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Indian : Fall 2011 PHL 348 (42555, 42560, 42565) ANS 372 (31554, 31556, 31447) RS 341 (43606, 43607, 43608)

MW 2-3, WAG 302 (third hour in section)

Stephen Phillips WAG 301 MW 12-1, W 3-4 & by appointment [email protected] TA to be announced WAG MW & by appointment

parama-prayojanam tv anumanasya apavargah "atma va are srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah saksatkartavyah" iti sruteh. "But the ultimate purpose of is with respect to the supreme good (liberation), according to the Upanishadic statement, 'The Self is to be learned about, thought about (in ), and made immediate in .' " Gangesa, "New ," 14th century.

Course Requirements: Required reading: * Two glossary tests (best two count, out of three; 5% each = 10%) * The Upanisads, tr. Valerie Roebuck

* Two homeworks (out of three possibilities, * The Bhagavad-Gita, tr. Franklin Edgerton two-page essays, 10% each = 20%) * J.N. Mohanty, Classical * Midterm exam (identification and short essay, 15%) * Packet of photocopies, available at Speedway in the Dobie Mall (called CP, "course packet," below) * Final exam (identification and essay, 50%) *Notes and readings on the course web site (this page and * Attendance (5%) all links).

Two books are highly recommended: Eliot Deutsch, Advaita ; Santideva, The Bodhicaryatara, translated by Kate Cosby and Andrew Skilton.

The course is divided into three parts.

The first six weeks are devoted to history and overview. Of special concern (and targeted on the midterm exam) be the and the , along with the claim that Vedanta philosophy

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(alternatively the teaching of the Buddha) is justified by mystical and yogic experience. We shall also take up questions of , in particular the ("non-injury") precept of and the - teaching of the Gita. An overview of the of philosophy will occupy us in connection with an introduction to early , as well as the transition to classical philosophy.

The second part of the course, five weeks, will be devoted to classical Indian philosophy. We'll examine the controversy between the professional debaters of the school ("Logic") and the Buddhist anti-intellectual who rejects Nyaya's theory of and the school's identification of , inference, and testimony as "knowledge sources." Buddhist and its debate with Nyaya will be our next focus, then the interschool controversy between Sankara's Advaita ("Non-dualistic'') Vedanta and the theistic Vedanta of , and finally the Nyaya view of Gangesa on inference and mukti, the "supreme personal good."

The last four weeks, we shall return to Indian spirituality and some of the topics of the first part, looking at the Yoga-, , neo-Vedanta, and modern works concerning and spiritual discipline.

The final exam, although comprehensive, will disproportionately target the last two parts of the course in its identification and short-answer questions.

Topics & Requirements

24, 29, & 31 Aug

Introduction. . The geography of the Indian Subcontinent. Ancient and classical Indian civilization. The language. Pronunciation drill.

Philosophy and traditions of philosophy. Philosophy's phenomenological, evaluative, and creative tasks.

A brief overview of the periods and systems of Indian philosophy. The Rg Veda. Vedic , , and . . The Upanishads and Indian spiritual practices.

Vedic literature; the early Upanishads.

Upanishadic views of . The schools of Vedanta and early Indian .

Reading: From your COURSE PACKET (CP):

1. Selections from the Rg Veda: 1.1 and 1.12 (to Agni).

2. S. Phillips, "South Asian Philosophy," pp. 65-87, including selections from the Rg Veda (10.129, "Hymn of Creation," 7.88, to Varuna, 8.48, to Soma), and particularly important selections from the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.

3. Louis Renou, Religion of Ancient India, pp. 1-22 (recommended, i.e., not required with respect to quote- identification questions that may appear on an exam).

4. S. Phillips, "Hinduism."

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5. Selections on Absolute Brahman from the Rg Veda ("The Gods as Faces of God''), the Bhagavad-Gita, and Aurobindo's The Life Divine .

Additional reading:

From The Upanishads (tr. Roebuck), selections from the Brhadaranyaka (pp. 66-71, 76-79, 81-82), Mandukya (pp. 347-48), Chandogya (pp. 171-80, 194-204), Katha (pp. 273-92), Mundaka (pp. 327-30), Taittiriya (pp. 214-26), and Isha (pp. 7-9) Upanishads.

From J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, pp. 1-7.

S. Phillips. "Brahman," Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy (recommended, not required).

7 Sept

Eastern ethics. Ahimsa ("non-injury"). Jainism. The Jaina argument for vegetarianism.

Civil disobedience and non-violence (the legacy of Thoreau, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King).

Reading from CP:

6. From the Acaranga Sutra , "The True Doctrine: Non-violence." (See also, to be discussed later, Santideva, The Bodhisattvacaryavatara.)

Additional reading:

J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "Jaina Ethics," pp. 114-15.

12, 14, & 19 Sept

=> GLOSSARY TEST: Wed 14 Sept (at the beginning of class).

NB. The Sanskrit words for the glossary test on 14 Sept will be announced in class and listed here. This pattern will be repeated for all subsequent tests as well.

Upanishadic theism.

