Existence and Perception in Medieval Vedanta

Michael Thomas Williams

ISBN 10: 3110728494 / ISBN 13: 9783110728491

Published by De Gruyter, DE, 2024

About this Item

This book focuses on discussions of metaphysics and epistemology in early modern India found in the works of the South Indian philosopher Vyasatirtha (1460-1539). Vyasatirtha was pivotal to the ascendancy of the Madhva tradition to intellectual and political influence in the Vijayanagara Empire. This book is primarily a philosophical reconstruction based on original translations of relevant parts of Vyasatirtha's Sanskrit philosophical text, the "Nectar of Logic" (Nyayamr?ta). Vyasatirtha wrote the Nyayamr?ta as a vindication of his tradition's theistic world view against the Advaita tradition of Vedanta. In the centuries after it was written, the Nyayamr?ta came to dominate philosophical discussions among Vedanta traditions in India. The Advaitins argued for an anti-realist stance about the empirical world, according to which the world of our experience is simply an illusion that can be dispelled by a deep study of the Upani?ads. This book reconstructs the parts of the Nyayamr?ta where Vyasatirtha argues in favor of the reality of the world against the Advaitins. Philosophically, it focuses on the concept of existence in Vyasatirtha's metaphysics, and on his arguments about knowledge and the philosophy of perception.

Seller Inventory # LU-9783110728491

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Existence and Perception in Medieval Vedanta
• Publisher: De Gruyter, DE
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3110728494
• ISBN 13: 9783110728491
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New
• Dimensions: 6.14W x 0.88H x 9.21D inches 6.14 inches width by 0.88 inches height by 9.21 inches depth
• Weight: 610 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This book focuses on discussions of metaphysics and epistemology in early modern India found in the works of the South Indian philosopher Vyāsatīrtha (1460–1539). Vyāsatīrtha was pivotal to the ascendancy of the Mādhva tradition to intellectual and political influence in the Vijayanagara Empire.

This book is primarily a philosophical reconstruction based on original translations of relevant parts of Vyāsatīrtha’s Sanskrit philosophical text, the “Nectar of Logic” (Nyāyāmr̥ta). Vyāsatīrtha wrote the Nyāyāmr̥ta as a vindication of his tradition’s theistic world view against the Advaita tradition of Vedānta. In the centuries after it was written, the Nyāyāmr̥ta came to dominate philosophical discussions among Vedānta traditions in India.

The Advaitins argued for an anti-realist stance about the empirical world, according to which the world of our experience is simply an illusion that can be dispelled by a deep study of the Upaniṣads. This book reconstructs the parts of the Nyāyāmr̥ta where Vyāsatīrtha argues in favor of the reality of the world against the Advaitins. Philosophically, it focuses on the concept of existence in Vyāsatīrtha’s metaphysics, and on his arguments about knowledge and the philosophy of perception.

About the Authors

Michael Thomas Williams, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Österreich.

Michael Thomas Williams, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.