PREFACE 15

ABBREVIATIONS 17

GENERAL INTRODUCTION 19

1. BIOGRAPHY 19

2. OTHER WORKS ON PANIKKAR 22

3. THE CENTRAL ARGUMENT OF THE THESIS 25

4. STRUCTURE OF THIS WORK 27

5. SCOPE, METHOD AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY 29

CHAPTER ONE

RAIMUNDO PANIKKAR'S COSMOTHEANDRIC VISION AND HISHERMENEUTIC THEORY

INTRODUCTION 31

1.1. CONTEXT 32

1.1.1 Global Mutation 321.1.1.1 The Challenge of the Mutational Context 341.1.1.2 A Need for a Unique Kind of Creativity 341.1.1.3 A Call to Enter into the Subjectivity of other Religions 34

1.1.2 Panikkar: a Mutational Man 351.2 COSMOTHEANDRIC VISION OF REALITY: THE BASIS FOR PANIKKAR'S

HERMENEUTIC THEORY 36

1.2.1 Etymology 371.2.2 History 381.2.3 Characteristics of Cosmotheandric vision 39

1.2.3.1 Cross Cultural 391.2.3.2 Intuitive 391.2.3.3. Union 40

1.2.4. The Cosmotheandric Relation 401.2.4.1 The Interdependence of the Parts 411.2.4.2 Trinitarian Structure of Cosmotheandric Vision 42

1.2.5 Reality as Symbol 431.2.6 Symbolic Difference 451.2.7 The Three Dimensions of the Cosmotheandric Vision 47

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1.2.7.1 The Divine (Theos) 471.2.7.1.1 Radical Relativity 481.2.7.1.2 Theos - the Constitutive Dimension of All Things 491.2.7.1.3 Theos: the Principle of Change in Beings 501.2.7.1.4 Theos and Man 501.2.7.1.5. Theos and the Cosmos 51

1.2.7.2 Anthropos 521.2.7.2.1 Consciousness: the Key to the Knowledge of Reality 541.2.7.2.2 Three Dimensions of Consciousness 551.2.7.2.3 Consciousness: the Bridge of Reality 561.2.7.2.4 Time Consciousness 56

1.2.7.2.4.1 Non-historical Consciousness 561.2.7.2.4.2 Historical Consciousness 571.2.7.2.4.3 Trans-Historical Consciousness 57

1.2.7.2.5 Anthropos and Theos 581.2.7.2.6 The Immolation of Man restores the Theos 591.2.7.2.7 Anthropos and Cosmos 60

1.2.7.3 Cosmos 611.2.7.3.1 Cosmic Dimension Constitutive of Every Being 621.2.7.3.2 Cosmos: the Spatio-Temporal Dimension of Reality 621.2.7.3.3 Cosmos and Theos 631.2.7.3.4 Cosmos: the Manifestation of Theos 641.2.7.3.5 Cosmos and Anthropos 64

Conclusion 651.3 COSMOTHEANDRIC VISION OF REALITY: THE BASIS FOR PANIKKAR'S

HERMENEUTIC THEORY 65

1.3.1 Mythos 671.3.1.1 Myth 671.3.1.2 Mythologumenon 681.3.1.3 Mythemes 681.3.1.4 Mythological 68

1.3.2 Characteristics of Myth 681.3.2.1 Myth: The Horizon of our Understanding 691.3.2.2 Myth and Experience 691.3.2.3 Incommunicability and Invisibility of Myth 70

1.3.2.4 Myth makes Man Unique 701.3.2.5 Myth: the Foundation of our Conviction of Truth 711.3.2.6 Myth: the Object of Belief 711.3.2.7 Myth and Hermeneutics 711.3.2.8 Myth Reveals 72

1.3.3 Faith 721.3.3.1 Faith: the Openness to Myth 721.3.3.2 Faith: the Foundation of Man's Existence 731.3.3.3 Faith and Theos 731.3.3.4 Faith: the constitutive Human dimension 741.3.3.5 Characteristics of Faith 74

1.3.3.5.1 Faith: the Link between the Absolute and Human Beings 741.3.3.5.2 Faith: Openness to Being 751.3.3.5.3 Faith: Foundation of Man's Freedom 761.3.3.5.4 Faith: leads Man to Inquisitiveness 761.3.3.5.5 Faith: the Essence of Religion 771.3.3.5.6 Faith and the Act of Faith 771.3.3.5.7 Faith and Belief 781.3.3.5.8 The Role of Belief 78

