Saivism and Western Nihilism by K.Loganathan, University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia. My recent visit to London to participate in the First Saiva Conference in UK was an eye-opener in many ways. With the dispersion of Saivites throughout the world particularly the West that creates cultural contexts foreign to Saivism, new problems and dilemmas have emerged. One of the most worrying is the development of nihilistic attitudes among the youths and because of that neglect and abandonment of Saiva way of life. Temple going instead of being a rich experience of the symbolic presence of Siva and hence immensely meaningful, has become a meaningless drudgery. And this has created a wide gap between the youths and adults leading to a variety of conflicts. What is Nihilism? When Nietsche , the 19 th Saiva View of Nihilism Being, BEING and Nothingness This BEING is SIVAM, the absolutely Radiant, the Pure. It is sentient but with an understanding that is always characterized by this NOTHINGESS and because which HE can bestow it to others in need of it and are ripe for its reception Overcoming Nihilism Rationality and Saivism The Tasks Ahead With this clarification it is possible now to outline something that needs to be done immediately. The first is that our Saiva philosophers must not remain content with studies of Thevaram and the Meykanda Sastras. In addition to this they have to master the Western philosophical tradition and attempt to reduce them to the Parapakkam, without which Saiva Siddhanta as a Supakkam, as the final TRUTH, will not emerge. In this we have to single out Descartes, Kant, Hegel, Hume, Humbolt, Husserl, Sartre, Heidegger, Gadamer, Ricouer, Derrida, Levinas , Foucalt and many others who have written brilliant books in the light of which the truths of S.Siddhanta emerge in bolder relief. | |
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