The Ocean of Inquiry is a vernacular compendium of Advaita Vedānta, one of the most influential traditions of South Asian religion and philosophy, especially in modern times. Its author, Niścaldās (ca. 1791 – 1863), was a classically trained pandit and a sādhu of the Dādū Panth. His work was widely read in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, both in its Hindi original and in regional translations: Vivekananda once referred to it as the most influential book in India. Surprisingly, however, The Ocean of Inquiry remains virtually unknown to Western scholars; even specialists in Hinduism have rarely heard of it. This dissertation aims to draw attention both to Niścaldās’s work and to the broader genre of vernacular Vedānta; it also calls into question the notion that late Advaita Vedānta represents a period of intellectual decline. Part I provides a historical and textual overview of The Ocean of Inquiry, arguing that Niścaldās’s work should be situated within what might be termed "Greater Advaita Vedānta," or Advaita Vedānta as it was disseminated outside the received canon of Sanskrit philosophical works. This part of the dissertation also offers the first comprehensive biography of Niścaldās in English, and it analyzes the significance of his choice to write in the vernacular. Part II investigates the relationship of philosophy and religious practice in Niścaldās’s work. Taking as its starting point the question "What does it mean for knowledge to liberate?" this part of the dissertation argues that for Niścaldās, the key distinction is not between theoretical knowledge and liberating knowledge but between doubtful and doubt-free awareness. For those who are properly qualified, the central practice on the path to liberation is the practice of inquiry (vicāra), interpreted as a dialectical process of raising and removing doubts. This interpretation is supported with three "case studies" of characters in The Ocean of Inquiry who reach liberation. The conclusion is that for Niścaldās, philosophical inquiry is not a purely theoretical undertaking; under the right conditions, it can become a concrete religious practice.

Abstract not available. / Thesis(M.A.)--University of Durban-Westville, 1986.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity International University, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117).

Le thème de la « non dualité » (advaïta vedanta) ouvre sur des questions liées à un vécu au-delà de nos identifications, dont celles à notre corps et à un « moi » séparé. Nous nous appuyons sur la rencontre avec des personnes témoignant d’un vécu « non duel », dans une approche phénoménologique. Cette recherche aspire à donner un nouvel ancrage à la psychologie, dans le terreau de la philosophie. D’autres questions sont abordées, telles que celles de l’identité, de nos représentations, de la réalité, de la pensée et de sa distinction d’avec la conscience, notre rapport à la souffrance, au temps, et l’intensité du vécu lorsqu’il se situe dans le présent, l’appréhension de ce qu’est la réalité pour nos témoins dans ce présent et sans la saisie par la pensée, et la disparition de la distinction sujet/objet au niveau de l’Être. Nous tentons aussi d’aborder la quête d’un absolu, en rendant compte de l’accueil de la vie telle que celle-ci nous apparaît, dans sa singularité et dans son immanence.Nous pointons aussi la difficulté de nos témoins de dire avec des mots la teneur de leur vécu, ce qui aboutit souvent à des paradoxes, mais nous tentons aussi de montrer que la rencontre est vivante et que ce n’est pas tant ce qui se dit, que ce qui sous-tend ce qui est dit, qui a valeur de vérité et d’authenticité. Le vécu « non duel » nous permet ainsi d'envisager une écoute libre de la pensée limitante, ancrée dans une résonance corporelle et émotionnelle. Enfin, il donne à la Conscience une dimension essentielle, à la fois de respect de ce qui se donne à voir et à entendre, et de réponse