Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy
Indian culture, like other polytheistic religions and philosophies, does not exclude a certain acceptance of a relative theism, which naturally differs from the absolute type of Christian theism or from monotheism. Indian philosophy seems to use the notion Ishvara for the concept of a personal deity...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Russian |
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St. Tikhon's Orthodox University
2014-08-01
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| Series: | Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Серия I. Богословие, философия |
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| _version_ | 1819087795550945280 |
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| author | Elena Anikeeva |
| author_facet | Elena Anikeeva |
| author_sort | Elena Anikeeva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Indian culture, like other polytheistic religions and philosophies, does not exclude a certain acceptance of a relative theism, which naturally differs from the absolute type of Christian theism or from monotheism. Indian philosophy seems to use the notion Ishvara for the concept of a personal deity and the teaching about this deity or Indian theism is known as Ishvara - vada. The proofs for the existence of God in the Indian philosophical tradition according to the rules of logical argumentation (Ishvaranumana) are best studied in the traditional Hindu darshana nyaes and in the vaysheshika (nyaya-vaysheshika). These contain the proofs for the essential attributes of Ishvara (the source of the movement of the universe, of the rationality and the purpose of the world) together with his personal attributes (the benevolent Guardian and Guide of all that lives). Usually, the work known as the Nyaya-kusmanjali written in the tenth century by Udayana are considered to contain the most complete formulation of the doctrine of Ishvaranumana. After refuting the arguments of the Indian anti-theists or Nirishvaravadins, Udayana proceeds to define the celebrated eight arguments for the existence of God: 1) as the active cause (karya); 2) as the originator of the bringing together of the atoms (ayojana); 3) as the conserver (dhrti) and the destroyer (samhara) of the world: 4) on the basis of words (padat); and 5) sentences (vacyat); 6) because of authority (pratyaya); 7) revelation (shruti); and 8) number, or the numerical structure of the universe (samkhya). Certain proofs (1, 2, 3 and 8) are cosmological in character; others (4, 5, 6 and 7) are ethical or pragmatic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:41:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f5e260ecebe407ebdef07fcb5a00573 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1991-640X 1991-640X |
| language | Russian |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:41:49Z |
| publishDate | 2014-08-01 |
| publisher | St. Tikhon's Orthodox University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Серия I. Богословие, философия |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f5e260ecebe407ebdef07fcb5a005732022-12-21T18:49:20ZrusSt. Tikhon's Orthodox UniversityВестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Серия I. Богословие, философия1991-640X1991-640X2014-08-01544496310.15382/sturI201454.49-63Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian PhilosophyElena AnikeevaIndian culture, like other polytheistic religions and philosophies, does not exclude a certain acceptance of a relative theism, which naturally differs from the absolute type of Christian theism or from monotheism. Indian philosophy seems to use the notion Ishvara for the concept of a personal deity and the teaching about this deity or Indian theism is known as Ishvara - vada. The proofs for the existence of God in the Indian philosophical tradition according to the rules of logical argumentation (Ishvaranumana) are best studied in the traditional Hindu darshana nyaes and in the vaysheshika (nyaya-vaysheshika). These contain the proofs for the essential attributes of Ishvara (the source of the movement of the universe, of the rationality and the purpose of the world) together with his personal attributes (the benevolent Guardian and Guide of all that lives). Usually, the work known as the Nyaya-kusmanjali written in the tenth century by Udayana are considered to contain the most complete formulation of the doctrine of Ishvaranumana. After refuting the arguments of the Indian anti-theists or Nirishvaravadins, Udayana proceeds to define the celebrated eight arguments for the existence of God: 1) as the active cause (karya); 2) as the originator of the bringing together of the atoms (ayojana); 3) as the conserver (dhrti) and the destroyer (samhara) of the world: 4) on the basis of words (padat); and 5) sentences (vacyat); 6) because of authority (pratyaya); 7) revelation (shruti); and 8) number, or the numerical structure of the universe (samkhya). Certain proofs (1, 2, 3 and 8) are cosmological in character; others (4, 5, 6 and 7) are ethical or pragmatic.theismIshvaranirishvada-vadanyayavaysheshikaIshvaranumana |
| spellingShingle | Elena Anikeeva Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Серия I. Богословие, философия theism Ishvara nirishvada-vada nyaya vaysheshika Ishvaranumana |
| title | Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy |
| title_full | Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy |
| title_fullStr | Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy |
| title_short | Arguments for the Existence of God / Ishvara in Indian Philosophy |
| title_sort | arguments for the existence of god ishvara in indian philosophy |
| topic | theism Ishvara nirishvada-vada nyaya vaysheshika Ishvaranumana |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elenaanikeeva argumentsfortheexistenceofgodishvarainindianphilosophy |