Unifying Hinduism

Philosophy and Identity in Indian Intellectual History

Nonfiction, History, Asian, India, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Eastern
Cover of the book Unifying Hinduism by Andrew Nicholson, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Andrew Nicholson ISBN: 9780231526425
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: October 14, 2010
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Andrew Nicholson
ISBN: 9780231526425
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: October 14, 2010
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Some postcolonial theorists argue that the idea of a single system of belief known as "Hinduism" is a creation of nineteenth-century British imperialists. Andrew J. Nicholson introduces another perspective: although a unified Hindu identity is not as ancient as some Hindus claim, it has its roots in innovations within South Asian philosophy from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. During this time, thinkers treated the philosophies of Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga, along with the worshippers of Visnu, Siva, and Sakti, as belonging to a single system of belief and practice. Instead of seeing such groups as separate and contradictory, they re-envisioned them as separate rivers leading to the ocean of Brahman, the ultimate reality.

Drawing on the writings of philosophers from late medieval and early modern traditions, including Vijnanabhiksu, Madhava, and Madhusudana Sarasvati, Nicholson shows how influential thinkers portrayed Vedanta philosophy as the ultimate unifier of diverse belief systems. This project paved the way for the work of later Hindu reformers, such as Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and Gandhi, whose teachings promoted the notion that all world religions belong to a single spiritual unity. In his study, Nicholson also critiques the way in which Eurocentric concepts-like monism and dualism, idealism and realism, theism and atheism, and orthodoxy and heterodoxy-have come to dominate modern discourses on Indian philosophy.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Some postcolonial theorists argue that the idea of a single system of belief known as "Hinduism" is a creation of nineteenth-century British imperialists. Andrew J. Nicholson introduces another perspective: although a unified Hindu identity is not as ancient as some Hindus claim, it has its roots in innovations within South Asian philosophy from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries. During this time, thinkers treated the philosophies of Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga, along with the worshippers of Visnu, Siva, and Sakti, as belonging to a single system of belief and practice. Instead of seeing such groups as separate and contradictory, they re-envisioned them as separate rivers leading to the ocean of Brahman, the ultimate reality.

Drawing on the writings of philosophers from late medieval and early modern traditions, including Vijnanabhiksu, Madhava, and Madhusudana Sarasvati, Nicholson shows how influential thinkers portrayed Vedanta philosophy as the ultimate unifier of diverse belief systems. This project paved the way for the work of later Hindu reformers, such as Vivekananda, Radhakrishnan, and Gandhi, whose teachings promoted the notion that all world religions belong to a single spiritual unity. In his study, Nicholson also critiques the way in which Eurocentric concepts-like monism and dualism, idealism and realism, theism and atheism, and orthodoxy and heterodoxy-have come to dominate modern discourses on Indian philosophy.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book The Curious Tale of Mandogi's Ghost by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Judaism in America by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book A Hedonist Manifesto by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book The Buddhist Visnu by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book From Head Shops to Whole Foods by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Photography and Its Violations by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book The Japan–South Korea Identity Clash by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Religion Within Reason by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Under Siege by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Melanie Klein by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Animal Ethics in Context by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Growth and Policy in Developing Countries by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Animal Rights and Moral Philosophy by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book At Home in the World by Andrew Nicholson
Cover of the book Martyrdom and Memory by Andrew Nicholson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy