Course Code Name of the Subject L-T-P Credit Co-ordinator

HS1310 Science of Consciousness in Ancient India 3-0-0 3-0-0 Dr. Surabhi verma

Prerequisite: None
Course Outcome:
1. This Course will help the students to acquire the necessary and important information about Consciousness
and its nature which has been already discovered, experimented and verified by Indian Intellectuals a long
back and is present in Ancient Sanskrit Scriptures but is not accessible to our students due to Language
Constraint.
2. This course will provide them required information for their further advancement in the area of research
and also enrich our technical students with new vision and concept to follow in the methodology of
investigation and experimentation.
Syllabus:
• Unit 1: Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems
1. Indian Knowledge Systems
2. Modes of classification of Indian Knowledge Systems
3. Domains and disciplines of Knowledge
4. Vaidika Literature
5. The Concept of Ṛtvik
6. The Mantras
7. Characteristics of Indian Knowledge Systems
8. Darśanas- Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Sāṃkhya, Yoga, Vedānta and Kashmir Śaiva.
• Unit 2: Consciousness, its Dimensions and Nature
1. Consciousness: Definition and Nature
2. Meaning of the term ‘Consciousness’ and ‘Sciousness’
3. Deviation states of Consciousness
• Unit 3: The Cognitive Process
1. The meaning of the term 'darśanam’
2. Three constituents of the triangle of cognition
3. The cognitive procedure
• Unit 4: Cognitive Process in few Indian Knowledge Systems-
1. Nyāya - Vaiśeṣika
i. Ontology of Nyāya Vaiśeṣika
ii. Metaphysics of Nyāya Vaiśeṣika
iii. The Concept of Padārtha
iv. Causation Theory:
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 v. Epistemology of Nyāya Vaiśeṣika (Pramāṇa mīmāṃsā)
vi. Means of Cognition
• Direct Perception (Pratyakṣa)
• Stages in Direct Perception
• Anumāna (Inference)
• Five Steps of Inference
• Upamāna (Comparison)
• Śabda (Verbal Testimony)
2. Sāṃkhya-Yoga
i. Ontology of Sāṃkhya System
ii. Epistemology of Sāṃkhya System
iii. Sāṃkhya Metaphysics
• Subtle body in Sāṃkhya
• Gross body in Sāṃkhya
• The Cognitive Apparatus and Cognitive Cycle in Sāṃkhya System
i. Ontology of Yoga System
ii. Epistemology of Yoga System
iii. Metaphysics of Yoga System
• The Reflection Theory
• Citta–the Cognitive Apparatus of Yoga System
• The Stages of Citta
• Fluctuations of Consciousness
• Cycle of Fluctuations and Impressions
• How to restrict the fluctuations…?
• The Cycle of Sufferings
• Non-Attachment and Detachment
• How to practice (Abhyāsa) Non-Attachment..?
3. Vedānta
i. Ontology of Vedānta System
ii. Epistemology of Vedānta System
iii. Metaphysics of Vedānta System
• The Causal Body in Vedānta
• The Subtle body in Vedānta
• The Process of Pañcīkaraṇa
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 • The Pañcakośas
• The Gross Body in Vedānta
• The four grand statements of Vedānta Darśana
• The Cognitive Cycle as per Vedānta System
4. Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
i. Introduction to the Literature of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
1. Origin of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
2. Total number of Āgamas in Śaiva Darśana
3. Branches of Literature
4. Āchāryas of Āgamika Literature
5. Main Works of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
ii. Ontology of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
iii. Epistemology of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
iv. Metaphysics of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
• Prakāśa-Vimarśa form of Parama Śiva
• Śakti as the Principle of Manifestation
• The Characteristics of Citi
• The Manifestation Process
1. The Subjective Manifestation
• Four Levels of Vāk
2. The Objective Manifestation
• The Limitation Theory
i. The Primary Limitation
ii. The Secondary Limitation
• The Concept of Time
• The Concept of Space
• Inter-connected Time and Space
v. ‘The Cognizor’ in Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
vi. Few Special Doctrines of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
1. Theory of Absolute Freedom
2. Theory of Reflection
3. Theory of Recognition
• Practices for Recognition
vii. Special characteristics of Kashmir Śaiva Darśana
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 • Unit 5: Discourse about Existence in different Darśanas
1. Asatkaryavāda
2. Satkaryavāda
3. Vivartavāda
4. Ābhāsavāda

Essential Readings:
1. Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam of Kṣemarāja by Jaideva Singh, Pub: MotilalBanarasidas, Varanasi, 1963.
2. Yoga Sutra of Patañjali by M.N. Drivedi, Pub: Sri Satagura Publications, India, 1980.
3. Sāṃkhyakārikā of Iśvarakriṣṇa, Pub: Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratishthan, Varanasi, 2004.
Suggested Readings:
1. Upaniṣada (IsādinauUpaniṣad: sāṃkarbhāsyasahitam), Pub: Gita Press, Gorakhpur, Samvat 2068.
2. Vijñānabhairava by BapulalAnjna, Pub: Chaukhambha Surbharti Prakashana, Varanasi, 2011.