Mīmāṃsā

Mimamsa ( Sanskrit: discussion ), also Mimansa, one of the six classical systems of Indian philosophy. The Mimamsa school is one of the Brahmanical systems that recognize the Veda as the highest authority and discuss the meaning of the sacred words. It provides in its origin a ritual sciences which he was trying to give the scattered in the texts of the Vedas communicate the executive ceremonies a uniform interpretation, and set up as mandatory rules both for the deed (karma) and for the religious duties. The basic text is a summary of such rules, and is in the Mimamsa Sutra of Jaimini, probably in the period between 200 and 300 AD were fixed. Since these discussions at the front or earlier ( Purva ) refer part of the Upanishads, they are also called Purva Mimamsa.

The influence of Mimamsa in the daily life of the practicing Hindus is great. All rituals, ceremonies and religious laws were influenced by the Mimansa.

Mimamsa fonts

Around the 5th century before Christ appeared in Hinduism heterodox teachings that threatened the authority of the Veda. Then, the Vedic priests began in the writings for contradictions and inconsistent statements to seek and to solve these problems. The exegetical Mimamsa teachings emerged, therefore, at this time.

The basis of the teachings Mimamsa Mimamsa forms Jaimini Sutra. In this Sutra the Vedas are represented as eternal and as the sole authority, probably as a response to non - Vedic teachings such as Buddhism.

Jaimini explained in Mimamsa Sutra of the Dharma, which is exclusively constituted by the Vedas. The Vedas refer to him as the eternal word that means knowledge of the Dharma.

Commentators then laid out Jaimini work, one of the oldest comments comes from Shabara, is said to have written this AD to the 5th century BC. Older Comments that are mentioned in the Mimamsa fonts were not delivered.

Shabaras comment refers to idealistic schools of Buddhism and tries to displace the influences of Buddhism. In contrast to the Buddhist teachings he sees the soul as permanent and real.

Shabaras comment was then even further commented and brought the philosophical developments of Mimamsa school out. Kumarila Bhatta ( 7th century ) is considered one of the most important philosophers of the Mimamsa school. He wrote several comments to Shabaras comment Mimamsa Sutra: Shlokavartika, Tantravartika and Tuptika. His intention was to counter the growth of Buddhism. He had even detailed knowledge of Buddhism.

Another comment to Shabaras comment Brhati comes from Prabhakara (7th century ), which led to the fact that two Mimamsa schools established, the Bhatta School and the Prabhakara School who represented due to the variety of different teachings comments.

Important philosophers of the Bhatta school again written comments to Kumarila Bhattas comments. These philosophers were Parthasarathi Mishra ( 10th century ), Sucarita Mishra ( 10th century), Someshvara Bhatta (12th century) and Khandadeva ( 17th century). In the Prabhakara School wrote Shalikanatha Mishra (9th century ) a major review of Prabhakaras comment.

Mimamsa teachings

The Mimamsa teachings are considered atheism related parties, as the Veda is regarded as the eternal principle. The Vedas are considered to be no Creator and no author. Jaimini was referring still to Vedic gods, a supreme deity, however, was not accepted by him.

Kumarila Bhatta however took a manifest atheism by negated the existence of God and its necessity. A third Mimamsa school, Seshvara - Mimamsa, whose founder Murari Mishra lived in the 11th century, however, came from an existing God.

Since the Mimamsa school tried to consolidate the Vedas as authority, the traditions and the Dharma, it created different doctrines: the school related to epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language and teachings on the importance of language, therefore Mimamsa was also Vakyashastra (theory the language) called.

The Bhatta - school went from the following ontology: dravya, Samanya, Karma, Guna, Abhava ( substance, property, action, quality, negation).

The Prabhakara School added this ontology added four life - categories and did not recognize the negation. The added four categories are Sadrishya, Samkhya, Samavaya, Shakti (similarity, number, inherence, force)

The right knowledge was divided by Kumarila into the following categories: Pratyaksha, anumana, Shabda, Upamana, Arthapatti, Anupalabdhi ( knowledge, deduction, literal statement, comparison, probability or Vermutumg, non- recognition ).

Prabhakara, however, assumed that the non-existence is not an existing category of existence, and therefore rejected the non- recognition.

Findings are considered by Kumarila as true, so long as the cause of knowledge is not faulty or other findings contradict this.

Since Mimamsa considers the Vedas as eternal, it follows that letters, words, language, the word meaning and the relationship between words and meanings are also considered to be everlasting. Also are findings that arise from the eternal Veda regarded as true

The importance of the Mimamsa school in Indian Philosophy derives from the fact that Mimamsa assumes an inner validity and soundness of knowledge, a doctrine which has become quite widespread outside the Mimamsa school.