Indian Value System

• Ancient Indian philosophers did not neglect the social,

the economic, and the emotional aspects of life. A
careful study of ancient Indian history would reveal that
this country was materially progressive and economically
sound.
• Speaking of prosperity of India in ancient times,
Radhakrishnan says, ‘She knew how to chisel stone,
draw pictures, burnish gold and weave rich fabrics.
• She developed all arts, fine and industries, which furnish
the conditions of civilized existence. Her ships crossed
the oceans and her wealth brimmed over Judea, Egypt
and Rome.
• Her conceptions of man and society, morals and religion
were remarkable for the time. We cannot reasonably say
that the Indian people reveled in poetry and mythology,
and spurned science and philosophy, though it is true
that they were more intent on seeking the unity of things
than emphasizing their sharpness and separation.’ It was
therefore, natural for the philosophers of that time to
bring about a synthesis of the social and economic, the
emotional and spiritual life.
• On the other hand Indian ethics, instead of
analyzing the nature of good, lays down practical
means of attaining a life of perfection here and
now.
Ashrams
Varnasrama Dharmas, or the duties of the
individual and of the ethico-social organization of
human beings. Even in the ascetic ethics of
Jainisim, the rules of conduct have been
practically followed by the Jains for thousands of
years and are adhered to by them today.
• Kantian ethics exists only in the books of
the West. Such, too, is the case with the
utilitariansm of Mill. Thus Indian ethics is
the actual application of moral ideals,
whereas Western ethics is a mere
discussion of ethical problems.
• RigVeda as well as Atharva Veda mention
honesty, non-violence, truthfulness, modesty,
agreeable speech, Brahmacharya (celibacy),
religious conviction, and purity of heart as the
important virtues that are praiseworthy. These
very virtues are mentioned in the Bhagavadgita
as divine qualities. Thus the Vedic philosophy
lays emphasis on right conduct as the means of
the development of the personality of the
individual. Hence in a way the ethics of the
Vedas is the ethics of right action.
• The existence of four major divisions
(Varnas) of society, viz. (i) the Brahmana,
the priestly class; (ii) the Ksatriya, the
ruling class, (iii) the Vaisya, the
professional class; and (iv) the Sudra, the
labouring class, is clearly indicated in
Vedic literature. The Vedic hymns refers to
the metaphysical and social nature of the
four major classes.
• The existence of four major divisions
(Varnas) of society, viz. (i) the Brahmana,
the priestly class; (ii) the Ksatriya, the
ruling class, (iii) the Vaisya, the
professional class; and (iv) the Sudra, the
labouring class, is clearly indicated in
Vedic literature. The Vedic hymns refers to
the metaphysical and social nature of the
four major classes.
 The Purusarthas(a balanced and
integrated view of life).
• Wealth (Artha)becomes evil only when it is
misused on account of lack of wisdom. The
Upanishads repeatedly point out that everything
that is desired is desired for the sake of the self.
• The concept of duty or Dharma in the
Upanishads is not negative but out and out
positive. It does not command us to give up or
renounce the world, but rather to engage in the
worldly strife, always aiming at the spiritual goal
and subordinating all other desires to the
strongest desire, or love for God.
• The Upanishadic notion of Kama(desire)
is described as follows: ‘Kama, which we are
asked to renounce, is not desire as such, but
only the animal desire, lust, the impulsive
craving of the brute man. Freedom from Kama is
not blank passivity. Natural desires and
inclinations are the spring board of all human
actions. Therefore it is an important human
value.
• To sum up, we may say that Artha, Kama,
Dharma and Moksa are at the same time
essential methods for leading a meaningful life.
• Neither the path of indulgence (Pravirtti
Marga) nor that of asceticism (Nivirti
Marga ) is desirable. Indulgence in the
enjoyment of the pluralistic spatio-
temporal world without insight into its
spiritual monistic basis is as harmful,
antisocial, and anti-ethical as indulgence
in a lower pantheism and equating good
with evil without recognition of pluralistic
nature of the empirical world is disastrous.
• The Bhagavadgita follows the philosophy of
Samadarsana (the unitive view of the Ultimate
Reality) and Visamavarttana (differentiated
behaviour in the empirical world) to the core.
• Referring to this devotion to duty, it has been
remarked in the Bhagavad-Gita that one should
prefer death, while performing one’s own
Dharma to a change of professional duty.
• Svardharme ninhanam sreyad,
• paradharmo bhayavahah.
• The highest goal, the summum bonum is not
only the well being, of human beings but of all
the living creatures. The following Sanskrit
verse sums up the Indian ethical ideal.
• Sarve bhabantu sukhinah sarve santu
niramayah
• Sarve bhadrani pasyantu makaschit
dukhabhagabhavet.
• ‘May all be at ease; may all be sinless; may all
experience happiness; may none experience
suffering.’
• The four ends of life, viz.:-- Artha, or wealth, for
the development of body, Kama, or the
fulfillment of desires, for the development of
mind, Dharma, or morality, for the development
of intellect, and finally Moksa, or spiritual
perfection, for the development of the soul. Thus
this ethico-metaphysical system is present
clearly in the Rigvedic philosophy and it is also
reflected in the Upanishads, which emphasize
the oneness of the universe and hence entail the
same non-dual reality as the goal of the cosmos,
of society, and of the individual.
• The Four Noble Truths (arya satya)
• There is suffering (dukha)
• There is cause of suffering (dukha
samudaya)
• There is a cessation of suffering (dukha-
nirodha)
• There is a way leading to cessation of
suffering (dukha-nirodha-gamini
pratipat)
• The Eight-fold Path (Buddhism)
•
1) Right Resolve (sankalpa)
• 2) Right Intention (samyag drsti)
• 3) Right Speech (vak)
• 4) Right Action (karmanta)
• 5) Right Livelihood or right living (ajiva)
• 6)) Right Concentration (samadhi)
• 7) Right Effort (vyayama)
• 8) Right Mindedness or
• Right Thought (smrti)