The Bhagavad-gita. The Mahabharata. The Gita's worldview: theology and . Its teaching concerning action, or

Classical .

The question of the cognitive value of yogic and other mystical .

Reading:

Bhagavad-Gita , tr. F. Edgerton (other translations are acceptable: see your instructor or TA): chs. 1-13 and 18. See also an alternative translation of chs. 3 & 4 plus an introductory discussion.

J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "From Dhama to : The Ethical Theory of the Bhagavad Gita," pp. 117-22.

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From CP:

7a. Geneological chart for the Mahabharata war.

7b. Chart for classical Samkhya.

7c. , "The Hindu synthesis: The Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita" (recommended, not required).

8. "The Cognitive Thesis Defended," from William Wainwright's .

21 & 26 Sept

Nyaya and Buddhism: transition to classical philosophy.

The tradition of debate in ancient India. Debate manuals. The Nyaya-sutra. Nyaya and Vaisesika.

The story of the Buddha's life. The Four Noble and the Eightfold Path. An overview of Buddhist literature. and . Central Buddhist positions.

The anti-philosophy sermon of the Buddha versus the "right views" of the Eightfold Path. What is the role of philosophy?

Buddhist theory of the self (or "no-self"). in Buddhism. The concept of the Bodhisattva.

HOMEWORK (due in section): Write a two-page essay on an ethical conception of classical Indian philosophy, ahimsa, the karma-yoga teaching of the Gita, Santideva's arguments for compassion and trying to end suffering (despite there no self that suffers), Sankara's "likeness-to-self argument," and the Bodhisattva concept of Mahayana Buddhism are some possibilities. Be sure to spell out a thesis and any argument or arguments made in the text. You may also tease out implicit considerations in favor of a thesis or theory on which you are focusing, as well as try to debunk or present counter- arguments. Try to anticipate a good objection or two or an important line of response to an objection you raise.

Reading from CP:

9. From S. Phillips, Classical Indian Metaphysics, "The Grammarians and Early Manuals of Debate," pp. 39-41.

10. From Gautama's Nyayasutra 1.1.41-1.2.3, with commentary by Vatsyayana (recommended, not required).

11. "" (by SP), "The First Sermon,'' a sermon from the Majjhima-Nikaya, "The Questions of King Milinda," , "The Duration of Life.''

From Shantideva, The Bodhisattvacaryavatara

Additional reading:

J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "Virtues: Hindu and Buddhist," pp. 112-14.

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28 Sept & 3 & 5 Oct

Classical theory of knowledge: the Naiyayika "knowledge sources'' (). Comparisons with both the "internalism" of and Descartes in Western and recent "externalism."

Mahayana. Nagarjuna and the Madhyamika schools. Nagarjuna 's prasanga . His skepticism and attack on pramana theory.

Consciousness and cognition in classical epistemology (pramana-sastra).

Moral epistemology (how is known?). The Mimamsa position. The issue of "yogic perception" (yaugika-pratyaksa) in the various schools.

Indian skepticism II: Carvaka ("''). The Carvaka view of self as the living body.

The Carvaka attack on inference. Nyaya responses: Gangesa's insistence on a cognitive default ("innocent until proven guilty'') and the charge of self-refutation or pragmatic contradiction.

Nyaya dualism and the arguments for a self. Buddhist views revisited.

Reading:

J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "Theory of Knowledge," pp. 11-38, along with Appendix 2, "Some General Features of the Indian Theories of Knowledge," pp. 149-51; and "The Self," pp. 59-71.

From CP:

12a. Nagarjuna's "Averting the Arguments."

12b. From Nagarjuna's Mula-madhyamika-karika, ch. 2, "Examination of Motion."

12c. D. Seyfort Ruegg, "Does the Madhyamika Have a Thesis and Philosophical Position?" (recommended, not required).

13. From Gautama's Nyaya-sutra and Vatsyayana's Commentary (tr. M. Gangopadhya): (a) 1.1.4-1.1.7, 2.1.16, and 2.1.19 (concerning pramana), and (b) 3.1.1-3.1.3 (concerning a self).

14a. From Kumarila's Slokavartika, "Aphorism IV" (i.e., Kumarila's commentary on Mimamsa-sutra 1.1.4).

14b. From Madhava's Philosophic Compendium: "Carvaka."

15. From Gangesa's Jewel of Reflection about the of Epistemology

Exam: 10 Oct

12, 17, & 19 Oct

Classical Indian realism vs. idealism in overview. Nagarjuna's anti-metaphysical arguments.

Buddhist idealism. 's position and arguments. The illusionist argument for " alone."

Nyaya's realist response and counterarguments.

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The Vaisesika categories; Vaisesika views of .

The Buddist argument for momentariness from Ratnakirti's "Proof of momentariness."

Reading from CP:

16. Vasubandhu, "A Treatise in Twenty Stanzas and its Explanation" (tr. T. Kuchumutton).

17. From Nyayasutra and Vatsyayana's Commentary (Bhashya) 4.2.31-37 (required), and Uddyotakara's Subcommentary (Varttika),tr. G. Jha: 4.2.31-37 (recommended).

