Turtles (and elephants) all the way down?

[Jan Westerhoff]

Dear Colleagues,

in his "Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1:391-92 of the Dover
edition) John Locke mentions an Indian who, "saying that the world was
supported by a great elephant, was asked what the elephant rested on; to
which his answer was, a great tortoise. But being again pressed to know
what gave support to the broad-backed tortoise, replied, something, he
knew not what."

I am wondering what the source of that cosmological theory is. (In more
contemporary versions involving a variety of scholars, including Bertrand
Russell and William James this has metamorphosed into an elephant
supported by a downward infinite series of turtles). I am aware of the
notion of the turtle-king (kuurmaraaja) supporting the world, as well as
of that of a set of four (according to the Raamaaya.na) or sixteen
(according to the Amarako.sa) elephants doing the same, but I have been
unable to trace any Indian authority describing a stacked elephant-turtle
support.

I would be most grateful for any suggestions you may have!


Yours



Jan Westerhoff



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JC Westerhoff
Department of Philosophy
University of Durham
50 Old Elvet
Durham DH1 3HN
United Kingdom

www.janwesterhoff.net
westerhoff at cantab.net