DOCSLIB.ORG

The Looping Journey of Buddhism: from India to India

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Looping Journey of Buddhism: from India to India Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in The Looping Journey of Buddhism: From India To India Jyoti Gajbhiye Former Lecturer in Yashwant Rao Chawhan Open University. Abstract: This research paper aims to show how were situated along the Indus valley in Punjab and Buddhism rose and fell in India, with India Sindh. retaining its unique position as the country of birth Around 2000 BC, the Aarya travelers and invaders for Buddhism. The paper refers to the notion that came to India. The native people who were the native people of India were primarily Buddhist. Dravidian, were systematically subdued and It also examines how Buddhism was affected by defeated. various socio-religious factors. It follows how They made their own culture called “vedik Buddhism had spread all over the world and again Sanskriti”. Their beliefs lay in elements such Yajna came back to India with the efforts of many social (sacred fire) and other such rituals. During workers, monks, scholars, travelers, kings and Buddha’s time there were two cultures “Shraman religious figures combined. It examines the Sanskriti” and “vedik Sanskriti”. Shraman Sanskrit contribution of monuments, how various texts and was developed by “Sindhu Sanskriti” which their translations acted as catalysts; and the believes In hard work, equality and peace. contribution of European Indologists towards Archaeological surveys and excavations produced spreading Buddhism in Western countries. The many pieces of evidence that prove that the original major question the paper tackles is how and why natives of India are Buddhist. Referring to an Buddhism ebbed away from India, and also what article from Gail Omvedt’s book “Buddhism in we can learn from the way it came back. India” which was originally published in “The Telegraph” – Introduction: Today Buddhism is a globally wide spread religion The History of Hinduism too find place in with presence in every nation. It is very discussion. ‘Hinduism’, according to Omvedt was interesting that Buddhism originated from India originally a “geographical” idea ‘during the and developed here, and after that it spread all British rule the nationalist elites fixed on the term over the world .When many Asian countries were Hindusim to identify their religion. As she following Buddhism in different forms like describes it, ancient Indian was not “Hindu” as is Mahayana, Hinyana ,Tantrayana, Therwada, propagated, but largely Buddhist. Brahminism only th Buddhism in India had ebbed and become very low revived in India from 7 century onwards. between the 13th -14th and later centuries. nd However, in 1956 it was returned through the -(An Excerpt from theTelegraph2 January 2003) efforts of Dr. Bheemrao Ambedkar, mostly through the large number of scheduled caste Hindus who Kapilavastu was a republican state and there were had converted back to Buddhism. Before Dr. many ruling families in the republic of “Shakya, Bheemrao Ambedkar, some foreigners and Indians where they ruled in successive generations, with reformers made dedicated efforts to bring back the head of the family being known by the title of Buddhism in India. Dr .Bheemrao Ambedkar Raja (King). Then Siddhartha Gautama was born in brought a new version of Buddhism it called the house of Shudhodhana with his turn to be Raja “Navyan” imminent. Defying his royal destiny, Siddhartha Buddhism, as this version of Buddhism has not left the house at the age of 29 for finding the truth divided into different branches. It has only 22 oaths about the nature of life and suffering. He fasted to for following this religion. It is very easy to follow an extreme degree for many days in Uruwela. After for modern people, and it is important to keep it in the prolonged fasting he realized that this achieved mind as we watch the journey of Buddhism unfold. nothing and was not the way to reach truth. Working for humanity is proper way for living life. 1) The Origins of Buddhism: Circa 1500 BC the major cultural presence in India 528BC he found sambodhi (Enlightenment) under was of “Sindhu sanskriti” (the Indus valley the sacred tree and started dhammaopdesh civilization) .That was the original culture of India. (preaching). He formed the Bhikkhu sangha