Srshti Siddhanta (सृष्टिसिद्धान्तः)
Upanishads are rightly regarded as the fountain-head of all Indian philosophy. All darshanas which critically discuss about the Atman, Brahman and Sristhi or the Origin of the world have the seeds of thought from the Upanishads. Based on describing the cause for the existence of the world, different theories have been put forward which is another common feature seen in these darshanas. The basic questions involved in any theory of causation is :[1]
Does the effect pre-exist in its material cause? Is the effect a real transformation or an unreal appearance of its cause?
To explain these questions many theories have been put forward by different schools of darshanas both Astika and Nastika. Apart from the shad darshanas, other philosophies that have originated in Bharatavarsha have also expounded their theories of causation. They are summarized in brief as given below: (see p. 139 of Reference [1])
| Theories | Theory of Causation | Philosophy | Name of the theory | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asatkaryavada (असत्कार्यवादः) or Arambhavada (आरंभवादः) or Paramanuvada (परमाणुवादः) Theory of Creation | The effect (कार्यम् । karya) does not pre-exist (असत् । asat) in its material cause. The effect is a new creation. | Charvakas (चार्वाकः) | Svabhavavada (स्वभाववादः) | Paramanuvada (परमाणुवादः) : Matter is described as an aggregate of atoms (परमाणु). |
| Hinayana Buddhism (हीनयानबौद्धमतम्) | Anitya Paramanuvada (अनित्यपरमाणुवादः) or Kshanabhangavada (क्षणभङ्गवादः) | |||
| Nyaya and Vaiseshika (न्यायम्-वैशेषिकः ) | Nitya Paramanukaranavada (नित्यपरमाणुकारणवादः) | |||
| Prabhakara Mimamsa (मीमांसा) | Nitya Paramanukaranavada (नित्यपरमाणुकारणवादः) | |||
| Satkaryavada (सत्कार्यवादः) Theory of Evolution | The effect (कार्यम् । karya) pre-exists (सत् । sat) in its material cause. Effect is an explicit manifestation of that which is contained in its material cause. Based on the reality or unreality of the effect it is further classified into two. | Samkhya and Yoga (साङ्ख्यः - योगः) | Prkriti-parinamavada (प्रकृतिपरिणामवादः) | Parinamavada (परिणामवादः) : Expounds that the effect is a real transformation of its cause.
Brahman really transforms Himself as the world of matter and of souls. |
| Ramanuja's Vishishta-advaita (विशिष्टद्वैत-सिद्धान्तः) | Brahma-parinamavada (ब्रह्मपरिणामवादः) | |||
| Shunyavada (शून्यवादः) Mahayana Buddhism | Shunya-vivartavada (शून्यविवर्तवादः) | Vivartavada (विवर्तवादः) : Expounds that the effect is an unreal appearance of the cause. (illusionary)
Brahman, unreally appears, through Ignorance, as the world of matter and of souls. | ||
| Vijnanavada (विज्ञानवादः)(Mahayana Buddhism) | Vijnana vivartavada (विज्ञानविवर्तवादः) | |||
| Shankara's Advaita (अद्वैतसिद्धान्तः) | Brahma vivartavada (ब्रह्मविवर्तवादः) | |||
| Sadasatkaryavada (सदसत्कार्यवादः) | The effect is both real as well as unreal before its production. | Kumarila Bhatta's Mimamsa (मीमांसा) | Sadasatkaryavada (सदसत्कार्यवादः) | The effect is real as identical with the cause and unreal as a modal change thereof, though ultimately both incline towards Parinamavada. |
| Jainism (जैनसिद्धान्तः) | ||||
| Ajativada (अजातवादः) | Doctrine of Non Origination. World being an appearance is never created. | Gaudapada Karikas (गौडपादकारिकाः) | Ajativada (अजातवादः) |
Thus we see above that different darshanas whether Astika or Nastika, have tried to explain the fundamental concepts of origin of the world and matter using the pramanas and logical discussions.