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Books > Humanities > Philosophy > Non-Western philosophy > Oriental & Indian philosophy
This introduction to the Madhva school of Vedanta is accessible to
a wide audience with interest in Hinduism, Indian thought and in
the comparative philosophy of religion. Deepak Sarma explores the
philosophical foundations of Madhva Vedanta and then presents
translations of actual debates between the Madhva and Advaita
schools of Vedanta, thus positioning readers at the centre of the
700 year-old controversy between these two schools of Vedanta.
Original texts of Madhvacarya are included in an appendix, in
translation and in Sanskrit.
A stunning book on kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken
pottery with precious metals to highlight its history beautifully.
A broken pot is made whole again, and within its golden repair we
see a world of meaning. Kintsugi is the art of embracing
imperfection. In Western cultures, the aim of repair has been to
make the broken item 'as good as new'. Kintsugi on the other hand,
is a Japanese art that leaves an obvious repair - one that may
appear fragile, but which actually makes the restored ceramic piece
stronger, more beautiful, and more valuable than before. Leaving
clear, bold, visible lines with the appearance of solid gold, it
never hides the story of the object's damage. Kintsugi traces
memory, bringing together the moment of destruction and the gold
seams of repair through finely-honed skills and painstaking,
time-consuming labour in the creation of a new pot from the old.
There is a story to be told with every crack, every chip. This
story inevitably leads to kintsugi's greatest strength. an intimate
metaphoric narrative of loss and recovery, breakage and
restoration, tragedy and the ability to overcome it. A kintsugi
repair speaks of individuality and uniqueness, fortitude and
resilience, and the beauty to be found in survival. Kintsugi leads
us to a respectful and appreciative acceptance of hardship and
ageing. Author Bonnie Kemske explores kintsugi's metaphorical power
as well as exploring the technical and practical aspects of the
art, meeting with artists and ceramists in Japan and the US to
discuss their personal connection to this intricate technique. With
the inclusion of diary entries, personal stories, and in-depth
exploration of its origin and symbolism, this book shows kintsugi's
metaphoric strength as well as its striking aesthetic, making it a
unique and powerful art form that can touch our lives.
"Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages" presents an overview of the
formative period of medieval Jewish philosophy, from its beginnings
with Saadiah Gaon to its apex in Maimonides, when Jews living in
Islamic countries and writing in Arabic were the first to develop a
conscious and continuous tradition of philosophy. The book includes
a dictionary of selected philosophic terms, and discusses the Greek
and Arabic schools of thought that influenced the Jewish thinkers
and to which they responded. The discussion covers: the nature of
Jewish philosophy, Saadiah Gaon and the Kalam, Jewish
Neo-Platonism, Bahya ibn Paqudah, Abraham ibn Ezra's philosophical
Bible exegesis, Judah Ha-Levi's critique of philosophy, Abraham ibn
Daud and the transition to Aristotelianism, Maimonides, and the
controversy over Maimonides and philosophy.
A study of problems revolving around the subject of intellect in
the philosophies of Alfarabi (d. 950), Avicenna (980-1037), and
Averroes (1126-1198), this book pays particular attention to the
way in which these philosophers addressed the tangle of issues that
grew up around the active intellect. Davidson starts by reviewing
discussions in Greek and early Arabic philosophy that served as the
background for the three Arabic thinkers. He examines the
cosmologies and theories of human and active intellect of the three
philosophers and covers such subjects as the emanation of the
supernal realm from the First Cause, the emanation of the lower
world from the transcendent active intellect, stages of human
intellect, illumination of the human intellect by the transcendent
active intellect, conjunction of the human intellect with the
transcendent active intellect, prophecy, and human immortality.
Davidson traces the impact of the three philosophers on medieval
Jewish philosophy and Latin Scholasticism. He shows that the later
medieval Jewish philosophers and the Scholastics had differing
perceptions of Averroes because they happened to use works
belonging to different periods of his philosophic career. This book
will be of interest to the student and scholar in medieval
philosophy, the history of philosophy, and medieval culture.