possible à la quête de l’Être qui sommeille en tout être humain. / The theme of "non duality" (advaïta vedanta) raises questions regarding living beyond our identifications, such as identifications with our body and with a separate “me". We build on meetings with people testifying of a non-dual living, and we do so with a phenomenological approach. This research aspires to give psychology a new anchorage in philosophy’s fertile ground.Other questions are approached, such as those of identity, of our representations, of reality, of thought and its distinction from consciousness, also raised are questions on our relation with suffering, with time, with the intensity of living when this living is situated in the present, with the apprehension of what reality is for our witnesses in this present without the grasp of thought, and with the end of the distinction subject/object at the level of the Being. We also try to tackle the topic of the quest for the absolute, while reflecting on the way we can welcome life as it appears to us, in its uniqueness and its immanence.We also point out the difficulty for our witnesses to put into words the content of their living, a situation which often leads to paradoxes. On the other hand, we also try to show that the meeting is full of life, and that it is not so much what is said than what underlies what is said - including the silence and the presence –that bears truth.Non-duality thus allows us to consider a listening free from limiting thought, anchored in a physical and emotional resonance. Lastly, it gives Consciousness an essential dimension, that of respect for what is given to be seen and to be heard, and that of a possible answer for the quest of Being which lies dormant in every human being. / El tema de la « no dualidad » (advaita vedanta) nos lleva a entender que las vivencias van másallá de nuestras identificaciones, incluso aquellas relacionadas con nuestro cuerpo y con un« yo » diferenciado.Nos apoyamos en el encuentro con personas que comparten su testimonio sobre vivencias« no duales » desde una perspectiva fenomenológica. Intentamos así apropiarnos lo másíntimamente posible de la capacidad de interpelación de estas vivencias evitando cualquierinterpretación. Esta investigación aspira a ofrecer un nuevo arraigo en la psicología dentro delámbito de la filosofía y a su capacidad de iniciar el proceso de descubrimiento del ser y delsujeto « conocedor ».También profundizo en otras cuestiones como aquellas relacionadas con la identidad, nuestrasrepresentaciones, de la realidad, del pensamiento y su diferenciación con la conciencia. Asímismo, nuestra relación con el sufrimiento, con el tiempo y la intensidad de lo vivido cuandoéste se hace presente. Abordamos igualmente la aprehensión de lo que es la realidad para laspersonas que compartieron su testimonio de este presente sin ser captado por el pensamientoy finalmente, la desaparición de la diferenciación entre sujeto y objeto a nivel del Ser.Intentamos igualmente plantearnos el deseo de búsqueda de un absoluto, relatando la acogidade la vida tal cómo se nos presenta en su singularidad e inmanencia.Consideramos importante señalar la dificultad para nuestros entrevistados de nombrar elcontenido de sus vivencias, lo que nos lleva a menudo a paradojas y, como una vez esaspalabras son dichas, pueden atraparnos en la cárcel de las certezas del saber. Sin embargointentamos también demostrar que el encuentro tiene vida y que no es tanto lo dicho como losobreentendido que tiene valor de verdad y autenticidad, incluso el silencio y el peso de unapresencia.La vivencia « adual » nos permite contemplar una escucha libre del pensamiento limitadorenraizado en una resonancia corporal y emocional. En conclusión, es la vivencia « adual » laque da a la Consciencia una dimensión esencial a la vez de respeto de lo que se ofrece a ver ya entender y de respuesta posible a la búsqueda del Ser latente en todo ser humano. / Il tema della « non dualità », advaïta