1.3.3.6 Faith and Hermeneutics 791.3.4. Logos 79

1.3.4.1 The Function of Logos 791.3.4.2 The Relation between Mythos, Logos and Pneuma 811.3.4.3 The Three Kairological Moments in the Hermeneutical Enterprise 82

1.3.4.3.1 Morphological 821.3.4.3.2 Diachronical 831.3.4.3.3 Diatopical 84

1.3.4.4 Dialogical Dialogue 851.4 THREE HERMENEUTICAL MOMENTS - TEXT AND INTERPRETATION 88

1.4.1 The First Moment 891.4.2 The Second Moment 901.4.3 The Third Moment 90

CONCLUSION 91

CHAPTER TWO

BEYOND THE DOGMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF TRINITY

INTRODUCTION 95

2.1 DOGMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRINITY 97

2.1.1 Old and New Testament's Understanding of Trinity 972.1.2 Development of the Doctrine of Trinity in the Eastern Church 98

2.1.2.1 The Apologists 982.1.2.2 The Alexandrian School 99

2.1.2.2.1 Sabellianism and Tritheism 1012.1.2.2.2 Subordinationism 102

2.1.2.3 The First General Council of Nicea 1032.1.2.4 Post- Nicene Phase 1042.1.2.5 The Cappadocians 1042.1.2.6 The First General Council of Constantinople (381) 105

2.1.3 Development of the Doctrine of Trinity in the Western Church 105.3.1 Irenaeus and Tertullian 105.3.2 Augustine 107.3.3 Thomas Aquinas 108.3.4 Bonaventure 108.3.5 The Pseudo-Athanasian Symbol Quicumque 110.3.6 The Council of Toledo 111.3.7 The Fourth Lateran General Council (1215) 112

1.3.8 The Second Council of Lyons 1141.3.9 The General Council of Florence 115

2.2. PANIKKAR'S UNDERSTANDING OF TRINITY 117

2.2.1 Beyond the Dogmatic understanding of Trinity 1172.2.2 Advaita Vedanta 118

2.2.2.1 Nirguna and Saguna Brahman 1222.2.2.2 Panikkar's Interpretation ofBrahmasütra I, 1.2 125

2.2.3 Advaita as a Homeomorphic Equivalent 1282.2.3.1 Father: The Absolute 1292.2.3.2 The First Person of the Trinity and Brahman 1302.2.3.3 Apophatic Dimension of the Father and NirvaSna 1322.2.3.4 First Person of the Trinity as Silence 134

2.2.3.5 Brahman and Isvara 1372.2.4 Panikkar's Christology 139

2.2.4.1 Isvara as Christ 1392.2.4.2 Christ the Mediator 1402.2.4.3 Christophany 1422.2.4.4 Historical Jesus and Trans-historical Christ 145

2.2.4.4.1 Personal Identification and Personal Identity of Jesus 1472.2.4.4.2 Love as the Basis of Personal Relationships 1492.2.4.4.3 Universality over Particularity 1512.2.4.4.4 One and Many Saviours 152

2.2.4.4.4.1 The Historical and Cosmological Factor 1522.2.4.4.4.2 The Psychological-Anthropological Factor 1532.2.4.4.4.3 The Theological-Epistemological Factor 153

2.2.4.4.5 Christ is the Unique Saviour 1542.2.4.5 Kenotic Christ 1552.2.4.6 Jesus the Revealer of the Supername 1552.2.4.7 Christ is the Risen Jesus 1572.2.4.8 Jesus is Christ; Christ is not only Jesus 1572.2.4.9 Jesus the Symbol of Christianity 1592.2.4.10 The Cosmic Christ 1612.2.4.11 Christ: The Cosmotheandric Mystery 1622.2.4.12 Christians have No Monopoly on the Knowledge of Christ 163

2.2.5 Panikkar's Pneumatology 1642.2.5.1 The Spirit, the Divine Immanence of God 1642.2.5.2 The Spirit is the Vital Link between the Father and the Son 1652.2.5.3 The Holy Spirit and the Advaita Experience of Non-duality 1662.2.5A The Spirit is Beyond Personal Relations 1672.2.5.5 The Spirituality of the Spirit 168

CONCLUSION 168

CHAPTER THREE

CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRINITARIAN UNDERSTANDING OFPANIKKAR: RELIGIOUS PLURALISM, RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND

