Symbiosis,Paradoxes, and Dialectics: a Narrative of the Non-Dual Path in the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi

Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research - This paper investigates the interplay of language, concepts, and reason in treading the non-dual path of Śaṅkara in the...     

The Subtlety of Subtales: Subaltern Voices of Sūkṣma Dharma in the Mahābhārata

International Journal of Hindu Studies - Many scholars have identified sūkṣma dharma (subtle dharma) as a central theme of the Mahābhārata. However, beyond recognizing it as an...     

Tracing Well-Being: The Rise of Kalyāṇ in the Hindi-Hindu Public Sphere

International Journal of Hindu Studies - The pursuit of kalyāṇ is pivotal for many Hindus. The Hindi kalyāṇ is close, yet not equivalent, to the English term...     

Teaching by Example: An Interpretation of the Role of Upamāna in Early Nyāya Philosophy

In this paper I will discuss the significance of upamāna (knowledge by analogy or comparison) in the Nyāyasūtra as a source of knowledge and its role in understanding and learning about the world. Some philosophers, particularly Buddhists, have argued that upamāna is reducible to inference. I am going to defend the Nyāya view that upamāna is in fact a fundamental source of knowledge which plays a significant role in teaching and learning. In fact, I am going to argue that by introducing upamāna as a pramā[ndot]a the Naiyāyikas accounted for the way humans acquire certain types of knowledge. Finally, I will highlight the similarities between the role of upamāna in the Nyāyasūtra and some of Wittgenstein's remarks on family resemblance and proof.     

The Meaning of Prakṛti in the Yogasūtra and Vyāsabhāṣya

It is a common mistake, especially, perhaps, among students of the religions and philosophies of India, to assume that the word prak?ti, best known as the ultimate material principle in the Sā?khya and Yoga systems of religious thought, the material cause of the world in Hindu theologies and, as such, an epithet of the goddesses in Hinduism, always refers to an ultimate principle. Even in Sā?khya and Yoga texts the word prak?ti is used in various ways. Prak?ti does not always refer to the ultimate principle. Translators often leave the word prak?ti untranslated and mislead the reader to assume that the ultimate principle is referred to, when it is not. This article discusses the use of prak?ti in the Sā?khya-Yoga texts the Yogasūtra and the Vyāsabhā?ya and criticises some translation practices.     

Kāma,Preman, and Bhakti in Śrīdhara’s Commentary on Kṛṣṇa and the Gopīs in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa

International Journal of Hindu Studies - Although the Bhāgavata Purāṇa presents an innovative soteriology of emotion that explicitly identifies kāma as the gopīs’...     

Is Anupalabdhi (Non-apprehension) a Separate pramāṇa?: Analysis of the Vaiśeṣika View

Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research - In Indian philosophy, Bhāṭṭa Mīmāṃsakas and Advaita Vedāntins recognize abhāva or anupalabdhi...     

The Al-Sābiū’n (the Sabians) in the Quran: An Overview from the Quranic Commentators,Theologians, and Jurists

The term ‘al-Sābiū’n,’ as literally employed in the Qur’ānic commentaries, denotes “peoples who shift from one religion to another” or “peoples who take on a new religion other than their own.” This term is the plural of sābī’ and it derives from the root sabā, which signifies “turn to” or “lean towards to.” The term al-Sābiū’n as applied in the Qur’ān indicates various technical meanings, since almost all commentators of the Qur’ān and the earliest scholars have left the identification of al-Sābiū’n vague. Such a vague identification is plausible, since al-Sābiū’n is represented by a conglomerate of various views comprising remnants of sects who were oriented to cultic practices, ancient heathen sects of several nationalities, namely Greeks, Persians, and Indians, and sects who were Neo-Platonic in their origin and character. This article thus has a distinct purpose. It attempts to exhibit the features of the Sabians as perceived and conceived by the Quranic Commentators, Theologians, and Jurists. It is hoped that the article will provide a preliminary yet clear understanding of the Sabians as interpreted by themselves.     

The Prophet’s Letter to al-ʿAlāʾ b. Al-Ḥaḍramī: An Assessment of Its Authenticity in Light of the Covenants and the Correspondence with the People of Yemen

The letter to al-?Alā? b. al-?a?ramī embodies a number of parallels to the covenants and to the Prophet Mu?ammad's correspondence with the people of Yemen. This study examines the different versions of the letter that have come down to us from the Musnad of al-?ārith b. Abī Usāma and from a recension from al-?abarānī's Al-mu?jam al-kabīr to reconstruct a critical edition. Having translated the critical edition and analysed its contents, the study then concludes that the letter is in all likelihood authentic and that it is, generally speaking, textually accurate. The implication of this is that the letter and the covenants represent mutual attestations of one another and that the religion of Islam was well-established, having attained a great level of maturity in the Prophet's lifetime.     

Looking Beyond Darśaṇa: A Philosophical Exploration of the Guru's Pedagogy in the Yoga Vāsishṭha

This paper investigates the concept of the guru within this important work of the Vedantic tradition. I identify some of the apparent problems involved with the very idea of spiritual teaching within the ontological and soteriological parameters of this tradition in general, and the work in particular. First, the emphasis on ‘self-effort’ on the part of the seeker of liberation seems to preclude the idea of a spiritual teacher of liberation. Second, it is difficult to see how teaching even proceeds given what is being taught and the lack of desire on the part of the supposedly enlightened teacher to impart liberation. Finally, there appears to be no meaningful possibility of teaching here, at least in the ordinary sense of the term. I then consider some of the ways of thinking about the concept of the guru in this work that avoid some of these pitfalls.     

Anthropocentric Obsession: The Perfuming Effects of vāsanā (Habit-energy) in ālayavijñāna in the Lan˙kāvatāra Sūtra

Many traditional Western ethical perspectives are anthropocentric or human-centred in that they assign intrinsic value to human beings alone. It is often said that anthropocentrism is responsible for the destruction of the environment. I intend to explain how Western anthropocentrism can be seen as a form of obsession deriving from the working function of vāsanā (habit-energy) in ālayavijñāna, based on the teachings in the Lan˙kāvatāra Sūtra. All of one's karmic bījas (seeds), stored in the ālayavijñāna, are preserved in a form of energy called vāsanā with the power of perfuming or causing habitual tendency in the lives of sentient beings. This perfuming of energy is known as sowing seeds of karma and seeds of language. Since beginningless time, sentient beings have created habitual energy through inappropriate dualistic discrimination. The habitual power of vāsanā is of great importance to understanding how anthropocentrism works. What we should be worried about is our habitual thinking patterns, which might be harmful to our relationship with the natural environment.     

The Forgotten Consort: The Goddess and Kāmadeva in the Early Worship of Tripurasundarī

International Journal of Hindu Studies - This article examines continuities between the Hindu Tantric tradition of Tripurasundarī, which later came to be known as ?rīvidyā, and...     

Science as a Vocation in the Era of Big Data: the Philosophy of Science behind Big Data and humanity’s Continued Part in Science

We now live in the era of big data, and according to its proponents, big data is poised to change science as we know it. Claims of having no theory and no ideology are made, and there is an assumption that the results of big data are trustworthy because it is considered free from human judgement, which is often considered inextricably linked with human error. These two claims lead to the idea that big data is the source of better scientific knowledge, through more objectivity, more data, and better analysis. In this paper I analyse the philosophy of science behind big data and make the claim that the death of many traditional sciences, and the human scientist, is much exaggerated. The philosophy of science of big data means that there are certain things big data does very well, and some things that it cannot do. I argue that humans will still be needed for mediating and creating theory, and for providing the legitimacy and values science needs as a normative social enterprise.