Mimamsa Darshana (मीमांसादर्शनम्)

There 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) 

Jaimini is considered as founder of Mimamsa (also known as Poorva Mimamsa) Darsana. Mimamsa is an enquiry into the earlier portion of the Vedas, an enquiry into ritual section of the Vedas or that portion of the Vedas which are concerned with the Mantras and the Brahmanas. It is called Purva Mimamsa, because it is earlier (poorva) than the Uttara Mimamsa (Vedanta Darsana), not so much in the chronological as in the logical sense.

Jaimini's first aphorism - Atahto Dharma Jignasa states the whole aim and object of his system, viz. a desire to know Dharma or duty, Which consists in the performance of the rites and sacrifices prescribed by the Veda. Dharma itself bestows the rewards. The aim of Purva Mimamsa is to investigate into the the nature of Dharma.

Mimamsa- a system of Vedic interpretation

Mimamsa is not a branch of any philosophical system. It is rather a system of Vedic interpretation. Its philosophical discussions amount to a kind of critical commentary on the Brahmana or ritual portion of the Veda. It interprets the Vedas in the literal sense. The central issue of Purva Mimamsa is ritual. Jaimini systematised the rules of Mimamsa and established their validity in his work. The rules of Mimamsa are very important for the interpretation of the Hindu Law. The Mimamsa Sutras of Jaimini give a detailed description of the different sacrifices and their purposes, the doctrine of Apurva, and also some philosophical propositions. There are twelve chapters in total.

Sabara is the author of the chief commentary or Bhashya on the work of Jaimini. Kumarila, the Guru of Bhavabhuti, commented on the Sutra and the Bhashya. He proved the eternal character of the Vedas and the efficiency of Vedic ceremonials. Prabhakara was a pupil of Kumarila. He wrote a commentary on the Bhashya of Sabara.

Jaimini accepts the three Pramanas of perception (Pratyaksha), inference (Anumana) and authoritative testimony (Sabda or Veda). Jaimini holds that there is a perpetual connection between a word and its sense and that sound is eternal.

The Eternal Self-Existent Veda

Jaimini was an opponent of rationalism and theism. The Purva Mimamsa has a number of deities. The offerings may be made to them. The practice of Vedic Dharma is not in need of any Supreme Being or God. The Veda was practically the only God for him. The eternal Veda needs no other basis to rest on. The Veda itself is authoritative. It is the only source of our knowledge of Dharma. There is no divine revealer. 

The eternal self-existent Veda serves all the purposes of Jaimini and the Purva Mimamsakas. Jaimini does not so much deny God as ignore Him. 

Practice of Vedic Dharma - the key to happiness

Dharma is enjoined by the Vedas, known as the Sruti. Its practice leads to happiness. If the Smriti does not agree with the Sruti, the former is to be ignored. The practice by virtuous men or custom comes next to the Smriti. A Hindu should lead his life in accordance With the rules of the Vedas. A Hindu mustperform Nitya Karmas like Sandhya, etc., and Naimittika Karmas during proper occasions to get salvation. These aree unconditional duties. If he fails to do these, he incurs the sin of omission (Pratyavaya Dosha). He performs Kaill!ed acti as to attain special ends. If he avoids proilibl'he ons (Nishiddha Karrnas), he will avoid hell. If 

IltNt)ti Ptiii,();..oHly 

I se will att:iiri ow, unconditional dulief:, crib r s )Lavatiori. Some later Mitmun:mk;o1 maintain tIffl. all W0rfr-be perrorined 11:1 in o11 t(' Cagl or theThen _my become the c;iim(.; or mt:ari-, suprem B e eing. of if works or sacrifices are done in a mf:chanirml way withOUt feeling, Sraddha (Fait) and devotion, they cannot help one to attain salvation. One may perform any number of sacrifices; and yet, there may not 1-0: ;Irly change in the heart, if they are performed without the right spirit or right mental attitude and right will. What really Wanted is not the ceremonial sacrifice, but the sacrifice of selfishness, egoism and kaga-Dvesha (likes and dislikes). 

