Eastern Philosophy

Wisdom and Futures Studies

by Vahid V. Motlagh

Book Review: Wisdom, Consciousness, and the Future by Tom Lombardo. 461 pages. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris, 2011. ISBN13: 978-1-4628-8360-8. US$23.99 paper

In the coming decades we will witness a new collective enlightenment which many futurists describe as a “significant... more In the coming decades we will witness a new collective enlightenment which many futurists describe as a “significant jump in the collective mental functioning of humanity”. As expected by many writers, contemporary challenges and evolutionary forces will push humanity to a new level of “cosmic consciousness.” And for Lombardo, a core feature of this evolutionary transformation is “heightened future consciousness.”

A Consideration of Language, Ontology and Silence in Dogen

by Ryan Shriver

The authorlessness of the philosophical sutras

by Ferenc Ruzsa

It has been generally recognized that the extremely important philosophical sūtras, most of them the oldest surviving... more It has been generally recognized that the extremely important philosophical sūtras, most of them the oldest surviving texts of Indian philosophical schools, contain some interpolated material. In this paper the suggestion is put forward that their compositeness is of a far more fundamental nature, i.e. during the period of their formation – that could be half a millennium – they were not texts proper but memory aids for students. They must have been something like our handouts (but purely oral at the beginning), with different additions, deletions and interpretations in different places and times, without any fixed order or set number of contributors. The edited form of these texts that has come down to us derives from a late collector-editor who most probably wrote some sort of commentary as well on the sūtras. This unusual textual history suggests that we cannot really speak about the authors, the time of their writing or even their relative priority. Moreover, often there is no point in speaking about the true meaning of a given sentence or paragraph, as it may have had several ones in different historical contexts, and there is no available standard to establish which interpretation is more fundamental or original.

The Fertile Clash: The Rise of Philosophy in India

by Ferenc Ruzsa

A fundamental motive of philosophical thinking in India is suggested: the fruitful conflict of two culures. The... more A fundamental motive of philosophical thinking in India is suggested: the fruitful conflict of two culures. The remains of the Indus Civilization, agriculturists with their fertility-oriented dominantly magical world-view became dominated by the less numerous but warlike Vedic people whose polytheistic religion was devotional and very masculine. The origin of hindu pantheism and also of the concept of abstract neuter Brahman are shown here to be the result of combining elements and motives from both traditions.

'Ecological wisdom' of eastern philosophy - critical perspectives

by Kari Väyrynen

In: Alenius, Kari a. o. (edit.): Imagology and cross-cultural encounters in history. Oulu 2009.

Die Philosophie des Konfuzius: Werk, Kontexte und Wirkungen

by André Keil

Paper on History and Reception of Confucius Lun-Yu, published in 2010

Upanişadlar Bilgeliğinde Varlık Tasavvuru

by Ilyas Altuner

İlim Yayma Bülteni, 2, 2007.

Upanishad metinleri, varlık anlayışının tek bir Tanrı üzerine kurulu olmasını ve bütün yaratılanların Brahman adı... more Upanishad metinleri, varlık anlayışının tek bir Tanrı üzerine kurulu olmasını ve bütün yaratılanların Brahman adı verilen ve Atman olarak varlığın içine sızan Tanrının çeşitli tezahürlerinden oluşmasını ele almaktadır. Genel olarak Hint düşüncesinin, özel olarak da Upanishadların temel sorunu, bireysel ölümsüzlük değil, Atman'ın anlaşılamayan sonsuzluğundaki ebediyettir. En eski Upanishad metinlerinde bahsedilen genel öğreti, Tanrıyı tanımak ve ona giden yolda hayatı geçirerek ölümsüzlüğe erişmektir. Upanishadların hemen tamamında dile getirilen ana düşünce, Tanrı ve Tanrının çeşitli şekillere girerek meydana getirdiği evren hakkında bilgi sahibi olmanın erdemlilik olduğudur.

The Practice of Cultivating Bodhichitta and Maranasati

by Jennifer R. Stevens

My purpose in researching this subject was multi-faceted.  I wanted to explore the Tibetan Buddhist perspective... more My purpose in researching this subject was multi-faceted.  I wanted to explore the Tibetan Buddhist perspective regarding the process of actual dying and the transfer of consciousness (Phowa), that is believed to occur following the death and I planned to investigate the rituals and meditations associated with their understanding of death.  I, also, hoped to discover how Buddhist thought can help supplement Western practices of end-of-life care, including the methods of training, the use of rituals, and the ways of offering support to those who companion the dying.  I hope to understand ways to implement Buddhist wisdom to deepen and enrich our lives and our dying in the West, especially if a patient is open to supplementing their own spiritual path with conscious dying.  Finally, I intended to suggest some areas where further inquiry might be of benefit to the field of psychology and to the practice of working with death and dying.

Daoizmo mastymo tradicijos reiksme dabartinio zmogaus gyvenime - Ge Hong 'Apglebiantis Paprastuma. Vidiniai Skyriai'

by Julius Vaitkevicius

Published in Lithuanian book-journal "Culture Studies 12. East-West: Comparative Studies IV" by Culture, Philosophy and Arts Research Institute in Vilnius, 2006

The article claims that Daoist tradition of thought through thousands of years hasn‘t lost it‘s significance and still... more The article claims that Daoist tradition of thought through thousands of years hasn‘t lost it‘s significance and still carries a meaningful message for a modern man. By analyzing important treatise “Embracing Simplicity” written in third century (Eastern Jin dynasty) by famous daoist alchemist Ge Hong, author attempts to show that for untrained mind difficult to understand daoist concepts “Mystery” (xuan) and “Immortals” (shen xian) actually are closely related to our daily life (whether it’s ancient or modern) and reveal some inspiring insights about human nature and the secret of life itself. Instead of looking upon daoist alchemy as a primitive science of chemistry or a mere quest for a legendary medicine of immortality, article gives a point of view where alchemy and immortality have more to do with the art of human‘s inner transformation; a strive for a better life; discovery and advancement of hidden human potential. The article also analyses the meanings and different interpretations of xuan and shen xian, as well as their relation to a human being.