The ontological status of the world has been a subject of much philosophical speculation despite the fact that the world is an existential given. According to some philosophers, such existential givenness could turn out to be comparable to the earth’s apparent flatness, with the actual truth turning out to be the very opposite of what it seems. Philosophers often cite the experience of a dream to establish the plausibility of their position that the world might appear to be real while it is being experienced, and yet turn out to be ultimately false like a dream. This motif plays a particularly important role in schools of philosophy in the East and the West which are idealistic in their orientation.
This book explores the nuances of the theme of the world as dream in all its richness.
There is something profoundly counter-intuitive about Advaita Vedanta. Nothing is more obvious to both the philosophical as well as the non-philosophical observer than the fact that multiplicity constitutes the basic datum of our experience. Variety is not only the spice of life it is a cardinal fact of life. The doctrines of Advaita Vedanta shock us by flying in the face of this fact and by denying any ultimacy to that plurality and variety which we experience so intimately. This naturally raises the question: how does Adavita Vedanta render its doctrines credible in the face their apparent implausibility. This book is an exploration of one of its central illustrative devices with which it tries to accomplish this daunting task.
The volume is concerned with the role of religion in the present day. Presenting proceedings of a global Congress on Worlds Religions after September 11 held in September 2006 at Montreal, Canada, it stresses the need for interfaith friendships to develop understanding between faiths and remove stereotypes that have emerged concerning religious beliefs and their followers. Examining the thoughts of Western theologians and others on the role of religion, it discusses spirituality as being at the root of tolerance. The papers refer to Islamic, Christian Mennonite, Bahzi, Sikh and Hindu religious traditions and beliefs but bear specific reference to the North American Roman Catholic Retreat Centre at Pembroke, Ontario, Canada. They engage in examining specific topics pertaining to the different religious faiths and traditions. They examine the life of Guru Arjan Dev and his message and its significance today, the work of Mira Behn towards conserving the environment of the Himalayas, and the indigenous Australian Christian womens perception. The book provides a glimpse into the life, work and experiences of the spiritual women of Ramanashrama at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu and Ramanas views on womans right to spirituality, asceticism and salvation. It showcases the contribution of the Inter-religious Council of Central New York towards bringing people of different faiths and cultures into situations of mutual respect and trust. The volume includes the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This volume presents material drawn from the classical Hindu texts, as well as other sources, to familiarize readers with the outlines of classical Hindu thought. It provides a bunch of readings organized around certain set concepts, quarried from Hindu religious texts of the past. It discusses material from classical Hindu texts relating to the themes of the divine realm such a brahman, devi, ishvara, trimurti, and so on, as well as of the mundane realm, such as jiva, samsara, karma, dharma, and so on. It also covers the concepts which link the two realms, such as those of maya, and the overcoming of it through yoga, to attain moksha. Some selections also throw light on what classical Hinduism has to say about the human being as a social being, through such concepts as varna, ashrama, and the purusharthas.
The volume would be of interest to all students and scholars of Hinduism, and particularly those interested in exploring Hindu philosophy and theology.
The question of the relationship between the ultimate reality of the universe, and its proximate reality as experienced by us, is apt to boggle the mind, given the vastness of the dimensions involved. The distinction between it and us is like the difference between an avalanche and a snowflake. Nevertheless, the Hindu school of philosophy, known as Advaita Vedanta, tries to render it comprehensible at the level of the individual by pressing everyday analogies into service. One such analogy is suggested by our experience in life when we momentarily mistake a piece of seashell for a piece of silver. Advaita Vedanta then proceeds to employ this pivotal analogy to explore the various dimensions of the relationship of the individual to the world, to the ultimate reality, and of the ultimate reality to the world. This book uses this metaphor as a window which opens out into the world of Advaita Vedanta.
Every religion, even ideology, needs to provide its followers with ways of coping with the vicissitudes of life, especially when personal tragedy tears a gaping hole in the fabric of meaning. This book describes the search for serenity as found in what are conventionally referred to as the world religions and identifies a similarity in the pattern which seems to underlie these approaches, thereby extending the application of the comparative method to religious psychology.
Gandhis struggle for the Indian Independence will ever remain in the mind of all generations but no less significant was his fight for social equality of the Untouchables. He himself had suffered its pain as he was excommunicated by his caste on his return from England. For Gandhi, untouchability was that vicious aspect of Hinduism that must be eradicated. He had his own interpretation of Hinduism and called himself a Sanatani Hindu who believed in the equality of all castes and religions. An attempt has been made in this book to interpret Gandhis Hinduism in terms of its characteristic institutions, its major scriptures and its primary thought patterns. The work offers insights into the cardinal changes that Gandhi brought about within Hinduism by promoting ordinal changes within it. It analyses Gandhis relationship to the various sources of dharma and the primacy that he accorded to conscience; his reversal of the caste hierarchy by upholding the rights of the ÷udras, his emphasis on pravritti and nivritti instead of grihastha and sannyasa; his understanding of the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagavad-Gita, and his preference for sadharana dharma over vishesha dharma. The book also contains various extracts from Gandhis autobiography that not only make this study realistic but also acquaint us with many hardships suffered by him. This book would be a worthy addition to any collection and is highly recommended for the scholars of Indology and Religious Studies.
This work surveys the state of Hindu studies over the ages by studying the history of Hinduism in four periods: Vedic Hinduism, Classical Hinduism, Medieval Hinduism and Modern Hinduism. Commencing the study with some general observations on the study of Hinduism such as confinement of the study by and large to India and lack of a political history of Hinduism, it examines features of Hinduism that established themselves during the different periods. Critically analyzing the literature that emerged during various periods and the light they shed on Hindu thought, it focuses especially on the Hindu-Muslim encounter at various levels especially political, religious and mythic in the medieval period with particular bearing on the mystical encounter between them as available through royal records and literature. Considering the views of religious thinkers and scholars like Raja Rammohan Roy, S. Radhakrishnan and Mahatma Gandhi, it examines the source material especially in English and authored by Hindus themselves for study of history of Hinduism in the modern period. Delving into the ideological forces modern Hinduism has had to contend with to wit Islam, Christianity and science; it analyses the concept of conversion and secularism in India and deals with the origin of Hindu fundamentalism in Hindu society. The book will be useful for students and scholars of Hindu political thought, philosophy and religion and especially those concerned with Hindu studies as a discipline, as it throws up new areas for research in Hindu studies which have so far been neglected.
The book discusses the fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam with a view to enabling people of other religions to study the principles of Islam and to understand the similarities and differences between religions. In simple language, it deals with the concept of a prophet, the life of Prophet Muhammad, the contents of the holy text of the Muslims, the Qur’an, the Pillars of Islam, the history of Islam and practice of Islamic law. Along with the political, legal and social framework of Islam, it explores facets of Islamic mysticism Sufism by examining its major features like asceticism, love of God and knowledge of God. It finally looks into the basis for a dialogue between the Hindus and Muslims by delving into Quran’ic verses that stress plurality and the universality of diversity. The work will prove ample material for thought for the reader in general.
Whether the discourse on Human Rights constitutes an authentically universal discourse, or merely Western discourse masquerading as such, is an issue which has persisted ever since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, and shows no signs of letting up. This book presents an in-depth exploration of this issue in a novel format, by presenting a celebrated piece on this issue by Raimundo Panikkar, with a detailed response to it by Arvind Sharma, thereby laying bare several key dimensions of the debate which may otherwise escape notice.
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