vedanta, apre su delle domande legate ad un vissuto al dilà delle nostre identificazioni di cui queste al nostro corpo ed a un « io » diviso.Ci appogiamo sull’incontro con le personne che manifestano di un vissuto « non duello », in unapproccio fénomenologico. Tentiamo di afferare questo vissuto al più vicino a ciò che puòvenire ad interrogarci, evitando le interpretazione. Questa ricerca aspira a dare un nuovoancorraggio alla psicologia, nel concime della filosofia, ed in ciò che questa ultima porta in essodi messa in moto un movimento d’un processo di scoperta dell’essere e del « soggettoconoscente ».Altre temi sono abbordate, come queste dell’identità, delle nostre rappresentazioni, della realtà,del pensièro e della sua distinzione della coscienza, il nostro rapporto alla sofferenza, al tempo,e l’intensita del vissuto quando si trova nel presente, l’apprensione di ciò che è la realta per inostri testimoni in questo presente e senza inserimento del pensiero, e la scomparsa delladistinzione soggetto/oggeto al livello dell’essere. Tentiamo anche di abbordare la ricerca di unassoluto en che rende conto dell’accoglienza della vita come questa c’appare, nella suasingolarità e nella sua immanenza.Puntiamo anche la difficoltà dei nostri testimoni di dire con le parole il contenuto della loroesperienza, ciò che spesso porta ai paradossi e anche come una volta affermati le parolepossono richiudersi come una trappola, quello del sapere. Ma tentiamo anche di monstrare chel’incontro è vivente e che ha valore di verità, non tanto ciò che se dice che ciò che sottende ciòche è detto, e di autenticità, compreso il silenzio ed il contenuto di una presenza.Il vissuto « non duello » ci permette cosi di considerare un ascolto libero del pensiero limitativo,radicato in una risonanza corporea ed emotiva. Finalmente dà alla coscienza una dimenzioneessenziale, al tempo stesso di rispetto di ciò che si da a vedere ed a sentire, e di rispostapossibile alla missione dell’essere che sta dormendo in ogni essere umano. / U tema di a « non dualità », advaïta vedanta, cunduci à quistioni ligati à un campà aldilà d'inostri idintificazioni, trà i quali quilli à u nostru corpu è à un mè stessu staccatu.Ci appughjemu à nant'à u scontru cù parsoni testimuniendu d'un campà "non-duali" in un’avvicinera fenumenulogica. Pruvemu à pighjà stu campà u più strettu di ciò ch'ellu pò venaintarrugà trà mezu à no, evitendu l'intarpretazioni. Sta ricerca brama di dà un zocculu novu à apsiculugia, in u tarricciu di a filusuffia, chì porta in pettu a missa in baddu d'un prucessu discuparta di l'Essaru è di u sughjettu cunniscenti.D'altri quistioni sò avvicinati, com’è quilli di l'idintità, d'i nostri raprisintazioni, di a rialità, di upinsà è di a so distinzioni da incù a cuscenza, u nostru rapportu cù u patimentu, u tempu,l'intinsità di u campà quand'ellu si poni ind'u prisenti, circà di piddà ciò chì hè a rialità pà i nostritestimoni ind’è stu prisenti è senza essa chjappu da u pinsà, è a disparizioni di a distinzionisughjettu/ughjettu à u livellu di l'Essaru. Pruvemu dinò à evucà a cerca di un assulutu,rendendu contu di l'accogliu di a vita tali ch’ella ci si figura, in a so singularità è in a soimmanenza.Puntemu dinò a difficultà d'i nostri testimoni di dì incù parolli u cuntinutu di u so campà, ciò chìsbocca cunduci à spessu à paradossi è dinò comu una volta cacciati ditti i parolli si ponirichjoda com’è una trappula, quilla di u sapè, ma pruvemu dinò à mustrà chì u scontru hè vivu èchì ùn hè tantu ciò chì si dici, chì susteni ciò chì hè dittu, chì t'hà un valori di verità è disputichezza, includendu u silenziu è l’esistenza u tenidori d'una prisenza.U campà "non duali" ci parmetti cusì di pruspettà un ascoltu libaru di u pinsà limitanti, ancuratuin un ribombu curpurali è emuziunali. Insomma, dà à a Cuscenza una diminsioni essenziali,attempu di rispettu di ciò chì si dà à veda è à senta, è di risposta pussibuli à a cerca di l'Essaruchì durmiciulighja in ogni umanu.