and Cities like Mohan Jodaro and Harappa were found sent them to spread the word of Buddhism in many in excavations which were solid archaeological different countries .He made first five disciples. evidence of Indus valley civilization. These cities This has been called “Discourse on the turning of the wheel of Law” which included all of the teachings of Buddha. He had shown the middle Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 722 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in way for living. Some more description has been (Milind) who was the ruler of northwestern India given in Romila Thapar’s book “The Penguin (Now known as Pakistan). Milind asked him a History of early India” large volume of questions and he answered them “In underlining elements of logic and rationality, .The collection of these questions and their answers the Buddha was reflecting some of interests of his is collectively called “Questions of King Milinda”. day. Freedom from the cycle of rebirth led to Nagsen also went to Thailand where he spread nirvana, interpreted either as bliss through Buddhism and introduced people to the Emerald enlightenment, or extinction. Thus the doctrine of Buddha ( a meditating Buddha made of semi karma and samsara, linking action and rebirth, precious green stone) was essential to the Buddhist system even if the .Nagsen,Nagarjun,Asang,vasubandhu,Dignag,Dhar Buddha denied the existence of the atman or soul.” mkirti,Dharmottar,Shantrakshit,Gyanshree,Shakysh The major methods through which Buddhism was reebhadra were the bhikkhus who were the primary spread all over the world include- students of Buddha. 1.1) Monks and their major contribution in spreading Buddhism Nagarjuna was one of the greatest Buddhist philosophers in history. He was born in 150 CE in Buddha went to Rrishipattan Mrigdawat (known Amravati in Vidarbha. He was also an ayurvedic today as Sarnath), where he proceeded to form the doctor. He opened the madhyamika school, which panchwargiy bhikkhu sangha .He told his bhikkhus adhered to the tenets of Mahayana Buddhism. He to go to different countries to preach people, as this had written religion was for happiness and peace of the bahujan “mulamadhyamakakarika”(Fundamental verse on (large group of common people),because this the middle way) expounding upon one of the major religion is truly the path to happiness and it would pillars of Buddhism the Middle Path which help them to develop themselves”. In those times, advocates the avoidance of all extreme choices in the King of Magdha was Bimbisar. Gautam favor of a moderate approach. Nagarjuna resided in Buddha preached to Bimbisara and Kosalnaresh Sriparvata near Guntur (Aandhra Pradesh) which Prasenjit .The king was considered the most crucial later came to be called Nagarjunkonda. factor in protecting and promoting a particular Nagarjunakonda has two monasteries by the names religion and this preaching went on to secure the of Caitika and Bahusutrya. Over the course of his king’s endorsement for the religion. Considering life, he wrote many books on Buddhism. This was this power of the ruler over the spread of religion, an unflinching effort to help in the spreading of when the Mughals ruled in India several Buddha Buddhism. His student Aarydewa also expanded statues and viharas were destroyed. In British times upon his work. Asang was half brother to Buddhism was not opposed outright by the British Vasubandhu. They both spread Abhidharma but the spread of Christianity affected it in various (Buddhist text which contains various Buddhist ways. Buddhism’s period of glory was the Shakya sutras) in different countries. Dignāga has a major period, Koshal period, Maurya period and Gupt text written by him, the Pramana- period . Large religious conferences were held to Samuccaya (Compendium of Valid Cognition), promote Buddhism. The conferences had a general which revolves around the way perception works in aim to send boddha bhikkhu to another countries to the context of language. It considers perception to initiate the spread of Buddhism. Boddha bhikkhus be pure cognition, without the presence of further met as a community and considered how to develop deliberation, and sees language as being a tool Dhamma. During Buddha’s period there were 80 coming forth from thoughtful exclusion. mahashravaks. Sariputta and Maudgalyayna were Dhammakirti was an