Problems of Self in Indian Philosophy: A Critical Study

The nature of self is the most fundamental topic of discussion in Indian and Western philosophy. Various schools of Indian Philosophy have provided varied interpretations of these issues. All schools of Indian Philosophy explore the nature of self. However, the question may arise: what is the actual nature of the self? It is difficult to answer this question because the self is a metaphysical subject, and no metaphysical matter can provide a clear answer. As a result, issues arise in examining the nature of the self, according to most Indian schools of Philosophy. The self is pure, eternal, and all-pervading. However, some schools like Cārvāka and Buddhists do not accept these types of concepts. The main problem of Indian philosophy is one school of Indian philosophy rejects the self's existence as eternal, while another describes it as an impermanent being or collection of something. We always have the impression that something permanent is going on as if we can remember our earlier actions or experiences. We cannot explain our ethics, the law of karma, or rebirth unless we accept a permanent being. Some Indian systems of thought, however, have established rebirth, the law of karma, and causality without admitting a permanent self. In this work, I attempted to convey the problem that ordinary people confront daily. My search is to assist ordinary people in grasping the concept of the self and solving the problems with Indian philosophical schools.