Systematization of Traditional Knowledge in Indian Culture

Main issue of the article is the problem of knowledge classification in traditional Indian culture as it presents in authoritative sanskrit texts like Chandogyopanisada, Mundakopanisada, Manavadharmasastra, Arthasastra, Lalitavistara, Kamasutra and others. Author used some concepts of social epistemology and pointed out the relations between cognitive practice, educational practice and religious one. The system of traditional sciences (vidya, sastra) and principia of their classification were created by brahmans. Non-brahmans did import here nothing, because they were opponents with brahmanical tradition in the whole. But Jainas and Buddhists were the successors of brahmans in educational sphere and brahmanical classifications of knowledge also. Two main criteria for knowledge classification in brahmanical tradition were pragmatic one and the presence on traditional lists of sciences.