Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems PDF

INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS Vinayak Rajat Bhat Associate Professor Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems Chanakya University Bengaluru   What is knowledge? Conscious beings need to...

INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS Vinayak Rajat Bhat Associate Professor Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems Chanakya University Bengaluru   What is knowledge? Conscious beings need to know about the world around them - aka “Knowledge” Need for “humans” to understand and explain the world around them “Plants & Animals” also have knowledge systems → but are contextual (habitat) and the learnings get embedded through biology.. as also all of “Nature” The process which deals with the creation, verification, use, adaptation, modification of knowledge ---is “Knowledge SYSTEM”  Knowledge System ❑ Has a specific style of ORGANISING ❑ Has a specific style of EXPLANATION ❑ AGREED UPON by Communities of People How do knowledge systems differ from each other? Ontology and epistemology Deśa (place/region) and Prakṛti (Nature) What is Indian Knowledge?  What is a Indian Knowledge System? Indian: The indigenous sources of knowledge generated by the Indian society. “Indian” points to the undivided Indian subcontinent (Akhaṇḍa Bhārata), Cultural India. Knowledge: Emanating from the wisdom and insights arising out of deep experiences, observation, experimentation, and analysis and validated, improved, and augmented further Formal repository of knowledge available in literary and non-literary sources Pervades all three domains: spiritual, religious, and others addressing social and day-today issues System: A structured methodology and a classification scheme to access the available corpus of knowledge  Indian thoughts on purpose of creating a knowledge system ❖ Understanding the self ❖ Developing the society ❖ Civilize the society ❖ To have in-depth knowledge of any area or science  Myths and Facts Indian Knowledge Systems IKS is a Myth discipline/subject/specialisation IKS is a label given to a collection Fact of interconnected disciplines.  The IKS Corpus IKS Non- Literary Literary Sanātana Other Dhārmic Oral Regional Dharma Traditions Traditions Core Other 14 Vidyāsthāna Basic & Applied Sciences Buddhist Wealth of Art forms Works of several Engineering, Technology, Jain religious and Health religious leaders Architecture, Alchemy other literature Food &‍‍Life and Philosophers Aesthetics, Kāvyas, Arts in all major Practices Health, Wellness, Psychology Indian Languages Folklore Public Administration Code of Living etc.  Myths and Facts Indian Knowledge Systems Myth Fact IKS is Sanskrit / IKS is done Sanskrit is a language. One can by ‘Sanskrit people’ use it to any end. It so happens that a lot of works in IKS are available in Sanskrit. However, they are also available in regional languages. + There is nothing called ‘Sanskrit people  Tamil – Sangam Literature, (Siddha Medicine, Tolkappiyam, Tirukkural etc.) Silapattikara etc. Kannada – ಸಿರಿಭೂವಲಯ: Kumudendu Muni, A Jain Monk (6,00,000 verses, mathematics, chemistry, physics, astronomy, medicine, history, etc.), Telugu – ఆన్ధ్శ ర బ్చి ద న్తామణి (Nannayya Bhattaraka – 11 century) Marathi – – 12th Century) Braj/Hindi – (Chatrapati Sambhaji – 17th Century) Malayalam – Kerala School of Mathematics (Yukti Bhasha), Prashna Marga, Commentary on Arthashastra (Bhashakautaliyam) Prakrit – Jain Literature  Myths and Facts Indian Knowledge Systems IKS is ancient.’ IKS includes all knowledge traditions of India, past and present. New knowledge is produced everyday based on the principles laid out by older works. Myth Fact  IKS is written by Depends on what you Fact Myth Hindus. mean by these terms. A lot of IKS is within the Hindu fold. But Jaina, Bauddha, Islam have also contributed to IKS.  The Indian thought process is driven by blind beliefs and Myth dogmas rooted in a religious context There has been a healthy tradition of arguing and counter- Fact arguing in a highly professional, rational and objective manner  Myth Fact IKS includes empirical sciences as well. India has made significant contributions in the fields of Linguistics, Astronomy, Health Sciences, Mathematics, IKS is mainly spiritualism Poetry, Metallurgy and several other sciences. Only one of the shastras (Darsana) deals with spiritualism (whatever you mean by it). Thanjavur Big Temple  Granite temple: Carving in granite, transport of granite from 100 kms away, Logistics & Supply Chain Management Musical Pillars: Musical notes, frequency of waves, Gandharva Veda Śilpa Śāstra – Intricacies of carving, strength of materials, Temple architecture (Sthāpatya Vidyā Construction – Building technology in general, Vāstu Śāstra Sl. No. Name of the work Key Word 1 Key Word 2 Before 3,000 BCE 1Vedas 2Purāṇas* Dharma (Code of Living) Several other topics 3Mahābhārata,‍Rāmāyaṇa 3,000 BCE to 500 CE 1Vedāṅga-jyotiṣa Astronomy 2Manu-smṛti Public Administration Dharma (Code of Living) 3Śulba-sūtras Mathematics Dharma (Code of Living) 4Suśruta-saṃhitā Health Wellness 5Aṣtādhyāyī,‍Nirukta Linguistics