With its promise of personal improvement, physical well-being and
spiritual enrichment, yoga is enjoying a resurgence in popularity
at the turn of the third millennium. To unravel the mystery of the
discipline, its philosophies and relevance in contemporary life,
the original text of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali must be explored.
This book offers the first accessible translation and commentary on
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. An introductory section examines the
multidimensional aspects of yoga as philosophy, psychology,
science, and religion, as well as exploring popular versions of
yoga in the West. The core of the book offers a new translation of
the entire text of the Yoga Sutras, in a language that is clear and
comprehensible to students. Commentaries are presented to highlight
the meaning of various statements (sutras) and key themes are
outlined via sectional summaries. A full glossary of key words and
names is also provided. Concluding chapters look at yoga in
contemporary life, revealing the popularity of yoga in the 21st
century through Star Wars, and exploring yoga's connection to
health and science, contrasting yoga's holistic view of healing
with that of the limited view of present day medical science.
Sample physical, breathing and meditation exercises are provided.
An Introduction to Yoga Philosophy offers a comprehensive
introduction to the Yoga Sutras text of Patanjali to all students
and interested readers of Indian philosophy and religion, world
religions, east-west psychology, and mysticism.
Incorporating cultural and religious contexts, this unique Encyclopedia provides a vital guide to the main concepts and thinkers in Asian philosophy - starting with Abhidharma and ending with Zurvan. The main philosophical trends and thinkers in each geographical area are featured, with an emphasis on endtemporary developments and movements. The A-Z structured encyclopedia emphasizes that Asian philosophy is not merely an ancient form of thought but that it is a living philosophy, with roots in the past, and also a potent and animate presence today. This translates into the reciprocal exchange of theories between Eastern and Western thinking, for example of new schools of thought such as orientalism. Requiring no prior knowledge of philosophy, religion or Asian cultures, this book is essential reading for students, teachers and the interested individual who wishes to gain an understanding of the philosophical basis to Asian cultural systems. eBook available with sample pages: 0203187717
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Mark Siderits makes the Buddhist philosophical tradition accessible
to a Western audience. Offering generous selections from the
canonical Buddhist texts and providing an engaging, analytical
introduction to the fundamental tenets of Buddhist thought, this
revised, expanded, and updated edition builds on the success of the
first edition in clarifying the basic concepts and arguments of the
Buddhist philosophers.
The World and God Are Not-Two is a book about how the God in whom
Christians believe ought to be understood. The key conceptual
argument that runs throughout is that the distinctive relation
between the world and God in Christian theology is best understood
as a non-dualistic one. The "two"-"God" and "World" cannot be added
up as separate, enumerable realities or contrasted with each other
against some common background because God does not belong in any
category and creatures are ontologically constituted by their
relation to the Creator. In exploring the unique character of this
distinctive relation, Soars turns to Sara Grant's work on the Hindu
tradition of Advaita Vedanta and the metaphysics of creation found
in Thomas Aquinas. He develops Grant's work and that of the earlier
Calcutta School by drawing explicit attention to the Neoplatonic
themes in Aquinas that provide some of the most fruitful areas for
comparative engagement with Vedanta. To the Christian, the fact
that the world exists only as dependent on God means that "world"
and "God" must be ontologically distinct because God's existence
does not depend on the world. To the Advaitin, this simultaneously
means that "World" and "God" cannot be ontologically separate
either. The language of non-duality allows us to see that both
positions can be held coherently together without entailing any
contradiction or disagreement at the level of fundamental ontology.
What it means to be "world" does not and cannot exclude what it
means to be "God."
Immerse yourself in the world of the Samurai with this classic
text. Code of the Samurai is the 350-year-old summary of the rules
and expectations embodied in Bushido--the ancient Japanese "Way of
the Warrior." Written by Taira Shigesuke, a Samurai and prominent
teacher of military techniques, it was published posthumously in
1834. This influential book was intended as a training manual for
young Samurai, outlining personal and professional standards. This
accessible and enjoyable translation is by Thomas Cleary, the
foremost translator of Asian martial classics, accompanied by the
powerful line drawings of master illustrator Oscar Ratti. A new
foreword by Alexander Bennett, a leading expert on Samurai history,
explains the lasting importance of this classic work and its place
within the canon of Japanese literature.