ideal for Dignaga, and he the main two bhikkhus who assisted Gautam formed a school of Buddhist logic which was Buddha. Gautam Buddha went to various cities in keenly philosophical owing to his past work in India in his life time. His birthplace was Lumbini, philosophy and human psychology. however the birth of his philosophy was in Bodhgaya; where he found buddhatv Dhammakitri was a Buddhist scholar from (Buddhahood). After this life changing event he Indonesia who went on to become a renowned went on to visit Rishipattan (sarnath), Rajgruh, teacher in Nalanda University. Shantrakshit Vaishali, Mankul parwart (Bihar), Sunsumargiri ,Gyanshree,Shakyshreebhadra also did significant (chunar), kaushambi (AIlahabad), Parileyak work for the cause of Buddhism. Buddhist monk (Mirjapur), Nala (Bihar), Vairanja, Chaliy Parvat, were not only sadhus/religious figures but they Shravasti (Gonda), Kapilvastu, Kushinagar. He were also learned people who were revered by died in 483BC in Kushinagar. His contemporary society for their knowledge and wisdom; many of Nagsen was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism, them had written books and translated texts from and he preached to the Indo Greek king Meander Pali and Sanskrit to regional languages. Many Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 723 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-9, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in religious texts pertaining to the Mahayana stream undergoing the proper deeksha.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Rappresentazioni E Modelli Identitari Nell'afghanistan Dei Musahiban
    Corso di Laurea in Lingue e civiltà dell'Asia e dell'Africa mediterranea [LM20-14] Tesi di Laurea (a.a. 2015/2016) Ariana: rappresentazioni e modelli identitari nell’Afghanistan dei Musahiban Relatore Ch. Prof. Simone Cristoforetti Correlatore Ch. Prof. Stefano Pellò Laureando Silvio Oppo Matricola 833590 Indice generale Introduzione i Abbreviazioni viii Indice delle figure ix Indice delle tavole x 1. Inquadramento storico 1 2. Politiche culturali e processi di nazionalizzazione linguistica in Afghanistan 31 i. Il caso del pashto e l’assimilazione del dari. 31 ii. Approfondimenti sullo sviluppo del glottonimo dari: la tassonomia del persiano d’Afghanistan 40 3. Profili biografici 55 4. Aryana, un paradigma nazionale 77 i. La Germania e il modello ariano: un’influenza marginale? 77 ii. Processi assimilativi di un passato ideale, ovvero l’autoreferenzialità della costruzione nazionale 84 iii. La riscoperta delle fonti: l’autorevolezza dell’antico nelle parole dei moderni 96 5. Processi evolutivi: l’identità di un popolo in rapporto al territorio 113 i. Alla ricerca dell’Afghanistan: il paradosso di un toponimo che disintegra 113 ii. Speculazioni sull’etnogenesi: l’arianismo e l’origine semitica rigettata 123 6. Conclusioni 143 Appendice 149 Tavole 153 Bibliografia 161 Sitografia 176 Introduzione “Fortezza dell’Islam, eterno cuore dell’Asia libero suolo degli ariani suolo natio di coraggiosi eroi” Inno Nazionale afghano (1992-2006) La moltitudine di fenomeni e l’apparato teorico di supporto che hanno contribuito alla formazione dei moderni Stati nazionali è stata oggetto di numerose a approfondite analisi, soprattutto se consideriamo l’Europa, l’America Settentrionale e quelli che, per convenzione, sono chiamati i “paesi sviluppati”.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Pilgrimage
    Published for free distribution Buddhist Pilgrimage New Edition 2009 Chan Khoon San ii Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati. The Gift of Dhamma excels all gifts. The printing of this book for free distribution is sponsored by the generous donations of Dhamma friends and supporters, whose names appear in the donation list at the end of this book. ISBN 983-40876-0-8 © Copyright 2001 Chan Khoon San irst Printing, 2002 " 2000 copies Second Printing 2005 " 2000 copies New Edition 2009 − 7200 copies All commercial rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or part, in any form, for sale, profit or material gain is strictly prohibited. However, permission to print this book, in its entirety, for free distribution as a gift of Dhamma, is allowed after prior notification to the author. New Cover Design ,nset photo shows the famous Reclining .uddha image at Kusinara. ,ts uni/ue facial e0pression evokes the bliss