THE DOCTRINE OF APURVA The fruits or rewards of sacrifices are not dispensed by any beneficient God. Apurua bestows the reward on the sacrificer. Apurva is the link or necessary connection between work and its fruit or result. Apurva is Adrishta. It is a positive, unseen force created by an act, which leads to the attainment of the fruit of the action. This is the view of Jairnini. Others thinkers criticised severely that the unconscious or non-intelligent Apurva could not bestow the rewards. The Mimamsa system could not satisfy the thoughtful men. Hence, the later Milnamsakas slowly introduced God. They declared that if sacrifices were performed in honour of the Supreme Being, it would lead to the achievement of the Supreme C/,°°d. Apurva cannot act, unless it is moved by God or the Supreme Being. He who makes the Apurva function 

is God.  

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ALL ABOUT HINDUISM 

THE SELF AND ITS CHARACTERISTIC The self is distinct from the body, the sen,,e_ intellect. The self is the experiencer or enjoyer. anci • the abode of experiences. The senses he brjr; instruments of experience. The self perceives wl!re in union with the mind. It experiences in.uteriit pleasure and pain; and externally, objects such c's rivers, plants, etc. The self is not the senses, because itpersists e, when the senses are injured or destroyed. The bocht: made up of matter. The perceiver is distinct frorn body. The self directs the body. The body is a servaRt';: the self. There is some being which synthesises various sense-data. That being or entity is the self in': self is all-pervading and imperishable. Selves al.; countless. The real self survives the annihilation of the body, The performer of a sacrifice goes to heaven. Jaimini do not believe in Moksha. He believes in the existence Svarga (heaven) attainable through Karma or sacrifice. The Veda promises rewards to the sacrificer to be enjoyed in another world. • 

THE LATER MIMAMSAKAS Prabhakara and Kumarila Jaimini showed the way to attain happiness in Svarga or heaven, but he did not tell anything about the problem of the final emancipation. The later writers like Prabhakara and Kumarila, however could not avoid this, problem of final salvation as it engaged the attention () the thinkers of other schools. Prabhakara says that thei absolute cessation of the body caused by disappearance of Dharma and Adharma, I‘those operation is the cause of rebirth, is ultimate release " liberation. Man abandons deeds Which lead to happiness an ons prohibited acts, and the the the total ppiness in heaven. He does 4' necessary expiations for exhausting the prt-

eel.° himself. He deveei sated Karmas- He Practises self-restr 229 a „lines -..ops virtuous t and, discs • self from rebfr fr One cannot attain release self' c lotion of Karmas only can bring abo es bull . ths by a tnie kno:::::ities. He bY rnere r„...._, . kritr7lectge. ger:eatilsee. p owa ledge prevents further accumulation of vice. /(anma by itself cannot lead to the attainmviertnut eiganthde ina *on. Raga-Dvesha ' raw ernanc-1- tl (likes and dislikes 'which lead to the performance of actions, must 1-.1' destroyed if one Wants to attain Moksha. Moksha is the cessati°n of pleasure and pain. It is not a state of blis, as the attributeless soul cannot have even bliss. It i - s siinply the natural form of the soul. The view of Kumarila comes very near to the view of Advaita Vedantins. Kumarila maintains that the Veda is composed by God and is Brahman in the form of sounds. Moksha is a positive state for him. It is the realisation of the Atman. He is of opinion that knowledge is not sufficient for salvation. He thinks that final emancipation can be attained through Karma (ac:10,n, combined with Jnana (knowledge).

JAIMINI'S PHILOSOPHY IN A NUT-SHELL 

According to Jaimini, performance of the actions that are enjoined in the Vedas is the Sadhana or means for attaining heaven. Karma-Kanda is the chief section of the Vedas. The cause of bondage is the performance of li ,ishiddha Karmas or prohibited actions. The self is dada-Chetana, a combination of insentiency and intelligence. Souls are countless. The soul is doer and TioYer. It is all-pervading. Jaimini does not believe inf the creation of the world. He believes in grades o t PPiness in heaven and in Sadachara or right conduc, ryi Chara Satyam Vada (Speak the truth), Dha  

CRITICISM OF JAIMINI'S PHILOSOPHY The Purva Mimamsa system of philosophy is be unsatisfactory and incomplete, inasmuch as it not deal with the problems of the Ultimate Reality ._ relation to soul and matter. There is no philoso'llitt view of the world. The central feature is the perforniariPille'll of the sacrifices. This is the amost essential ee fundamental thing. "Perform sacrifices and en.j0,7 !)1‘ Heaven"—this is the sum and substance of jainW4 teaching. This is his Moksha or the final goat This cannot give satisfaction to the thinkers who know tha'; the enjoyment in heaven is transitory, imperfect, sensual and worldly.