About this topic
Summary Indian Philosophy encompasses the systems of thought and reflection that developed on the Indian subcontinent. They include philosophical systems generally classified as orthodox (astika, from the Sanskrit asti "there is") such as Nyāya ("Rule" or "Method"), Vaiśeṣika ("Particular"), Saṃkhya ("Enumeration" or "Number"), Yoga ("Union"), Mīmāṃsā ("Reflection" or "Critical Investigation") and Vedanta ("conclusion of the Veda"). They are classified as orthodox because they rely on the authority of the Vedas (an ancient collection of hymns of religio-philosophical nature). In contrast, the heterodox (nāstika) systems of thought reject the authority of the Vedas and the superiority of Brahmins in matters of philosophical reflection. Besides Buddhism, the other heterodox schools include the Jainas ("Followers of Conquerors", from the Sanskrit verb ji "to conquer"), the ascetic Ājīvikas, and the Cārvākas materialists. Given the diversity of views, theories, and doctrines espoused by philosophers on the Indian subcontinent, there is no unifying thread or single characteristic that would be common to all. Although all the orthodox systems profess some allegiance to the Vedas, they range widely in their interpretations of Vedic statements and pursue their speculative ventures unhindered by tradition (the acceptance of the Vedas is often just a convenient device for a philosopher to gain acceptance in orthodox circles). Among the key concepts of Indian Philosophy are those of karma ("action," which addresses the moral efficiency of human actions), atman ("self," which stands for the sense of an absolute or transcendental spirit or self) and its countervailing notion of anatman ("not-self") in Buddhism, mokṣa ("liberation," conceived as the highest ideal of moral and spiritual cultivation), and the similarly formed ideal of nirvāṇa ("cessation") in Buddhism. A great deal of philosophical speculation in India is concerned with establishing reliable sources of knowing (pramāṇas) such that metaphysical concerns about the nature of reality are seldom pursued in isolation from logical and epistemological concerns about the nature of knowledge and its sources. Indian philosophy is comparable in the range and scope of its metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical concerns with Western philosophy, although philosophers in India have also pursued problems that their Western counterparts never did. Examples include such matters as the source (utpatti) and apprehension (jñapti) of reliable cognitions (prāmāṇya). Likewise, there are problems central to Western philosophy (e.g., whether knowledge arises from experience or from reason) that philosophers in India did not pursue, and important distinctions (such as that between analytic and synthetic judgments) they did not make.  
Key works Refer to the subcategories
Introductions The vast and broad scope of Indian philosophy defies an easy introduction. However, a broad surveys of key concepts, figures, and areas of Indian philosophy can be found in Potter 1970.
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  1. Speak, Memory: Dignāga, Consciousness, and Awareness.Nicholas Silins - forthcoming - Australasian Journal of Philosophy.
    When someone is in a conscious state, must they be aware of it? The Buddhist philosopher Dignāga offers a brilliant route to answering this question by leveraging the role awareness might play as a constraint on memory. I begin by clarifying his strategy and what conclusions it might be used to establish, and then turn to explain why it fails. The first main problem is that, contrary to his contemporary defenders, there is no good way to use it to reach (...)
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  2. ‘I Don’t Know’: An Epistemic Analysis of First-Personal Ignorance.Shruti Krishna Bhat - forthcoming - Journal of Indian Philosophy:1-21.
    Ignorance becomes a philosophical issue when it is first-personal, i.e., _x_’s awareness about _x_’s own ignorance. It raises exciting and apparently paradoxical questions about cognition. Keeping first-personal experience of ignorance at the centre, some Indian philosophical schools discuss extensively the nature of ignorance. Vyāsatīrtha from the Dualist school (Dvaita Vedānta), along with the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika school propound that ignorance belongs to a negative category (_abhāvapadārtha_) or in other words, that it must be understood as an absence of some cognition. The Non-dualist (...)
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  3. Nyāya-Cārvāka Debate on Inference and the Problem of Induction.Arka Pratim Mukhoty - forthcoming - Journal of Indian Philosophy:1-26.
    Inductive inference faces the problem of induction, while Nyāya inference confronts Cārvāka objections. It has been generally agreed that the problem of induction is essentially similar to the Cārvāka objections against the validity of Nyāya inference. In this article, I will endeavor to refute this claim. The objections Cārvāka raised against inference, I shall argue, do not construe the problem of induction. I will analyze Udayana and Mādhavācārya's works on Cārvāka objections against inference to support my claim. Following Udayanācārya, I (...)
