Concept
Prasthanatrayi
Overview
Prasthanatrayi (Sanskrit: प्रस्थानत्रयी, IAST: Prasthānatrayī), literally, three sources (or axioms), refers to the three canonical texts of theology having epistemic authority, especially of the Vedanta schools. It consists of:
The Upanishads, known as Upadeśa Prasthānam (injunctive texts), and the Śruti Prasthānam (the starting point or axiom of revelation), especially the Principal Upanishads.
The Bhagavad Gītā, known as Sādhana Prasthānam (practical text), and the Smṛti Prasthānam (the starting point or axiom of remembered tradition)
The Brahma Sūtras, known as Sūtra Prasthānam (formulative texts) or Nyāya Prasthānam or Yukti Prasthānam or Tarka Prasthānam (logical text or axiom of logic)
The Mukhya Upanishads consist of ten, twelve or thirteen major texts, with a total of 108 texts described in Muktikopanishad. The ten Upanishads are Īśā, Kena, Kaṭha, Praṣna, Muṇḍaka, Māṇḍūkya, Taittirīya, Aitareya, Chāndogya and Bṛhadāraṇyaka.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
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2. _The Philosophy of Gotama and Canade_. The philosophy of Gotama and that of Canade belong to one another.[18] The philosophy of Gotama is called Nyaya (reasoning), and that of Canade, Vaiseshica (particular). The first is a specially perfect dialectic, and the second, on the other hand, occupies itself with physics, that is, with particular or sensuous objects.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy
States what Prasthanatrayi is.
Now there is a twofold ultimate perfection of rational or of intellectual nature. The first is one which it can procure of its own natural power; and this is in a measure called beatitude or happiness. Hence Aristotle (Ethic. x) says that man's ultimate happiness consists in his most perfect contemplation, whereby in this life he can behold the best intelligible object; and that is God. Above this happiness there is…
Aquinas Thomas, Summa Theologica, Part I
States what Prasthanatrayi is.
Life is one of these hallucinations and death is its counterpart. Joy is one part of these hallucinations, and misery the other part, and so on. What have you to do with life or death? These are all creations of the mind. This is called giving up desires of enjoyment either in this life or another.
Swami Vivekananda, Jnâna Yoga, Part II
States what Prasthanatrayi is.
Philosophers who discussed Prasthanatrayi
Related ideas
- Authority
- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
- Chandogya Upanishad
- Vedanta
- Mandukya Upanishad
- Mundaka Upanishad
- Theology
- Katha Upanishad
- Taittiriya Upanishad
- International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration
- Upanishads
- Principal Upanishads
Place in the tradition
Part of Nondualism.