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INTRODUCTION
removing the ignorance of the seeker and even illumining the reality,
Sruti alone is better equipped in carrying us closer to the truth but not
order to have this anubhava one has t o start with the empirical means
with the help of Sruti one has to transcend the empirical realm.
'Object outside' was the starting point of this inquiry. Using this
method, he could enter into the realm o f essence, the 'Pure Ego'.
used in the same sense in this thesis, though there is a little difference.
inquiry, adopted in the search after truth. This thesis focuses more o n
otherwise.
Edmund Husserl started his inquiry from things around and the
reluctant to speak about the metaphysical realm and about the concept
Absolute must be found in the Absolute itself and through pure and
profound reflection.12 The existence of the 'divine' not only transcends
point where he could not proceed o r did not want to proceed further.
~ a n k a r ~ i c i i rhad
~ a his inquiry into the Ultimate reality starting
The pdramdrthika is a state from where words return,I4 the Sruti loQses
its validity even as pramdna, and the inquirer remains in the state of
absolute bliss.
milieux and traditions made inquiries after truth in their own unique
ways. Their methods of inquiry widely vary. Both ~ a n k a r aand Husserl
the content and method of both these thinkers are different, there are
these two methods with the focus on the dialogical approach will bring
partaking will widen the horizon o f understanding and will enrich the
UddalakFi Aruni and Naciketas, and Naciketas and Yama are classical
all truths are innate. Plato's distinction between the real world and the
through the dialogical method was a new insight. Plato affirmed that
method to enrich each other in their search for truth. The dialogical
belongs to, from its respective background. The focus is o n the points
own school through the interaction with the other. The purpose o f
critical dialogical study is definitely not to show whether one system is
way.
Advaitic analysis o f reality starting from the dream state, and going
him is the unity with the core 'Being.' Chaudhary tries to apply the
that Pataiijali has provided clear procedures for performing the epoche
1.2 M e t h o d of study
and tries t o enter into the universe o f meaning of the other. In this
through interaction.
dialogues both within and without will make one a balanced person,
traditions interact with each other at a deeper level and come out
accept different traditions with their special features, but a t the same
Comparison with a view t o value judgements does not have any place
guided by the basic insight into human destiny. These two methods
methods with their past in their mutual otherness, to learn the insights
method.
techniques used in this work. Tools and techniques a r e used from both
language and symbols and goes deeper into the inner sources o f
thought and comes out as a reinvigorated spring, with new insights and
L. Mehta says,
In the process of dialogue, each system finds out the other with
This lopsing of oneself in other system ensures the ground for seeing
There is no other way open to us in the East, but to go dong with this
Europeanization and modern outlook-secular, materialist- and to go
through it. Only through this voyage into the foreign and the strange
can we win back our own self-hood; here as elsewhere, the way to
what is closest to us is the longest way back. 32
~ a n k a r a p e v e l o ~ e adhydropa-apavida
d into a systematic method of
Brahman, which is self luminous, illumines itself for :he seeker who is
For Husserl, Pure ego, the phenomenological residuum, was the final
end and the basis of all meaning systems; while Sahkara considered
transcendental entity over and above the empirical reality, thus giving
progress of the inquiry. These two methods differ with regard to the
Pure ego, for kinl is an all-inclusive meaning system, which is a stream of logically
When everything else is bracketed what remains is pure ego, the phenomenological
on the Consciousness with a view to sublating them so that the foundational principle
is realized. ~arikaraadvocated jfidna as the only way for this final realization.
like jGgrat, mapna, su~uptiand turi'ya, (the fourth). The fourth state is equated with
and the transcendental ego as well as the way to reach the pure ego
internal organ, the seat of all feelings and emotions and the instrument
Chapter: 1 Introduction
discusses the problem o f research, its relevance and some o f the terms
C h a p t e r : 2 T h e S e a r c h f o r a F o u n d a t i o n a l Science
Phenomenological E p o c h e - I t s B a c k g r o u n d
discussed.
C h a p t e r : 3 Phenomenologicaf B r a c k e t i n g :
Invoking a Method of I n t u i t i v e I n q u i r y
C h a p t e r : 4 Adhydropa-apavada - An Analysis
may%. His attempt at the restoration of the supremacy o f the Vedas and
C h a p t e r : 5 De-superimposition of Experience:
An I n w a r d I n q u i r y i n t o Being
dream, waking and deep sleep states, and analyzes reality in three
Brahmajiidni in the world but not of -the world, are discussed in this
ineffective.
Chapter: 6 Consciousness and P u r e Ego:
is a sine qua non for the progress o f inquiry, are analyzed in this
1. Dariana comes from the Sanskrit root dri-pasyati which means to see, to look
into. It also means a stand-point in philosophy o r a school of philosophy eg., $4-
darSana.
7. Athato brahmajijlidsu. (B. S. B 1.I .I.) Inquiry after Brahman is to be started only after the
preliminary requisites are fblfilled. They are nivanityavasthuviveka,
ihdmutradiphalabhogaviriigah, s'amadumiidi~adsampattiand mumukpztva. After these, the
stidhaka gets immersed in Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhydsana.
10. Phenomenological reduction, eidetic reduction and transcendental reduction are the three
different stages of 'phenomenological epoche '
11. Martin Heidegger, Paul Ricoeur, Romain Ingarden, Gunther Anders, Rudolf Camap,
Marvin Farber, Aron Gurwitsch, Charles Hartshorne, William Kneale, Aurel Kolanai,
Emmanuel Levinas, Herbet Marcuse and Arnold Metzger are some of the philosophers
influenced by Husserl.
