It will not be proper to exclude Upanisadic philosophy on the ground that it is mystic. If we do so, we would also have to exclude a major portion of Greek philosophy

Philosophical speculations in Greece cannot be traced earlier than the sixth century B.C. By that time Philosophy in India had already reached to new heights

As soon as man attained self-consciousness and began to think, two questions arose in his mind, namely, what is the meaning of his life; and what is the nature of the universe he sees all around

The Upnishads have shown an unparalleled variety of appeal during these long centuries and have been admired by different people, for different reasons, at different periods

The word ‘Upnishad’ is derived from upa (near), ni (down) and sad (to sit), i.e sitting down near

The principal Upanishads are said to be ten. Samkara comented on eleven. They are : “Isa”, “Kena”, “Katha”, “Prasna”, “Mundaka”, “Mandukya”, “Taittiriya”, “Aitareya”, “Chhandogya”, “Brahdaranyaka” and “Svetasvatara”

Literally, Vedanta means the end of the Veda, “Vedasya-antah”, the conclusion as well as the goal of the Vedas. The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas

Different commentators attempt to find in the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutra a single coherent doctrine, a system of thought which is free from contradictions

It is sometimes argued that the two systems of Buddhism and Jainism are one, and that Jainism is only an offshoot of Buddhism

The Jaina conception of the soul has more in common with the Navya-Vaisheshika theory than with the Samkhya view of the unaffected and inactive nature of the soul; nor do we find much agreement between the two in any essential doctrine such as causation

There are Chinese and Tibetan versions of the “Dhammapada” too which differ slightly from the Pali text, though they all agree in substance

The commentary on the “Dhammapada” called “Dhammapada Atthakatha” is ascribed to Buddhaghosa, as is evident from the colophon