Abstract
In this book we shall be studying the theology of Rāmānuja, a Tamil Brahmin from South India. Rāmānuja (traditional dates: 1017–1137 CE)1 was a man of deep faith in God2 and wrote essentially as a theologian: that is, his main concern as a thinker was to reflect systematically on the nature of God and God’s relation to the world. To this end he was also a philosopher in the commonly accepted sense of one seeking lasting and fundamental knowledge by the light of reason. But his philosophy was at the service of his theology and to do justice to both aspects of his approach we may call him a philosophical theologian.3 We shall not spend time in describing his life or the social milieu of his times, interesting and important though this may be. Much of the former appears to be shrouded in legend, and adequate biographies to suit all tastes, in potted or more extended versions, are not difficult to come by.4 At the risk of seeming insensitive to Rāmānuja the man, I suggest we devote all our energies to examining Rāmānuja the thinker-and this for a number of reasons. In the first place, his thought has made a lasting impression on the multi-faceted phenomenon that is Vedāntic Hinduism and continues to mould the religious perspective of many; secondly, I believe that Rāmānuja’s thinking is likely to influence deeply theological, especially Christian, speculation beyond Hindu cultural boundaries. We shall not be able to go into this in detail though I hope that in treatment and content this book will be seen to have potential for inter-religious, especially Hindu-Christian, dialogue. On occasion I shall try to make this outward-looking aspect more explicit. Finally, it is Rāmānuja’s thinking that presents the evidence we may rely on best to assess his contribution as a man of God towards enriching our lives. This work therefore is a critical tribute to Rāmānuja as thinker.
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© 1986 Julius J. Lipner
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Lipner, J.J. (1986). Language and Meaning. In: The Face Of Truth. Library of Philosophy and Religion. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-07915-5_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-07915-5_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-07917-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-07915-5
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