Indian Philosophy: A Very Short IntroductionIndia 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. |
Contents
The Brahmanical Beginnings | |
Renouncing the Household | |
Issues and Justifications | |
Categories and Method | |
Things and Nothings | |
The Witness and the Watched | |
The Word and the Book | |
From Classical Thought to the Modern | |
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Common terms and phrases
5th century BCE Abhidharmikas actions Advaita aspects ātman atoms Bhartṛhari Brahman Brahmanical tradition brahmin priests Buddha Buddhist Chapter claims Classical Yoga cognitive conceptual concerned consciousness context conventional cosmos criteria darśana debate dependent origination dharma early Upaniṣads empirical world emptiness enquiry establish eternal exegetes existence experience experiential Gotama grammar grammarians human important Indian philosophy Indian thought Indian tradition injunctions insight interpretation Jaimini Kārikā karma kind known language liberation Madhyamaka manifest material means of knowledge milieu Mīmāmsā Mīmāmsakas monism monistic Nāgārjuna Naiyāyikas nature of reality Nikāya non-existence Nyāya Sūtra one’s ontological ontological status Oxford Pāli perception Perfection of Wisdom philosophical pluralistic realism practices prakrti puruṣa qualities Rāmānuja rebirth referred religion religious renouncers ritual manuals sacrifice sacrificial rituals Sāmkhya Śankara Sanskrit schools of thought sense sought substance teachings texts things thinkers truth understanding understood universe Vaiśeṣika validity Veda Vedānta Vedic Vedic sacrificial worldview Yoga Sūtra Yogācāra