This constitues the first volume of the series. It indicates the scope of the project and provides a list of sources which will be surveyed in the sebsequent volumes, as well as provide a guide to secondary literature for further study of Indian Philosophy. It lists in relative chronological order, Sanskrit and Tamil works. All known editions and translations into European languages are cited; where puplished versions of the text are not known a guide to the location of manuscripts of the work is provided.
First Published in 1959, Hinduism written specifically for the modern readers describes and interprets one of the world’s chief religions. For thousands of years Indian sages have speculated on man, creation, and the universe. One result has been an astonishing amount of myth and ritual, of art, asceticism, and philosophy. Swami Nikhilananda provides a brief account of Hinduism in both its theoretical and its practical aspects. It is written mainly from the point of view of non-dualism which the author argues is the highest achievement of India’s mystical insights and philosophical speculation, and her real contribution to world culture. The volume deals with themes like Hindu Ethics; Karma-Yoga; Bhakti-Yoga; Jnana- Yoga; Raja-Yoga; and Tantra. This complete survey of Hindu beliefs and customs is indispensable for scholars and researchers of Hinduism, religion, Indian philosophy, Indian culture, and heritage.
Contemporary Indian Philosophy has arisen in awareness of the need to reconcile the forces of tradition with those of modernity. It is not merely repetitive. There is, in it, a definite attempt to construct a system. It develops under the conviction that the basic aim of Philosophy is to cultivate a world-view. This requires an awareness of the existential condition of life as also the con-sciousness of life s ulti-mate ideal, viz., redem-ption, not only of the individual, but of the total human race. It emphasises the ultimacy of spiritual values; yet it demonstrates that the roots of spiritual life lie in conditions that are essentially existential. The present study seeks to highlight these aspects of Contemporary Indian Philosophy. It is an attempt to rethink, in an academic manner, the thoughts of the contemporary thinkers, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, Krishna Chandra Bhattacharya, S. Radhakrishnan, and Mohammad Iqbal. Different aspects of their thoughts have been systematised, categorised and placed under suitable philosophical heads in this work.
India has a long, rich, and diverse tradition of philosophical thought, spanning some two and a half millennia and encompassing several major religious traditions. This Very Short Introduction emphasizes the diversity of Indian thought, and is structured around six schools which have achieved classic status. Sue Hamilton explores how the traditions have attempted to understand the nature of reality in terms of an inner or spiritual quest, and introduces distinctively Indian concepts such as karma and rebirth. She also shows how Indian thinkers have understood issues of reality and knowledge — issues which are also an important part of the Western philosophical tradition. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The work deals with the subject comprehensively. The treatment closely follows the basic texts of the various schools, which is a unique feature of the work. These volumes deal with the evolution of religious and spiritual thought and philosophical speculation from the principal Upanisads to the Puranas and the Gitas through the Manusamhita and Ramayana and explains the ideas common to them. The book is based on the study of the original texts. It deals with the epistemology, logic, ontology, psychology, ethics and theology of the different systems, though it specializes in their ontology. It gives comprehensive accounts of the Carvaka, the Vaisesika, the Nyaya, and the Navya Nyaya logic of Gangesa. It deals with BhartrhariÍs linguistic monism as expounded in his Vakyapadiya (Brahma-kanda), which is a unique type of philosophy. The subject matter of Vol. I is the philosophies of the Upanisads, the Epics, the Puranas, the Gita, the Philosophies of the Carvakas, the Vaisesika, the Nyaya, the Navya Nyaya, the Mimamsa, and the _abdika of Bhartrhari. Vol. II deals with the philosophies of Samkhya, the Yoga, Jainism, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta and other Theistic Vedanta, Saivism, Saktism: while Vol. III contains the philosophies of Bhëskara, Saivism and different _aiva schools and the problem of post Sankara Advaitavada. Dr. Jadunath Sinha's significant work on Indian Philosophy in three volumes deals with the subject comprehensively. His treatment closely follows the basic texts of the various schools, which is a unique feature of the work. The topics included in the volumes are as under: Volume I: The major and minor Upanisads; Epics; Puranas; Gita, Carvaka, Vaisesika; Nyaya; Navya Nyaya; Mimamsa; Sabdika. Volume II: Samkhya; Yoga; Jaina; Early Buddhism; Schools of Buddhism; Background of Vedanta; Advaita; Bhagavad Gita; Bhagavata; Pancaratra; Ramanuja; Madhva; Nimbarka; Vallabha; Caitanya; Saivism & Saktaism. Volume III: Bhaskara; Kasmira Saiva; Pasupata; Saiva Siddhanta; Srikantha; Vira Saiva; Post-Sankara Advaita.
An Introduction to Indian Philosophy offers a profound yet accessible survey of the development of India’s philosophical tradition. Beginning with the formation of Brāhmaṇical, Jaina, Materialist, and Buddhist traditions, Bina Gupta guides the reader through the classical schools of Indian thought, culminating in a look at how these traditions inform Indian philosophy and society in modern times. Offering translations from source texts and clear explanations of philosophical terms, this text provides a rigorous overview of Indian philosophical contributions to epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, and ethics. This is a must-read for anyone seeking a reliable and illuminating introduction to Indian philosophy. Key Updates in the Second Edition Reorganized into seven parts and fifteen chapters, making it easier for instructors to assign chapters for a semester-long course. Continues to introduce systems historically, but focuses on new key questions and issues within each system. Details new arguments, counter-arguments, objections, and their reformulations in the nine schools of Indian philosophy. Offers expanded discussion of how various schools of Indian philosophy are engaged with each other. Highlights key concepts and adds new grey boxes to explain selected key concepts. Includes a new section that problematizes the Western notion of "philosophy." New Suggested Readings sections are placed at the end of each chapter, which include recommended translations, a bibliography of important works, and pertinent recent scholarship for each school. Adds a new part (Part III) that explains the difficulties involved in translating from Sanskrit into English, discusses fundamental concepts and conceptual distinctions often used to present Indian philosophy to Western students, and reviews important features and maxims that most darśanas follow. Provides new examples of applications to illustrate more obscure concepts and principles.
