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International Conference : Buddhist and Philosophy Conference Room 1, 401 : 100 Years Building of Somdej Prabudhajarn (Ven International Conference : Buddhist and Philosophy Conference room 1, 401 : 100 years building of somdej prabudhajarn (Ven. Aaj Asaphamahathera) Commentators : 1) Phramaha Somboon Phanna : Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University 2) Prof. Dr. R. Gopalakrishnan : University of Madras India พุทธบูรณาการกับการวิจัยเพื่อพัฒนาสังคมใหยั่งยืน 2 (Integration of Buddhism with research to develop a sustainable society) No Presenter Article 1* Prof. Dr. R. Reflections on certain issues in Indian GOPALAKRISHNAN philosophy 2* Phramaha Jaroon Ritthithit, Ego free socio-political dimension of Dr. Theravada Buddhism : a study 3* Shi Jingpeng On the Buddha-nature Theories in Pelliot 3291 4* Happittiya Appuhamilage A study of the low of attraction and the Don Srihan Kanishka Buddhism towards social development Ariyasinghe 5* Boonsong Sinthunok An Integration of the Energy Management : case study of Community in Udornthani province 6* PhrakruSangwornsutakit, Mechanisms and Processes of Sangha for Asst.Prof.Dr. Reconciliation in Community 7* PhraRachane Visarado, Dr. The Buddha’s history from The legend of UranggaDhatu and Network connections inTheEsanlumnamMekong - Laos. 8* Dr.Niraj Ruangsan Comparative study of pilgrim accounts on Śrâvatî city 9* Ngar-sze-Lau Application of mindfulness approaches for promoting mental health of students in school counseling 10* Assist. Prof. Prakob Cultural Change on Rice of Meekotkong Agriculturists in Northeast of Thailand 11* Dr. Wichian Sanmee AHIMSĀ IN GANDHI’S THOUGHT Note : *The articles refers to the presenters การประชุมวิชาการระดับชาติ ครั้งที่ ๓ ระดับนานาชาติครั้งที่ ๑ 3 Reflections on Certain Issues in Indian Philosophy Prof. Dr. R. GOPALAKRISHNAN* Abstract In this paper an earnest attempt has been made to highlight certain issues pointed out by Indian and Western critics that Indian philosophy is otherworldly, pessimistic, scripture-based, moksa-oriented etc. Since philosophy deals with the perennial problems of life such as metaphysical, moral, social, political, religious, mystical etc., its foremost task is to analyse the cause for the origin of the manifold problems and then suggest the fair means to overcome them so as to lead a perfect and peaceful life. Here the question remains: Does Indian philosophy as a whole show interest in these exercises or merely confine to theoretical explanations of superficial elements? Since classical Indian thought could not escape the clutches of scriptural testimony, the truths are directly or indirectly based on the interpretation of the scriptural texts. Hence the scope of philosophy in India is restricted to the truth- contents of these texts and did not transcend them. The systems which deviated from the scriptures and developed their own independent thinking especially analysed the causes for suffering and the means to eliminate them based on common experience are branded as heretic. The division of Indian philosophy as orthodox and as heterodox, based on the acceptance as well as the rejection of the Vedic authority respectively, commits the fallacies of too wide and too narrow division. The division is explained from three perspectives: 1. The systems which directly develop their philosophies through the Vedic and Upanisadic teachings-Mimamsa and Vedanta 2. The systems which accept the Vedic authority for the sake of recognition , but promote independent philosophic doctrines—Nyaya-Vaisesika and Samkhya- yoga 3. The systems totally disregard the Vedic authority and promulgate humanistic trends in philosophy-Carvaka, Jainism and Buddhism Further, the authorship of the Vedas and the period in which they flourished could not be authentically asserted, but the Upanisadic truths form the basis for the developments of philosophical systems especially in the orthodox sectors. There are three original traditions of understanding reality and four periods of development which find a place in this paper. The notions of spirituality, moksa, pessimism etc., make the scholars think that Indian philosophy has only mass of beliefs, mixed up with rituals and worship. The intimacy between religion and philosophy is also a binding factor for its stinted growth. Indian philosophy is seriously concerned with ‘loyalty to tradition’ and ‘devotion to truth’. A detailed discussion about the conception of the world and soul is made as the comprehensive and common elements of Indian philosophy. The salient features of contemporary Indian philosophy are also reviewed here. Toward *PROFESSOR AND HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY (RETIRED) UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS CHENNAI, INDIA Email: [email protected] Mobile: +91 98411 71138 พุทธบูรณาการกับการวิจัยเพื่อพัฒนาสังคมใหยั่งยืน 4 (Integration of Buddhism with research to develop a sustainable society) the end a fair justification has been made for all the critical conceptual frameworks to make philosophical vistas in India are worthwhile. Keywords: Darsana, Spirituality, Scriptures, Truth &Moksa. Introduction: Philosophy, all over the world, presupposes life in its manifold and manifested aspects. Man with his inquisitive temperament, wants to understand life from several perspectives—theoretical, practical, spiritual, social, political, religious and moral. Man’s intellectual quest for knowing and realizing ‘Truth’ has led him to distinguish between the existence and functions of dualities such as truth and falsity, good and bad, beauty and ugly etc. In this arduous endeavour he strives hard to root out the obstructing forces in his life which hamper his growth and at the same time he accepts all the favourable things which promote his well- being. The perennial problems of life have been intensely analysed from time immemorial with a view to annihilating all the confronting issues of life. The attempts to seek remedies to all human miseries culminated in the practical realization of truth. The ‘vision’ of reality, then becomes direct, immediate and intuitive, which paves the way for eliminating woeful existence and attaining poise and perfection. Thus this mechanism becomes the central theme of general philosophy. In India the ambit of philosophy is to fulfil the main objective of life, viz., liberation or moksa. This pivotal theme of Indian philosophy reveals the other truths such as the nature of liberation, the various means of attaining it, the nature and function of the Supreme Being who is considered as the abiding force to grant salvation, the pathetic plight of the human soul which is caught in between the optimistic and pessimistic conditions of life, the pernicious nature of the world, etc.The ancient Indian thinkers have been engaged in eliciting the significant features of action, knowledge, virtue, value, truth, bondage and liberation. In this process they are equipped with logic, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, eschatology, religion etc. Views of the critics on Indian Philosophy However, critics of Indian philosophy, both in India and abroad, have indicted Indian philosophy of its stinted growth. The reasons they have attributed for this state of affairs are as follows: 1. Indian philosophy could not come out of the clutches of testimony and rationalize thinking independently to suit to the modern requirements. 2. It lacks analytic character, but follows from certain fundamental premises, the contrary of which are not conceivable. The very attempt to start afresh is regarded as an iniquitous task. 3. The admirers of Indian philosophy are overwhelmed to support the traditional conceptions that are common to all systems of thought like ‘Indianness’, ‘moksa-oriented’, ‘spirituality’, ‘otherworldly’ etc. 4. The West is trying to entertain and discuss even the incredibly complicated issues of philosophy through different techniques and approaches and hence it is progressive. In India, on the other hand, it has been ordained that one should not think against scriptural injunctions. As a result of this even the contemporary thinkers could การประชุมวิชาการระดับชาติ ครั้งที่ ๓ ระดับนานาชาติครั้งที่ ๑ 5 not come out of the den of traditional culture. The deviants are branded as heretics who adopt Western methods to study Indian philosophy. Taking cognisance of all these comments, an attempt has been made here to show that Indian philosophy has distinct and unique features, divisions, critical methods, epistemological, metaphysical, ethical, religious discussions etc. The genuine queries arise here are: Can we name any system of thought as Indian? Can we call them as philosophies emerged in Indian soil? Are we to reinforce intellectual inquiries or are we still stick on to the age old documental devices? This paper tries to answer these queries. Indian philosophy is generally known as darsana. It has a hoary tradition since the ‘seers’ who had intuitively seen the truths about reality in all its aspects had transmitted them orally to the successive generation. However, the dichotomy of Indian philosophy into orthodox and heterodox systems is based on the acceptance or rejection of scriptural authority and not on the criterion of intellectual inquiry. It has been pointed out by the critics that all the orthodox systems have expressed their indebtedness to the Vedic authority, but they could not specifically mention the author(s) of the Vedas, nor the period in which they flourished. We have the following views regarding the author of the Vedas: 1. To the materialists the Vedas are the ‘rhapsodies of knaves’ for “ the Veda is tainted by three faults of untruth, selff-contradiction, and tautology; then again the imposters who
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