18. From S. Phillips, Classical Indian Metaphysics, "Nyaya-Vaisesika through ."

Additional reading:

J.N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "The Categories," pp. 41-50, and " of an External World" and "Is the World Unreal?" pp. 84-88.

HOMEWORK: Write on one of these three topics: (1) Reconstruct and elaborate Vasubandhu's argument for citta-matra, "mind alone." What meta-rules regarding inference and debate, if any, are crucial to its success? Optionally, go on to give the Nyaya response. (2) Present Ratnakirti's argument for momentariness. Optionally, present the Nyaya response. (3) Present Nyaya's refutation of the denial of an external world along with the Nyaya explanation of illusion.

24 & 26 Oct

=> GLOSSARY TEST: W 26 Oct (at the beginning of class).

Advaita Vedanta ; Sankara's arguments, refutations of other views (Atomist, Buddhist, and theist) and defense of his own positions.

Perceptual illusion, the range of classical views.

Ramanuja's theism. His arguments, in particular, his attack on Advaita.

Reading from CP:

19a. From Sankara's "Introduction" to his Commentary on the Brahmasutra (chapter 1.1, tr. G. Thibaut).

19b. From Sankara's Commentary on the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad, tr. Swami Madhavananda, 2.4.12-2.4.14 (please excuse the editing notations).

20. From Sankara's Commentary on the -sutra, his refutations of other views (tr. Swami Gambhirananda): 2.2.10-2.2.45 passim (only some of this will be required, though all is recommended: the required part will be announced in class).

Summary of Ramanuja's Sri-Bhasya (by S. Phillips)

Additional reading:

J.N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, (read again) "The Self,'' pp. 59-64, also "Identity and

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in Vedanta," pp. 89-90, and "Moksa and ," pp. 144-45.

Recommended: Eliot Deutsch,

31 Oct & 2 Nov

Nyaya theism. Udayana's arguments for the .

Nyaya on yoga and the "supreme personal good."

Reading from CP:

21. From Udayana's "Proofs of the Existence of God."

22. Nyayasutra 4.2.38-4.2.49.

From S. Phillips, "Liberation in Nyaya and Gangesa's mukti-vada." "Nyaya's Criteriological Argument for the Existence of God."

Additional reading:

J.N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "Theistic Arguments," pp. 128-29.

HOMEWORK: Choose an argument either for or against a position presented in either the reading or lecture the last two weeks, reconstruct it, put it in context, and evaluate it as best you can. A few good topics: Shankara's criticism of the Nyaya- concept of inherence, an argument for positing absences as a separate ontological category, Udayana's criteriological argument, any of Ramanuja's arguments against Shankara, the Nyaya refutation of the denial of an external world, Nyaya's , an argument concerning the nature of perceptual illusion, and son on. (The paper is due in section at a to be specified by Janice, and so definitely not this week but the next at the earliest.)

10 & 12 Nov => GLOSSARY TEST: Wed 12 Nov (at the beginning of class).

The Yoga-sutra. Yoga and Indian philosophy. The astanga ("eight-limbed") yoga of .

Practice, psychological, and philosophic concepts in the Yoga-sutra .

Reading from CP:

23. From B. K. S. Iyengar, Tree of Yoga.

24. Swami Satyananda's introduction to his translation of the Yogasutra.

S. Phillips' YS translation ( only, which are required; comments not required).

Recommended: James Woods, The Yoga System of Patanjali or another transation of the Yogasutra.

14 & 16 Nov

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Classical Indian . The concept of rasa. The traditional eight rasas and the corresponding natural emotions; Abhinava's ninth rasa, "shanti" or peace, and its correlate in the self (atman).

Tantra in overview.

The Hindu Tantric master Abhinava Gupta (c. 1000) and his new yoga of art.

HOMEWORK: Consider how an "inferential undercutter" (upadhi) would or would defeat the standard inference to the existence of God according to Nyaya. Alternatively, construct and examine a "counterargument" with a same inferential subject but the contrary probandum and (due in section):

Reading: J. N. Mohanty, Classical Indian Philosophy, "Aesthetics or Rasasastra,'' pp. 133-37.

From CP:

25. From , Tantric Yoga and the Goddesses (recommended, not required).

26. From Paul Muller-Ortega, The Triadic Heart of Shiva (on Abhinava's yoga and metaphysics).

27. From B.N. Goswami, "Rasa: Delight of the ."

21 & 23 Nov Neo-Vedanta. Vivekananda (1863-1902). Aurobindo (1872-1950).

Tantric in Aurobindo's theories. The "psychic being" and "psychic entity."

The philosophy of rebirth.

Reading: 28. From , "Speeches at the 1893 Congress of World Religions."

29. From Satprem, The Adventure of , "The Centers of Consciousness."

30. Aurobindo, "'s Teaching and Method of Sadhana."

31. From Aurobindo's The Life Divine, "Philosophy of Rebirth."

28 & 30 Nov

Review. Open discussion. Course summary.

FINAL EXAM: Wed 7 Dec, 2 - 5 pm, location to be announced.

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