The Golden Age of Indian Buddhist Philosophy

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Eastern
Cover of the book The Golden Age of Indian Buddhist Philosophy by Jan Westerhoff, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Jan Westerhoff ISBN: 9780191047053
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: May 24, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Jan Westerhoff
ISBN: 9780191047053
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: May 24, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

Jan Westerhoff unfolds the story of one of the richest episodes in the history of Indian thought, the development of Buddhist philosophy in the first millennium CE. He starts from the composition of the Abhidharma works before the beginning of the common era and continues up to the time of Dharmakirti in the sixth century. This period was characterized by the development of a variety of philosophical schools and approaches that have shaped Buddhist thought up to the present day: the scholasticism of the Abhidharma, the Madhyamaka's theory of emptiness, Yogacara idealism, and the logical and epistemological works of Dinnaga and Dharmakirti. The book attempts to describe the historical development of these schools in their intellectual and cultural context, with particular emphasis on three factors that shaped the development of Buddhist philosophical thought: the need to spell out the contents of canonical texts, the discourses of the historical Buddha and the Mahayana sutras; the desire to defend their positions by sophisticated arguments against criticisms from fellow Buddhists and from non-Buddhist thinkers of classical Indian philosophy; and the need to account for insights gained through the application of specific meditative techniques. While the main focus is the period up to the sixth century CE, Westerhoff also discusses some important thinkers who influenced Buddhist thought between this time and the decline of Buddhist scholastic philosophy in India at the beginning of the thirteenth century. His aim is that the historical presentation will also allow the reader to get a better systematic grasp of key Buddhist concepts such as non-self, suffering, reincarnation, karma, and nirvana.

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

Jan Westerhoff unfolds the story of one of the richest episodes in the history of Indian thought, the development of Buddhist philosophy in the first millennium CE. He starts from the composition of the Abhidharma works before the beginning of the common era and continues up to the time of Dharmakirti in the sixth century. This period was characterized by the development of a variety of philosophical schools and approaches that have shaped Buddhist thought up to the present day: the scholasticism of the Abhidharma, the Madhyamaka's theory of emptiness, Yogacara idealism, and the logical and epistemological works of Dinnaga and Dharmakirti. The book attempts to describe the historical development of these schools in their intellectual and cultural context, with particular emphasis on three factors that shaped the development of Buddhist philosophical thought: the need to spell out the contents of canonical texts, the discourses of the historical Buddha and the Mahayana sutras; the desire to defend their positions by sophisticated arguments against criticisms from fellow Buddhists and from non-Buddhist thinkers of classical Indian philosophy; and the need to account for insights gained through the application of specific meditative techniques. While the main focus is the period up to the sixth century CE, Westerhoff also discusses some important thinkers who influenced Buddhist thought between this time and the decline of Buddhist scholastic philosophy in India at the beginning of the thirteenth century. His aim is that the historical presentation will also allow the reader to get a better systematic grasp of key Buddhist concepts such as non-self, suffering, reincarnation, karma, and nirvana.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Everyday Life in British Government by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book Ideas, Evidence, and Method by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Accounting by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book Ecological Speciation by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Robust Demands of the Good by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book King Solomon's Mines by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The History of Oxford University Press: Volume IV by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Goldilocks Planet by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Special Tribunal for Lebanon by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book Emotions and Personhood by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Islamic Law by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book Principles of European Prison Law and Policy by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Reference by Jan Westerhoff
Cover of the book Go-Betweens for Hitler by Jan Westerhoff
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