Grammar 6Nātyaśāstra Art Forms Dance, Theatre 7Buddhist Texts Philosophy Mathematics 8Nyāya‍and‍Vaiśeṣika‍Sūtras Logic, Epistemology Knowledge Framework 9Jaina Mathematical works Mathematics 10Arthaśāstra Public Administration Finance, Foreign Policy 11Chandaḥ-śāstra Metrical Pattern, Prosody Binary Maths Ideas 12Yoga-sūtras Control of Mind Philosophy 13Kāmasūtra Art Forms Dharma (Code of Living) 14Mahā-bhāṣya Sanskrit Language Grammar 15Rasaratnākara Alchemy 16Caraka-saṃhitā Health Wellness 17Sāṃkhya-darśana Philosophy Psychology 18Amarakośa Linguistics Lexicography 19Sūrya-siddhānta Astronomy Mathematics 20Bṛhat-saṃhitā Astronomy, Mathematics Several other topics  500 CE to 1,800 CE 1Āryabhaṭīya,‍Ārya-siddhānta Astronomy Mathematics 2Pañca-siddhāntikā Astronomy 3Mayamata Architecture 4Brāhmasphuṭa-siddhānta Astronomy Mathematics 5Mānasāra Architecture Town planning 6Āryabhatīya-bhaṣya,‍Mahābhāskarīya Astronomy Mathematics 7Nārada-śilpa-śāstra Architecture Iconography 8Gaṇita-sāra-saṅgraha Mathematics 9Siddhānta-śekhara Astronomy 10Yukti-kalpataru Shipbuilding Several other topics 11Samarāṅgaṇa-sūtradhāra Architecture Several other topics 12Siddhānta-śiromaṇi Astronomy Mathematics 13Kāśyapa-śilpa-śāstra Temple Architecture Iconography 14Aṣtāṅga-hṛdaya,‍Rasaratna-samuccaya Alchemy Health, Wellness 15Kerala School of Mathematics Mathematics Astronomy 16Graha-lāghava‍ Astronomy Myth IKS has answers to all problems of life, “Our ancient teachers have given us all solutions” Fact Our intellectual ancestors tried to answer the problems which were prevalent in their times. Hence, it does not have answers to all questions.  The Aim of studying Indian Knowledge System should: Not to tell that Pushpaka Vimana is Modern Airplane Not to prove that Agneyastra is the modern atom Bomb Not to say that the Vedas are the source of all knowledge Not to claim that ancient Indian Rishis knew every science Not to declare that India is the homeland of all knowledge Not to interpret that all Sanskrit book contain science Not to Describe that all Indian practices were/are sciences Indian Scientific Heritage - N. Gopalakrishnan Ancient Indian Wisdom Some hard facts… What is it? Mythology, Nothing other than God, Religion Religious Prescriptions – long list of do’s & don’ts Matters of blind faith …? Science – Meta Science Where is it? Almost Extinct Incomprehensible – Uninteresting Too difficult to cull out Ancient Indian Wisdom Some‍hard‍facts… Why do we need it? Useful for chanting mantras and for rituals Mere‍“unqualified”‍glorification‍of‍the‍past No material gains Will it provide two meals a day for the poor? Will the society be any better? Something useful exist but we can always translate them into English Why bother about Indian Knowledge System (IKS)? IKS is not about merely knowing about some ancestral knowledge Protecting received wisdom, economic security, and national pride Documenting traditional knowledge, to provide evidence of prior knowledge An US company was awarded a patent for neem as a pesticide We failed in our efforts to get the US patents on products of the neem tree cancelled CSIR successfully forced the USPTO to revoke a patent it granted on use of powdered turmeric (Curcuma longa) for wound healing Importance of IKS Defines the context for several aspects of the day-to-day living of every individual Manifestation of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively by society over time Without the continuity of thoughts, it is very difficult to make further progress in terms of new ideas Avoiding “reinventing” the wheel Transforming knowledge into economic value has been fully formalized with the global intellectual property rights regulations and patent laws  What can we do with Indian Wisdom? Abandon them Get to know first-hand Keep it in pooja & worship Take positions without Explore new Paradigms knowing what it contains Glorify the past IKS: What does it consist ? Can you identify what are the things that come under IKS? Terminologies IT Act 1691 Actual Activities Guide to IT Act Book of case laws Time Tax Philosophy of Tax IKS: A bird’s eye view… Ayurveda Upaniṣads Vedānta Dhanur-Veda Gandharva-Veda Araṇyakas ArthaŚastra Brāhmaṇas Sruti Upa Vedas Samhitās Smṛtis Itihāsas Purāṇas Vedāngas Ṣad-Darśanas  The IKS Corpus IKS Non- Literary Literary Sanātana Other Dhārmic Oral Regional Dharma Traditions Traditions Core Other 14 Vidyāsthāna Basic & Applied Sciences Buddhist Wealth of Art forms Works of several Engineering, Technology, Jain religious and Health religious leaders Architecture, Alchemy other literature Food &‍‍Life and Philosophers Aesthetics, Kāvyas, Arts in all major Practices Health, Wellness, Psychology Indian Languages Folklore Public Administration Code of Living etc. A simplified representation of paṇca-koṣas A 5-layered existence Pure Consciousness Koṣa is a cover, it cannot be the Ānandamaya-koṣa original substance itself. Vijñānamaya-koṣa It has a temporary status as it can change with respect to time Manomaya-koṣa and place. Prāṇamaya-koṣa If the cover is damaged or has Annamaya-koṣa become unfit for use, it can be discarded in preference to a newer, more suitable one