Sem. John Vincent P. Bello AB IV St.

Thomas Aquinas Class

Rev. Fr. Bryand Restituto, JCD Asian Philosophy

A Reflection paper on:

Is there Philosophy in Asia?
Written by Frits Staal

Is there really a philosophy in Asia? one may ask, since it has been understood that the
Greeks have popularized philosophy and that it has been said that Philosophy belonged to the
Greeks. In the long history of the known world, philosophy grew and draw its first breath in the
lands of the Westerners. Culture, civilizations, religion, sciences and many more came to be
through philosophy. Other sciences like astronomy, mathematics and logic have also emerged
through philosophy. Philosophy back then was considered as the mater of all sciences after all
and it has its origin and roots in the west as what many historians would claim. But in time,
when the west reached out to the east, we discovered that the world did not just revolve in the
west and that the east has something to offer as well. They, the oriental, too have a culture. Their
music and style in dressing is quite different with the Greeks. The east have developed a wide
range of products which they have been doing for years. Later we discover that Asian civilization
is much older than the Roman empire of the west. Their military and defenses were complex and
they have a history of wars in their timeline. In fact, the Chinese have developed a teaching, a
philosophy on war regarding military tactics and ethics concerning warfare. The east have their
own contribution to the sciences as well. Mathematics was the chief discipline of the east. The
Orientals were also very religious. Countless religions have flourished in Asia such as
Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and many more. So if philosophy is the mater or mother of the
sciences in the west and if it was known to be the tool unto which western civilization emerged,
we then realize that the east too had philosophy since they too have developed these things which
the westerners enjoy. Does these account for philosophy in Asia? Can we really claim that there
is philosophy in Asia out of the previously presented arguments mentioned earlier? I believe that
there can be more ways to prove that Asia does have a philosophy, a philosophy of their own
which was not influenced by western thought. Out of these conviction, I would like to present
most ardently the arguments which benefit the east, proving that they have a philosophy, that
there is philosophy in Asia, in the light of Frits Staals writings.
In Frits Staals paper, he mentioned that if he were to prove or to demonstrate that there is
philosophy in Asia, he needs to assess it through a negative perspective since he cannot do so
positively for he was a contributor to Asian philosophy and he thought that it would mean
nothing or that there would be no point for it since he positively accept that there is philosophy in
Asia, instead he wishes to give two remarks: first is for us to reconsider our definition of
philosophy and the second is that he would only touch on matters which he knows for he
believes that One should not hold forth on things one does not know about. He would then
proceed only to his field which is India but will likewise go as far as China in his observations
for Asia.
What is philosophy? Frits Staal mentioned in his paper the importance of defining our
terms appropriately. For the Greeks, philosophy was a way to know the truth. To have a certain
knowledge of things. It is not a mere accumulation of knowledge but philosophy is also
determined as the study of knowledge for love of it. Those who conduct themselves with
philosophy study everything for love of it and for no other reason. That is why wise men of the
west call themselves as philosophers or lovers of wisdom. But what is philosophy really? As a
philosophy student I have come to know philosophy as scientia rerum omnium per causas
ultimas sub lumine ragione naturali comparata or the study of all things through their ultimate
causes under the light of human/natural reason. Philosophy is an adventure. It seeks to find
answers towards questions that baffle the universe. There are numerous questions in the universe
which lurks in the dark corners, waiting for it to be discovered. Philosophy is a discipline which
seeks to find these questions and answer them through deliberate conceptual analysis and
discourse. Man is naturally inquisitive. We like to ask questions. We move from one problem to
the next, answering that which needs to be answered, itching to find a certain knowledge on
things. Man seeks the truth. We naturally possess that sense of wonder, and awe towards the
things that impress us or the things which we do not understand. Man longs for the truth and this
longing provokes him to search for it, thus ignorance is a deviation to the natural inclination of
man to philosophize. With that being said, we now turn to Asia and say that there is philosophy
in such a continent. If the Greeks had that natural tendency to ask, to have that sense of wonder,
and to search for the truth, what makes them different from the men of the east? Man is endowed
with the gift of reason and of the will. His rationality separates him from the beasts. Thus both
east and west exercise this power in the best of their abilities. Both men of the two different sides
possess rationality. Rationality is that which is common to all men, and not only to selected
individuals or races or etc. Mans intellectual capability is not limited to the geographical
location or in what race one belongs. Thus we say that Asians are also rational. They are not that
different at all in terms of intellectual prowess. Both possess the ability to think, to wonder, to
inquire, to investigate, to have that sense of wonder and the thirst for the truth. An insatiable
desire to know the truth. Reason does not only belong to the west but also presides in the east or
anywhere where man resides. With this we could very well say that there is Philosophy in Asia.
Frits Staal mentioned this in his paper. He states that if we define philosophy in terms of
thinking, then our minds would eventually come to a point of saying that every thinking Asian
contributes to Asian Philosophy. He then proceeds by saying that if we then grant that Asians
think, then there will be such a thing as philosophy in Asia.