of peace 1santisukha2 of the final liberation as the .uddha passes into Mahaparinibbana. Set in the background is the 3reat Stupa of Sanchi located near .hopal, an important .uddhist shrine where relics of the Chief 4isciples and the Arahants of the Third .uddhist Council were discovered. Printed in ,uala -um.ur, 0alaysia 1y 5a6u6aya ,ndah Sdn. .hd., 78, 9alan 14E, Ampang New Village, 78000 Selangor 4arul Ehsan, 5alaysia. Tel: 03-42917001, 42917002, a0: 03-42922053 iii DEDICATI2N This book is dedicated to the spiritual advisors who accompanied the pilgrimage groups to ,ndia from 1991 to 2008. Their guidance and patience, in helping to create a better understanding and appreciation of the significance of the pilgrimage in .uddhism, have made those 6ourneys of faith more meaningful and beneficial to all the pilgrims concerned.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist” Reading of Shakespeare
    UNIWERSYTET ZIELONOGÓRSKI IN GREMIUM 14/2020 Studia nad Historią, Kulturą i Polityką DOI 10.34768/ig.vi14.301 ISSN 1899-2722 s. 193-205 Antonio Salvati Universitá degli Studi della Campania „Luigi Vanvitelli” ORCID: 0000-0002-4982-3409 GIUSEPPE DE LORENZO AND HIS “BUDDHIST” READING OF SHAKESPEARE The road to overcoming pain lies in pain itself The following assumption is one of the pivotal points of Giuseppe De Lorenzo’s reflection on pain: “Solamente l’umanità può attingere dalla visione del dolore la forza per redimersi dal circolo dalla vita”,1 as he wrote in the first edition (1904) of India e Buddhismo antico in affinity with Hölderlin’s verses: “Nah ist/Und schwer zu fassen der Gott./Wo aber Gefahr ist, wächst/Das Rettende auch”,2 and anticipating Giuseppe Rensi who wrote in 1937 in his Frammenti: “La natura dell’universo la conosce non l’uomo sano, ricco, fortunato, felice, ma l’uomo percorso dalle malattie, dalle sventure, dalla povertà, dalle persecuzioni. Solo costui sa veramente che cos’è il mondo. Solo egli lo vede. Solo a lui i dolori che subisce danno la vista”.3 If pain really is this anexperience in which man questions himself and acquires the wisdom to free himself from the state of suffering it is clear why suffering “seems to be particularly essential to the nature of man […] Suffering seems to belong to man’s 1 “Only humanity can draw the strength to redeem itself from the circle of life through the vision of pain”. Giuseppe De Lorenzo (Lagonegro 1871-Naples 1957) was a geologist, a translator of Buddhist texts and Schopenhauer, and a great reader of Shakespeare, Byron and Leopardi.
    [Show full text]
  • ANSWERED ON:25.11.2014 TOURIST SITES Singh Shri Rama Kishore
    GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TOURISM LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:403 ANSWERED ON:25.11.2014 TOURIST SITES Singh Shri Rama Kishore Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state: (a) whether tourist sites have been categorised grade-wise in the country and if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of tourist sites covered under Buddhist circuit and developed as world heritage tourist sites during the last three years and the current year; (c) whether the Government has any tourism related proposals for Vaishali in Bihar including financial assistance; and (d) if so, the details thereof? Answer MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA) (a): Madam. At present there is no grade wise categorization of tourist sites. (b): The Ministry of Tourism has identified following three circuits to be developed as Buddhist Circuits in the country with the help of Central Government/State Government/Private stake holders: Circuit 1: The Dharmayatra or the Sacred Circuit - This will be a 5 to 7 days circuit and will include visits to Gaya (Bodhgaya), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal. Circuit 2: Extended Dharmayatra or Extended Sacred Circuit or Retracing Buddha's Footsteps - This will be a 10 to 15 day circuit and will include visits to Bodhgaya (Nalanda, Rajgir, Barabar caves, Pragbodhi Hill, Gaya), Patna (Vaishali, Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Areraj, Kesariya, Patna Museum), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Sankisa) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal. Circuit 3: Buddhist Heritage Trails (State Circuits). i. Jammu and Kashmir - Ladakh, Srinagar (Harwan, Parihaspora) and Jammu (Ambaran).
