Wk 08 Mon, Feb 22 Today Mīmāṃsā – Hamilton, IP: VSI section on Mīmāṃsā, pp. 121-5 in Ch. 8, "The Word and the Book." – Wilhelm Halbfass’s “Karma, Apurva, and "Natural" Causes: Observations on the Growth and Limits of the Theory of Saṃsāra.” 1980 . Focus on the Mīmāṃsā-related aspects, pp. 268-84 – Elisa Freschi’s Ch. 6 “Freedom Because of Duty” in FWASIP 1 Wednesday Grammarian Tradition – Khilnani, Sunil. 2016. "Panini: Catching the Ocean in a Cow's Hoofprint" Incarnations. – HamiltonIP: VSI section on Bhartṛhari, pp. 118- 21 in Ch. 8, "The Word and the Book." – George Cardona’s Ch. 4 “Paninian Grammarians on Agency and Independence” in FWASIP Grade Matters The final grade: – 15% Class Preparation & Participation – 25% 30% Twice-Weekly Feedback on readings – 30% 35% Weekly Reflections – 30% 35% Final Term Paper + Presentation Canvas Late Grade Policy enabled: – -10% per day late – Min: 30% 2 Final Paper & Presentation 10-12 pgs + Bibliography 35% of Course Grade Due Mon Finals Week 2pm – Mar 15 – 10 min Presentation 2:30-4:20 pm. Goal: Synthesis, your own position on karma vs. free will Important concepts studied: – Karma, dharma, reincarnation, self, theodicy – Free Will & Agency – Determinism, fatalism, compatibilism, libertarianism – Bhagavad Gītā, Brahma-sūtras & Agency – Consciousness? Luck? Systems Considered: 7. Grammarian 1. Sāṅkhya 8. Advaita Ved nta 2. Nyāya ā 3. Abhidharma Buddhism 9. Viśiṣṭādvaita 10. Madhva Ved nta 4. Mādhyamika Buddhism ā 5. Jainism 11. Kashmir Śaivism 12. Gau ya Vai avism 6. Mīmāṃsā ḍī ṣṇ Final Paper, cont’d Some questions to address: – Is karma necessary? Why (not)? – What are implications of (not) accepting karma as seen in the different systems? – What in your opinion is the best solution to the problem karma is trying to answer? – Is there free will? Why (not)? – How do the different systems answer this question? . Are they successful? . Why, or why not? – How has this class affected your thinking on free-will? – What is/are the most significant take-away(s) for you? 3 WOTD • Injunction Miles • Arthāpatti, postulation Halbfass 275 Samhitā • Apūrva Dhandeep Mīmāṃsā = Enquiry Pūrva-mīmāṃsā / Karma-mīmāṃsā – “Earlier Inquiry” – Focus on Vedic dharma, karma Uttara-mīmāṃsā / Vedānta – “Later/Subsequent Inquiry” –Brahma-sūtras (BS) by Bādarāyaṇa, 4th c. BCE–1st c. CE – Focus on Brahman, liberation 4 Pūrva-/Karma-mīmāṃsā Founding text: Mīmāṃsā-sūtras (MS) by Jaimini, 4th c. BCE–1st c. CE – >2,500 sūtras, twelve ‘books’ (adhyāya) – Śabara earliest commentary ? 3rd-6th c. CE Two major sub-schools –Kumārila Bhaṭṭa, ~660 CE → BhāṭṭaMīmāṃsā –Prabhākara Miśra, ~7th c. CE → Prābhākara Mīmāṃsā Pūrva Mīmāṃsā Vedas are: – infallible regarding all that is imperceptible, – eternal, unauthored, self-revealed Focus on dharma (duty), not mokṣa Plurality of real, eternal selves God ≠ creator Self-validity of cognition, svataḥ-prāmāṇya – Knower, known, knowledge simultaneous (VSI 123) 6 Valid means of knowledge, pramāṇa 5 Means Of Knowledge, pramāṇa Pratyakṣa, perception: nirvikalpa & savikalpa Anumāna, inference Śabda, verbal testimony Upamāna, comparison Anupalabdhi, non-perception Arthāpatti, postulation – (not accepted by Prābhākara) Types of Vedic Statements 1. Injunctions, vidhi – command / exhortation 2. Ritual formulas, mantra 3. Names, nāmadheya 4. Prohibition, niṣedha 5. Explanatory passages, arthavāda 6 Vedic Karma A. Prescribed, vidhi 1. regular rites, nitya-karman 2. special occasion rites, naimittika-karman 3. rites to attain specific desires, kāmya- karman 4. rites for atonement, prāyaścitta-karman B. Forbidden, niṣedha / pratiṣedha Karma vs. Apūrva No definition of karma in Vedas or Mīmāṃsā- sūtras as relating to rebirth / saṃsāra Apūrva is a precursor – Not in MS, only in Śabara commentary, ?3rd-6th c. – Fleshed out by Kumārila, 7th c. CE – Potency, yogyatā produced by sacrifice which effects results at a later time. (Halbfass 275-7) – Located in the ‘agent’, as saṃskāra for Kumārila . Sponsor of ritual – Stronger than karma 7 Apūrva, Adṛṣṭa apūrva = that which did not exist before – proto-karmic causality (274) adṛṣṭa = that which is unseen –Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika precursor to karma = dharma + adharma – To account for “invisible” causes / results – Early locus is atoms, not ātman / self – “gap-filler” later extended to explain saṃsāra – Omnipresent, vibhu like ātman Mīmāṃsā Self Eternal, capable of consciousness Plural, infinite Changing → constant Doer Distinct from body, mind, senses Performance of dharma → merit Performance of prohibited karma → demerit Beyond merit / demerit → liberation 8 Reminder: Creel on dharma How does one know one’s dharma? 1. śruti, scriptures = Vedas 2. smṛti, “derivative” scripture 3. sadācāra, conduct of good persons 4. ātmatuṣṭi, self-satisfaction – whose self? . Freschi’s answer? Freschi on Mīmāṃsā, 1 Agency – Commissioner,yajamānā of ritual (yajña)? – Executor of ritual, priest? – Consciousness v. Ability Free Will=capacity to do what one wishes (145). “Through desire we grasp the self” (145). One can influence one’s likes & dislikes (154). 9 Freschi on Mīmāṃsā, 2 What to do, not has to do (155) – Can the Veda prescribe something immoral? (159). Śyena ritual to destroy one’s enemies Veda = only source of morality (156). Halbfass on apūrva, review Karma & saṃsāra not in Vedas. Different functions & dimensions: 1. Principle of Causal Explanation 2. Ethical guideline 3. Stepping stone to final liberation Apūrva = “not there priorly” – Only from carrying out Vedic injunctions – Unfailing result . Time of result unpredictable, e.g., Citrā ritual → cattle . Rain ritual kārīrī efficacy hidered by? (278) 10 Halbfass, review 2 Adṛṣṭa = “retributive potency of past deeds stored as a quality of ātman.” (281) = saṃskāra ? –Vaiśeṣika ambiguity . Gap-filler in realm of physical causality . Device for world process as saṃsāra (288) 11.