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  4. Yogadarśana, Tattvavaiśāradī ke viśesha sandarbha meṃ. Śālinī - 2015 - Vārāṇasī: Manīsha Prakāśana.
    Exhaustive study of Yoga philosophy of Patañjali with reference to Tattvavaiśāradī, commentary of Vācaspatimiśra, active 976-1000.
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  5. (1 other version)The Oxford handbook of Indian Philosophy.Jonardon Ganeri (ed.) - 2017 - New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
    The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy tells the story of philosophy in India through a series of exceptional individual acts of philosophical virtuosity. It brings together forty leading international scholars to record the diverse figures, movements, and approaches that constitute philosophy in the geographical region of the Indian subcontinent, a region sometimes nowadays designated South Asia. The chapters provide a synopsis of the liveliest areas of contemporary research and set new agendas for nascent directions of exploration. Each of the chapters (...)
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  6. (6 other versions)Sāṅkhyakārikā. Īśvarakr̥ṣṇa - 2018 - Naī Dillī: Śrī Lāla Bahādura Śāstrī Rāṣṭriya Saṃskr̥ta Vidyāpīṭha. Edited by Śivaśaṅkara Miśra, Harerāma Tripāṭhī, Śaśinātha Jhā, Īśvarakr̥ṣṇa & Durgādhara Jhā.
    Aphoristic work on Sankhya philosophy with Sanskrit commentary and Hindi translation of Sāṅkhyaśāstra, Maithili commentary by Durgādhara Jhā.
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  7. (1 other version)Vedāntasyamantakaḥ. Rādhādāmodara - 2019 - Vrindavana, UP: Jiva Institute. Edited by Demian Martins, Baladevavidyābhūṣaṇa & Rādhādāmodara.
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  8. (6 other versions)Vedāntaparibhāṣā. Dharmarājādhvarīndra - 2019 - Verāvalam: Śrīsomanāthasaṃskr̥tayunivarsiṭī. Edited by Keśavalāla Śāstrī, Jānakīśaraṇa Ācārya & Dharmarājādhvarīndra.
    Treatise, with Sanskrit and Gujarati commentaries, Gujarati translation, on the epistemology of the Advaita philosophy.
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  9. (1 other version)A study of time in Indian philosophy.Anindita N. Balslev - 2019 - New Delhi: D.K. Printworld.
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  10. Cunoașterea ca mijloc de eliberare în hinduismul advaitin: evaluare din perspectiva creștină.Florin Stănescu - 2020 - Cluj-Napoca: Presa Universitară Clujeană.
    Knowledge as a means of liberation in Advaitin Hinduism: evaluation from a Christian perspective.
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  11. (2 other versions)An integrated science of the absolute: based on the Darśana mālā (Garland of visions) of Narayana Guru.Nataraja Guru - 2020 - New Delhi: D.K. Printworld. Edited by Narayana Guru.
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  12. Akṣapāda Gautama's Nyāya-sūtra with early commentaries.Malcolm Keating - 2020 - In Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy: Major Texts and Arguments on Arthâpatti. London: Bloomsbury Academic Publishing.
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  13. Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa's Elucidation of Epistemic Instruments and Their Objects.Malcolm Keating - 2020 - In Controversial Reasoning in Indian Philosophy: Major Texts and Arguments on Arthâpatti. London: Bloomsbury Academic Publishing.
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  14. (1 other version)An introduction to Indian philosophy: perspectives on reality, knowledge, and freedom.Bina Gupta - 2021 - New York: Routledge.
    An Introduction to Indian Philosophy offers a profound yet accessible survey of the development of India's philosophical tradition. Beginning with the formation of Brhmaical, Jaina, Materialist, and Buddhist traditions, Bina Gupta guides the reader through the classical schools of Indian thought, culminating in a look at how these traditions inform Indian philosophy and society in modern times. Offering translations from source texts and clear explanations of philosophical terms, this text provides a rigorous overview of Indian philosophical contributions to epistemology, metaphysics, (...)
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  15. Bhāratīya vāṅmaya meṃ Yoga paramparā: Yoga ke ādhārabhūta tattva.Rameśa Kumāra - 2023 - Naī Dillī: Śrī Lāla Bahādura Śāstrī Rāshṭrīya Saṃskr̥ta Viśvavidyālaya. Edited by Śivaśaṅkara Miśra & Muralīmanohara Pāṭhaka.
    On fundamentals of Yoga in Vedic literature and Indic philosophy.
