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Description
(Short description)
This book by Hugo David investigates the beginnings, in the 10th century CE, of an autonomous reflection on language in the "non-dualist" trend of Brahmanical exegesis (Advaita-Vedanta) inaugurated in the 8th century by Sankara. Its starting point is a detailed study of the most ancient text exclusively devoted to linguistic issues belonging to that tradition, which is translated here for the first time in a western language, and of its only known Sanskrit commentary. On this basis, an attempt is made to understand why Prakasatman, one of the most illustrious non-dualist thinkers, engaged in an entirely new reflection on language, unknown to his predecessors. This approach, centred on hermeneutics rather than doctrine, allows one to understand how philosophy of language came to occupy a prominent position in late Advaita, as the cornerstone of a "system", where being, however immediate, presents itself through the medium of Sacred speech.
(Text)
This book investigates the beginnings, in the 10th century CE, of an autonomous reflection on language in the "non-dualist" trend of Brahmanical exegesis (Advaita-Vedanta), inaugurated in the 8th century by Sankara. Its starting point is the detailed study of the most ancient text of that tradition exclusively devoted to linguistic philosophy: Prakasatman's Inquiry into Verbal Knowledge (Sabdanirnaya), critically edited and translated here for the first time. The text and its translation are followed by a new edition of its only known Sanskrit commentary by another famous Advaitin, Anandabodha (11th century). A preliminary study, historical as well as philosophical, introduces some key concepts, and situates this seminal work at the crossroads between two lines of history: that of the non-dualist movement after Sankara ("classical" or "late" Advaita) and that of linguistic traditions in medieval India. On this basis, an attempt is made to understand why one of the most illustrious non-dualist thinkers chose to engage in an entirely new reflection on language, virtually unknown to his predecessors, thereby breaking new ground for what would become the typical Vedantic reflexion on meaning and interpretation. This approach, centred on hermeneutics rather than doctrine, allows one to understand how philosophy of language came to occupy a prominent position in later Advaita, as the cornerstone of a "system" where Being, however immediate, presents itself through the medium of Sacred Speech.
(Short description)
Cet ouvrage de Hugo David cherche à circonscrire l'apparition, au Xe siècle de notre ère, d'une réflexion autonome sur le langage au sein du courant de pensée exégétique non dualiste (Advaita Vedanta) inauguré au VIIIe siècle par Sankara. Partant de l'étude approfondie du plus ancien texte de cette tradition consacré exclusivement à des questions linguistiques - traduit ici pour la première fois dans une langue occidentale -, on cherche à comprendre les raisons qui poussèrent un de ses plus illustres représentants, Prakasatman, à s'engager dans une réflexion sur le langage encore étrangère à ses prédécesseurs, quand bien même elle plonge ses racines dans des problèmes exégétiques plus anciens. Cette approche - herméneutique plus que doctrinale - permet de redonner à la parole toute sa place dans l'édifice de l'Advaita, « système » dont le fondement se donne dans une extériorité radicale, et dont la réflexion linguistique constitue à bien des égards la philosophie première.
