Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically, Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies

Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies Volume 26 Article 5 2013 Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically Jonathan Edelmann Mississippi State University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs Recommended Citation Edelmann, Jonathan () "Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically," Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies: Vol. 26, Article 5. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.7825/2164-6279.1544 The Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies is a publication of the Society for Hindu-Christian Studies. The digital version is made available by Digital Commons @ Butler University. For questions about the Journal or the Society, please contact cbauman@butler.edu. For more information about Digital Commons @ Butler University, please contact fgaede@butler.edu.  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically Jonathan Edelmann Mississippi State University THE content of this article is based on an Malhotra’s approach bears some invited presentation about Being Different: An similarities to Shrinivas Tilak’s essay Indian Challenge to Western Universalism by Rajiv “Hinduism for Hindus: Taking Back Hindu Malhotra for the Society of Hindu-Christian Studies” (see Hawley and Narayanan 2006), Studies at the 2012 American Academy of both of whom wish to recover India from Religion. I have taken into consideration some Western conceptual contamination. But in my of Mr. Malhotra’s comments after the panel understanding, neither one provides a tenable presentations, as well as a subsequent email plan for doing so, which must, in my view, exchange. involve a robust educational program. In Being Different Mr. Malhotra critiques Although necessary, I do not think that Western thought from what he calls a “dharmic published material and book promotion perspective,” something I was very glad to see lectures will generate the large-scale critique of and hope will inspire other such critiques. the West and the reevaluation of the East for Much of my work has also sought to expose which they call. At this point in American underlying and often unjustified assumptions history the Hindu community is financially well in Western thought, another reason I initially established and socially well placed, both of greeted his book warmly. Despite being which bode well for the establishment of supportive of Mr. Malhotra’s goals and efforts, educational programs for Hindus in all phases and despite my sincere wish to read critiques of of life. At this time there are very few places in Western thought from Indian perspectives, I the USA, UK or EU where Hindu children, think his book raises a number of “red flags,” to youth, young adults and adults can go to which I hope he and his readers will attend. My receive a Hindu (or dharmic if you prefer) conclusion is that for those who wish to learn education other than the very educational something substantial and accurate about institutions of which Malhotra and Tilak are so dharma traditions, there are far better sources critical and dismissive, i.e., universities and than Being Different. colleges wherein the programs are for the most Jonathan Edelmann is an Assistant Professor of Religion at Mississippi State University in the Department of Philosophy and Religion. He was a 2009-2011 Luce Summer Fellow with the American Academy of Religion and a winner of a 2011 John Templeton Prize for Theological Promise. He is the author of Hindu Theology and Biology: The Bhāgavata Purāṇa and Contemporary Theory (2012) with Oxford University Press, and has written for Zygon, the Journal of Vaishnava Studies and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies 26 (2013):17-27 Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 1  Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 26 [], Art. 5 18 Jonathan Edlemann part run by white men and women. This seems how that view can be justified on the basis of to be the foundation of all the problems raised what he has is written in the BD itself. For by Malhotra and Tilak because without instance, the first sentence of the Conclusion educational facilities to reclaim the India reads: “The preceding chapters have dealt with contaminated by the West and without some major differences between the West and educational facilities to teach those reclaimed India” (BD, 338; italics my own). This indicates views there can be no sustained critique of the that BD is meant to be representative of what West. I discuss this more in the final portion of Indians in general think, not merely Malhotra’s this article. own views. I am not sure that he is aware that if BD is merely his views that this would W hose India? W hose W est? undermine the entirety of his project, since his I admire that Malhotra takes a stand and goal is to show that Indian thought has been argues his views with passion. But on what is misunderstood. I am, therefore, going to take he taking a stand? If BD is meant to represent BD as an attempt to tell us what is essentially Indian intellectual history or something like an true about dharmic traditions since that is how essential “dharmic” perspective, then the book the text presents itself. misleads for reasons I discuss below. On the In addition to