The Six Schools of Hindu Philosophy (Shad Darshana)

Darshana means "seeing" — a way of viewing reality. Six schools accept the authority of the Vedas and are called astika; they are usually taught in three pairs.

Nyaya and Vaisheshika

Nyaya (sage Gautama) is the school of logic and valid knowledge (pramana) — perception, inference, comparison and testimony. Vaisheshika (sage Kanada) analyses the world into categories and teaches that matter is made of indivisible atoms (paramanu).

Sankhya and Yoga

Sankhya (sage Kapila) explains the universe as the interplay of purusha (consciousness) and prakriti (matter), made of the three gunas. Yoga (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras) gives the practical path — the eight limbs (ashtanga): yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

Mimamsa and Vedanta

Purva Mimamsa (sage Jaimini) interprets the ritual portions of the Vedas and the nature of dharma. Vedanta or Uttara Mimamsa (Badarayana's Brahma Sutras) interprets the Upanishads, and became the most influential school, with three great branches:

• Advaita (Adi Shankaracharya) — non-dualism: Brahman alone is real; the self is Brahman; the world is maya.
• Vishishtadvaita (Ramanujacharya) — qualified non-dualism: souls and the world are real, forming the "body" of God (Narayana).
• Dvaita (Madhvacharya) — dualism: God (Vishnu), souls and matter are eternally distinct; liberation through devotion and grace.

Later Vedanta schools include Dvaitadvaita (Nimbarka), Shuddhadvaita (Vallabhacharya) and Achintya Bhedabheda (Chaitanya).