This research was stimulated by pastoral concerns pertaining to the South African Hindu Community. It was found that the community had a noticeable number of individuals stagnant or stranded at the level of gross spirituality. On the other hand it is known that the primary texts of Hinduism and its long mystical traditions, from the Vedic Period to the Neo-Vedanta Movement, had adequate motivational and goal-orientated material to address this challenge. This work surveys the Vedic and Upanishadic texts in order to show the literary, social and philosophical conditions under which they were produced. Hindu mysticism emerges from all these strands of development. Gross mysticism in the form of elaborate rituals occupies the attention of the early Vedic seers. This graduates into subtle subjective mysticism in the Upanishads. At each phase there is a paradigm shift which this study interprets in the light of Shankara (medieval period) and Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan of the Neo-Vedanta Movement. In the early Vedic period the soul is a metaphysical entity. Upon death it is judged in accordance with its good or bad actions. Heavenly rewards or the punishment of hell are meted out to it. Heaven and hell are final eschatological goals for the soul in the Vedic period. In the Upanishadic period heaven and hell are temporary eschatological goals. The ultimate Upanishadic goal is Liberation which implies the mystical cessation of empirical existence and the realization of Unitary Consciousness. The Taittiriya Upanishad defines the soul analytically as a formulation of five sheaths : body, vital energy, mind, intellect and bliss with an immortal consciousness as its divine focus. These sheaths are fundamental to Hindu sacred psychology. Functioning under the effects of ignorance each sheath binds the soul to mundane existence. However, each sheath also possesses an intrinsic capacity to liberate the soul from suffering. This research explores the limitations and opportunities of each sheath and indicates the path by which the soul's divine potential may be realized. In the light of the Neo-Vedantic outlook this process is considered with a life-affirming attitude which is of relevance to South African Hindus. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Lit et Phil. (Religious Studies)

Vers la fin du 19ème siècle, le moine et réformateur hindou Swami Vivekananda affirma que la science moderne convergeait vers l'Advaita Vedanta, un important courant philosophique et religieux de l'hindouisme. Au cours des décennies suivantes, suite aux apports scientifiques révolutionnaires de la théorie de la relativité d'Einstein et de la physique quantique, un nombre croissant d'auteurs soutenaient que d'importants "parallèles" pouvaient être tracés entre l'Advaita Vedanta et la physique moderne. Encore aujourd'hui, de tels rapprochements sont faits, particulièrement en relation avec la physique quantique. Cette thèse examine de manière critique ces rapprochements à travers l'étude comparative détaillée de deux concepts: le concept d'akasa dans l'Advaita Vedanta et celui de vide en physique quantique. L'énoncé examiné est celui selon lequel ces deux concepts pointeraient vers une même réalité: un substratum omniprésent et subtil duquel émergent et auquel retournent ultimement les divers constituants de l'univers. Sur la base de cette étude comparative, la thèse argumente que des comparaisons de nature conceptuelle favorisent rarement la mise en place d'un véritable dialogue entre l'Advaita Vedanta et la physique moderne. Une autre voie d'approche serait de prendre en considération les limites épistémologiques respectivement rencontrées par ces disciplines dans leur approche du "réel-en-soi" ou de la "réalité ultime." Une attention particulière sera portée sur l'épistémologie et le problème de la nature de la réalité dans l'Advaita Vedanta, ainsi que sur le réalisme scientifique et les implications philosophiques de la non-séparabilité en physique quantique. / Toward the end of the 19th century, the Hindu monk and reformer Swami Vivekananda claimed that modern science was inevitably converging towards Advaita Vedanta, an important philosophico-religious system in Hinduism. In the decades that followed, in the midst of the revolution occasioned by the emergence of Einstein's relativity and quantum physics, a growing number of authors claimed to discover striking "parallels" between Advaita Vedanta and modern physics. Such claims of convergence have continued to the present day, especially in relation to quantum physics. In this dissertation, an attempt is made to critically examine such claims by engaging a detailed comparative analysis of two concepts: akasa in Advaita Vedanta and vacuum in quantum physics. What is examined is the claim that both concepts would refer to the same reality — an enduring, subtle and all-pervading physical substratum out of which the constituents of the world come into existence and to which they ultimately return. Based on this study, the dissertation argues that comparisons relying on conceptual affinities alone generally fall short of establishing a productive dialogue between Advaita Vedanta and modern physics. Another approach is to bring into focus the epistemological limits respectively encountered by these systems when attempting to define the content of "reality-in-itself" or "ultimate reality." Emphasis is given to epistemology and the problem of reality in Advaita Vedanta, and scientific realism and philosophical implications of nonseparability in quantum physics.