what is discussed above, other hand, if BD’s discussion of the “dharmic there are other methodological problems with traditions” is only meant to represent Rajiv the text, which seem to stem from Malhotra’s Malhotra’s worldview, which he has constructed conflation and confusion of what he thinks from a smattering of Indian and Western India was with what Indic thought might be; sources, then the book is just that and could Malhotra does not demark the two projects in only be evaluated in terms of its cogency. So is his book, and thus he frequently misleads his BD a historical reconstruction of Indian readers. For example, Malhotra argues there is thought, or is it Malhotra’s personal views? an inherent split between science (=Greek) and The text itself clearly indicates the religion (=Judeo-Christian) in the West, which intention to be the former (with terms like “the the John Templeton Foundation attempts to dharmic perspective” throughout its pages repair, but that India is free from such rather than “a dharmic perspective,” italics my problems. Malhotra holds a major own), but maybe Malhotra misspeaks or is misconception about the interaction of the unfamiliar with the difference “a” or “the” sciences and the theologies of the West, or at makes. Think, for example, about the impact the very least he glosses over the history of that the difference between “the theory of science and religion in the West. It is well evolution” and “a theory of evolution” has known, for example, that Sir John Templeton made in American legal and educational thought that science is a form of theology, and contexts. In his response to the panel that the separation between the two was the discussion Malhotra said BD’s characterization result of an inadequate understanding. of the dharma traditions are his views alone, and Malhotra thinks the JTF is about reordering that they are not meant to be representative of Western science-religion relationships, the Indian tradition(s) in general. I do not see whereas I see it as attempting to educate http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol26/iss1/5 2 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1544  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically 19 people about the way it really is as opposed to the most orthodox Hindu, Buddhist or Jain the way it superficially appears to be. leaders are inclined to argue against the Furthermore, Malhotra thinks there are evolution of the cosmos, or any other science two things (“science” and “religion”) that are for that matter. Some modern scientists with clearly distinguishable from one another. As I dharmic worldviews have also questioned have noted (Edelmann 2012; Edelmann 2012a), Darwin’s theory, though these questions historians have rejected essentialized notions pertain to the science behind the theory and of “science” and “religion” (Brooke 1991; have nothing to do with religious dogma” (BD, Harrison, Numbers and Shank 2011). They are 149-50). This is just as wrong as his view of not, as Malhotra believes, clear and distinct science-religion relations in the West. C categories, but fluid and dynamic, subject to Mackenzie Brown’s Hindu Perspectives on revision by thinkers in different historical Evolution (2012) provides a realistic and contexts; the science and theology of Isaac historically accurate depiction of Hindu views Newton, for example, is different than that of on the natural sciences, a text that Malhotra Charles Darwin, who is himself different from would benefit from reading. Many Richard Dawkins. Malhotra thinks that “efforts contemporary Hindu thinkers did question the to substitute creationism for Darwin’s theory of science behind Darwinism, e.g., Bhaktivedanta evolution” point to great and irresolvable Swami. Had Malhotra conducted even basic tensions in the West, but he is clearly unaware research it would reveal that many Indian of the fact that Darwinism quickly and thinkers (classical, modern, etc.) argued against repeatedly gained support from Western evolution on the basis of religious belief thinkers, both scientific and religious, as many derived from canonical texts like the Purāṇas, of the standard histories have noted. Christian Vedānta Sūtra, Bhagavad Gītā, Veda Saṃhitās, Creationism is rejected by all the major etc. Furthermore, there were even debates Christian denominations, whereas Malhotra within India about the status of natural seems to think it is a mainline view. If Malhotra knowledge and scriptural exegesis long before had spent some time outlining, for example, its encounter with European sciences. As noted how Western scientists and Abrahamic in Edelmann (2012), there were over 1000 years theologians have worked through issues of of debate between the followers of the Purāṇic natural knowledge and scriptural exegesis, he cosmology and the followers of the Siddhāntas might have presented a nuanced view of (a more quantitatively based cosmology), a science and religion, one that adequately debate that cannot be simplistically reduced to reflects the complexity of Western thought, one of agreement between the scriptural and one which would serve as a real and exegetes and the mathematicians. Malhotra genuine pūrva-pakṣa rather than the straw-man contends that the West is fragmented and argument we have in BD. conflictual, whereas India is unified and There are straw-man arguments on the harmonious, but histories