While the primary concern of Indian philosophy is to analyse the fundamental concepts of epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and religion, its ultimate concern is the social well-being of individuals. The Indian thinkers have suggested ways of freeing oneself from material entanglements and attaining a state of blissful existence. The argument that Indian philosophy is pessimistic since it starts with the notion of suffering is unacceptable. On the contrary, it inspires optimism, climaxes in eternal pragmatism and, no less important, it has a social orientation.
This book, which contains 14 articles, is the outcome of a workshop held at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. R. Balasubramanian's article starts with a discussion on traditional culture and proceeds to look at the renaissance and then modernisation. Drawing support from the Upanishads, he speaks of two dimensions of the Vedic lore — the temporal and the perennial. While the temporal dimension is represented by religious practices, social institutions, customs, socio-political ethics, etc., the basic doctrines that are purely metaphysical make up the perennial dimension. Balasubramanian argues that Indian culture has a transcendental outlook but that does not preclude it from having a well-knit value system.
Relevance
The virtues and relevance of Advaita Vedanta are highlighted by K. Srinivas and R.C. Pradhan. Arguing that such a monistic and absolutist metaphysical system has its own social and ethical concerns at the empirical level, Srinivas develops the various stages of Advaita with the help of the writings of Swami Vivekananda and Ramatirtha. Pradhan projects Advaita as a social philosophy that looks for and emphasises unity in diversity. V. Rathinasabapathy, who gives a historical account of the compilation of the holy scriptures of Saivism in the South, tries to bring about the social impact perceived in the ‘Thirumurais'. While examining the Buddhist notion of sunyata (or emptiness) and its social concern, G. Vedaparayana speaks about the philosophy of Madhyamaika, the dialectical method of Nagarjuna, the implication of void leading to enlightenment and the happy co-existence of cultural beings.
T.N. Ganapathy explicates the critique of the social institutions by the Tamil Siddhas as a kind of self-examination on the model of transcendental investigation by Kant. His interpretation of the denial of regulated devotion, dependence on the scriptures, avoidance of temple worship, and institutionalisation of religion by the Tamil Siddhas testifies to his originality. Sreekala M. Nair looks at Advaitic epistemology from the perspectives of knowledge, and pure-consciousness, etc. R. Lalith Sarma provides a holistic view of the philosophy as propounded by the Upanishads. V. Ananda Reddy focusses on Aurobindo's concept of rebirth and evolution. While Sharada Subramaniam analyses the social and individual dimensions of the value system, S. Panneerselvam attempts to synthesise the theory and practice as exemplified by scholars like T.M.P. Mahadevan, S. Radhakrishnan, K.C. Bhattacharya and D.P. Chattopadhyaya and ultimately suggests that the Gandhian approach is the remedy to all human maladies. S. Gopalan's article discussing the contribution of the mystics does not fit into the thematic framework of this collection.
U. Suma and R. Kumar Bhaskar look at gender issues through an andro-centric lens. M. Venkatalakshmi discusses the shortcomings and failings of the current educational system in the country and highlights, by way of contrast, the merits of the educational system — emphasis on spiritual discipline, public service, health care, social responsibility etc., — adopted by the institutions of Sathya Sai Baba.
The reference to Indian Philosophy in the title of this book is misleading since it is Advaita Vedanta that hogs attention to the exclusion of other schools such as Nyaya Vaisesika, Samkhya Yoga, and Purva Mimamsa. While Buddhism finds a place, Jainism's contribution to social harmony does not. One wonders why the Vaishnava saints and the Visishtadvaita Vedanta of Ramanuja and the Dvaita Vedanta of Madhwa have been left out. Certainly, they too contemplate on social issues from religious and philosophical perspectives.
Again, the social concern of quite a few modern saints and savants — Ramakrishna, Ramana, and Vallalar, for instance — has had an impact on the contemporary society. All these lapses, however, do not detract from the fact that the book brings to light the social concerns — explicit as well as implicit — of some of the Indian philosophical systems, and the editors deserve commendation for their effort.
