Systematization of Traditional Knowledge in Indian Culture
Keywords:
Indian philosophy, traditional Indian culture, traditional knowledge, vidyā, śāstra, classifi cation of sciences, knowledge classifi cation, non-classical epistemology, traditionalismAbstract
Main issue of the article is the problem of knowledge classifi cation in traditional Indian
culture as it presents in authoritative sanskrit texts like Chāndogyopanisada, Mundakopanisada,
Mānavadharmaśāstra, Arthaśāstra, Lalitavistara, Kāmasūtra and others. Author used some
concepts of social epistemology and pointed out the relations between cognitive practice,
educational practice and religious one.
The system of traditional sciences (vidyā, śāstra) and principia of their classifi cation were
created by brahmans. Non-brahmans did import here nothing, because they were opponents with brahmanical tradition in the whole. But Jainas and Buddhists were the successors of brahmans
in educational sphere and brahmanical classifi cations of knowledge also. Two main criteria
for knowledge classifi cation in brahmanical tradition were pragmatic one and the presence on
traditional lists of sciences.