on each side tell a dharmic side as well. Malhotra falsely thinks different story. Again, if Malhotra had given that India is free from the defects of the West: some time to relating to us the history of India “By way of contrast [with the West], not even Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 3  Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 26 [], Art. 5 20 Jonathan Edlemann thought in its particulars, such major errors History might not have occurred. Malhotra makes four distinctions between While I admire the tenacity with which East and West. His first distinction is that of Malhotra address issues of science and religion, “embodied knowing versus history-centrism” as well as the passion that he brings to the (BD, 5). Here I wish to explain why this is a discussion, I think there is still considerable false distinction, one that prevents an accurate work to be done regarding the historical and understanding of East and West. I will say philosophical clarity with which he engages the something about Malhotra’s views on history issues. from a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava point of view, particularly that of Jīva Gosvāmin, a theologian W hat is Essential in the Dharmic Malhotra discusses in his appendix. Malhotra Traditions? says that the Purāṇas, “do not have a specific In BD Malhotra wants to find what is origin, nor are they attributed to a specific essentially dharmic by carefully selecting the author. There were various compilers who primary and common features one finds in the function in a decentralized manner” (BD, 242). traditions of India. This is a particular This view undermines the North Indian Bhakti approach to the study of India that I have not schools, especially that of Vallabha and adopted because I favor a more tradition-based Caitanya, both of which take the Bhāgavata approach wherein specific texts out of specific Purāṇa as the central theological authority, and schools are addressed. However, a generalist Vyāsa as its author. approach is one that others have taken, and For Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas the Bhāgavata Purāṇa one which I think can be done well. For is a śāstra that is the essence or sāra of the example, Arvind Sharma’s recent book, One Vedic tradition, culled by Vyāsa after mature Religion Too Many: The Religiously Comparative reflection and consultation with his guru, Reflections of a Comparatively Religious Hindu Nārada. Surely there are many narrative (SUNY, 2011), is a brilliant, bold, honest and frames within the text (e.g., ViṣṇuBrahmā; illuminating attempt to highlight some of the ŚukaParīkṣita; SūtaŚaunaka; etc.), but the general features of Indic thought. However, text is ultimately seen as a unified composition, Malhotra’s selection of ideas is misleading and edited by Vyāsa himself. They believe it to be a despite his occasional insights and interesting coherent theology, one which represents comments, his discussion obfuscates the nature Vyāsa’s most important articulation and most of the dharmic traditions. As I discuss below, I significant vision (√paś) of the divine. These think that if one is looking for something ideas are all expressed in the First Book of the essentially Indian or dharmic, there are far Bhāgavata itself. Jīva Gosvāmin argues in his better places to go than Being Different. I cannot Tattvasandarbha that Vyāsa’s insight or samādhi address all of his points, but I focus on what he is the source of the Bhāgavata’s teachings, and considers the most important, i.e., the role of that his authorship – at a particular time and history. location in history – is what gives the śāstra its authority over all other Purāṇic, Upaniṣadic and Vedic śāstras (Dāsa 1995). He makes this http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol26/iss1/5 4 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1544  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically 21 view the epistemological foundation of his Malhotra argues that the history-centrism entire theology. It is the historical reality of or historical fixation of the West is “the major Vyāsa’s insight and vision of the divine at a difference between the dharmic traditions,” particular point in the history of Indian and that this historical fixation undermines the thought that allows the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas to individual, and creates “psychological, religious interpret the entirety of the Hindu canon with and social conflict” (BD, 6). Throughout his a bhakti (devotional) perspective, seeing it as a text he provides an articulation of dharmic development out of Vedic ritualism (karma) and traditions that is totally devoid of a need for or Upaniṣadic non-dualism (jñāna). Gauḍīya dependence on history, going so far as to say Vaiṣṇavas also believe Vyāsa divided the one that “my dharma would survive even without Veda into the four Veda Saṃhitās, and historical records.” In his view, “yoga composed Mahābhārata and Vedānta-Sūtra at techniques and practices are independent of particular points in history. the life history of Patañjali,” and “bhajanas My point is not to say that Vyāsa is in fact (devotional songs) are not history-centric, nor the author of the Purāṇas, Itihāsa, or other are they dependent upon a belief in the lives of śāstras. Nor am I saying Malhotra should the bhakti saints who composed them” (BD, 61). believe