Asian Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Asian Philosophy - Essay Example The main issue in dispute here is the fact that, while Brahman is conceived as encompassing all reality, Brahman is also understood to be the cause of the world. This claim seems contradictory to the metaphysical principle of causality. This is because, according to the metaphysical principle of causality, the cause and the effect can never be the same. The metaphysical principle of causality demands that the cause and the effect must, of necessity, be different, otherwise there will be no causality at all. On the contrary, however, Vedanta Sutra holds that Brahman is the absolute reality that encompasses the totality of reality and at the same time is the cause of the world; this claim clearly seems to be contrary to the metaphysical principle of causality that we have explained. In an effort to reconcile the metaphysical principle of causality and the teachings of Vedanta Sutra on the nature of reality, Samkara held that the non-difference of cause and effect in regard to Brahman a nd the world result from the use of such terms as origin and other such terms. The main point that Samkara makes in this claim is that in reality there is no causal relation, as we conceive it, between Brahman and the world. For Brahman, the concept of causality in regard to the relation between Brahman and the world is fictitious, and it is brought about by use of wrong terms like† origin† in the description of the relation between Brahman and the world. For Samkara, Braham is all there is, and it is not differentiated or it does not have any modifications, it is one absolute entity that encompasses all reality. Samkara defended this claim in the following three ways. Firstly, using the example of clay and the things that are made from the clay, Samkara argued that there is no really any difference between the clay and the things that are