12. Edmund Husserl, Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology. tr., by W.&oyce
Gibson, London: George Allen & Unwin, 1952, Husserl's Introduction to the English edition,
P. 27. Though there is another recent translation of Ideas, by Fred Kersten, Ideas Pertaining
to Pure Phzomenology and to a Phenoenological Philosophy, 1983, in this thesis I follow
Boyce Gibjfson's translation because it is simple and widely in use. Quotations from
Husserl's Gorks are given in this thesis as they are, with italics, quotation marks and single
inverted commas.
13. sm.rtirfipah paratra purvad.r:r~tdvabhcisah; atasmin tad bhuddhih, Both are ~arikara's
definitions for adhydsa given in his Brahmasz2trabhci~ya.Essentially both of these terms are
used in the same sense in the $arikarabhaSya,but for our purpose of analysis we point out a
subtle distinction.
14. yato vaco nivartante aprBpPyamanasd saha ,from which mind and words return without
getting access to; yatra vedah aveddh bhavanti, the author accepts the limitations of human
words in describing the ultimate reality.
15. Semiotics interprets the code system, semantic interprets the meaning system, and
hermeneutics interprets the word of the text. ~afikarahad given six rules in interpreting a
text: utpatti, cipti, abhcisa, arthavdda andphala.
16. D. P. Chattopadhaya, et. al., (ed.,) Phenomenology & Indian Philosophy, New Delhi:
Indian Council of Philosophical Research, 1992.
17. Debabrata Sinha, The Metaphysic of Experience in Advaita Vedanta, Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidas, 1983.
20. Ramakant Sinari. " The method of Phenomenological reduction and Yoga," in
Philosoph-y East & West". Vol. XV, 1965.
23. Graham Parkes, ed., Heidegger and Asian Thought, Delhi: Motilai Banarsidass, 1992.
24. The Problem of Two Truths in Buddhism and VedGnta, ed., by Mervyn Sprung, Holland:
Reidal, 1973, consists of scholarly papers both from Buddhism and Advaitavediinta. We have
two clear cases of comparative study. Richard Books, presents the Vedanta concept of mdyd
and the Buddhist concept of samvrti as parallels; T. R. V. Murti adopted a gnoseologicai
approach in analyzing the two problems, that is, Sazitvrti and Paramdrtha in Madhyamika and
Advaitavedanta. Mervyn Sprung in his article took a complementary approach. He says that
relationship between two realities is more transformational in nature. Mervyn Sprung in his
introduction gives ample scope for parallels between the West and the East.
Another similar work is The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra, London: Flemingo,
1991. The author presents a depth level dialogue between two branches of knowledge, that is
modern physics and Eastern Mysticism (Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese Thought, Taoism and
Zen). He approaches the hidden mysteries of Eastern mysticism with an open heart.
"Comparative philosophy, if we still retain the name. would then be a name for the
task, infinitely open, of setting free, bringing into view and articulating in contemporary ways
of speaking, in new ways of speaking, the matter of thinking which, in what has actually been
realized in thought, still remains unsaid and so unthought in the traditions of the East.
Otherwise, comparative philosophy will amount to no more than an unthinking attempt at
perpetuating Western "philosophy" by translating Eastern thinking into the language of
Western metaphysics, taken as the universal valid paradigm."
26. Paul Ricoeur presents dialogue as "a third way of approach in the form of a limit idea, by
opposing the two sides of a polarity by a philosophy of hope postponing a synthesis between
them, thus limiting philosophy itself." Quoted by J.B.Chettimattam in his article,
"Philosophical Hermeneutics" in The Journal of Dharma, Vo1.5,1980, p. 74
27. Chang Chung-yuan's dialogical study between Heidegger and Taoism is a scholarly
attempt. He could enter into a deep dialogue between the two traditions. Chang Chung-yuan,
Tao: A New way of Thinking, New York: Harper and Row, 1975.
28. Mark Mac Dowell, has made a comparative study between the teachings of Don Juan and
Madhyamika Buddhism. Through his monograph he tries to bring out the insights and
universality of both teachings. This study gives a good example of the author's open
approach. Against the usual categorization of 'nihilism' and 'death,' the author tries to prove
that there is more to the self than nihilistic thought and more to life than death. Mark Mac
Dowell. A Comparative Study of the Teachings of Don Juan and Madhyamika Buddhism,
Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1991.
29. Graham Parkes, in his introduction to Heidegger and Asian Thought, quotes from " A
Dialogue on Language between a Japanese and an Inquirer." "Western European and East
Asiar: saying can enter into dialogue in such a way that there sings something that wells up
from a single source." This quotation points to the fact that traditions are different only in
appearance but in essence they are one. Graham Parkes, ed., Heidegger and Asian Thought,
op. cit., p. I
30. Quoted from Graham Parkes, op. cit., Heidegger and Asian Thought, Introduction, p. 7
3 1 . Wiliam J. Jackson ed. J. L. Mehta on Heidegger, Hermeneutics & Indian Tradition. New
York: E.J. Brill, 1992. p. 206
32. Wilhelm Halbfass, India and Europe, Albany: Suny Press, 1988. p. 12
33. Adhy~iropa-apavdda can be analyzed from the following perspectives: the ultimate
associated with cause and effect, the ultimate associated with creation, the ultimate associated
with thc distinction between the individual soul and the Lord, the ultimate associated with the
distinction between five sheaths and the ultimate associated with three states.