HEIDEGGER AND INDIAN THINKING: THE HERMENEUTIC OF A “BELONGING-TOGETHER” OF NEGATION AND AFFIRMATION

Abstract

According to Heidegger questioning of Being is unique to western philosophical tradition, however we see that hermeneutic of Being is explicit in inter- cultural context of thinking. Understanding Brahman as one and the Śankara speaks together with Heidegger same hermeneutic of ontological monism. Due to reason that there is no explicit terminological equivalent of word 'Being' in Śankara's thinking, hermeneutic of Śankara's ontological understanding of Brahman and its distinction as Saguna and Nirguna are not sufficiently explored. In an inter-cultural ontological context, it is important not to insist on terminological equivalence, but to search for hermeneutic depth. Similarly Madhyamaka-Buddhism of Nāgārjuna describes universe as totally devoid of reality, called 'Śūnya' or void, which is an expression of nihilism; it is comparable to Heidegger's observation of concealing of Being as nihil. The hermeneutic of these explicit ontological characters of Being, as concealment and un- concealment allow us to discover a sabotaging brotherhood, because nihil and something are ontologically two essential sides of same thinking.