Is Indian Philosophy Pessimistic?

Abstract

Philosophers are the torchbearers of a society. They not only engage themselves in armchair speculations rather analyse and try to understand the age old problems like what is life, life beyond and so on. Indian Philosophy in general deals with the common philosophical problems and human life in particular. There is a common agreement among the different schools of Indian Thought that life is full of suffering and perhaps that is the main reason for thinking Indian Philosophy to be pessimistic. On the contrary, both Prof. S.C.Chatterjee and Prof. D. M. Dutta maintain that pessimism is only initial and not final. Pessimism is due to the ignorance of the distinction between para vidya and apara vidya (The Upanisads), Jnana and vijnana (The Gita) and the vyavaharika and the paramarthika( Vedanta). Elimination of sufferings is possible through the dawn of the right knowledge and further it is possible by self-help and self-effort. Therefore, Buddha rightly said "Be a light to youself (atma dipa bhava).” To know is to become. Knowledge gets its fruition in the practice of what is taught. Further, both these knowledge and action culminate into a state of Bliss. Therefore, pessimism, in Indian philosophy is phenomenal which helps one to reach at the goal i.e., optimism.