Tuesday, September 17
Indian Shramanic Starting Points
Assigned Reading
S. Hamilton, Indian Philosophy, Chapter 3.
M. Walshe, Thus Have I Heard, Brahmajala
Sutta, pp. 67-90.
R. Thurman, Vimalakirti, Chapter 9.
G. Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism, pp.
75-102 (Chapter 4: "Yoga and renunciation").
(The book is on reserve and a photocopy of this section is on
reserve in the Religion Department.)
Related Material
Of the further scholarship on the early traditions of
renunciation mentioned by Flood, Patrick Olivelle's books on the
ritual background (The Samnyasa Upanisads: Hindu Scriptures on
Asceticism and Renunciation [1992] and The Asrama System:
The History and Hermeneutics of a Religious Tradition [1993])
and Johannes Bronkhorst's book on early techniques of meditation
(The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India [1993])
are especially helpful. [GAT]
For an early take on the question of what constitutes a "true
Brahmin," see the very brief and vivid story of Satyakama Jabala's
school application in Chandogya Upanisad 4.4.1-5 (Olivelle,
Upanisads, p. 130). [GAT]
Western Relevance
Ken Wilber, Quantum Questions: a later and more
far-reaching look at the implications of non-duality in physics,
especially with reference to modern views of human nature and
psychology.
Links of interest
The shramanic background is shared not only by Brahmans and
Buddhists but by Jains as well. For a particularly rich collection
of information and links concerning the Jain tradition see Professor
Yashwant K. Malaiya's "Jainism:
Priniciples, Tradition and Practices" page. [GAT]