| In the ancient India, philosophy has been | | | | universe of objects and living beings. It assumes |
| traditionally divided into two main groups. These | | | | that the universe was originally created by the |
| groups are called as the orthodox group and | | | | uniting or samyoga of two eternal realities called |
| heretic group. The orthodox group believes in the | | | | purusha and prakriti. Purusha forms the basis of all |
| authority of Vedas in all the philosophical matters. | | | | the spiritual objects while prakriti deals with the |
| These orthodox systems are six in all. One of the | | | | material objects. Prakriti and everything that |
| most popular systems of philosophy is yoga. | | | | comes from it has three gunas viz.: sattva, rajo |
| It shares the following common beliefs with the | | | | and tamas in various proportions and |
| other orthodox systems: | | | | combinations. |
| - Belief in the permanent soul, which forms the | | | | Sattvaguna deals with all that is pure and holy |
| basis of life. | | | | while rajasguna deals with all the rich and royal |
| - Soul is supposed to discard one body at the | | | | qualities and tamasguna deals with all the baser |
| time of death and enter a new one at the time | | | | qualities like greed, lust, anger, fear etc. The |
| of new birth. | | | | samyoga of the purusha and the prakriti is virtual. |
| - A strong belief in the karma, which states that | | | | It does not exist but only the ignorant mind thinks |
| the events happening in a person's life are a direct | | | | it is real. This is due to the illusion called avidya and |
| results of the events in his previous life or lives (if | | | | binds the purusha and causes him to transmigrate |
| the person has been born many times). | | | | from one body to another in the various births. |
| - A belief that the life of an individual is primarily | | | | Once the avidya is dispelled completely, one can |
| of misery and sorrow. | | | | break free from the cycle of bith and death and |
| - A belief in the state of complete freedom from | | | | can achieve moksha. This is easily achieved by |
| misery and sorrow called mukti or moksha. | | | | following the eightfold path given by Patanjali in his |
| Yoga adopts the dualistic doctrine of explaining the | | | | Yogasutras. |