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The most profound description of the Heraclitean Logos

 



This is perhaps the most profound description of the Heraclitean Logos:

अनिरोधमनुत्पादमनुच्छेदमशाश्वतम्।
अनेकार्थमनानार्थमनागममनिर्गमम्॥


anirodham anutpādam anucchedam aśāśvatam
anekārtham anānārtham anāgamam anirgamaṁ


(Nāgārjuna, Mūlamadhyamakakārikā 1.1)

अशाश्वतम् (aśāśvatam) — “not eternal”: not because it is merely temporal, but because it makes itself intelligible through its presence within human time.

Neither perishing nor arising in time;
neither terminable nor eternal;
neither self-identical nor changing in form;
neither coming nor going.
(Sprung’s translation)


It is nothing more than a σύλληψις -  a seizing, grasping, or apprehension - which not everyone can develop into genuine knowledge.

Within this σύλληψις, the Logos is always turned towards individuals; yet only some individuals are turned towards the Logos.

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