KN Jayatilleke

K.N. Jayatilleke
File:Kn jayatilleke.jpg
Born	1920-11-01 Colombo, Ceylon
Died	1970-07-24 Kandy, Ceylon
Occupation	author, academic, philosopher
Genre	Philosophy

Kulatissa Nanda Jayatilleke (1 November 1920 – 24 July 1970) was was an internationally recognized authority on Buddhist philosophy whose book “Early Buddhist theory of knowledge” has been described as “an outstanding philosophical interpretation of the Buddha’s teaching” in the Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Biography

Jayatilleke, was born on November 1, 1920, in Colombo, Ceylon. After studying at the Royal College in Colombo, he pursued the study of Pali and Sanskrit at the University of Ceylon obtaining a first class, and then continued his education at Cambridge University. He obtained a unique training in Eastern and Western thought and an analytical approach to philosophy that gave him a background that nourished his work throughout his career. Jayatilleke was a Nuffield Fellow in the Humanities, a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science [1], Hay-Whitney-Fulbright Fellow, an editor of various philosophy journals, and was the professor and head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Ceylon, from 1963 until his death.

Contributons

Jayatilleke is best known as the author of the book “Early Buddhist theory of knowledge”, a piece of work has been described as a “masterpiece” , and as an “an outstanding contribution to the history of Indian philosophy” . This book traces the origin of the theory of knowledge and its development in early Buddhism, and was an inquiry into the means of knowledge and the questions relating to the means of knowledge . The book attempts to work out a general methodology of answering questions to highly sophisticated philosophical discussions , and attempts to show that the Buddha was an empiricist and verificationaist. Jayatilleke describes his book as an “attempt to uncover the epistemological foundations of Pali Canonical thought, from a new point of view and in the light of new material.” His basic contentions were that early Buddhism has an empiricist outlook, gives a significant place to the analytic approach in philosophy, and does not contradict the findings of modern science.

Works

Jayatilleke attempted to work out systemically the empiricist outlook in the Buddhist theory of knowledge, and presents Buddhism through the idiom, the language and methodology of the contemporary philosopher, relevant to the contemporary world and philosophical controversies and the problems of modern man . He emphasized that it is wrong to consider the Buddha as a mere “rationalist” philosopher, and that Buddha upheld the value of analytic reason rather than speculative reason. He presents three significant elements in the “new point of view” from which he presents the thought of the Pali Canon- the empiricist outlook, the analytic approach, and the scientific attitude. In his book, Jayatilleke cites four ways of examining philosophical questions that bring out the analytic approach in Buddhism:

• a question which ought to be explained categorically
• a question which ought to be replied to with a counter question
• a question that should be set aside
• a question which ought to be explained analytically

Jayatilleke had a great respect for modern scientific findings, and considered rebirth as a hypothesis capable of being scientifically verified. Apart from his basic writings in the field of epistemology, there are a number of other works. The most significant of these are “Buddhism and the race question” and the Principles of International Law in Buddhist Doctrine . The Message of the Buddha was published posthumously and contains material that he has been working at the time of his death.

At the Indian Philosophical Congress Jayatilleke once dispelled a heavy and obscure metaphysical discussion with a few words . Some of the leading philosophers claimed that the state of Nibbana was just “nothing” and others claimed that it was “something”. Jayatilleke picked up an empty glass from the table and said "we can say that this glass is 'empty' as there is no water in it. But we can also say that it is 'full' as it is full of air. Thus in a similar way the talk about Nibbana becomes a controversy due to the limitations of language. The ability to give a reply of this sort was characteristic of him .

Publications

• 1963 Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge George Allen and Unwin
• 1967 The Principles of International Law in Buddhist Doctrine Recueil des cours, Volume 120 (1967-I) , pp. 441-567.
• 1958 Buddhism and the Race Question with G. P. Malalasekera (English and French editions) Review author[s]: Andrew W. Lind Philosophy East and West, Vol. 8, No. 1/2 (Apr. - Jul., 1958). UNESCO publication.
• 1975 The Message of the Buddha Buddhist Publication Society. 1975 (Posthumous work)
• Several Wheel Series Publications, Published by the Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka:
  • Buddhism and Science (Wheel #3)
  • Buddhism and Peace (Wheel #41)
  • Knowledge and Conduct (Wheel #50)
  • Aspects of Buddhist Social Philosophy (Wheel #128/129)
  • Survival and Karma in Buddhist Perspective (Wheel #141/143)
  • Facets of Buddhist thought (Wheel #162/164)
  • Ethics in Buddhist Perspective (Wheel #175/176)
  • Significance of Vesak (Wheel #178)
  • Buddhist Attitude to Other Religions (Wheel #216)
  • Contemporary Relevance of Buddhist Philosophy (Wheel #258)