Shad Darshanas (षड्दर्शनानि)

The Six Darsanas or Shad Darshanas (Samskrit : षड्दर्शनानि) are the intellectual and philosophical discussions of Bharatiya shastras. Padma purana introduces them in the following sloka

कणादेन तु संप्रोक्तं शास्त्रं वैशेषिकं महत् । गौतमेन तथा न्यायं सांख्यं तु कपिलेन वै ॥

kaṇādena tu saṃproktaṃ śāstraṃ vaiśeṣikaṃ mahat । gautamena tathā nyāyaṃ sāṃkhyaṃ tu kapilena vai ॥

Meaning : The Vaisheshika shastra has been elucidated by Kanada, while the Nyaya shastra was given by Gautama Rishi, and Samkhya shastra was by Kapila Rishi.

Traditionally the systems of philosophy was divided onto two classes:

• Astika (अास्तिकः)
• Nastika (नास्तिकः)

The Nastika (न अस्ति। it is not) views are those which neither regard the Vedas as infallible nor try to establish their own validity on their authority.

अास्तिकदर्शनानि ॥ Astika Darshanas

The term Astika (Samskrit : अास्तिकः) according to Vachaspatyam means अस्ति परलोक इति मतिर्यस्य । one who believes in the existence of paraloka (other worlds). The schools of philosophy based on the Vedas all of which proclaim the existence of other worlds and explian. All these are the six systems of Hindu philosophy which are known as Shad Darsanas. They are:

1.  न्यायः || Nyaya (Rishi Gautama)
2.  वैशेषिकः || Vaiseshika (Rishi Kanada)
3.  साङ्ख्यः || Samkhya (Kapila Muni)
4.  योगः || Yoga (Maharishi Patanjali)
5.  पूर्वमीमांसा || Poorva Mimamsa (Jaimini)
6. उत्तरमीमांसा || Uttara Mimamsa or वेदान्त || Vedanta (Badrayana or Vyasa) 

The six heterodox systems of philosophy are:

1. The Materialistic School of Charvaka
2. The System of the Jainas
3. The School of Presentationists or Vaibhashikas (Buddhistic)
4. The School of Representationists or Sautrantikas (Buddhistic)
5. The School of Idealism or Yogacharas (Buddhistic)
6. The School of Nihilism or the Madhyamikas (Buddhistic).

When the term Shad Darsanas is employed, it means the six Astika Darsanas. In this article these six Astika systems of Indian Philosophy will be discussed.