MIMAMSA, (Ski. minuiinsa, in vestigation, discussion). The collective name of two of the six orthodox systems of Hindu phi losophy. The two Nlimanisa divisions are: first, the POrra•minirlinsri, 'Prior Inquiry' or Karina ini/miiiisa. 'Inquiry eoncerning Works'; the sec ond is Uttara-miineithsR, 'Later inquiry ' or Brah ina-mitumhsa, 'Inquiry concerning the Supreme Spirit,' or more commonly simply (q.v.). As a matter of fact, the two systems comprised under the name 51iniamsa have little in common, though both are theistic in nature and both arose about the beginning of our era. The former deals chiefly with the Vedie ritual and its significance, the latter with specula tions as to the nature of the Supreme Spirit.
The reputed founder of the system is Jaimini, and the principles are embodied in a series of Siitras, or aphorisms, in twelve hooks, discussing the sacred ceremonies of the Veda and the merit ;teeming from their proper performance. The oldest extant commentary on this obscure work is the Bhilshya of Sabara-Svamin. whose date is plaeed long after the birth of Christ. This com position in turn was critically annotated. about A.n. 70(1. by the great Mimainsa authority. Ku ma ri .
The Mimanisa system has been one to which less attention has been given by European schol ars than to any of the others. One of the ear liest treatises on the subject was an essay on the INliniamsa by Colebrooke in 1826, reprinted in his Iliseellaneons Essays (London. 1873). Con sult: Garlic, Philosophy of Ancient India (Chi eaizo. 1597) ; Mailer, 7'he Six Systems of Ancient' Indian Philosophy (New York, 1899) ; Cowell and Gough, The ,S'arra-Darana-Sainyraha of Madhara Achiirya (London, 1S94).
MIME (Lat. sainiu, from Ilk. Alum inimos, imitator, actor, sort of drama, from eueriviat, miincistimi, to mimic.). A species of populir com edy among the ancients, in which of com mon life were represented with imitathe ge.turvA and dancing, itnd with jiu'osc dialogue more or less freely improvised. It was said to have been invented by Sophron of Syraeuse, Who Wrote in the Doric-Greek dialect, Mimes Were a favorite amusement of convivial parties, the guests them selves being commonly the performers. Among the Romans, the mime early appeared, though in a somewhat different character, and shared popular favor along with the primitive Latin Satura. and AteBan farces. Although abounding in rough ridicule and often indecent, yet in the hands of such writers as Laberius and PubMitts Syrtis the mime included much homely wisdom in the shape of familiar saws and proverbial lines which hate survived the pieces that con tained them. In the theatres, minces came to lie used later as afterpieces. The actors. them selves called mimes (mini), appeared in front of the stage, without buskins-or masks. but char acteristically attired in patch-work cloaks teen tumuli). as were the harlequins (q.v.) of a later day. Under the Empire, however, they were largely superseded in popular liking by the pantomimes (q.v.). Consult: Teuffel and Schwabe, History of Rowan Literature (Eng. trans.. London, . 1900) ; Friedlander, Sittenye schiehte Rums, vol. ii. (Leipzig. 1890) ; Patin, Etudes slit pof'sie Patine ( Paris. 18751; Der riimische Iiimus (Vienna, 1854).