    [Show full text]
  • Myanmar Buddhism of the Pagan Period
    MYANMAR BUDDHISM OF THE PAGAN PERIOD (AD 1000-1300) BY WIN THAN TUN (MA, Mandalay University) A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES PROGRAMME NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2002 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to the people who have contributed to the successful completion of this thesis. First of all, I wish to express my gratitude to the National University of Singapore which offered me a 3-year scholarship for this study. I wish to express my indebtedness to Professor Than Tun. Although I have never been his student, I was taught with his book on Old Myanmar (Khet-hoà: Mranmâ Râjawaà), and I learnt a lot from my discussions with him; and, therefore, I regard him as one of my teachers. I am also greatly indebted to my Sayas Dr. Myo Myint and Professor Han Tint, and friends U Ni Tut, U Yaw Han Tun and U Soe Kyaw Thu of Mandalay University for helping me with the sources I needed. I also owe my gratitude to U Win Maung (Tampavatî) (who let me use his collection of photos and negatives), U Zin Moe (who assisted me in making a raw map of Pagan), Bob Hudson (who provided me with some unpublished data on the monuments of Pagan), and David Kyle Latinis for his kind suggestions on writing my early chapters. I’m greatly indebted to Cho Cho (Centre for Advanced Studies in Architecture, NUS) for providing me with some of the drawings: figures 2, 22, 25, 26 and 38.
    [Show full text]
  • Proquest Dissertations
    Daoxuan's vision of Jetavana: Imagining a utopian monastery in early Tang Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Tan, Ai-Choo Zhi-Hui Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 25/09/2021 09:09:41 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280212 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are In typewriter face, while others may be from any type of connputer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overiaps. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 DAOXUAN'S VISION OF JETAVANA: IMAGINING A UTOPIAN MONASTERY IN EARLY TANG by Zhihui Tan Copyright © Zhihui Tan 2002 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number: 3073263 Copyright 2002 by Tan, Zhihui Ai-Choo All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Afghanistan: State and Society, Great Power Politics, and the Way Ahead Findings from an International Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2007
    THE ARTS This PDF document was made available from www.rand.org as a public CHILD POLICY service of the RAND Corporation. CIVIL JUSTICE EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Jump down to document6 HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS NATIONAL SECURITY The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research POPULATION AND AGING organization providing objective analysis and effective PUBLIC SAFETY solutions that address the challenges facing the public SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY and private sectors around the world. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE Support RAND Purchase this document Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation conference proceedings series. RAND conference proceedings present a collection of papers delivered at a conference. The papers herein have been commented on by the conference attendees and both the in- troduction and collection itself have been reviewed and approved by RAND Science and Technology.
