Indian Philosophical Systems Comparison Table

DARSHANA Nyaya & Samkhya & Mimamsa Mimamsa Advaita Vishishta-Advaita Dvaita
Philosophical Systems Vaisheshika Yoga Prabhakar School Kumarila School Vedanta School Vedanta School Vedanta School

ANALYSIS CRITERIA

1. Epistemology - Nature of knowledge

Number of sources of
4 3 5 6 6 3 3
knowledge
Valid sources of knowledge
Vedas YES YES * YES YES YES YES YES
Perception YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Inference YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Analogy YES NO YES YES YES NO NO
Presumption NO NO YES YES YES NO NO
Non-apprehension NO NO NO YES YES NO NO
Author of Vedas God Authorless Authorless Authorless Authorless Authorless Authorless
Nature of Vedas Non-Eternal Non-Eternal Eternal Eternal Eternal Eternal Eternal
2. Ontology - Nature of Reality
Monism, Dualism, Pluralism Pluralism Dualism Pluralism Pluralistic Monism Pluralism Pluralism
God, Souls, Souls, Material God (Vishnu),
Souls, Material God (Vishnu),
Material atoms, Primal Matter, atoms, Space, Souls, Space,
Elements of Reality atoms, Space, God (Brahman) Souls, Matter,
Space, Time, Souls Time, Minds, Matter, Time,
Time, Minds Time
Minds Vedas Vedas
3. Theology - Nature of God
ONLY God
Single Supreme God YES NO NO NO YES YES
(Brahman)
Limited Spirits (Gods) Ignored YES YES YES Illusions YES YES

Role of God Karma Enforcer Karma Enforcer Karma Enforcer

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 DARSHANA Nyaya & Samkhya & Mimamsa Mimamsa Advaita Vishishta-Advaita Dvaita
Philosophical Systems Vaisheshika Yoga Prabhakar School Kumarila School Vedanta School Vedanta School Vedanta School

4. Cosmology - Nature of Universe

Creator of Universe God Self-evolved None None God God God
Periodic
Periodic God, which is Periodic creation creation &
creation & Evolution and the whole & dissolution dissolution
dissolution from Involution of Being, appears from and to from and to
It is uncreated and It is uncreated
Nature of Universe and to material Primal Matter by as God, Souls Matter, which is Matter, which
eternal and eternal
atoms, which own inherent and Matter part of Gods is external to
are external to force (snake-rope Body (spider-web God (mason-
God analogy) analogy) building
analogy)
5. Psychology - Nature of Soul
Number of Souls Infinite Infinite Infinite Infinite Infinite Infinite Infinite

Unique or Identical Unique Identical Irrelevant Identical Unique

Conscious, Consciousness and Consciousness
Has No Has Has No Consciousness
Nature of Soul non-conscious Bliss are the and Bliss are the
Consciousness Consciousness Consciousness equals Soul
substance essence of Soul essence of Soul
6. Soteriology - Nature of Salvation
Attained Thru Knowledge Meditation Vedic rituals Vedic rituals Knowledge Devotion Devotion
Type of Yoga Jnana Dhyana / Raja Karma Karma Jnana Bhakti / Prapatti Bhakti
Consciousness is experienced NO YES NO Possible NO YES YES
Bliss ** is experienced NO NO NO Possible NO YES YES
Soul merely exists Souls are alike and Souls dwell in
Soul merely exists Soul has option to
without equal and dwell in heaven serving
without possess both
consciousness or Soul exists and Soul disappears heaven forever. God forever.
consciousness or consciousness
Status of the Soul after bliss ** has as God They serve God There is a
consciousness, bliss ** (i.e. and bliss ** (which and have hierarchy based
Attaining Salvation (i.e. no self- (Brahman) and
no self-identity, but are always consciousness and on level of
identity, but for but no bliss ** leaves no trace
for external observer potential to the Consciousness
external observer bliss ** equal to
there is identity) soul)
there is identity) those of God and bliss ***
* Vedas are accepted as the verifiable truth in Samkhya-Yoga as opposed to acceptance by faith.
** Bliss is joy as associated with pleasure as opposed to pain.
*** In Dvaita Vedanta alone, there could be souls who could be damned forever. All other philosophies give souls endless chances for salvation.
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