Matter and Consciousness: The Classical Indian Philosophical Approach

Abstract

Right from the Vedic times, the seekers after truth are engaged in discovering the mystery of consciousness. Sages, monks, philosophers, thinkers and scientists have all reflected on this issue and have arrived at divergent views. While some said that ‘consciousness’ is One and Eternal and the very source of the plural world of experience, others have felt that ‘consciousness’ emerges and disappears and hence is not ‘One’ but ‘Many’. Indian philosophical systems present diverse views on this subject. The spiritual scientists have various first-person experiences whereas social scientists have different narratives on this issue. The physical scientists too have different stories to tell. In recent times, physicists, medical scientists and particularly neuroscientists are showing greater interest in this inquiry. If one looks at the Indian philosophical systems closely one finds that each system of Indian philosophy is a model of inquiry into the nature of consciousness. Therefore, in this chapter, I will discuss the various models of understanding consciousness as adopted by the classical Indian philosophical systems.