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Smriti (Sanskrit स्मॄति, "that which is remembered") refers to a specific body of Hindu religious scripture. Smriti also denotes non-Shruti texts generally, seen as secondary in authority to Shruti.
[edit] Categorization
Classifying the Smriti has been a contentious issue, even the names of proposed categories are debated. One such taxonomy follows:
- Dharmasastra or the laws. This is represented by 18 books. Each book corresponds to an age of time.
- Itihasa or the histories. This is by 4 books. It includes the Mahakavyas, or Epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
- Purana or the writings. This is represented by 18 books. They are secondary scriptures that mainly focus on Vishnu or Shiva as the preferred supreme Deity.
- Sutras or proverbs. This is represented by 6 categories of documents: the Shiksha, Vyakarana, Chandas, Nirukta, Jyotisha, & Kalpa.
- Agama or the doctrines. There are three major divisions by doctrine: the Vaisnava, Saiva, and Sakta. Another way of grouping them is by Mantra, Tantra, and Yantra.
- Darsana (aka Dyasana) or philosophies. This is represented by 6 schools of thought: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa, & Uttara Mimamsa (aka Vedanta).
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