Darshan versus Philosophy

Introduction: The etymological meaning of may be correlated with ‘darshan’ or ‘tattva’ which is the Indian version of philosophy .Darshan in India is defined as ‘drisyate anena iti darshanam’.It is one through which reality is seen .It gives us the guidelines following which one can realize the ultimate reality .This realization is the philosophical meaning of the word seen. In this sense  darshan is the instrument of realization .The very word realization  is subjective which needs some objective reality ,to be known . In this sense ‘knowing’ corresponds to realization .

Another synonymous word for knowledge is ‘tattva’ which is combination of two words ‘tat’ and ‘tva’. It is the Sanskrit version of the very word substance .In it ‘tat’ means the it,which is the object of knowledge in philosophy and ‘tva’ means ‘you’.Therefore, the combined meaning of the term ‘tattva’ is ‘you  are that’.

In Indian philosophy ‘tat’ signifies the Ultimate Reality ‘. This Ultimate Reality is the subject matter of discussion of metaphysics. This Ultimate Reality is the ‘it’ of the definition of darshan, which is realized. The counterpart of this metaphysical reality is the epistemological component, which is the knower of this object . The combination of these two aspects of darshan keeps it parallel with philosophy of the west .

The special characteristic  of Indian philosophy is the identification of the knower with the known .Here object merges  with the subject, in the process of realization . This process of identification leads to the inwardization of knowledge .In this sense it transcends the etymological meaning of  knowledge.

This inwardization  of knowledge gave an intrinsic value to knowledge This value is the subject matter of axiology. So, apart from value being a component of philosophy , this identification made valuable to philosophy , itself .This value loaded aspect of Indian philosophy makes it distinct from philosophy of the west .