Greek Bharat Chintanatmak Aaikya

This document is the Gujarati text of the book Greek Bharat Chintanatmak Aaikya (Greek-Indian Intellectual Unity) by T. U. Mehta, published by Sastu Sahityavardhak Karyalay, Mumbai. The catalog link provided is for JainQQ.org.

The book explores the intellectual and philosophical connections between ancient Greece and India, particularly focusing on the period before Socrates and its parallels with Indian thought.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

Book's Aim and Philosophy:

• The book aims to showcase the similarities and connections between pre-Socratic Greek philosophy and Indian philosophy.
• It posits that while these two streams of thought may appear distinct, they share underlying similarities, suggesting a closer relationship than commonly perceived.
• The publisher, "Sastu Sahitya," emphasizes that "cheap literature is the highest literature," indicating a focus on making profound ideas accessible.

Author and Dedication:

• The author, T. U. Mehta (Tiyambaklal Umedchand Mehta), was a retired Chief Justice of the Himachal High Court, an active figure in public affairs in Gujarat after retirement, and a keen reader and writer. He was also the president of the B. N. Pra. Sangh and a member of the editorial board of the "Vishva Vatsalya" magazine. He was a scholar of world religions, especially Jainism.
• The book is dedicated to the Indian and Greek philosophers of the 4th to 6th centuries BCE.

Key Themes and Comparisons:

1. The 6th Century BCE as an Intellectual Turning Point: The book highlights the 6th century BCE as a period of significant intellectual and social revolution across the globe. While thinkers like Lao Tzu and Confucius emerged in China, Mahavir and Buddha in India, and Zoroaster in the Middle East, a similar intellectual awakening occurred in the Mediterranean region, leading to the Orphic philosophers in Greece.

2. Pre-Socratic Greek Philosophy and Indian Thought:

   • The book argues that Greek philosophy's formal beginning is often traced to Socrates, but significant philosophical groundwork was laid by pre-Socratic thinkers who began addressing human problems intertwined with natural processes.
   • It notes that in India, these efforts had started centuries earlier, dating back to the Vedic and Upanishadic periods.
   • Professor Zimmer is quoted stating that Lord Mahavir was a contemporary of early Greek philosophers like Thales and Anaximander, and that the subtle analyses of nature found in Mahavir's thought were already centuries old in India by the time Greek philosophical texts, considered the first chapter of philosophy in the West, were produced.

3. Influence and Similarities:

   • The author suggests that Aryans who migrated to India and those who went to Europe, influencing Greek and Roman cultures, were of the same racial stock, leading to linguistic and cultural similarities, including between Homeric epics and the Mahabharata.
   • The book posits that the Orphic philosophy in Greece, characterized by beliefs in the soul's imprisonment in the body, reincarnation, and attaining eternal bliss or suffering through karma, bears striking resemblance to Indian thought, particularly Jainism.
   • The Orphic focus on purification, abstaining from meat, and seeking unity with the divine is seen as aligning with Indian ascetic practices.
   • The influence of Orphism on later philosophers like Pythagoras is acknowledged.
   • The book points to the close contact between Greeks and Indians through trade and cultural exchanges, citing Herodotus's observation that an Indian religious sect abstained from eating living things and consumed only grains (referring to Jains and Buddhists).
   • Will Durant is quoted in "Our Oriental Heritage," suggesting that some Indian Upanishads are older than any field of Greek philosophy, and that Pythagoras, Parmenides, and Plato were influenced by Indian philosophy.

4. Divergence in Philosophical Development:

   • A key difference highlighted is that while Western thinkers focused more on the physical causes and manifestations of the universe, Indian thinkers delved into its metaphysical causes.
   • Western philosophy's progress was heavily influenced by the rise of science, leading to a decline in mysticism, whereas Indian culture saw limited progress in the physical sciences.
   • The West found it easier to accept an external deity as the creator and controller of the universe, while Indian thought relied on rational and introspective reasoning to understand universal diversity.
   • Concepts like the soul, karma, reincarnation, sin, merit, violence, and non-violence developed intricately in India, while Western thought primarily progressed in the physical realm.
   • The author notes that modern scientific conclusions from figures like Einstein and Heisenberg are coming closer to Indian logic and philosophy, suggesting a convergence in the future.

