Cultural understanding: multi-topial hermeneutics, planetary conversations and dialogues with Confucianism and Vedanta

Abstract

Understanding is a multi-dimensional journey. Understanding of self, other, cultures and the world is influenced, to some extent, by cultures where we are born and live. But understanding is not totally determined by it, and it also has the capacity to transcend its initial binding and communicate with other selves and cultures in open, critical and creative ways. Culture has transcultural dimensions within and across it. This essay explores pathways of cultural and trans-cultural understanding. Understanding has a hermeneutic dimension, but this is not just hermeneutics of texts as a textual practice. It involves walking and meditating with people, texts, cultures and traditions across multiple topoi of our world. In the present essay this is called multi-topial hermeneutics and I will argue how this is an integral part of cultural and trans-cultural understanding. It is also shown how multi-topial hermeneutics is a critical project involving movements of critique, creativity and transformations across borders. Furthermore, pathways of conversations are explored with regard to and across our roots and routes of cultural practices and philosophical traditions what is called planetary conversations here. The present paper then engages with Confucianism, Buddhism and Vedanta as an instance of multi-topial hermeneutics and planetary conversations.