Dear Jeff, Matt, Alexandra, et al., My recollection (unfortunately from decades ago) is that Vallabha advances an ontological argument analogous to Anselm. Too long ago to recall specific sources. Is anyone on the list a Vallabha specialist able to confirm or deny that?
Best, Dan > On Jun 23, 2024, at 1:32 PM, Uskokov, Aleksandar via INDOLOGY > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Jeff and Matthew, > > On the conceivability, I had thought once that the TaittirIya section on the > gradation of bliss that is followed by the famous verse--yato vAco nivartante > aprApya manasA saha AnandaM brahmaNo vidvAn na bibheti kutazcana--shares > something with Anselm's argument. This appears in related iterations. But > that strange jump from conceivability to necessary being is, I think, what is > unique to the ontological argument, and I don't think it shares much, if > anything, with Shankara's self-evidentiality of oneself or anything related. > Perhaps what comes closest is Shankara's--and Bhartrhari's--argument that > Being must be predicated of everything, not as anything specific but as pure > Being. But this comes from an incomparably different place and concerns. > > Yours, > Aleksandar > > Get Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> > From: INDOLOGY <[email protected]> on behalf of Jeffery > Long via INDOLOGY <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2024 1:08:17 PM > To: Matthew Kapstein <[email protected]> > Cc: Indology List <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] Analogues to Anselm's Ontological Arguments in Indian > Philosophy? > > Thank you, Matthew! > > That is my impression as well: that there is nothing quite similar to or even > analogous to Anselm’s arguments in Indian philosophical traditions. As you > say, Gaṅgeśa and others in the Nyāya and Navya-Nyāya traditions developed > arguments closer to the Western cosmological and design arguments. I have > thus far not found anything quite like Anselm’s arguments. > > I’ll be happy to learn if something is out there with which I am unfamiliar. > > All the best! > > Jeff > >> On Jun 23, 2024, at 12:55 PM, Matthew Kapstein via INDOLOGY >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >>> But Jeff, >>> Anselm’s argument is not about self-evidence per se, it’s about >>> conceivability, and in its second iteration, necessary being. I’m not aware >>> of close analogues in Indian philosophy. The classical theistic arguments >>> seem to mostly resemble the Western cosmological and design arguments. >>> >>> There are some interesting developments in GaNgeza, of course, but I think >>> still not along the lines of the ontological argument. >>> >>> best >>> Matthew >>> >>> Sent from Proton Mail <https://proton.me/mail/home> for iOS >>> >>> >>> On Sun, Jun 23, 2024 at 18:17, Jeffery Long via INDOLOGY >>> <[email protected] <mailto:On Sun, Jun 23, 2024 at 18:17, Jeffery >>> Long via INDOLOGY <<a href=>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Colleagues, >>>> >>>> Forgive me if this question has already been raised at some point on this >>>> list. >>>> >>>> Are any of you aware of arguments developed in Indian philosophical >>>> systems akin to the ontological arguments for the existence of God raised >>>> by St. Anselm? The closest thing I can think of is Śaṅkara’s argument that >>>> existence is self-evident. >>>> >>>> With much gratitude in advance, >>>> >>>> Jeff >>>> >>>> >>>> Dr. Jeffery D. Long >>>> Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, & Asian Studies >>>> School of Arts & Humanities >>>> Elizabethtown College >>>> Elizabethtown, PA >>>> >>>> https://etown.academia.edu/JefferyLong >>>> >>>> Series Editor, Explorations in Indic Traditions: Ethical, Philosophical, >>>> and Theological >>>> Lexington Books >>>> >>>> “One who makes a habit of prayer and meditation will easily overcome all >>>> difficulties and remain calm and unruffled in the midst of the trials of >>>> life.” (Holy Mother Sarada Devi) >>>> >>>> “We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.” (Carl Sagan) >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> INDOLOGY mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology > > > _______________________________________________ > INDOLOGY mailing list > [email protected] > https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
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