesas
  4. Ashtanga Yoga
  5. Place of God in Yoga
  6. Eight Siddhis

11 Mimamsa

  1. Theory of Knowledge
  2. Mimamsa Theory of Error
  3. Theory of Reality
  4. Theory of Soul
  5. Bondage and Liberation

12 Advaita Vedanta

  1. Brahman and Atman
  2. Avidya and Maya
  3. Karya and Karana (effect and cause)
  4. Knowledge
  5. Attaining Liberation through Knowledge

13 Visistadvaita

  1. Philosophy of Visistadvaita: An Overview
  2. Theory of Knowledge
  3. Brahman
  4. Jivas or Individual Souls
  5. The Means of Liberation

14 Dvaita Vedanta

  1. Dvaita: its Notion and Meaning
  2. General Philosophy of Madhva
  3. Metaphysics of Dvaita Vedanta
  4. Epistemology
  5. Bondage and Liberation

15 Saivism and Vaisnavism

  1. Origin of Saiva Religion and Philosophy
  2. Schools of Saivism
  3. Saiva Siddhanta
  4. Siddhanta Concept of God and Soul
  5. Siddhanta Concept of Bondage and Liberation
  6. Sources of Vaishnava Religion and Philosophy
  7. Vaishnava Epistemology and Metaphysics
  8. Vaishnava Concept of God and Soul

16 Logic and Epistemology

  1. Carvaka Epistemology
  2. Jaina Logic and Epistemology
  3. Buddhist Epistemology
  4. Nyaya-Vaisesika Epistemology
  5. Samkhya-Yoga Epistemology
  6. Purva Mimamsa Epistemology
  7. Vedanta Epistemology

17 Indian Metaphysics

  1. Indian Materialism (Carvaka)
  2. Realism of Nyaya-Vaisesika
  3. Realism of the Sautrantika and Vaibhasika
  4. Realism of Mimamsa
  5. Dualistic Metaphysics of Samkhya
  6. Realistic Relativistic Pluralism of Jainism
  7. Idealism of Vijnanavada and Madhyamika
  8. Non-dualistic Absolutism (Advaita)
  9. Non-dualism of the Qualified Whole (Visistadvaita)
  10. Dualistic Absolutism of Madhvacarya

18 Indian Ethics

  1. Vedic and Vedantic Schools of Ethics
  2. Doctrine of Karma
  3. Transmigration of Soul
  4. Supreme Goals (purusharthas)
  5. Social Stratification (varnashrama dharma)
  6. Ethics in Buddhism
  7. Ethics in Jainism
  8. Hedonism in Ethics of Carvaka

19 Indian Aesthetics

  1. Bharata’s Rasa-Theory
  2. Alamkara
  3. Riti
  4. Vakroti
  5. Dhvani

20 Swami Vivekananda and Muhammad Iqbal

  1. The philosophy of Vivekananda
  2. God, Cosmos, and Human Person
  3. Yoga – the ways of realisation
  4. Towards universal religion
  5. The Philosophy of Muhammad Iqbal
  6. Concept of Self
  7. His Concept of God
  8. The Nature of the World
  9. Human Destiny

21 Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore

  1. Gandhi: Life Influence and Basic Philosophy
  2. God and Truth
  3. Nature of the World
  4. Concept of Human Person
  5. Social and Political Philosophy
  6. Tagore: Life and Basic Thought
  7. Search for the Absolute and Nature of the World
  8. Philosophy of Human Person
  9. Social and Political Philosophy
  10. Tagore’s Religious Thoughts

22 Aurobindo and S. Radhakrishnan

  1. Life and the Works of Sri Aurobindo
  2. The Transcendental Reality in Aurobindo’s Thought
  3. Nature of Creation: The World-Process
  4. Man in Terms of Evolution
  5. Reality and Its Aspects
  6. Synthesis of Yoga
  7. Social and Political Philosophy
  8. Radhakrishnan’s Life and Works
  9. The Absolute or the Brahman
  10. The Nature of the World And Creation
  11. Human Being And the Nature of Soul
  12. His Religious and Political Thought

23 B.R Ambedkar and Raimundo Panikkar

  1. Ambedkar’s Life and Works
  2. Influence and Background to His Thoughts
  3. Ambedkar’s Social Thought
  4. Ambedkar’s Political Philosophy
  5. Concept of Human Person
  6. His Attitude to Religion
  7. Life and Works of Raimundo Panikkar
  8. Philosophy Culture and Interculturality
  9. Multi-Faith Dialogue and Dialogical Dialogue
  10. The Interconnectedness of the Divine Human and Nature