SPIRITUALITY

INTRODUCTION 171

3.1 RELIGION 172

3.1.1 The Function of Religion 1723.1.1.1 Religion: A Constitutive Dimension of Humans 1743.1.1.2 Religion as the Quest for the Ultimate 175

3.1.2 The Human Dimension of Religion and the Religious Dimension of Humans176

3.1.2.1 Ontic and Mystical Dimension 1773.1.2.1.1. Ontic Dimension 1773.1.2.1.2 Mystical Dimension 178

3.1.2.2. The Dogmatic and Doctrinal Dimension 1783.1.2.3 The Ethical and Practical Dimensions 180

3.1.2.3.1 The Ethical Dimension 1803.1.2.3.2 The Practical Dimension 181

3.1.2.4 The Emotional and Instinctive Dimension 1823.1.2.4.1 The Emotional Dimension 1823.1.2.4.2 The Instinctive Dimension 182

3.1.2.5 The Ecclesial and Social Dimension 1833.1.2.5.1 Ecclesial Dimension 1833.1.2.5.2 Social Dimension 184

3.1.2.6 The Material and Cosmic Dimension 1853.1.2.6.1 The Bodily Dimension 1853.1.2.6.2 The Cosmological Dimension 186

3.1.2.7 The Angel-Devil Dimension 1873.1.2.7.1 The Angel Dimension 1873.1.2.7.2 The Devil Dimension 187

3.1.2.8 The Immanent and Transcendent Dimensions 1883.1.2.8.1 The Immanent Dimension 1883.1.2.8.2 The Transcendental Dimension 189

3.1.2.9 The Chronological and Eternal Dimension 191

3.1.2.9.1 Chronological Dimension 1923.1.2.9.2 The Eternal Dimension 192

3.1.3 The Unity and Plurality of Religions 1933.1.3.1 Essential Thinking 1943.1.3.2 Existential Thinking 1953.1.3.3 Functional Thinking 195

3.1.4 The Meeting Point of Religions is Transcendental 1953.1.5 Three Levels of Religion 1963.1.6 Truth in Religions 1973.1.7 Religious Experience 198

3.1.7.1 Constituents of Experience 1993.1.7.2 Experience is Personal and Non-transferable 2003.1.7.3 The Supreme Experience 201

3.1.7.3.1 Transcendent Transcendence 2033.1.7.3.2 Immanent Transcendence 2033.1.7.3.3 Transcendent Immanence 2033.1.7.3.4 Immanent Immanence 204

3.2 RELIGIOUS PLURALISM 204

3.2.1 Plurality, Pluriformity and Pluralism 2053.2.2 Approaches to Pluralism 206

3.2.2.1 The Philosophical Approach 2063.2.2.1.1 Monism 2073.2.2.1.2 Dualism 2083.2.2.1.3 Non-dualism 208

3.2.2.2 The Phenomenological Approach 2083.2.2.2.1 The Recognition of the Fact of Plurality 2093.2.2.2.2 The Tolerance of Diversity 2093.2.2.2.3 The Awareness of the Irreducible Diversity 209

3.2.3 The Problem of Pluralism is an Existential Problem 2103.2.3.1 Pluralism as a Fundamental Human Attitude 2113.2.3.2 Pluralism is beyond Metaphysical Universalism 212

3.2.4 Truth is Pluralistic 2123.2.4.1 The Pluralism of Truth 2143.2.4.2 Truth has no Center 2143.2.4.3 Truth is Polar 214

3.2.4.4. Anthropological and Theological Assumptions 2153.2.4.4.1 Anthropological Assumptions 2153.2.4.4.2 Theological or Metaphysical Assumptions 216

3.2.4.4.2.1 Inclusivism 2183.2.4.4.2.2 Exclusivism 2183.2.4.4.2.3 Parallelism 2193.2.4.4.2.4 Interpénétration 2193.2.4.4.2.5 Pluralism 220

3.2.5 Pluralism as Reality 2213.2.5.1 Pluralism is not sheer Plurality 2213.2.5.2 Pluralism is Irreducible to Unity - even of a Higher Order 2223.2.5.3 Pluralism as a Practical Matter 2223.2.5.4 Pluralism in the Realm of Mythos 2233.2.5.5 The Awareness of Otherness and of the Other: aliudet alms 223

3.2.6 The Meaning of Christ in the World of Pluralism 2243.2.7 Trinity as the Foundation of Pluralism 224

3.3.ENCOUNTER AND DIALOGUE OF RELIGIONS 2263.3.1 Encounter of Religions 2263.3.2 The Relationship of Religions based on Parables 227