5. Key Greek Philosophers and their Indian Parallels:

   • Thales (624-540 BCE): Considered the "father of Greek philosophy," Thales believed water was the fundamental element. While his scientific basis might be debatable, his attempt to explain the world through natural processes, rather than divine intervention, was a significant departure for Western thought, akin to earlier Indian philosophical inquiries. His statement "All things are full of Gods" is also noted.
   • Anaximander (611-547 BCE): Considered the true pioneer of Greek philosophy, he proposed the "Apeiron" (the boundless, indefinite) as the primary substance. This substance was considered unborn, indestructible, and the source of all things, from which contraries arise and return. The book argues that this "boundless something," described as physical yet eternal, is closer to the Indian metaphysical concept of the soul or Brahman. His ideas about the evolution of species and his attempt to distinguish primary 'physis' from visible elements are highlighted as significant. His concept of "justice" and "satisfaction" for transgressions in natural order is compared to the workings of karma.
   • Anaximenes (588-524 BCE): Believed air to be the fundamental element, holding things together like the soul holds the body. He proposed condensation and rarefaction of air as the mechanism for forming different substances, a more mechanical explanation than Anaximander's.
   • Pythagoras (582-405 BCE): Highly regarded for his multifaceted genius and for living his philosophy. His ideas are strongly linked to Indian thought, particularly Jainism. Key similarities noted include:
     • Belief in the soul and reincarnation: This was a central tenet that distinguished him from many Greek thinkers.
     • Emphasis on ethics and purity: This included vegetarianism (avoiding certain plants) and strict asceticism.
     • Concept of karma: The idea that souls attain eternal joy or suffering based on their actions.
     • The soul's journey: The cyclical movement of the soul through various life forms.
     • Communal living (Ashram): He established a commune with shared property and a disciplined lifestyle, emphasizing harmony and righteousness.
     • The importance of knowledge and self-discipline: He encouraged practices to enhance memory and introspection.
     • Number as the basis of reality: His belief that "all things are numbers" is discussed in relation to its mathematical and aesthetic implications, and potentially its connection to an atomic view of the universe.
     • Philosopher as a "lover of wisdom" (Philosophos): Contrasted with merely being "wise" (Sophos).
     • The book strongly asserts that Pythagoras's lifestyle and philosophical tenets were deeply Indian, and Western scholars are reluctant to fully acknowledge this influence.
   • Heraclitus (c. 535 – c. 475 BCE): Known for his doctrine of constant change ("everything flows"), his belief that fire is the fundamental element, and that opposites are essential for progress (e.g., the tension between opposites). His analogies of the river and fire are seen as similar to concepts presented by Lord Buddha centuries earlier. His statements about "God" encompassing all contraries and the soul's immeasurable depth are also linked to Indian spiritual concepts.
   • Xenophanes (c. 570 – c. 478 BCE): Criticized anthropomorphic gods and proposed a singular, non-material, all-pervasive God. He emphasized the difficulty of attaining absolute truth, suggesting that human knowledge is often guesswork. His ideas are seen as a precursor to monotheistic thought and influenced Parmenides.
   • Parmenides (born c. 515 BCE): Advocated for a static, unchanging, singular reality (the "One" or "Being"), contrasting with Heraclitus's view of flux. He distinguished between the "Way of Truth" (rational, unchanging reality) and the "Way of Opinion" (sensory, changing reality). While he leaned towards monism, his description of the "One" as a material sphere is seen as a contradiction. His distinction between "Being" and "Non-being" and the idea that "what is" is eternal and indivisible are explored. The book suggests his "two ways" concept has parallels with Jain philosophy's distinction between Jiva (soul) and Ajiva (non-soul).
   • Empedocles (c. 494 – c. 434 BCE): Closely aligned with Jain philosophy. He proposed four roots of existence (earth, water, air, fire) that intermingled to create diversity. He identified "Love" (Philia) and "Strife" (Neikos) as the forces driving creation and destruction. His ideas about reincarnation, the soul's journey through various forms due to past sins (like shedding blood or breaking oaths), and the cyclical nature of time are presented as highly similar to Jain concepts of karma, leshya, and the transmigration of souls. His scientific contributions, like understanding air as a substance and the nature of the moon's light, are also noted.
   • Anaxagoras (c. 500 – c. 428 BCE): Introduced the concept of "Nous" (Mind or Intellect) as the ordering principle of the universe, a force that is infinite, self-ruling, and pure, separating and organizing the elements. His theory of "homoeomeries" (everything containing a portion of everything else) and the "Doctrine of Seeds" (that all things originate from primordial seeds) are linked to Indian Samkhya philosophy and the concept of Prakriti. His idea of "Mind" as the initiator of motion is compared to the Purusha in Samkhya.
   • Leucippus and Democritus (c. 460 – c. 370 BCE): Developed atomism, proposing that the universe is composed of indivisible atoms moving in a void. Democritus's extensive travels and intellectual curiosity are highlighted. Their atomic theory is seen as a culmination of the materialistic search in Greek philosophy. The book notes that their mechanical view of the universe, lacking a guiding purpose or divine intervention, parallels some aspects of Indian thought but misses the metaphysical dimension of the soul and karma. Their view on knowledge and the distinction between "trueborn" and "bastard" knowledge is also compared to Jain epistemology.

6. The Role of Sophists and Socrates: The book briefly mentions the Sophists as teachers of rhetoric and argument, distinct from true philosophers. It notes that Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, who emerged later, were influenced by Indian thought, and their philosophy, in turn, influenced Islamic thinkers in the Middle East.

Overall Conclusion:

The book "Greek Bharat Chintanatmak Aaikya" by T. U. Mehta meticulously argues for significant intellectual and philosophical convergences between ancient Greek (particularly pre-Socratic) and Indian thought. It suggests that while Western philosophy often focused on the material and mechanistic, and Indian philosophy delved into the metaphysical and spiritual, the underlying questions and some of the fundamental answers show remarkable parallels, especially in the ethical and spiritual domains. The author strongly implies that this similarity is not merely coincidental but indicative of historical contact and mutual influence, with Indian thought often predating and potentially influencing Greek philosophical developments.