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XXIV. On tJie Philosophy of the Hindus. Part III. By Henry Thomas 

 CoLEBRooKE, Esq., Dir. R.A.S. 



Read March 4, 1826. 



INTRODUCTION. 

 Of the six systems of philosophy received among learned Hindus, four 

 have been noticed in the preceding parts of this essay, viz. the theistical 

 and atheistical Sdnc'hyas, the dialectic Nydya, and the atomical Vaiieshica. 

 The prior or practical il/eW«5c^ wiU be now considered; reserving the later 

 or theological Mmdmd, usually named Veddnta, for a future disquisition, 

 should It appear requisite to pursue the subject, much concerning it being 

 already before the public. 



The object of the Mtmdmd is the interpretation of the v edas. « Its pur- 

 " pose," says a commentator,* "is to determine the sense of revelation." Its 

 whole scope is the ascertainment of duty. Here duty intends sacrifices and 

 other acts of religion ordained by the vedas. The same term {dharmd) like- 

 wise signifies wV/we, or moral merit; and grammarians have distino-uished 

 Its import according to the gender of the noun. In one (the masculine) 

 It impUes virtue ; in the other (neuter), it means an act of devotion.! It is 

 m the last^mentioned sense that the term is here employed ; and its meaning 

 is by commentators explained to be « the scope of an injunction ; the object 

 " of a command ;t a purpose ordained by revelation with a view to a 

 " motive, such as sacrifice commanded by the vtdas,ioT the attainment of 

 « bliss ;"§ and such indeed is the main scope of every disquisition. 



The prior (^urva) Mimdnsd then is practical, as relating to works {carmd) 

 or religious observances to be undertaken for specific ends; and it is 

 accordingly termed carma-mmdnsd, in contradistinction to tlie theological, 

 which is named Brahme-mimdnsd. 



It is not directly a system of philosophy ; nor chiefly so. But, in course 



• S6manSt'ha in the MayUc'ha, 2. 1. 17. f MkUni cmlm 



% Part-ha, 1.1.2. DM. ibid. § Apadcva; Nyaya-prac^a. 



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