Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions

Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions PDF Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520039230
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 372

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Book Description

Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions

Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions PDF Author: Wendy Doniger
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520039230
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 372

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Book Description


Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions

Karma and Rebirth in Classical Indian Traditions PDF Author: Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty
Publisher:
ISBN: 9788120808843
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Karma is perhaps the most famous concept in Indian philosophy, but there is no comprehensive study of its various meanings or philosophical implications. Under the sponsorship of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Social Science Research Council, leading American Indologists met on several occasions to discuss their ideas about karma. The result is this volume. This book will have a considerable impact upon the teaching of Indian philosophy. At the very least, it demonstrates the impossibility of speaking of the theory of karma, as is so often done. It also supplies the basis for a full study of this important theory. Finally, it raises basic methodological problems about the study of a non-Western system of soteriology and rebirth, questions regarding the interaction of medical and philosophical models of the human body, the incorporation of philosophical theories into practical religions with which they are logically incompatible, and the problem of historical reconstruction of a complex theory of human life. Contents List of Contributors, Introduction, PART I: Hinduism and its Roots: Karma and Rebirth in the Vedas and Puranas, The Concepts of Human action and Rebirth in the Mahabharata, Karma and Rebirth in Dharmasastras, Caraka Samhita on the Doctrine of Karma, The Theory of Reincarnation among the Tamils, PART II: Buddhism and Jainism: The rebirth Eschatology and its Transformations: A Contribution to the Sociology of Early Buddhism, Karma and Rebirth in Early Buddhism, The Medical Soteriology of Karma in the Buddhist Tantric Tradition, Karma and the Problem of Rebirth in Jainism, PART III. Philosophical Traditions: The Karma Theory and Its Interpretation in Some Indian Philosophical Systems, Karma, Apurva, and Natural Causes: Observations on the Growth and Limits of the Theory of Samsara, Karma as a Sociology of Knowledge or Social Psychology of Process, List of Participants in the First two American Council of learned societies-Social Science Research Council karma Conferences, Bibliography, Index and Glossary.

Karma

Karma PDF Author: Johannes Bronkhorst
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824860152
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 153

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Book Description
Karma has become a household word in the modern world, where it is associated with the belief in rebirth determined by one’s deeds in earlier lives. This belief was and is widespread in the Indian subcontinent as is the word “karma” itself. In lucid and accessible prose, this book presents karma in its historical, cultural, and religious context. Initially, karma manifested itself in a number of religious movements—most notably Jainism and Buddhism—and was subsequently absorbed into Brahmanism in spite of opposition until the end of the first millennium C.E. Philosophers of all three traditions were confronted with the challenge of explaining by what process rebirth and karmic retribution take place. Some took the drastic step of accepting the participation of a supreme god who acted as a cosmic accountant, others of opting for radical idealism. The doctrine of karma was confronted with alternative explanations of human destiny, among them the belief in the transfer of merit. It also had to accommodate itself to devotional movements that exerted a major influence on Indian religions. The book concludes with some general reflections on the significance of rebirth and karmic retribution, drawing attention to similarities between early Christian and Indian ascetical practices and philosophical notions that in India draw their inspiration from the doctrine of karma.

Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction

Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Damien Keown
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
ISBN: 0191606448
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
This Very Short Introduction introduces the reader to the teachings of the Buddha and to the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha, and what are his teachings? How has Buddhist thought developed over the centuries, and how can contemporary dilemmas be faced from a Buddhist perspective? Words such as 'karma' and 'nirvana' have entered our vocabulary, but what do they mean? Damien Keown's book provides a lively, informative response to these frequently asked questions about Buddhism.

Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy

Free Will, Agency, and Selfhood in Indian Philosophy PDF Author: Matthew R. Dasti
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019992273X
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
Focusing on the rich and variegated cluster of Indic philosophical traditions as they developed from the late Vedic period up to the pre-modern period, this book offers an understanding, according to each school, of the nature of free will and agency.

