Indian Philosophies on the Eve of Buddha's Enlightenment
David Mellins
While systematic schools of Indian philosophy had yet to be formalized as textual traditions in the 6th century BCE when Gautama Buddha attained his enlightenment, the ascetic mendicant Gautama encountered, studied and ultimately refuted a broad range of doctrines professing pathways to wisdom and spiritual emancipation. This presentation provides an overview of these ancient Indian proto-philosophies as evidenced by Brahmanical teachings such as the Upanishads as well as the more radical methodologies of yogis and homeless ascetics evidenced in Buddhist Sutra and Agamas literature. Students gain a more dynamic context for their study of the Four Noble Truths, dependent origination and the principle of karma, which provide the foundation for all levels of Buddhist teachings.