Study Of Indian Philosophy In Germany And Austria - Book Summary

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Overview:

This document is a survey by Wilhelm Halbfass of academic contributions to the study of Indian philosophy in Germany and Austria specifically between 1965 and 1972. It begins with a brief historical introduction tracing the development of Indian philosophy studies in these countries, then delves into specific areas of research during the specified period, focusing primarily on German-language publications.

I. Historical Introduction:

Romantic Roots: The study of Indian thought in Germany was initially fueled by Romantic nostalgia, viewing India as a spiritual homeland and cradle of humanity. Key figures like Friedrich Schlegel and his brother August Wilhelm (the first Sanskrit professor in Germany) are highlighted.
Hegel's Critical Approach: G.W.F. Hegel, while a critic of Romanticism, engaged with Indian philosophy in a philosophical and watchful manner, contributing to the idea of a world history of philosophy.
Early Philologists and Philosophers: Figures like K.J.H. Windischmann and O. Frank made early attempts to integrate Indian philosophy into broader philosophical histories and translate key texts like Sadananda's Vedantasāra.
Schopenhauer's Influence: Arthur Schopenhauer significantly promoted interest in Indian thought, though this led to associations with "idealism" and "pessimism."
Deussen and Otto: Paul Deussen, inspired by Schopenhauer, became a devoted Sanskrit scholar and produced significant translations and historical works on Indian philosophy. R. Otto contributed to the understanding of Visiṣṭādvaita.
Academic Hesitation vs. Non-Academic Interest: While leading 20th-century thinkers like Max Scheler, Martin Heidegger, and Karl Jaspers showed interest, academic historians of philosophy remained hesitant or dismissive, often leaving the field to less academic thinkers.
Indologists as Pioneers: Much foundational work was done by Indologists such as O. Strauss, G. Thibaut, R. Garbe, H. von Glasenapp, H. Jacobi, P. Hacker, and W. Ruben. Other Indologists, like E. Hultzsch and H. Oldenberg, also touched upon Indian philosophy.
Frauwallner's Prominence: Erich Frauwallner of Vienna is identified as the most distinguished living representative of Indian philosophy studies in Europe. His pioneering work on early Sāṁkhya and the schools of Dignāga and Dharmakīrti is noted, along with his comprehensive Geschichte der indischen Philosophie.
Frauwallner's Disciples and Centers: Frauwallner's disciples, including G. Oberhammer and E. Steinkellner, continue his tradition of sober, literal, and historically contextualized study. Vienna, Münster (with P. Hacker), and Hamburg (with L. Schmithausen) are identified as key centers for Indian philosophy studies in the German-speaking world.
Focus of the Survey: The survey primarily focuses on academic contributions to Indian philosophy (not just Indian thought in general) published in German between 1965 and 1972.

II. Buddhist Philosophy:

Frauwallner and Buddhist Logic: Frauwallner's most significant contribution is to the study of Buddhist Logic, particularly the schools of Dignāga and Dharmakīrti, which built upon earlier work and offered a more adequate understanding than Th. Stcherbatsky.
Steinkellner and Dharmakīrti: E. Steinkellner has made substantial contributions, including editions and translations of Dharmakīrti's works like Pramāṇaviniscayaḥ (Part 1) and Hetubinduḥ. His work emphasizes a rigorous philological approach, focusing on understanding texts within their original context. He also explored svabhāva in Dharmakīrti's Pramāṇavārttika, challenging Stcherbatsky's interpretation.
Vetter and Dharmakīrti: T. Vetter published work on Dharmakīrti's epistemological issues and also on the "metaphysical proof" in Indian philosophy.
Other Buddhist Studies:
- Frauwallner's Abhidharma Work: Frauwallner also extensively studied Abhidharma, focusing on early systematizations and the development of Sarvāstivāda literature, discussing its relation to Pali Abhidhamma and identifying Dharmasri as a precursor to Vasubandhu.
- Bernhard and Prāțityasamutpāda: F. Bernhard offered a new interpretation of the prāțityasamutpāda formula.
- Schmithausen's Philological Contributions: L. Schmithausen is highlighted for his extensive philological work on texts like the Udānavarga, Ratnagotravibhāga, and the Yogācārabhūmi. He also analyzed Sautrāntika influences in Vasubandhu's Vimsatikā and Trimśikā, supporting the "two-Vasubandhu hypothesis."

III. Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika:

Interplay with Buddhism: The classical period of Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika was marked by conflict and intellectual exchange with Buddhist philosophy, a dynamic explored by Frauwallner and his disciples.
Recent Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika Studies:
- Schmithausen and Prasastapāda: L. Schmithausen critically examined interpretations of "non-qualificative perception" in Prasastapāda.
- Oberhammer and Wezler on Nyāyasūtra 1.1.5: G. Oberhammer and A. Wezler engaged in a debate regarding the interpretation of Nyāyasūtra 1.1.5, connecting it to Buddhist and other Indian texts.
- Frauwallner on Navyanyāya: Frauwallner made significant contributions to Navyanyāya, analyzing Gangesa's Tattvacintāmaṇiḥ on the concept of upādhi and discussing Prabhākara's role. His extensive articles on Raghunātha Śiromaṇi critically examined his position and contributions within Navyanyāya, highlighting a shift towards formal subtleties.

IV. Sāṁkhya and Yoga:

Limited Philosophical Focus: Despite a strong tradition of Sāṁkhya scholarship, the last decade saw relatively less dedicated philosophical attention.
Oberhammer on Yoga: G. Oberhammer discussed the meaning of samādhi and samāpatti in Pātañjala Yoga and the concept of God in Yoga.
Wezler on Sāṁkhya's God: A. Wezler explored the quasi-divine role of Kapila in Sāṁkhya, even within its theoretical atheism.
Srinivasan on Tattvakaumudi: S.A. Srinivasan's work on Vācaspati Miśra's Tattvakaumudi is noted for its textual criticism and discussion of Vācaspati's dating.

V. Mīmāṁsā and Vedānta:

Mandanamiśra's Significance: Mandanamiśra is a central figure, and L. Schmithausen's edition and study of his Vibhramavivekaḥ (dealing with error) provided a comprehensive historical survey of Indian theories of error.
Vetter on Brahmasiddhi: T. Vetter provided a German translation and analysis of the Brahma-kāṇḍa of Mandana's Brahmasiddhi.
Frauwallner on Early Mīmāṁsā: E. Frauwallner studied early Mīmāṁsā epistemology, presenting and discussing texts like Śabara's Bhāṣya and Dignāga's critiques.
Hacker on Advaita Vedānta: P. Hacker continued his important work on Advaita literature, proposing that Śaṅkara was first a follower of Pātañjala Yoga before becoming an Advaitin, and that he came from a Vaiṣṇava milieu rather than Śaiva.
Vetter on Illusionism: T. Vetter distinguished two types of avidyā in Śaṅkara's Brahmasūtrabhāṣya.
Vetter on Samkṣepaśārīrakam: T. Vetter translated the first chapter of Sarvajñātman's Saṁkṣepaśārīrakam, focusing on philosophy of language.
Cammann and Schmithausen on Prakāśātman: K. Cammann analyzed Prakāśātman's Pañcapādikāvivaraṇa, and L. Schmithausen examined its theories of object-knowledge.
Sprockhoff on Jīvanmukti: J.F. Sprockhoff explored the concept of jīvanmukti (liberation while alive) according to Vidyāraṇya.
Oberhammer on Visiṣṭādvaita: G. Oberhammer's work focused on Parāśara Bhaṭṭa's theory of inference and Yamunācārya's interpretation of Brahmasūtra 2.2.42-45, particularly its connections to Pāñcarātra.

VI. General and Miscellaneous Contributions:

Marxist Approach (Ruben): W. Ruben represents a Marxist approach, emphasizing naturalistic and materialistic trends and linking philosophical development to socio-economic factors. His work includes discussions on the historical origins of Indian philosophy and a volume on its development within a social history of ancient India.
Rüstau on Vivekananda and Tilak: H. Rüstau explored the philosophical connections between Swami Vivekananda and Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in relation to India's national liberation movement.
Hauschild on Ashtavakra Gita: R. Hauschild contributed a German translation of the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā.
Oberhammer on God Proof: G. Oberhammer analyzed the problem of proving God's existence in Indian philosophy, particularly within Nyāya thought.
Hacker on Cosmogony: P. Hacker contrasted mechanistic and theistic cosmogonies in Hinduism.
Schlinghoff on Mahabharata Fragments: D. Schlinghoff presented early evidence for the Mahābhārata's Parvan arrangement and its philosophical sections from a manuscript found in Central Asia.

Abbreviations: The document concludes with a list of abbreviations for journals and series used throughout the text.