3.3.2.1 The Geographical Model: The Paths to the Mountain Peak 2283.3.2.2 The Physical Model - The Rainbow 2293.3.2.3 The Geometrical Model-Topological Invariant 2313.3.2.4 The Anthropological Model - Language 2323.3.2.5 The Mystical Model: Silence 233

3.3.3 Rules for the Encounter of Religions 233

3.3.3.1 Freedom from Apologetic 2333.3.3.2 The Challenge of Conversion 2343.3.3.3 The Historical Dimension is Necessary but not Sufficient 2343.3.3.4 The Role of Philosophy and Theology 2353.3.3.5 It is not merely an Ecclesiastical Encounter 2363.3.3.6 Religious Encounter in Faith, Hope and Love 237

3.3.4 The Religious Dialogue 2373.3.4.1 The Background of the Dialogue 2373.3.4.2 Conditions for Dialogue 2383.3.4.3 Dialogue as a Necessity 238

3.3.4.3.1 At the level of Religious Traditions 2393.3.4.3.2 Historical Level 239

3.3.4.4 Inter-religious Dialogue and Dialogical Dialogue 2403.3.4.5 Inter-religious and Intra-religious Dialogue 2403.3.4.6 Dialectical and Dialogical Dialogue 2413.3.4.7 The Nature of Religious Dialogue 244

3.3.4.7.1 The Openness of Dialogue 2443.3.4.7.2 The Inwardness of Dialogue 2453.3.4.7.3 The Linguistic Component of Dialogue 2463.3.4.7.4 The Political Component of Dialogue 2473.3.4.7.5 The Mythological Component of Dialogue 2493.3.4.7.6 The Religious Component of Dialogue 249

3.3.4.8 Dialogue as Unity 2503.3.4.9 Dialogue is a Continuous Process 2513.3.4.10 Trinity as the Basis for Dialogue 251

3.4 FORMS OF SPIRITUALITY 252

3.4.1 Iconolatry - Karma- mârga 2533.4.1.1 Idolatry 2543.4.1.2 Iconolatry 2553.4.1.3 The Spirituality of Iconolatry 255

3.4.2 Personalism - Bhakti- mSrga 2583.4.3 Advaita-Jnàna-môrga 260

CONCLUSION 263

CHAPTER FOUR

AN EVALUATION OF PANIKKAR'S TRINITARIAN THEOLOGY

INTRODUCTION 265

4.1 CONTINUITY AND SHIFTS IN PANIKKAR'S THOUGHT 265

4.1.1 Traditional Understanding of the Trinity to Radical Understanding of theTrinity 2664.1.2 From Inclusivism to Pluralism 2684.1.3 From Theandrism to Cosmotheandrism 2704.1.4 From the Historical Jesus to the Universal Christ 2714.1.5 Christology to Christophany 2774.1.6 Link Christology to Symbol Christology 279

4.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF PANIKKAR'S THEOLOGY 280

4.3 EVALUATION 283

4.3.1 Panikkar's Fascination for the Number 'Three' 2834.3.2 Panikkar's Justification for Retaining The Trinity 2834.3.3 Basis in the Christian Tradition 283

4.3.3.1 Medieval Augustinianism 2844.3.3.2 The Greek Fathers 2854.3.3.3 The Western Fathers 2864.3.3.4 A Universal Christology 2874.3.3.5 The Basis for the Apophatic Silence of the Father 288

4.3.4 Relational Character of Reality (The Trinity) 2894.3.4.1 Pratltyasamutpada- Radical relativity 2894.3.4.2 Non-dualism or Advaita 290

4.3.5 The Trinity as an expression of Advaita 2924.4 CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF PANIKKAR 293

4.4.1 Panikkar goes beyond Revelation, Tradition and Magisterium 2934.4.2 Panikkar relativizes History and the Historical Jesus 2954.4.3 Panikkar overlooks the Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ 2994.4.4 The Tension between his Understanding of Pluralism and the UniversalParadigm of the Cosmic Christ 3004.4.5 'Âtman is Brahman ' is not equivalent to 'Father is Spirit ' 3014.4.6 Limitations in the Field of Inter-religious Dialogue 3024.4.7 Difficulties Encountered in the use of Different Terminologies 303

CONCLUSION 305

GENERAL CONCLUSION 307

BIBLIOGRAPHY 311

GLOSSARY OF THE INDIAN TERMS 323