Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c11.s1: Debates on India’s Identity: Relocating Her Global Image

Vāda in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c11.s1

Language: English

Debates on India’s Identity: Relocating Her Global Image

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With the advent of the missionaries, there were rising controversies and debates between the upholders of Christianity and Hinduism. Both sides had to be prepared with the knowledge of textual material juxtaposing the two diverse traditions. The endeavours of Roborto Nobilii in seventeenth century provided further stimulus together with the contributions from W. Carry and W.H. Mill. But it was J. Muir who opened a way for conciliation and “adaptation”.⁶ The self-assertion by the advocates of Hinduism also received a boost.

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Dara Shikoh’s translations of the Upaniṣads in Persian were translated into Latin in the beginning of the nineteenth century by a French Scholar Anquetil-Duperron under the title *Oupnekhat* and published from Paris in 1801-02 in two volumes. Duperon’s work created ripples that lasted for a century. It was also meant as an appeal to the “followers and opponents of profound Kant” to study the teachings of the *Oupanekhat* from a philosophical angle. These volumes were partly translated into German in 1808 by Th.A. Rixner.⁷ Through the Latin translation and the German renderings, German philosophers like Schelling and Schopenhauer were drawn to the Upaniṣads. Schopenhauer declared them as “the product of the highest human wisdom”. He used to worship the book of *Oupnekhat* before going to bed. He said:

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There is no other book in the whole world, the reading of which is as rewarding and solemn, as that of this book, it has comforted me in my life and it will also comfort me while dying.

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Winternitz says:

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Starting from the mystic teachings of the Upaniṣads a thought current reaches the mysticism of the Persian Sufism, and the mystic theosophical logos-doctrine of Non-Platonists and the Alexandrian Christians right up to the teachings of Christian mystics Eckhart and Tauber and finally to the philosophy of great German mystic of nineteenth century — Schopenhauer.⁸

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Discussions and debates on the philosophy of Upaniṣads were carried on amongst a number of German and French philosophers. A sharp division of opinion between Hegel and Schopenhauer surfaced. India may have been the cradle of civilization and a land where most spiritual practices at the most sublime level were cultivated, but it lacks real philosophy — this was one stand; whereas there was a group of romantics who believed that Europe should return to Indian origins to emerge out of the chaos of modern civilization.⁹ The rift between a Euro-centric discourse and a revivalist discourse with romantic fascination towards the East kept on widening.

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The remarks of I.A. Richards continue to echo as a stern warning

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… to us the Western world is still the World (or part of the World that counts); but an impartial observer would perhaps say that such provincialism is dangerous. We are not yet so happy in the West that we can be sure that we are not suffering from its effects.¹⁰

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There were attempts at reconciliation and creating bridges. *The Philosophy of Mythology* by Hegel considered Indian traditions with a view to an intercultural and interreligious encounter. References to Kant in these discussions kept the possibilities of hermeneutics alive. B.K. Matilal continues to argue for Indian thought as scientific and analytical and truly “philosophical”.

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Back in India, the responses of Schelling and Schopenhauer became helpful in the search for a new identity by the Indians like Raja Rammohun Roy and Keshub Chandra Sen. They were drawn to Christianity but found a ground on the Upaniṣadic soil itself for their faith.

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In order to convince the Christian missionaries that the best of their teachings is already contained in Upaniṣads, Raja Rammohun Roy himself translated a large number of Upaniṣads and also edited the original Upaniṣadic texts.

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The debates between the followers of Advaita Vedānta and other schools of Vedānta have continued with the same vigour till now. Swami Chaitanya Bharati wrote a text *Darśanasarvasvaṃ* in refutation of Śūnyādvaita, Vijñānādvaita and Svatantrādvaita (Śaivamonism) upholding the Śaṅkarācārya’s philosophy.¹¹

Linked texts (1)

Upaniṣad — Sanskrit