Comparative Philosophy
All six schools — comparative matrix
Each column represents a fundamental question that divides the tradition. Read across a row to see how one school answers all four questions; read down a column to see where the schools converge and diverge.
| School | Pramāṇas | Tattva | Ātman | Mokṣa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nyāya | 4 — pratyakṣa, anumāna, upamāna, śabda | Pluralist realism · 16-category inquiry framework · individual ātmans real | Multiple, real; unconscious substances becoming conscious via manas-conjunction | Niḥśreyasa — permanent cessation of all pain; not positive bliss | Deep dive → |
| Vaiśeṣika | 2 — pratyakṣa, anumāna (+ śabda later) | Atomic pluralism · 7 padārthas · 9 substances · eternal paramāṇus | Multiple, real; unconscious by nature — consciousness a contingent relational quality | Cessation of pleasure and pain; ātman reverts to natural unconscious state | Deep dive → |
| Sāṃkhya | 3 — pratyakṣa, anumāna, āptavacana | Radical dualism · Puruṣa (×∞) + Prakṛti (1) · 25 tattvas · atheistic | Infinite individual Puruṣas — pure consciousness, passive, never actually bound | Vivekakhyāti — discriminative cognition separating Puruṣa from Prakṛti | Deep dive → |
| Yoga | 3 + samādhijñāna (yogic direct perception) | Same as Sāṃkhya + Īśvara as puruṣaviśeṣa · aṣṭāṅga practice path | Same as Sāṃkhya; Īśvara is a special eternally-free Puruṣa (YS 1.24) | Kaivalya — Puruṣa's complete isolation via meditative practice | Deep dive → |
| Mīmāṃsā | 6 (Bhāṭṭa) / 5 (Prābhākara) — includes arthāpatti | Pluralist realism · Vedas eternal and authorless · dharma as codanā-defined | Multiple, eternal, active agents of karma; consciousness essential to ātman | Svarga (early Mīmāṃsā) → mokṣa via karma + jñāna (later) | Deep dive → |
| Advaita | Śabda (śruti) primary; anumāna subordinate | Non-dualism — Brahman alone ultimately real; jagat anirvacanīya; māyā/avidyā | Jīva = Brahman under upādhi; liberation = recognition of pre-existing identity | Jñāna — aparokṣānubhūti of tat tvam asi; jīvanmukti possible | Deep dive → |
| Viśiṣṭādvaita | Śabda (śruti) primary | Qualified non-dualism — 3 real tattvas: Brahman, cit, acit; jīvas = Brahman's body | Jīva = real, eternal, atomic; Brahman's mode/body; never reduced to Brahman | Bhakti + jñāna → sāyujya with Viṣṇu; individual identity retained | Deep dive → |
| Dvaita | Śabda (śruti) primary | Absolute dualism — 5 eternal differences (pañcabheda); God alone svatantra | Jīva ≠ Brahman absolutely; 3 classes: mukti-yogya, nitya-saṃsārin, tamo-yogya | Ānanda in proximity to Viṣṇu with gradations (tāratamya); never equal to Viṣṇu | Deep dive → |
Advaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, and Dvaita all link to the Vedānta deep dive, which covers all three sub-schools.
Logic & Ontology
Nyāya · Vaiśeṣika share fundamental metaphysical commitments. Their differences are methodological, not ontological.
Theory & Practice
Sāṃkhya · Yoga share fundamental metaphysical commitments. Their differences are methodological, not ontological.