The 6 Schools of Indian Philosophy: A Beginner's Guide to Shad Darshanas

This article presents a systematic introduction to the six classical schools of Indian philosophy — the Shad Darshanas — examining each school's foundational questions, epistemological methods, metaphysical positions, and contemporary relevance. The six schools examined are: Nyaya (logic and valid inference as the primary means of knowledge); Vaisheshika (atomistic metaphysics and categorical analysis of reality); Samkhya (dualistic cosmology of Purusha and Prakriti); Yoga (systematic methodology for the direct perception of consciousness); Mimamsa (philosophy of language, meaning, and Vedic interpretation); and Vedanta (non-dual and qualified non-dual interpretations of the relationship between individual consciousness and ultimate reality). The article examines the internal debates between schools — particularly the Nyaya-Vaisheshika alliance, the Samkhya-Yoga relationship, and the intra-Vedantic debates between Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, and Dvaita — as a model of rigorous philosophical inquiry conducted within a shared framework of questions. The convergence between selected Darshana positions and contemporary physics, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind is documented.