    [Show full text]
  • The Heritage of India Series
    THE HERITAGE OF INDIA SERIES T The Right Reverend V. S. AZARIAH, t [ of Dornakal. E-J-J j Bishop I J. N. FARQUHAR, M.A., D.Litt. (Oxon.). Already published. The Heart of Buddhism. K. J. SAUNDERS, M.A. Asoka. J. M. MACPHAIL, M.A., M.D. Indian Painting. PRINCIPAL PERCY BROWN, Calcutta. Kanarese Literature, 2nd ed. E. P. RICE, B.A. The Samkhya System. A. BERRIEDALE KEITH, D.C.L., D.Litt. Psalms of Maratha Saints. NICOL MACNICOL, M.A., D.Litt. A History of Hindi Literature. F. E. KEAY, M.A., D.Litt. The Karma-MImamsa. A. BERRIEDALE KEITH, D.C.L., D.Litt. Hymns of the Tamil Saivite Saints. F. KINGSBURY, B.A., and G. E. PHILLIPS, M.A. Rabindranath Tagore. E. J. THOMPSON, B.A., M.C. Hymns from the Rigveda. A. A. MACDONELL, M.A., Ph.D., Hon. LL.D. Gotama Buddha. K. J. SAUNDERS, M.A. Subjects proposed and volumes under Preparation. SANSKRIT AND PALI LITERATURE. Anthology of Mahayana Literature. Selections from the Upanishads. Scenes from the Ramayana. Selections from the Mahabharata. THE PHILOSOPHIES. An Introduction to Hindu Philosophy. J. N FARQUHAR and PRINCIPAL JOHN MCKENZIE, Bombay. The Philosophy of the Upanishads. Sankara's Vedanta. A. K. SHARMA, M.A., Patiala. Ramanuja's Vedanta. The Buddhist System. FINE ART AND MUSIC. Indian Architecture. R. L. EWING, B.A., Madras. Indian Sculpture. Insein, Burma. BIOGRAPHIES OF EMINENT INDIANS. Calcutta. V. SLACK, M.A., Tulsi Das. VERNACULAR LITERATURE. and K. T. PAUL, The Kurral. H. A. POPLBY, B.A., Madras, T> A Calcutta M. of the Alvars.
    [Show full text]
  • P. Vasundhara Rao.Cdr
    ORIGINAL ARTICLE ISSN:-2231-5063 Golden Research Thoughts P. Vasundhara Rao Abstract:- Literature reflects the thinking and beliefs of the concerned folk. Some German writers came in contact with Ancient Indian Literature. They were influenced by the Indian Philosophy, especially, Buddhism. German Philosopher Arther Schopenhauer, was very much influenced by the Philosophy of Buddhism. He made the ancient Indian Literature accessible to the German people. Many other authors and philosophers were influenced by Schopenhauer. The famous German Indologist, Friedrich Max Muller has also done a great work, as far as the contact between India and Germany is concerned. He has translated “Sacred Books of the East”. INDIAN PHILOSOPHY IN GERMAN WRITINGS Some other German authors were also influenced by Indian Philosophy, the traces of which can be found in their writings. Paul Deussen was a great scholar of Sanskrit. He wrote “Allgemeine Geschichte der Philosophie (General History of the Philosophy). Friedrich Nieztsche studied works of Schopenhauer in detail. He is one of the first existentialist Philosophers. Karl Eugen Neuman was the first who translated texts from Pali into German. Hermann Hesse was also influenced by Buddhism. His famous novel Siddhartha is set in India. It is about the spiritual journey of a man (Siddhartha) during the time of Gautam Buddha. Indology is today a subject in 13 Universities in Germany. Keywords: Indian Philosophy, Germany, Indology, translation, Buddhism, Upanishads.specialization. www.aygrt.isrj.org INDIAN PHILOSOPHY IN GERMAN WRITINGS INTRODUCTION Learning a new language opens the doors of a different culture, of the philosophy and thinking of that particular society. How true it is in case of Indian philosophy having traveled to Germany years ago.
