Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt: ... SECTION I. CHAPTER 1. On the Uses of an Examination of the Hindu Philosophical Systems; with an Enumeration of the.se Systems, and a Sketch of the Plan to be pursued in the present Treatise. I purpose, in this book, to discuss succinctly the six philosophical Systems (Dars'anas) of the Hindus. The fundamental authorities of the Hindu religion are the Vedas, the Smritis, the Puranas, &c.; not the Systems. Of these the staple is argument. But they profess to derive their views from the Veda and other sacred books. Independent authority, as to those views, they disclaim. Hence it might be supposed, that, in examining the Hindu religion, a discussion of the Systems would be quite unnecessary. Such discussion has, however, these advantages: --1st. The six Systems are not held, by the Hindus, to be the work of ordinary men, but of Rishis;t and they are adjudged an equality of rank with the Smritis, the Pur&nas, &c., which are reputed to have similar authorship. If then, on investigation, errors are proved to exist in the former, doubt must attach to the credit of the latter. When it is shown that the very Rishis are wrong, and made gross mistakes in writings by which they undertake to communicate to the world the knowledge of truth and the means of salvation, who can esteem any statement deserving of confidence, simply because it emanated from a Rishi? 2ndly. Though vulgar Hindus are indifferent to, and unacquainted with, the dogmas established in the Systems, yet those dogmas are highly considered by the learned. To them those "The laws of the Hindus, civil and religious, are, by them, believed to be alike founded on revelation, a portion of which has been preserved in the very words revealed, and constitutes the Vedas, esteemed, by them, as...