The Emergence of Buddhism

The Emergence of Buddhism PDF Author: Jacob N. Kinnard
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 0800697480
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
This brief survey tells the story of Buddhism as it unfolds through the narrative of the Brahmanical cosmology from which Buddhism emerged, the stories and myths surrounding the Buddha's birth, the Buddha's path to enlightenment, and the eventual spread of his teachings throughout India and the world. Jacob N. Kinnard helps readers understand complex concepts such as the natural law of cause and effect (Karma), the birth/life/death/rebirth cycle (samsara), the everchanging state of suffering (dukkha), and salvation or the absence of all states (Mivana). Several illustrations, together with biographical sketches and primary sources, help to illuminate the extraordinary richness of the Buddhist traditon. "At last, a textbook on Buddhism that integrates new and old methods for telling the story of Buddhism's development in India and its expansion into other parts of Asia; this book is a jewel. Kinnard's skill as an interpreter of material culture in the history of South Asian religions gives him insight into content students of Buddhism should know. Students will appreciate the towering personalities and dramatic choices of the men and women who shaped the story of buddhism in India and Other parts of Asia." Elizabeth Wilson Professor and Chair of comparative Religion Maimi University, Ohio "In an admirably succint fashion, Jacob Kinnard traces the development of Buddhism in India during the first fifteen hundred years of its history there. In so doing he sets the stage for the consideration of Buddhist traditions elsewhere, always attened to the Social, economic, political, and relious contexts in which this development occurred, the author pays particular attention to the lifestory of the buddha and to the evolution of his ongoing presence in his teachings, his relics, his images, and the pilgrimage sites associated with him. All of this is nicely complemented by brief teachings his relics, his images, and the pilgrimages sites associated with him. All of this is nicely complemented by brief biographics of prominent Buddhist historical figures and by a judicious selections of translations of pali and Sanskrit texts. Clearly and engagingly written, this classroom-friendly volume will also be of interest to scholars of religion. John Strong Charles A. Dana Professor of Asian Studies, Bates College Author of The Experience of Buddhism and The Buddha: A Beginner's Guide

Indian Buddhist Philosophy

Indian Buddhist Philosophy PDF Author: Amber Carpenter
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317547764
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
Organised in broadly chronological terms, this book presents the philosophical arguments of the great Indian Buddhist philosophers of the fifth century BCE to the eighth century CE. Each chapter examines their core ethical, metaphysical and epistemological views as well as the distinctive area of Buddhist ethics that we call today moral psychology. Throughout, this book follows three key themes that both tie the tradition together and are the focus for most critical dialogue: the idea of anatman or no-self, the appearance/reality distinction and the moral aim, or ideal. Indian Buddhist philosophy is shown to be a remarkably rich tradition that deserves much wider engagement from European philosophy. Carpenter shows that while we should recognise the differences and distances between Indian and European philosophy, its driving questions and key conceptions, we must resist the temptation to find in Indian Buddhist philosophy, some Other, something foreign, self-contained and quite detached from anything familiar. Indian Buddhism is shown to be a way of looking at the world that shares many of the features of European philosophy and considers themes central to philosophy understood in the European tradition.

Hindu Places of Pilgrimage in India

Hindu Places of Pilgrimage in India PDF Author: Surinder M. Bhardwaj
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520049512
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
"Dr. Bhardwaj's in-depth study of the various aspects of the institution of pilgrimage shows that instead of being a simple practice it has been a gigantic phenomenon affecting all aspects of Indian life. . . integrating diverse forces, various cults, and numerous traditions over the ages."--Asian Student "This is the best general survey of a major religion's total pilgrimage system and the best intensive investigation of one of its subsystems. . . . Dr. Bhardwaj's book is an important step towards the recognition of a social phenomenon which has for millennia played a crucial role in the integration of religions, nationalities, and international communities. And, not least importantly, it is highly readable."--Journal of the American Academy of Religion "Detailed, accurate, and generally informative; he has succeeded in tracing, for the first time, the relationship of the rank-order or 'level' of a sacred place. . . to its degree of sanctity, type of deity, and caste and motivation of the pilgrim. . . .The implications of Mr. Bhardwaj's study are profound and necessary to the understanding of Indian religion. . . it is fascinating."--Times Literary Supplement "Here is a fine example of what the geographic study of India needs: disciplined work that shows full awareness of Indian cultural meanings. . . .it sets a worth standard."--Professional Geographer

Tradition and Reflection

Tradition and Reflection PDF Author: Wilhelm Halbfass
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791403624
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 440

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Book Description
This book examines, above all, the relationship between reason and Vedic revelation, and the philosophical responses to the idea of the Veda. It deals with such topics as dharma, karma and rebirth, the role of man in the universe, the motivation and justification of human actions, the relationship between ritual norms and universal ethics, and reflections on the goals and sources of human knowledge. Halbfass presents previously unknown materials concerning the history of sectarian movements, including the notorious “Thags” (thaka), and relations between Indian and Iranian thought. The approach is partly philosophical and partly historical and philological; to a certain extent, it is also comparative. The author explores indigenous Indian reflections on the sources, the structure and the meaning of the Hindu tradition, and traditional philosophical responses to social and historical realities. He does not deal with social and historical realities per se; rather, basing his work on the premise that to understand these realities the reflections and constructions of traditional Indian theorists are no less significant than the observations and paradigms of modern Western historians and social scientists, he explores the self-understanding of such leading thinkers as Sankara, Kumarila, Bhartrhari and Udayana.

Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction

Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Sue Hamilton
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191540242
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
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.