Accomplishing the Accomplished

Book excerpt: All major schools of Indian philosophical and religious thought originated and developed with the aim of providing a viable means for the attainment of moksa. This is not to affirm that this end was uniformly conceived in all systems. The point is that Indian philosophy always had a practical or pragmatic end in view, if these terms can be admitted in respect to the quest for moksa. This subservience to the accomplishment of moksa is what makes it difficult to distinguish Indian philosophy from Indian religion. The centrality of the moksa concern is one of the keys to understanding the motivation which prompts Indian philosophy and the nature of argument both within and among the various schools. It is also the interest which influences and lies at the center of this study. This study is undertaken in the general spirit of philosophical inquiry as sadhana. In the specific context of the Advaita Vedanta system with which it is concerned, this study is an exercise in the discipline of manana or rational reflection upon some of its fundamental propositions. This discipline, which is explained more fully in the body of this text, aimed essentially at clarification, evaluation, the removal of doubts, and the assessment of rival views. Various methods were used in achieving these aims, including scriptural exegesis and philosophical argument. It offered the scope for both criticism and creativity, and it is in the tradition of this kind of analysis that this work belongs.