Q. Which of the following statements with regard to the Mimamsa school of Indian philosophy is/are correct?
1.Founded by Jaimini through Mimamsa Sutra, it focuses primarily on the earlier ritualistic portions of the Vedas.
2.Mimamsakas held that the Upanishads are the primary and supreme source of spiritual truth.
3.Prabhakara sub-school recognizes five valid means of knowledge, whereas the Bhatta sub-school recognizes six by including Anupalabdhi.
Select the answer using the code given below:
Answer: B
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: Mimamsa (or Purva Mimamsa) was founded by Jaimini and relies on his foundational text, the Mimamsa Sutra. It focuses on the earlier parts of the Vedas dealing with rituals, duties, and actions (Karma-Kanda).
- Statement 2 is incorrect: The Mimamsa school regarded ritual actions (Karma) and Vedic injunctions (Vidhi) as primary and paramount. They considered the Upanishads and texts pertaining to self-knowledge to be subsidiary (Arthavada) to ritual performance. (It was the Vedanta school that disagreed and prioritized the Upanishads).
- Statement 3 is correct: Epistemologically, the Prabhakara sub-school accepts five pramanas (perception, inference, comparison, verbal testimony, and postulation), while the Bhatta sub-school adds a sixth pramana—Anupalabdhi (non-perception/absence).