In Staals paper, he wrote that he would take into account the relationship of philosophy
and theology, that they are not necessarily evident in the west but does reside in the east as well.
It would seem that Philosophy and Theology are inseparable. Yet he gives more credit to
theology for he mentions that philosophy is ancilla theologiae a mere handmaid of theology.
 We mentioned earlier that man is naturally inquisitive. There would be, at some point,
where man questions the divine whether there is such a thing or not. Mans wonder will have
to bring him to the realm of God and philosophy would have to touch theology, which seeks to
understand the Divine. With this we see the relationship of philosophy and theology. Staal
mentioned in his paper that philosophy is an ancilla theologiae a mere handmaid of theology.
In what way is philosophy a handmaid of theology. In the medieval period, philosophers
confirmed to this thought, that philosophy is a handmaid of theology. It was in that period where
great debates have emerged concerning the relationship of faith and reason. Both parties sought
to have supremacy to each other. Even with this struggle, they had that understanding that
Philosophy without faith would be unguided and might land on a different setting and get lost in
its way, while Theology without philosophy would fall into myth, for man seeks to know the
truth and is not satisfied with mere belief. They would then have an understanding that faith and
reason, Philosophy and Theology, are like two wings which man needs to achieve its destination.
In order for man to rest in the bosom of the Divine, he needs to have the aid of both Philosophy
and Theology. But even in the midst of their being complementary, we cannot deny the fact that
theology touches higher matters than that of philosophy. Theology reaches the realm of the
divine and deals with matters higher than what reason can achieve. When reason reaches its
limit, it only takes a leap of faith. Now such relationship is not only seen in the Western world
but is also seen in Asia, particularly in India.
In India, the idea that philosophy is a handmaid of theology could be applicable if only
there were such a things as theology in it, for although they may seem to have many gods, we
know that several of the so-called philosophical systems did not recognize anything like a god,
and certainly not a personal God. Ultimately, Staal mentioned that what India had like the
brahmavedya is not related to theology at all. But Staal thought it would be difficult to conceive
Indian Philosophy without Theology. He then sought to emphasize philosophy and theology. In
Vakyapadiya it stated that wherever something is inferred with great pains by people who are
expert at inference, it is established differently by others who are still more ingenious. Sankara
would then state whenever arguments are excogitated with great pains by ingenious people,
they are seen refuted by others who are still more ingenious. In these two statements it is clearly
seen that there is something higher than inference, that there are matters which reason cannot
explain hence would refer to a higher grade of ingenuity. We could readily see the distinction
between two disciplines, philosophy and theology, and that theology is on a more higher degree
than philosophy unto which even Indian philosophy acknowledges as something correct. It
recognized the limitation of reason and the need for a higher inference which is theology. So
both schools of thought acknowledge the idea of handmaid, of ancilla theologiae of philosophy
towards theology. This two are inseparable even with its distinctions, for they are understood as
two wings which are equally relevant and necessary for man to reach his destination, to the
divine.
I believe that philosophy in the east are also related to the worship and rituals. Religion is
one proof of the existence of philosophy in any civilization. That search for the truth ultimately
reaches out to know about the divine and eastern thinkers have sought this knowledge also. This,
one way or another, helps us to see that Asia does have a philosophy which is uniquely theirs.
 Another thing which should be considered as an appraisal of Asian Philosophy is its high
regard for Ordinary language analysis over the logic of the Greeks. In the world of philosophy,
our thoughts, concepts and ideas should be clear and precise. Everything should be well-thought
of. We could see the power of logic at work in philosophy. As I examined Staals work, he
mentioned a thing or two about ordinary language analysis as something similar with Indian
Philosophy. In Brhadaranyaka Upanisad it is argued that we see and hear with our mind because
we say anyatramana abhuvam nadarsam anyatramana abhuvam nasrausam iti which means
because my mind was elsewhere. I did not see: because my mind was elsewhere, I did not
hear. This is basic inference where the consciousness of a person is needed in order for one to
comprehend the reality that which presented by the senses. One cannot comprehend without the
thinking self or the thinking thing. This is also seen in the works of Descartes, in his discourse of
method. With this we could see that both Indian and French, as for Descartes because he was a
French, used logic as a tool for conceptual analysis. This strongly suggests that Asia does have a
philosophy, since there is a need for critical analysis on thoughts and the existence of logic even
in the eastern world without any influence from the Greeks.
In a nutshell, one can say that there is philosophy in Asia due to the fact that all men are
endowed with rationality and this gift is what separates us from the level of the beasts, there is
nothing which differentiates the west to the east in terms of our natural inclination to know the
truth and for the thirst of knowledge. In addition, both sides of philosophical schools have indeed
thought of philosophy as the ancilla theologiae. This conformity suggest for the unity in the
minds of such thinkers even without each others influences, thus proving that Asia did have a
philosophy of their own. And lastly, logic plays a great role in the world of philosophy. To think
that both sides deliberately use logic, in their own terms but still under the one breathe of logic,
as a tool for critical analysis of ordinary language strongly suggests that there is philosophy in
Asia.