A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1

"A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume 1" by Surendranath Dasgupta offers a detailed examination of Indian philosophical ideas, starting in the early 1900s. The book explains the growth and importance of Indian philosophy, from old Vedic writings to Buddhism, Jainism, and the six main Hindu philosophical schools. The author believes that Indian culture and its continuous unity are best seen in its philosophical discussions, not in its political history. The book starts by showing how rich and complex Indian philosophical traditions are. Dasgupta talks about the difficulties in studying Indian philosophy, like problems with translation and special terminology. He points out what different systems have added but admits that we still don't fully know or understand Indian philosophies. The book stresses that it's important to look at original sources and give clear explanations, which helps both casual readers and experts who want to understand Indian thought better. The introduction clearly states the book's purpose: to reveal the often-missed importance of Indian philosophy and its questions, guiding those who want to understand its special contributions to worldwide philosophical discussion.