Thinker, Thought and Knowledge critically and analytically reasons that some of the philosophical expositions like “thought has created the thinker” and “higher-order thoughts are themselves conscious” hinder us from explaining our sense of unity of consciousness. This book presents and elucidates some observations — thought cannot create thinker; along with thinker and thought, thinking too is quintessential for individual experience to take place; thinker, thinking and thought are fundamentally one in self-consciousness; thought becomes the object of self-consciousness; and the modern science attempts to undermine the principle of causation — from the East—West perspective, and registers its disproval with the philosophical views of scholars like J. Krishnamurti and a few other modern philosophers. Coming to the knowledge aspect, the volume delineates the relative existence and knowledge dealing with the absolute reality, and discusses it on the basis of Advaita Vedanta and the Yogacara Vijiianavada of the Buddhist philosophy along with Immanuel Kant’s theory of knowledge. The researcher’s approach employed in this volume should help the students of philosophy and other discerning readers take an analytical and critical positioning towards many a philosophical problem that they come across. CONTENTS Preface Introduction Thinker as Thinking Being Sartre’s Interpretation of Descartes Formula: I Think, Therefore I Am Vedāntic Interpretation of Descartes’ Formula: I Think, Therefore I Am The Cogito in Existential Philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre Pre-reflective consciousness or cogito Reflective Consciousness or cogito Unity between pre-reflective consciousness or cogito and reflective cogito The Cogito in Phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty The Transcendental Ego as Thinking Being Transcendental Ego in Kant’s Philosophy Transcendental Ego in Husserl’s Phenomenology Pure Ego in Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭādvaita of Indian Philosophy Thinking Being in Kant’s Philosophy Thinking as Freedom in Hegel’s Philosophy Thinking as Subject and Object Thought Self (Self-Consciousness) and Knowledge 1. Thinker as Self-Conscious Being Introduction Transcendental Unity of Self-consciousness Vedāntic interpretation of Transcendental unity of self-consciousness Self-consciousness in Hegel’s Philosophy Lordship and Bondage Freedom of Self-consciousness Puruṣa (Self-conscious Human Being) in the Sāṁkhya-Yoga of Indian Philosophy Self-Conscious Being in the Advaita Vedānta Vivaraṇa School of Vedānta Bhāmatī School of Vedānta Relation between the Absolute and the Individual Self Witness Consciousness 2. Nature and Process of Thought Introduction Nature of Thought in Advaita Vedānta The Postulates of Empirical Thought in Kant’s Philosophy Thought in Sir William Hamilton’s Philosophy Laws of Thought Hegel’s Denial of Laws of Thought Thought and Being in Hegel’s Philosophy Higher-Order Thought Critical Assessment Thought Process and Atom Vaiśeṣika’s Atomic Theory of Indian Philosophy The Atomic Theory The Eleven Moments Theory Functions of Different Atoms Thought Process in Buddhist Philosophy Bhavaṅga Citta and Transcendental Ego Order of Thought (Citta-Niyāma) in Buddhist Philosophy Vedāntic Interpretation of Constant and Variable’s Aspects of Every Consciousness 3. Thought, Memory and Time Introduction Saṁskāra (Disposition) and Consciousness Memory and Consciousness Memory in Buddhist Philosophy Memory in the Vaiśeṣika’s philosophy Memory in the Nayāya Philosophy The Concept of Saṁskāra of Saṁkhya-Yoga Advaita Vedānta Theory of Saṁskāra (Disposition) The Epistemology of Recollection (Smr̥ti) Citta Memory in Sir William Hamilton Bart’s Philosophy Pratyabhijñā (Recognition) School of Kashmir Śaivism Thought and Time Thought as Existence Thought as Time Objective Time Thought as Space Temporality of Consciousness Consciousness, Thought and Time 4. Thought as the Source of Nature and Quantum Physics Introduction The Quantum Theory of Physics The Concept of One in Many and Many in One Matter: Wholeness and Implicate Order What Is Order Quantum Field Theory and Implicate Order Implicate Order and Generative Order Consciousness and Implicate Order Consciousness and Matter Interconnection between Consciousness and Matter Observer in Quantum Physics Emerging Implications 5. Kant’s Theory of Knowledge Introduction Perception and Consciousness Sensibility Understanding Interaction Perception Object Sensation External Perception Space and Time Space Time and Inner Sense Metaphysical Exposition of the Conception Concluding Observations Elucidation Priority of Time over Space 6. Knowledge and Consciousness in Advaita Vedānta Introduction Self-consciousness and Knowledge Consciousness as Foundational Knowledge Unity of Ātman or Brahman (Pure Consciousness) Ātman as Sat Ātman as Cit Ātman as Bliss (Ānanda) The Non-dual Nature of the Ātman Proof of Ātman Mind and Consciousness Consciousness and Manifestation Theory of Five Kośas: Realms of Knowledge Annamaya-Kośa (Matter and Life) Prāṇamaya-Kośa (Vital Sheath) Manomaya-Kośa (Mind Sheath) Vijñānamaya-Kośa (Intellect Sheath) Ānandamaya-Kośa (Bliss Sheath) Five Kośas as Solution of Body–Mind Problem and Gaining Different Kinds of Knowledge 7. Perceptual Knowledge in Advaita Vedānta Introduction Internal Perception External Perception Contact of Sense Organs with Their Respective Objects Mental Mode of Advaita Vedānta Cognitive Process of External Perception Perceptual Illusion 8. Self-knowledge of Advaita Vedānta Introduction Liberation as Self-Realization The Locus of Ignorance Three States of Consciousness (Sleep, Dream and Waking) Metaphysics of Sleep Consciousness Dream Consciousness Waking Consciousness Causal Body of Human Being and Causal Consciousness Causal Body Causal Consciousness Means of Liberation Turīya 9. Perception and Self-consciousness in Yogācāra Vijñānavāda of Buddhist Philosophy Introduction Self in Tattvasaṁghraha External World and Object of Perception External World Atomism Object of Perception: Unique Particular Sense Perception and Sensation Source of Sensation in Yogācāra Vijñānavāda Momentary Perception 10. Quantum Physics and the Buddha Nature Introduction The Absolute Reality: Buddha’s Nature as Tathatā (Suchness) Critical Comments Dharmakāya Svābhavikakāya Saṁbhogakāya Nirmāṇakāya Purification of Consciousness Kāmāvacāra-citta-bhūmi (sphere) Rūpāvacāra-citta-bhūmi Arūpāvacāra-citta-bhūmi Lokuttara-citta-bhūmi Universal Flux Quantum Physics Buddhist Philosophy Six Hetus in Abhidharma Kāraṇa-hetu Sahabhū-hetu Saṁprayuktaka-hetu Sabhāga-hetu Sarvatraga-hetu Vipāka-hetu Ālaya-Vijñāna and Momentariness Reconciliation 11. Epilogue Bibliogcraphy Index