this, or that to be part of the dharma Firstly, I think this is incoherent traditions one must believe this. There are philosophy, and secondly I do not think it many that would not, e.g., the radically accurately represents what all the dharmic dehistorizing Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā school. But if we traditions are saying. Certain aspects of are to consider North Indian Bhakti traditions Hinduism are in fact very much dependent on part of the dharmic tradition, then Malhotra is history, and indeed all religious traditions (= misleading his readers. saṃpradāya in Hinduism) are dependent upon a Regarding his second point, Malhotra feels history, and that is one reason why Hindu he has uncovered a great truth – that Western traditions are keen to outline their paramparā, religions are historically oriented, that they see or line of teachers (e.g., at the conclusion of the salvation as resting on particular historical Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad). Brahman may be events, that God is revealed in and through above the vicissitudes of time, but teaching historical developments, etc. This is obvious to about Brahman has a history and a context. We anyone that has spent even a little time reading know about Brahman or Puruṣa in and through Western theologies and philosophies, and I am a tradition; see, for example, Vyāsa’s, not sure why or how Malhotra thinks this is a Vijñānabhikṣu’s, Vācaspatimiśra’s, great insight, calling it the “central pillar” of commentaries on the word anuśasana in the his book. Malhotra was angry at the panel Yoga Sūtra. No doubt the ways these issues are sessions and thereafter that the respondents thought of in each Hindu tradition are different had not commented on this point, saying we than in Abrahamic traditions, but what is were not real scholars because we hadn’t needed is a more nuanced and less reactive addressed it. But to me it seemed obvious and analysis, one that sees the deep structural unworthy of much attention. Nevertheless I similarities while noting the differences. shall say something about it here. Malhotra does not provide us with that. Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 5  Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 26 [], Art. 5 22 Jonathan Edlemann Malhotra might simply be saying that the Purāṇas, etc. all say that Rāma and Kṛṣṇa foundational truths in saṃpradāya are not tied appeared for reasons that were rooted in the to a historical event in the same way that history of our human world. Abrahamic religions are, but then how do we Some do see these stories as real and literal know of the foundational truths in dharmic events in the human past, i.e., aitihāsika. For traditions if not by their emergence out of example, the South Indian Vaiṣṇava Madhva particular historical events? Perhaps Malhotra Ācārya’s Tātparyanirṇaya commentary on the is a closet or unknowing follower of Pūrva- Mahābhārata says there are three ways to read Mīmāṁsā, which wants to say the Veda and the each verse of the Mahābhārata: āstikādi – the world have always been here? I shall get to that historical events of the Pāṇḍavas and Krishna; later. manvādi – the lessons on morality, virtue, In my course on Hindu Narrative Traditions divine love, duty, Brahman; and auparicara – for undergraduates I begin by introducing transcendent or spiritual, wherein every word various ways that Hindu thinkers conceive of is shown to relate to the Lord. Jīva Gosvāmin historical and narrative information in the argues in his Kṛṣṇasandarbha that the holy land Itihāsas, Purāṇas, Vedas, etc., and that might be of Vṛndāvana is holy because of the Lord’s a good place to start here as well. There are appearance in it, that his life in it made it a radically non-historical conceptions, e.g., manifestation of his eternal, spiritual realm Pūrva-Mīmāṁsā’s notion of arthavāda, which (prakāśa-viśeṣa). One might say, then, that there says that all stories in the Vedas are merely is a history that makes Vṛndāvana special to meant to inspire ritual performance and they Vaiṣṇavas, and the reasons for visiting it is to are in no way historical events. Oddly, facilitate meditation on the Lord (smarana) and Malhotra does not talk about that in his book, to meet holy people (sādhu-saṅga), but the land even though he seems to have sympathy with it itself has also been made holy by the Lord’s (although probably not the ritualistic and historical appearance therein. injunction parts). Vaiṣṇavas think of the In the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition, Vyāsa activities of Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa as līlā, a divine acts something like a Vedic ṛṣi; according to play, but part of the divine play is to intervene Jīva Gosvāmin he brings the content of his in the ways of history, often at the behest of experience found in samādhi into the world at a gods like Brahmā and in response to the particular point in history. Had he not done so, emotional attitudes (bhāva) of his devotees. In there would be no Vaiṣṇava tradition in this fact the famous churning of the ocean of milk world, or it would have had to come about story (Edelmann, forthcoming), which is through some other historical process. featured on the cover of Malhotra’s book, is an Likewise, from a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava perspective instance in which Viṣṇu appears