    [Show full text]
  • Deconstructing Androcentrism in Buddhist Literature Through the Lens of Ethnography: a Case Study of Bhutanese Nuns
    KEMANUSIAAN Vol. 25, Supp. 1, (2018), 143–165 Deconstructing Androcentrism in Buddhist Literature Through the Lens of Ethnography: A Case Study of Bhutanese Nuns *SONAM WANGMO JULI EDO KAMAL SOLHAIMI FADZIL Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia *Corresponding author: [email protected] Published online: 20 December 2018 To cite this article: Wangmo, S., Edo, J. and Fadzil, K.S. 2018. Deconstructing androcentrism in Buddhist literature through the lens of ethnography: A case study of Bhutanese nuns. KEMANUSIAAN the Asian Journal of Humanities 25(Supp. 1): 143–165, https://doi.org/10.21315/ kajh2018.25.s1.8 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.21315/kajh2018.25.s1.8 Abstract. Traditional androcentric sociology has reinforced biased views of women and portrayed women as silent research objects of minor importance that figure marginally in academic writing, thereby distorting the knowledge base. The same tendencies have been observed in Buddhist religious literature. The bone of contention in the feminist critique of Buddhism is the omission of women from religious literature. Although Buddhist women’s spiritual prowess was well documented in early Buddhism in religious literature such as the Therīgatha, later Buddhist literature began to demonstrate androcentric tendencies, in most instances completely ignoring the religious lives of women. Since women have been largely sidelined in Buddhist texts, it is important to go beyond textual dimensions to gain deeper insights into women’s religious lives. The feminist Buddhist scholar, Rita Gross (2009), in her monumental work, A Garland of Feminist Reflections, emphasised the need to explore various ways other than our own to think, live and practice religion to broaden our horizons to avoid a narrow-minded approach to academic research.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism, Diversity and ‘Race’: Multiculturalism and Western Convert Buddhist Movements in East London – a Qualitative Study
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Goldsmiths Research Online GOLDSMITHS Research Online Thesis (PhD) Smith, Sharon Elizabeth Buddhism, Diversity and ‘Race’: Multiculturalism and Western convert Buddhist movements in East London – a qualitative study You may cite this version as: Smith, Sharon Elizabeth, 2008. Buddhism, Diversity and ‘Race’: Multiculturalism and Western convert Buddhist movements in East London – a qualitative study. PhD thesis, Goldsmiths. [Thesis]: Goldsmiths Research Online. Available at: http://eprints.gold.ac.uk/2553/ COPYRIGHT This is a thesis accepted for a Higher Degree of the University of London. It is an unpublished document and the copyright is held by the author. All persons consulting this thesis must read and abide by the Copyright Declaration below. COPYRIGHT DECLARATION I recognise that the copyright and other relevant Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the above- described thesis rests with the author and/or other IPR holders and that no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. ACCESS A non-exclusive, non-transferable licence is hereby granted to those using or reproducing, in whole or in part, the material for valid purposes, providing the copyright owners are acknowledged using the normal conventions. Where specific permission to use material is required, this is identified and such permission must be sought from the copyright holder or agency cited. REPRODUCTION All material supplied via Goldsmiths Library and Goldsmiths Research Online (GRO) is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, and duplication or sale of all or part of any of the Data Collections is not permitted, except that material may be duplicated by you for your research use or for educational purposes in electronic or print form.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Universities in India
    Ancient Universities in India Ancient alanda University Nalanda is an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India from 427 to 1197. Nalanda was established in the 5th century AD in Bihar, India. Founded in 427 in northeastern India, not far from what is today the southern border of Nepal, it survived until 1197. It was devoted to Buddhist studies, but it also trained students in fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics and the art of war. The center had eight separate compounds, 10 temples, meditation halls, classrooms, lakes and parks. It had a nine-story library where monks meticulously copied books and documents so that individual scholars could have their own collections. It had dormitories for students, perhaps a first for an educational institution, housing 10,000 students in the university’s heyday and providing accommodations for 2,000 professors. Nalanda University attracted pupils and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey. A half hour bus ride from Rajgir is Nalanda, the site of the world's first University. Although the site was a pilgrimage destination from the 1st Century A.D., it has a link with the Buddha as he often came here and two of his chief disciples, Sariputra and Moggallana, came from this area. The large stupa is known as Sariputra's Stupa, marking the spot not only where his relics are entombed, but where he was supposedly born. The site has a number of small monasteries where the monks lived and studied and many of them were rebuilt over the centuries. We were told that one of the cells belonged to Naropa, who was instrumental in bringing Buddism to Tibet, along with such Nalanda luminaries as Shantirakshita and Padmasambhava.
    [Show full text]