By Bal Ram Singh, PhD
A general meaning of science is knowledge, which is also the meaning of Veda, which contains life’s both mystical and materialistic meanings. The scientific approach, therefore, lends itself well for examining the meanings of life.
A general definition of science is “a systematic study of a subject that provides consistent results which can be used to predict other outcomes or similar outcomes”. There are two ways of obtaining knowledge, which are accepted and used in science. To approach anything scientific or knowing anything or having/creating a paradigm of study which is very broadly accepted by many academic disciplines, these two ways of acquiring and practicing knowledge are: A deductive way of knowledge and a Inductive way of knowledge.
In the deductive way of approaching knowledge, there is a top-down dissemination of information, ideas, and concepts. For this, the first step is to have a theory, generate a hypothesis, and make observations, and then confirm the observations.
This approach meets the criteria of systematic study of a subject and eventually confirms the observation, meaning providing consistent results and uses it to predict something more or make more observations.
One of the examples of this approach is brain and mind, something acutely discussed in Indian traditions related to yoga. Traditionally, such a system of knowledge in India is considered as Nigam system of knowledge, and Vedas may be considered an example of such a system, as would be Bible and Quran in the western tradition, albeit following a different path pedagogically.
In the Inductive way of knowledge, it is a bottom-up approach. With existing observations a pattern is created. Based on this pattern, a hypothesis is built which will act as a solid base for a theory or principle to be formulated.
For instance, consider a type of diet (like in Ayurveda) because of which some people benefit, but some might not. Knowing this pattern, we can create a hypothesis and theory that diet might benefit in a particular manner to a certain set of people given a set of conditions, environment, etc. This system of knowledge includes Yoga and Ayurveda, and is known as the Agama system of traditional knowledge. There are elaborate sets of books and practices belonging to the Agama traditions, and further include Tantra, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, etc.
At a practical level, Agama is concerned with what one learns from experience and observations, and thus provides quite a bit of freedom of thoughts to individuals, providing more varieties. Nigama, on the other hand, is fairly dictated based on the experience and realization of sages or gods. The advantage of the Nigama is in its directions that one has to follow without thinking and analyzing the information critically. Agama, on the other hand, allows for the input of individuals to develop a common understanding.
It is like conducting scientific experiments to develop a common understanding about a substance or process in Agama and reading the level for the substance or process for the Nigama.
A glaring example of Nigama in modern life is the concept of the 7 day week. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “..week, period of seven days, a unit of time artificially devised with no astronomical basis.” The Biblical concept nevertheless gives a logical sequence of light, water, organisms, plants, animals, and man created in 6 days sequentially, with the God taking rest on the 7th day.
Agama philosophy, on the other hand, observes the waxing (shukla paksha or bright nights) and waning (krishna paksha or dark nights) moon shapes in the sky to develop the concept of fortnight. This is more practical, observable, and useful connected to body physiology and circadian rhythm.
Balram Singh is a Professor and the President of the Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, Massachusetts, researching Ayurveda, Yoga, Vedic education, and Vedic social and political traditions. He is also an adjunct faculty at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.
