Rationality in India Cover Image

A racionalitás Indiában
Rationality in India

Author(s): Ferenc Ruzsa
Subject(s): Philosophy, Non-European Philosophy, East Asian Philosophy, Indian Philosophy
Published by: Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem
Keywords: origin of philosophy; rational inquiry in India; Greek-Indian contacts in philosophy

Summary/Abstract: In his paper ‘Why is there philosophy in India?’ (1999), Bronkhorst suggested that rational philosophy appeared in India due to Greek influence as it can be found first in the innovations of the Sarvāsti-vāda Abhidharma rather than the Thera-vāda Abhidharma; Sarvāsti-vāda arose in Gandhāra, a Hellenistic kingdom. The present paper challenges this position in the following ways: (a) The theoretical framework is inadequate. Philosophy, rational inquiry, systematic philosophy and philosophical system are four distinct concepts, they cannot be used as synonyms. (b) Clear examples show that rational inquiry was present in Indian philosophy earlier. The Kathā-Vatthu of the Thera-vāda uses rational arguments, as did the Buddha himself. Sāṁkhya philosophy and several important passages of the earliest Upaniṣads, both earlier than the Buddha, defi nitely represent rational philosophy.

  • Issue Year: X/2018
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 7-26
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Hungarian