Diana Chao Decock, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUC-PR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
Vilmar Debona, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
In the article Schopenhauer socially engaged in India? On Vivekananda’s possible interpretation of Schopenhauerian tat tvam asi, recently published in the journal Trans/Form/Ação, the authors engage in a rigorous examination of the philosophical intersections between Arthur Schopenhauer and Swami Vivekananda, the esteemed Indian monk and architect of modern Indian nationhood. The article investigates how both thinkers reinterpreted the ancient Sanskrit formula tat tvam asi (that thou art), endowing it with a renewed significance that transcends traditional philosophical boundaries.
Schopenhauer, who esteemed the Vedas and Upaniṣads as the zenith of human wisdom, asserted that Indian culture had mythologized the formula tat tvam asi, contending that his own philosophy alone could fully elucidate its true meaning. He posited that this formula encapsulates the metaphysical identity of all beings, a truth most profoundly understood through intuition and reflected in ethical principles such as compassion and asceticism.
Image: J Schäfer.
Decades later, Swami Vivekananda revisited this same formula to reconceptualize Hindu morality within the context of India’s socio-political landscape. While the extent of Schopenhauer’s influence on Vivekananda remains a matter of scholarly debate, the article explores the creative and interpretative capacities of both thinkers in their respective reimaginings of tat tvam asi.
The article further revisits the pioneering scholarship of Paul Hacker, a prominent 20th-century Indologist, who was among the first to suggest the potential influence of Schopenhauer on Vivekananda. However, recent scholars have critiqued Hacker’s conclusions, arguing that his interpretations may impose limitations on comprehending ideas from non-Western traditions, such as Vivekananda’s philosophical contributions.
Among the significant philosophical inquiries prompted by this influence, the article foregrounds the following: How could a prescriptive dimension arise from an ethical framework that Schopenhauer originally articulated in purely descriptive terms? Which specific concepts within Schopenhauer’s philosophy facilitated this appropriation? To explore these issues, the authors engage with contemporary interpretations of Schopenhauer’s theory of action, particularly focusing on the differentiation between the “small” and “great” ethics.
Through a nuanced and comprehensive analysis, the article evaluates the extent to which Schopenhauer’s interpretation may have informed Vivekananda’s engagement with the formula, particularly in ways that transcend mere resignation and social immobility. This investigation not only illuminates the philosophical contributions of both thinkers but also considers the broader implications of their ideas for contemporary Hindu morality and India’s struggle for independence.
To read the article, access
DECOCK, D.C. and DEBONA, V. Schopenhauer socially engaged in India?: on Vivekananda’s possible interpretation of Schopenhauerian tat tvam asi. Trans/Form/Ação [online]. 2024, vol. 47, no. 2, e02400287 [viewed 14 January 2025]. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-3173.2024.v47.n2.e02400287. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/trans/a/PgK5JQVKVgDF6JwX7NNdtqw
References
DEBONA, V. Schopenhauer’s great and small ethics: On the mysteriousness, (im)mediacy, and (un)sociability of moral action [online]. Schopenhauer-Jahrbuch, Würzburg, 2022, Bd. 103, p. 57-80 [viewed 14 January 2025]. Available from: https://repositorio.ufsc.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/256895?show=full
DEBONA, V. A outra face do pessimismo: caráter, ação e sabedoria de vida em Schopenhauer. São Paulo: Edições Loyola, 2020.
DECOCK, D.C. Tat tvam asi em Schopenhauer e Vivekananda: considerações sobre a moralidade hindu contemporânea [online]. Repositório Digital da Universidade de São Paulo. 2021 [viewed 14 January 2025]. https://doi.org/10.11606/T.8.2021.tde-08062021-213431. Available from: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8133/tde-08062021-213431/pt-br.php
HACKER, P. Schopenhauer and Hindu Ethics. In: HALBFASS, W. Philology and Confrontation: Paul Hacker on traditional and Modern Vedanta. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995.
SCHOPENHAUER, A. Sämtliche Werke. Hg. v. Ludger Lütkehaus. Zürich: Haffmans Verlag, 1988-1999.
SCHOPENHAUER, A. Cambridge Edition of the Works of Schopenhauer. Ed. by Christopher Janaway e. a. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009-2018 (in particular WWR 1/2 = The World as Will and Representation, vol. I/II, PP 1/2 = Parerga and Paralipomena, vol. I/II, and BM = Prize Essay On the Basis of Morals).
VIVEKANANDA, S. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Zhingoora Books, 2012.
External Links
Trans/Form/Ação – Journal: Instagram | Facebook | Academia.edu
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
GEMS: Grupo de Estudos Moralidade, Sociedade e Sofrimento – Instagram
About Diana Chao Decock
PhD in Philosophy from the University of São Paulo. Currently pursuing postdoctoral research at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná. She is a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná; a member of the GT-Schopenhauer Group of ANPOF; and a co-founder and member of the Editorial Board of Voluntas: International Journal of Philosophy. Her research interests include the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, Swami Vivekananda, Indian thought, yoga, and ethics.
About Vilmar Debona
PhD in Philosophy from the University of São Paulo. Carried out postdoctoral studies at the University of São Paulo and at the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná. He is a professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, a member of the GT-Schopenhauer Group of ANPOF, associate member of the Schopenhauer-Gesellschaft, and co-founder and editor-in-chief of Voluntas: International Journal of Philosophy. Her research interests include the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, ethics, social suffering, Critical Pessimism, and Critical Theory.
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