New Perspectives in Indian Philosophy

Indian philosophy, till now, has been generally presented in a a-historical manner and in such a way as if there were no problems about it. The present book challenges this way of presentation both at the general as well as the specific levels. It starts with a plea for a new history of philosophy in India and ends with a reply to two controversies—one relating to Vedanta and the other to Nyaya epitomised in the twin statements: "Shock-proof, Evidence-proof, Argument-proof world of Sampradayika scholarship in Indian philosophy" and "Nyaya: realist or idealist: is the debate ended, the argument completed". These two titles summarise the new way of looking at Indian philosophy, whether it be Mimamsa or Nyaya or Vedanta or Buddhism or Jainism. The questioning spirit raises fundamental doubts about the basic presuppositions axiomatically accepted by all scholars who have written on Indian philosophy up till now. The argument and the evidence questions the presuppositions, reveals the ‘blindness’ of the scholarship and exposes the ‘belief structures’ on which the presentation has been based. The doctrines of adhyasa, arthavada, pratityasamutpada and anekant are subjected to a close examination and it is shown that the philosophical superstructure of Vedanta, Mimamsa, Buddhism and Jainism, which are built on these foundations, cannot stand the close scrutiny of reason.