Modern Hinduism in Text and Context brings together textual and
contextual approaches to provide a holistic understanding of modern
Hinduism. It examines new sources - including regional Saiva texts,
Odissi dance and biographies of Nationalists - and discusses topics
such as yoga, dance, visual art and festivals in tandem with
questions of spirituality and ritual. The book addresses themes and
issues yet to receive in-depth attention in the study of Hinduism.
It shows that Hinduism endures not only in texts, but also in the
context of festivals and devotion, and that contemporary practice,
devotional literature, creative traditions and ethics inform the
intricacies of a religion in context. Lavanya Vemsani draws on
social scientific methodologies as well as history, ethnography and
textual analysis, demonstrating that they are all part of the
toolkit for understanding the larger framework of religion in the
context of emerging nationhood, transnational and transcultural
interactions.
Essential reading for serious students of Chinese practical arts,
including medicine, martial arts and FengShui, Master Zhongxian Wu
and Dr Karin Taylor Wu provide a detailed explanation of the 22
GanZhi symbols in this book, outlining the characteristics of each,
and their interactions and relationships. TianGan (Heavenly Stems)
and DiZhi (Earthly Branches), commonly abbreviated to GanZhi,
originated in the ancient Chinese cosmological sciences and is a
complex calendrical system which was created to codify the patterns
of life and of the universe itself. The ten symbols of Gan express
the Yin or Yang perspective of Five Elements and embody the Way of
Heaven. The 12 symbols of Zhi, made manifest in the 12 animals of
the Chinese zodiac, hold the root of each Element and embrace the
Way of Earth. Poetic summaries from the Song dynasty give the
reader a deep understanding of the nature of each Stem and their
relationship to each other. Offering an unprecedented insight into
the subtleties and far-reaching influence of this ancient system,
this book will be invaluable for the study or practice of Chinese
medicine, FengShui, Chinese astrology, traditional Chinese
cosmology, Qigong, Taiji, and other inner cultivation practices. A
set of study cards (9781848191501), also published by Singing
Dragon, are available to accompany this book.
Scholar, philosopher and political sage, Confucius lived at a
turbulent time in his country's history, the so-called 'Spring and
Autumn Period' of the sixth century BC, during which China was
wracked by warfare between rival feudal states. Against this
backdrop he developed a system of social and political behaviour
that he hoped could be used to create harmony and peace throughout
the land. The teachings of Confucius attracted a large number of
pupils, but were largely ignored by the rulers of China's various
kingdoms. As a result, he did not see his philosophical teachings
applied during his lifetime. After his death, however, his
teachings were kept alive by his followers, and within a few
centuries, his philosophy (as outlined in The Analects, which
record the words and acts of Confucius and his disciples) was
adopted by China's rulers and became the foundation for Chinese
government, education and social structure. Beyond its profound
influence on the culture and history of East Asia, Confucianism has
also exerted a powerful fascination for western thinkers and
philosophers. Meher McArthur's accessible and thoughtful biography
not only traces the outline of her subject's life, but also
examines why Confucius and his teachings are still relevant today.
A shorter and less technical treatment of its subject than the
author's acclaimed Buddhism As Philosophy (second edition, Hackett,
2021), Mark Siderits's The Buddha's Teachings As Philosophy
explores three different systems of thought that arose from core
claims of the Buddha. By detailing and critically examining key
arguments made by the Buddha and developed by later Buddhist
philosophers, Siderits investigates the Buddha's teachings as
philosophy: a set of claims-in this case, claims about the nature
of the world and our place in it-supported by rational
argumentation and, here, developed with a variety of systematic
results. The Buddha's Teachings As Philosophy will be especially
useful to students of philosophy, religious studies, and
comparative religion-to anyone, in fact, encountering Buddhist
philosophy for the first time.
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