The Six Schools of Hindu Philosophy
Key takeaways
The six schools are called darshanas, meaning viewpoints.
They all accept the authority of the Vedas.
Yoga is one of the six, and it is closely tied to Samkhya.
What are the six schools?
The six astika schools developed between about 600 BCE and 300 CE, though their foundational texts were composed over a long period.
Nyaya: logic and how we know things. Gautama, Nyaya Sutras, about the 2nd century BCE.
Vaisheshika: atomism and the categories of reality. Kanada. Dates uncertain.
Samkhya: consciousness (purusha) and nature (prakriti). Kapila is the traditional founder. The Samkhya Karika dates to about 350-450 CE.
Yoga: the practical path to liberation. Patanjali, Yoga Sutras, about 200 BCE-400 CE.
Mimamsa: Vedic ritual and duty. Jaimini, about the 3rd-1st century BCE.
Vedanta: the nature of Brahman and the self. Badarayana's Brahma Sutras, and later Shankara (788-820 CE).
What is the difference between astika and nastika?
Astika schools accept the authority of the Vedas. Nastika schools do not. Buddhism, Jainism, and Charvaka are nastika.
How do Yoga and Samkhya relate?
Patanjali accepts Samkhya's picture of reality and adds Ishvara and practical methods. Scholars note that Yoga appears as a separate school in Indian texts only late in the first millennium CE.
Did Vedanta divide?
Yes. It later split into Advaita (Shankara), Vishishtadvaita (Ramanuja), and Dvaita (Madhva).
Related: The eight limbs | Ancient yoga texts | Back to the history of yoga