as a tortoise had Kṛṣṇa not appeared in the Yadu dynasty within history for specific reasons. Indeed it is just before the Kaliyuga and had Vyāsa not a central teaching of the Bhagavad Gītā (e.g., composed the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, there would be Chapter Four) that the Lord descends into the no Kṛṣṇa Bhakti in this world. And for Gauḍīya world to sustain dharma at particular historical Vaiṣṇavas, Bhakti is the means of salvation, as moments. The Rāmāyana, Mahābhārata, well as the state of salvation (Edelmann 2009). http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol26/iss1/5 6 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1544  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically 23 Without these historical events we would not not a fluent Sanskrit reader given the absence be having a conversation about this dharma, of any reference to Sanskrit texts in his and Malhotra could not be saying this dharma bibliography, might ask himself how indebted does not depend on history! he is to the historical events of the nineteenth Perhaps Malhotra does not think these century in which European scholars translated thinkers are part of the dharmic tradition, but Sanskrit texts into English. he rarely provides any examples from the While a Christian might say that their Indian tradition itself to back up his views, so it salvation depends upon the historical interface is unclear who in Malhotra’s mind counts as a between God the Father and God the Son in the dharmic thinker or what counts as a dharmic world of humans in history as the incarnation, text. Hindus too might say that their salvation Malhotra notes that there are Christians (mokṣa and bhakti) depends on a series of who see their salvation and the existence of historical events in history, including the their religion in the historical incarnation of composition of śāstras, their preservation over Jesus. There are Christians who question that the course of history, and their explanation at assumption, but to his fault Malhotra does not particular points in history by learned teachers. engage with the diversity within Christian Some Christians (but surely not all) might say theology. However, the problem I wish to Christ’s incarnation is totally unique and highlight here is that Malhotra wants to say the singular, whereas few Hindus would regard dharma traditions are entirely free from such their religion that way. There are surely historical conceptions of religion. Vaiṣṇavas, similarities within these differences and for example, see their salvation as resting upon differences within the similarities, but the Lord’s appearance in this world, lest they Malhotra has not opened up a subtle would not know of him, and without knowledge comparative analysis on this subject that will of the Lord there is no devotion for the Lord. allow for a sophisticated comparative dialogue. These topics are discussed in the Fourth Lastly, Malhotra presents a smattering of Chapter of the Bhagavad Gītā, for instance. various thoughts and ideas from India, but not There is a larger issue here, one that has a philosophical or theological system. This, nothing to do with dharma traditions in however, is not how dharmic traditions operate. particular, but just a common sense view of The Vedāntic discourse (which Malhotra hopes religion. Malhotra wants to say that the to emulate) is based on an argument between a science of the self (adhyātmavidyā) is above member of one school and a pūrvapakṣa to time. Surely one can say that is how dharma reach a siddhānta, and siddhānta is sāṃpradāyika, traditions conceive of the ātman itself, but the i.e., it arises out of a particular school of fact that we are able to say anything about the thought. In the Sanskrit literature, scholars ātman at all required a series of historical work out of one school or another, arguing for events, not the least of which is scholars their view against other schools – more often translating Sanskrit texts into the vernacular than not this is done exegetically and not on languages that Malhotra, myself and others can the basis of personal experience. As far as I can read. Malhotra, for example, who I assume is tell, Malhotra does not have a school of thought Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 7  Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 26 [], Art. 5 24 Jonathan Edlemann that he represents or that he is trained in; in civilizations are often reframed in Western my view, this makes for the impossibility of a terms and categories when brought onto the pūrva-pakṣa type of discourse as it is construed global stage, yet this is rarely recognized. in the Vedānta Sūtra commentaries. Yet it is a There is the expectation, which is often pūrva-pakṣsa type of discourse Malhotra seeks enforced through the use of martial power, that to develop. At the same time, there is a failure other civilizations will fall under the rubric of to recognize the manner in which all our Western civilization’s values. Globalization is identities are mixed and multilayered. I found in my estimation Europeanization, and I feel Laurie L. Patton, Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad and strongly that all non-European cultures should Kala Acharya’s (see Hawley and Narayanan be aware and be weary of this. 2006) method of saṃvāda, or “interlogue” far Why is Europeanization so effective and