Justifying Ritual with Jaimini

Religious rituals seem arbitrary. But for the Indian philosopher Jaimini, this may be the secret of their power.

Gouache image of the Ashvamedha, or Horse Sacrifice. 19th Century Maharashtra. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Religious rituals may be compelling. But for outsiders, they can seem perplexing and abitrary. However, for the Indian philosopher Jaimini, founder of the Mīmāṃsā tradition, religious ritual was self-justifying. But what does…