Vers la fin du 19ème siècle, le moine et réformateur hindou Swami Vivekananda affirma que la science moderne convergeait vers l'Advaita Vedanta, un important courant philosophique et religieux de l'hindouisme. Au cours des décennies suivantes, suite aux apports scientifiques révolutionnaires de la théorie de la relativité d'Einstein et de la physique quantique, un nombre croissant d'auteurs soutenaient que d'importants "parallèles" pouvaient être tracés entre l'Advaita Vedanta et la physique moderne. Encore aujourd'hui, de tels rapprochements sont faits, particulièrement en relation avec la physique quantique. Cette thèse examine de manière critique ces rapprochements à travers l'étude comparative détaillée de deux concepts: le concept d'akasa dans l'Advaita Vedanta et celui de vide en physique quantique. L'énoncé examiné est celui selon lequel ces deux concepts pointeraient vers une même réalité: un substratum omniprésent et subtil duquel émergent et auquel retournent ultimement les divers constituants de l'univers. Sur la base de cette étude comparative, la thèse argumente que des comparaisons de nature conceptuelle favorisent rarement la mise en place d'un véritable dialogue entre l'Advaita Vedanta et la physique moderne. Une autre voie d'approche serait de prendre en considération les limites épistémologiques respectivement rencontrées par ces disciplines dans leur approche du "réel-en-soi" ou de la "réalité ultime." Une attention particulière sera portée sur l'épistémologie et le problème de la nature de la réalité dans l'Advaita Vedanta, ainsi que sur le réalisme scientifique et les implications philosophiques de la non-séparabilité en physique quantique. / Toward the end of the 19th century, the Hindu monk and reformer Swami Vivekananda claimed that modern science was inevitably converging towards Advaita Vedanta, an important philosophico-religious system in Hinduism. In the decades that followed, in the midst of the revolution occasioned by the emergence of Einstein's relativity and quantum physics, a growing number of authors claimed to discover striking "parallels" between Advaita Vedanta and modern physics. Such claims of convergence have continued to the present day, especially in relation to quantum physics. In this dissertation, an attempt is made to critically examine such claims by engaging a detailed comparative analysis of two concepts: akasa in Advaita Vedanta and vacuum in quantum physics. What is examined is the claim that both concepts would refer to the same reality — an enduring, subtle and all-pervading physical substratum out of which the constituents of the world come into existence and to which they ultimately return. Based on this study, the dissertation argues that comparisons relying on conceptual affinities alone generally fall short of establishing a productive dialogue between Advaita Vedanta and modern physics. Another approach is to bring into focus the epistemological limits respectively encountered by these systems when attempting to define the content of "reality-in-itself" or "ultimate reality." Emphasis is given to epistemology and the problem of reality in Advaita Vedanta, and scientific realism and philosophical implications of nonseparability in quantum physics.

This research was stimulated by pastoral concerns pertaining to the South African Hindu Community. It was found that the community had a noticeable number of individuals stagnant or stranded at the level of gross spirituality. On the other hand it is known that the primary texts of Hinduism and its long mystical traditions, from the Vedic Period to the Neo-Vedanta Movement, had adequate motivational and goal-orientated material to address this challenge. This work surveys the Vedic and Upanishadic texts in order to show the literary, social and philosophical conditions under which they were produced. Hindu mysticism emerges from all these strands of development. Gross mysticism in the form of elaborate rituals occupies the attention of the early Vedic seers. This graduates into subtle subjective mysticism in the Upanishads. At each phase there is a paradigm shift which this study interprets in the light of Shankara (medieval period) and Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan of the Neo-Vedanta Movement. In the early Vedic period the soul is a metaphysical entity. Upon death it is judged in accordance with its good or bad actions. Heavenly rewards or the punishment of hell are meted out to it. Heaven and hell are final eschatological goals for the soul in the Vedic period. In the Upanishadic period heaven and hell are temporary eschatological goals. The ultimate Upanishadic goal is Liberation which implies the mystical cessation of empirical existence and the realization of Unitary Consciousness. The Taittiriya Upanishad defines the soul analytically as a formulation of five sheaths : body, vital energy, mind, intellect and bliss with an immortal consciousness as its divine focus. These sheaths are fundamental to Hindu sacred psychology. Functioning under the effects of ignorance each sheath binds the soul to mundane existence. However, each sheath also possesses an intrinsic capacity to liberate the soul from suffering. This research explores the limitations and opportunities of each sheath and indicates the path by which the soul's divine potential may be realized. In the light of the Neo-Vedantic outlook this process is considered with a life-affirming attitude which is of relevance to South African Hindus. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Lit et Phil. (Religious Studies)