more convincing and persuasive in their essay, what to do about it? These are big questions, “Hinduism with Others: Interlogue.” but here I will say that a contributing cause of the difference anxiety is the lack of widespread Responding to Globalism education into the dharma traditions, This last point leads me to ask a question of especially for Indians living in the West, Malhotra: What precisely is the problem with whether they were born in the West or moved globalization? Furthermore, what is the there from India. I have taught for three years solution to the proposed problem? Malhotra at an American university with great science rightly positions his book as a response to so- and engineering programs that draw many called globalism: “The cultural and spiritual good students from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and matrix of dharma civilizations is distinct from Bangladesh. I have found that they often do that of the West. The distinctiveness is under not have a basic understanding of Hindu, siege, not only from unsustainable and Buddhist or Jain thought, and worse, they are inequitable development but also from often contaminated by a belief that ultimately something more insidious: the widespread all these traditions and all religions in general dismantling, rearrangement and digestion of are really just teaching “the same thing.” And dharmic culture into Western frameworks, Christianity is saying the same thing, too. disingenuously characterized as ‘universal’” Thus, many convert to Christianity within the (BD, 12). He uses the term “difference anxiety” first years of undergraduate study. And why to describe Indian’s feeling of insecurity on the shouldn’t they if it is all the same and if global stage. He argues that Westerners use becoming a Christian provides social difference anxiety to control and subdue the respectability and reduces the “difference weaker. I fully agree, and I think Malhotra’s anxiety”? term is useful and helpful in many ways. But what can one expect? How are Indians In my understanding, globalization is a new who do not even know the basic contours of form of colonialism, reborn and repackaged, Indian intellectual history going to respond to implemented through war, politics, Western religions and philosophies, especially entertainment, commercial products, when their interlocutors do know Western advertisement, education, etc. Other intellectual history, often times very well? And http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol26/iss1/5 8 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1544  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically 25 many times Christian preachers know Indian and for fear of them being stolen or misread intellectual history better than the Hindus to they are often hesitant to let scholars look at whom they preach. Hindus will not be able to them. The Indian government, the universities respond to such preachers because they do not and the educated Indians in general have know their own history, and this is a cause of shown marginal concern with text their difference anxiety. I believe the lack of preservation, but it is often too little and too education has allowed for a quick digestion of late. Great traditions of learning are in danger Indian thought into Western thought. There is of going extinct. a general ill-preparedness among Indians in the Furthermore, available texts are not widely West to deal with Western thought from Indic studied, partly because there is only a handful perspectives, despite the richness of Indian of scholars able to read and interpret them. texts themselves and its vast intellectual Thus even for the Sanskrit texts that do exist, resources. I do not know firsthand, but I there is a danger that entire branches of Indian suspect the same is true in India. I do not wish learning will not be passed down from master to be a reductionist, but there is simply no way to student. For example, in my own field of that dharmic traditions can survive unless study, that of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, the master- there is a concerted effort to educate dharmic teacher line that has been passing down the practitioners. writings of Jīva Gosvāmin, who wrote in Rather than simply blaming the West for sixteenth-century Vṛdāvana, presently hinges subduing and digesting of the dharma on just a few people. While there are a number traditions, there is a need for Hindu, Buddhist, of us in the Western academic context working and Jain, theology, or a learned and on Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava texts, we cannot say that sophisticated reflection on tradition in we have the deep, seasoned, nuanced and conversation with its new contexts. That focused understanding of the theologies that theology also must be taught to young men and the traditionally trained Bābās and Ācāryas women who will take up leadership roles in the have. Yet much of their learning is not being West. Furthermore, we need to actively and passed on. This is sadly true for many Hindu realistically engage dharma traditions in traditions. dialogue with the West – that requires education While Sanskrit editions of Jīva Gosvāmin’s in these Indian traditions at the level of books are available and most likely will be grammar schools, high schools, colleges, available for many years to come, there is a real universities, and