Page 163 - Hinduism

period. They deal systematically with the proper conduct of life and describe social, ethical and religious obligations. The Sutras, of which the Brahma Sutra is the chief, are brief aphorisms or maxims. They contain interpretations of philosophic systems and refutations of opposing beliefs. It is remarkable that all philosophical systems in India are known as Darshanas, literally meaning calling insights or points of view. In the well known Sarvadarsanasangraha compiled by Madhavacharya, a great successor of Sankaracharya , the Charvakas or atheistic school, Buddhism, Jainism, the Vaishnavism philosophy of Ramanuja and Madhva, the Saiva system and several other doctrinal variants, are all described as Darsanas and as legitimate developments of Hindu thought. There are Sutras dealing with the Logical Realism of Nyaya, the Atomistic Pluralism of Vaiseshika, the Evolutionism of Samkhya, the technique of Mind-control or Yoga, the ritualistic philosophy of Purva-Mimamsa and the metaphysics of Vedanta.
IX.10 The Puranas
The Puranas cast in the form of parables and narratives, became the scripture for the common people. Apart from their religious and often sectarian significance, they furnish a picture of social, political and cultural life and comprise an astonishingly varied repertory of folklore and information regarding diverse topics including philosophy, ethics, legal 163