Phenomenology of Consciousness in Ādi Śamkara and Edmund Husserl
Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology May 1, 2009 Surya Kanta Maharana 3 citations
Pure consciousness is foundational, evidencing, and absolute for any epistemic act, according to a parallel reading of Edmund Husserl's transcendental phenomenology and Ādi Śamkara's Advaita Vedānta. The paper compares Husserl's 'Transcendental I' with Śamkara's 'Witness Consciousness' (Sākshi Caitanya), highlighting significant differences in their approaches while unveiling a common thesis. It argues that the Advaitic understanding of pure consciousness is a major contribution to comparative philosophy, serving as a vantage point for cross-cultural comparison. The investigation explores the phenomenological relevance of consciousness in Indian philosophy, emphasizing pure consciousness as an essential criterion for any sound theory of knowledge.