beyond. Writing polemical and present danger that the subtle and books is a starting point, but certainly not the technical understanding of his books that was end game. cultivated in small but vigorous theological communities in Vṛndāvana and Bengal will die Education and lack thereof out with the present masters. I have spoken Ask any scholar working on Sanskrit texts with many colleagues working in other areas of and he or she will tell you how frustrating it Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who have can be: Indian libraries allow priceless expressed similar sentiments. manuscripts to be eaten by worms and insects, Published by Digital Commons @ Butler University, 9  Journal of Hindu-Christian Studies, Vol. 26 [], Art. 5 26 Jonathan Edlemann Much more could be said about the have the capacity to address Western disintegration of traditional Indian learning in domination with intellectual dexterity. If India, but perhaps more relevant here is the Indians are unaware of the richness and manner in which Indians have educated complexity of their own tradition, then they themselves in diaspora. Young Indian men and will never be able to overcome their difference women living in the USA or Europe who wish to anxiety and they will never be able to launch learn about their own religious heritage have the full scale critique of Western civilization few options outside Western universities, that BD calls for. wherein they will most likely study with the I raise these educational issues because I intellectual bearers of the Western’s think one needs to talk about the solutions to perspectives on Indian civilization that the problem set forth so well in Malhotra’s Malhotra argues against. Indian parents who book, and I think that the only solution is wish to educate their children about Indian education, for it is education that leads to the religion while living in diaspora have even possibility of critique. fewer options. By education I mean something more robust and expansive than learning Conclusion: W ho is benefited by this Mahābhārata stories through Sunday school book? plays, attending a Satyanārāyaṇa Pūja or While I so much enjoyed aspects of reciting the Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. All of these Malhotra’s book, I do not think it can serve as a are good and important, but they are not model for future reflection because the text sufficient for responding to the powerful and itself is not steeped in dharmic learning – it is pervasive influences of globalization that are not looking back to Indian texts and traditions outlined in Malhotra’s book. as a means of looking forward with sufficient I have a BA in Western philosophy and I clarity. While I admire the passion and vigor teach in a Philosophy and Religion Department, he brings to the discussion, I have raised so I know that scholars working in Western questions about the scholarly content. There philosophy and theology are certainly not are far better sources of information about letting their texts and traditions go to waste. dharmic traditions than BD. BD may serve as a They are studied and taught vigorously every road map for directions that could be pursued single day. by more careful scholarship in the future, but Despite it merits, I do not think that BD this should be done with caution, since many of alone can take on the aforementioned Malhotra’s distinctions between East and West problems of Western civilization. We need are misleading. schools, libraries, teachers, regular classes, I think it can, however, serve as a call to journals, books, textbooks, websites, etc. about arms for Indians and scholars of Indian thought Indian thought on Western soil, places to give a to take their own traditions more seriously, to substantive education to the young (and old) study them more deeply, to set up educational about Indian thought, from which substantive institutions to educate their children in them critiques can emerge. Such places do not exist from cradle to grave, and to use that collective right now, so there is no way that Indians will learning to enter into a more substantive http://digitalcommons.butler.edu/jhcs/vol26/iss1/5 10 DOI: 10.7825/2164-6279.1544  Edelmann: Becoming Different Becoming Different: Why Education is Required for Responding to Globalism Dharmically 27 critique of the West. If anything, Being Different Journal of Religion and Science. Vol. 47, No. 3, indicates there is a need for becoming different pp.624-642, September. through further study and contemplation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467- 9744.2012.01278.x References ____. Forthcoming. “Hindu Theology as Brooke, John Hedley. 1991. Science and religion: Churning the Latent.” Journal of the some historical perspectives. Cambridge: American Academy of Religion. Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lfs132 Brown, Cheever Mackenzie. 2012. Hindu Harrison, Peter, Ronald L. Numbers, and perspectives on evolution: Darwin, dharma, and Michael H. Shank. 2011. Wrestling with design. London: Routledge. nature: from omens to science. Chicago: Dāsa, Satyanaraya and Jonathan B. Edelmann University of Chicago Press. (forthcoming). “Agency in the Gauḍīya Hawley, John Stratton, and Vasudha Vaiṣṇava Tradition.” Free Will, Agency, and Narayanan. 2006. The life of Hinduism. Selfhood in Indian Philosophy. 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