Purva Mimamsa

Pūrva Mīmāṃsā

The science of interpreting the Veda, centred on dharma as ritual duty.

Editorial overviewThe Mimamsa Sutras, attributed to Jaimini, are generally dated to around the last centuries BCE; the major commentators Shabara (c. 5th century), Kumarila and Prabhakara (c. 7th century) shaped its two main schools.

In simple words

Mimamsa is about how to read the Vedas correctly and what they tell us to do. It holds that the Vedas are eternal, not written by anyone, and that performing the duties they prescribe is dharma.

Overview

Purva Mimamsa ("prior inquiry") is the school devoted to interpreting the Vedic injunctions and so to knowing dharma, understood as what the Veda enjoins. It holds that the Veda is eternal and authorless (apaurusheya), and therefore free of the defects of human authors; its injunctions are the only source for knowing dharma, which cannot be known by perception or inference. Mimamsa developed sophisticated principles of textual interpretation, language and meaning, used widely in Indian law and hermeneutics. Classical Mimamsa is realist and pluralist and generally denies a creator God. Its early aim was heaven (svarga) through ritual; later Mimamsakas also discuss liberation as release from rebirth.

Scholar’s note

Apurva (the "unprecedented" potency produced by ritual) explains how an act yields results later. The Bhatta and Prabhakara schools differ on error, on the self's self-luminosity, and on whether words convey meaning in isolation or only in syntactic connection (abhihitanvaya vs anvitabhidhana).

Core questions

?What is dharma, and how can it be known?
?How should a sacred text be interpreted?
?Is language eternal?
?How does an action performed now bring results later?

How it sees

Editorial overview

What problem is it trying to solve?: What is dharma, and how can one know with certainty what one ought to do, especially in ritual?
What does it consider real?: A real, plural world; eternal selves; the eternal Veda and eternal word-meaning relations. No creator God is required.
What is valid knowledge?: Kumarila (Bhatta school) accepts six: perception, inference, comparison, testimony, postulation (arthapatti) and non-apprehension (anupalabdhi); Prabhakara accepts five, rejecting non-apprehension. Knowledge is intrinsically valid (svatah pramanya) unless defeated.
What is the Self?: The self is an eternal, real substance, the agent of ritual action and enjoyer of its fruits, distinct from the body; the schools differ on how it is known.
What causes bondage?: Action motivated by desire, including prohibited actions, which binds the self to embodiment; in earlier Mimamsa the focus is on performing dharma rather than on bondage.
What is liberation?: Earlier, heaven (svarga) as the fruit of ritual; later Mimamsakas describe liberation as the cessation of embodiment through exhausting karma.
What is the path?: Performance of obligatory and occasional duties enjoined by the Veda, avoidance of prohibited acts, and (for liberation) abstention from desire-motivated acts.

Core concepts

Conceptधर्मDharmaWhat upholds — order, duty, right conduct, and the nature of things.Conceptयज्ञYajna — sacrifice, offeringOffering: from the Vedic fire ritual to the inner attitude of doing all action as an offering.Conceptकर्मKarmaAction — and the way actions shape future experience.ConceptफलPhalaThe fruit or result of action.Conceptप्रमाणPramana — means of valid knowledgeThe accepted sources of valid knowledge, such as perception, inference and testimony.Conceptश्रद्धाShraddhaFaith or trust; confident commitment to a teaching, teacher or ideal.Conceptस्वधर्मSvadharmaOne's own duty, suited to one's nature and situation.

Primary texts

Mimamsa SutrasThe founding text of Purva Mimamsa: a systematic method for interpreting Vedic injunctions and defining dharma.Source not yet ingested

Major thinkers

ThinkerजैमिनिJaiminiThe Mimamsa Sutras are commonly placed in the last centuries BCE, though dates are uncertain.Thinkerकुमारिल भट्टKumarila BhattaScholars generally place him in the 7th century CE.Thinkerप्रभाकरPrabhakaraScholars generally place him in the 7th century CE, around the time of Kumarila; their exact chronological relation is debated.

Where it disagrees

Stated neutrally. The purpose is understanding, not a verdict.

With Vedanta · the purpose of the Veda
Mimamsa holds the Veda is fundamentally injunctive; Vedanta holds the Upanishads convey knowledge of an existing reality, Brahman.
With Nyaya · validity and authorship
Mimamsa holds knowledge is intrinsically valid and the Veda authorless; Nyaya holds validity is established externally and the Veda is God-authored.
With Buddhist philosophy · scriptural authority
Mimamsakas argued forcefully against Buddhist claims that the Buddha was omniscient.

TraditionवैदिकVedic & Upanishadic foundationsSystematises the ritual and injunctive portion of the Veda Traditionवेदान्तVedantaVedanta (Uttara Mimamsa) applies Mimamsa methods to the Upanishads Traditionअद्वैत वेदान्तAdvaita VedantaAdvaita adopts Kumarila's six pramanas Traditionन्यायNyayaDebated the authority of the Veda and the nature of knowledge

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Questions

What is Dharma?What is Karma?How do we know something is true?

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