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  16. The Vedānta-sūtras and their commentaries: including Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.Prakāśātmā Dāsa - 2023 - Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
    Part 1. The nature of the absolute according to scriptures (samanvaya-adhyāya).
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  17. The Philosophy of the Yogasutra: an introduction.Karen O'Brien-Kop - 2023 - London: Bloomsbury Academic.
    The first introduction of the Yogsutra to present the Sanskrit text as a classic of world philosophy.
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  18. Kahāṇī Cārawākāṃ dī.Nachattara Siṅgha Gilla - 2023 - Samana: Navrang Publications.
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  19. Śrīmad Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaracita Vivekacūḍāmaṇi: mūḷaśloka, śabdārtha, anuvāda ane bhāshya sahita.Prasāda Brahmabhaṭṭa - 2023 - Ahmedabad: ZCAD Publications. Edited by Śaṅkarācārya.
    Classical text on non-dualistic (Advaita) Vedanta philosophy.
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  20. À l'école de Jean Klein.Ludovic Fontaine - 2024 - Paris: Almora éditions. Edited by Éric Baret, Francis Lucille & Jean-Marc Mantel.
    Jean Klein a été l'un des principaux passeurs de la non-dualité indienne (advaita) et du yoga en France. Il a exercé et continue d'exercer une influence considérable dans les cercles de chercheurs spirituels. Dans cet ouvrage, Ludovic Fontaine a choisi d'interviewer trois enseignants, trois des principaux élèves de Jean Klein, qui s'inscrivent de manière originale et ouverte dans la perspective de leur maître. Eric Baret, Francis Lucille, et Jean-Marc Mantel présentent ici leur parcours spirituel, leur perspective propre sur la non-dualité, (...)
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  21. (6 other versions)Vedāntaparibhāṣā. Dharmarājādhvarīndra - 2024 - Vārāṇasī: Caukhambā Saṃskr̥ta Pustakālaya. Edited by Rāmakiśora Tripāṭhī.
    Treatise, with Saṃskr̥tacandrikā and Bhāṣācandrikā commentaries on the epistemology of the Advaita philosophy.
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  22. Samkhya karika: a yoga practitioner's guide to overcoming the three causes of suffering.Srivatsa Ramaswami - 2025 - Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions.
    A detailed guide to Samkhya Vedic philosophy and how to break free from the cycles of rebirth.
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  23. (3 other versions)The six systems of Indian philosophy.F. Max Müller - 1899 - New York [etc.]: Longmans, Green.
    Introductory chapter.--The Vedas.--The systems of philosophy.--Vedânta or Uttara-Mîmâmsâ.--Pûrva Mîmâmsâ.--Sâmkhyaphilosophy.--Yoga-philosophy.--Nyâya and Vaiseshika.--Vaiseshika philosophy.
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  24. Vedânta philosophy. Abhedānanda - 1901 - New York,: The Vedânta society.
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  25. (1 other version)Saptapadārthī. Śivāditya - 1909 - Bombay: Nirnaya-Sagar Press. Edited by V. S. Ghate & Śeṣānanta.
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  26. (1 other version)Bhaktiyoga.Aswini Kumar Dutt - 1911 - Calcutta,: Phanindra Nath Pal, The Oriental works. Edited by Gunada Charan Sen.
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  27. (2 other versions)Sādhanā.Rabindranath Tagore - 1913 - New York,: The Macmillan company.
    The relation of the individual to the universe.--Soul consciousness.--The problem of evil.--The problem of self.--Realisation in love.--Realisation in action.--The realisation of beauty.--The realisation of the infinite.
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  28. (2 other versions)Nyāyalilāvatī. Vallabhācārya - 1915 - Edited by Maṅgeśa Rāmakr̥ṣṇa Telaṅga.
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  29. Yoga i dens betydning for Europa..Johannes Hohlenberg - 1916 - Kjøbenhavn og Kristiania,: Gyldendal.
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  30. (1 other version)Indo roppa tetsugaku.Taiken Kimura - 1917 - Tōkyō: Heigo Shuppansha.
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  31. Ten in One: The Case of Stanza 13 in Samantabhadra’s Sixth Century Āptamīmāṃ h.2 sā.Jayandra Soni - forthcoming - Journal of Indian Philosophy:1-17.
    The title refers to an unusual instance of ten occurrences of one stanza in a single philosophical work. The stanza in question highlighted here is the outcome of a previous study on the faults (_doṣas_) levelled against the non-one-sided position of the Jainas, the theory of manifoldness that aims at avoiding any absolutistic standpoint or perspective concerning an object of investigation (_anekāntavāda_). This article draws on a study published in 2007 on _doṣas_ or faults levelled against the Jainas. One aspect (...)
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  32. (1 other version)Swami Rama Tirtha.Shripad Rama Sharma - 1921 - Mangalore,: Dharma Prakash Press.
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  33. (2 other versions)Bhāṭṭadīpikā. Khaṇḍadeva - 1922 - Edited by Vasudeva Laxman Shastri Panshikar & Śambhubhaṭṭa.
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  34. (1 other version)A history of Indian philosophy.Surendranath Dasgupta - 1922 - Cambridge,: University Press. Edited by Surama Dasgupta.
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  35. (1 other version)Karlima Rani.Ānanda Āchārya - 1922 - [Alvdal, Norway,: Brahmakul.
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  36. (2 other versions)Nyāyalīlāvatī. Vallabhācārya - 1923 - Mumbayyāṃ: Nirṇayasāgarākhyamudraṇayantrālaye. Edited by Maṅgeśa Rāmakr̥ṣṇa Telaṅga.
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  37. (1 other version)The Vaiśeṣika sûtras of Kaṇāda. Kaṇāda - 1923 - Allahabad: Pâṇini Office. Edited by Nandalal Sinha, San̂karamiśra, Jayanārāyaṇa Tarkapañcānana & Candrakānta tarkalaṅkāra.
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  38. (1 other version)Indische Philosphie.Otto Strauss - 1925 - München,: E. Reinhardt.
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  39. (1 other version)L'homme et son devenir selon le Vêdânta.René Guénon - 1925 - Paris,: Bossard.
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  40. (1 other version)Indo tetsugaku shūkyōshi.Junjirō Takakusu - 1924 - Tōkyō: Heigo Shuppan. Edited by Taiken Kimura.
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  41. (1 other version)The mysterious kundalini.V. G. Rele - 1929 - Bombay,: D. B. Taraporevala sons & co..
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  42. (2 other versions)Bhakti yoga (sendero de devoción). Vivekananda - 1930 - Barcelona (España): A. Roch. Edited by Climent Terrer, Federico & [From Old Catalog].
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  43. (1 other version)Yogasūtram. Patañjali - 1930 - Banārasa Siṭi: Caukhambā Saṃskr̥ta Sīrija Āphisa. Edited by Ḍhuṇḍhirāja Śāstrī & Bhojaraja.
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  44. (1 other version)Vedanta.Krishnaswamy Iyer & Kaveripatnam Anaikollu - 1930 - Madras,: Ganesh & co..
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  45. Indian Aesthetics Across Time and Tradition.N. R. Gopal - 2024 - New Delhi: Adhyyan Books.
    "Indian Aesthetics Across Time and Tradition" is an insightful book that offers a comprehensive overview of the aesthetic traditions of India, informed by the author's deep roots in Indian culture. The text traverses historical backgrounds, literary traditions, regional variations, and the impact of different philosophical and religious influences on Indian arts. Key concepts like 'Rasa' and 'Dhvani' from classical texts, the influence of movements such as Bhakti and Sufism on arts, and the symbolic significance of Tantra and Yantra in sacred (...)
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  46. (1 other version)Tarkatāṇḍavam. Vyāsatīrtha - 1932 - Mysore: University of Mysore. Edited by D. Srinivasachar, Vi Madhvācārya & Raghavendra.
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  47. The Dayspring of youth. M. (ed.) - 1933 - & New York,: Putnam.
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  48. (2 other versions)Sāṅkhyatattvakaumudī =. Vācaspatimiśra - 1935 - Calcutta: Metropolitan Printing & Pub. House. Edited by Rameśacandra & Īśvarakr̥ṣṇa.
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  49. (1 other version)Tibetan yoga and secret doctrines.W. Y. Evans-Wentz - 1935 - London,: Oxford University Press UK. Edited by Zla-Ba-Bsam-'Grub.
    General introduction.--The supreme path of discipleship: the precepts of the gurus.--The nirvānic path: the yoga of the great symbol.--The path of knowledge: the yoga of the six doctrines.--The path of transference: the yoga of consciousness-trnsference.--The path of the mystic sacrifice: the yoga of subduing the lower self.--The path of the five wisdoms: the yoga of the long hūm.--The path of the transcendental wisdom: the yoga of the voidness.
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  50. (1 other version)A search in secret India.Paul Brunton - 1934 - New York,: E.P. Dutton & Co..
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