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A Socio-Cultural History of al-Bīrūnī’s Interpretation of Sāṅkhya and Yoga
Author:
Al-Bīrūnī (ca. 973-1050) was an impressive and innovative encyclopaedist thinker. He is particularly known to have investigated into India of his time. Yet, his life and the circumstances of his encounter with Indian languages, culture and sciences are still shrouded in mystery and legends.
This research brings to light elements of his intellectual journey based on well-grounded analysis so as to contextualise al-Bīrūnī’s work of transmission of Indian philosophies into Arabic. Thanks to a theoretical framework rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, including Translation Studies, it enables to comprehend the full scope of his work and to analyse deeply his motives and choices of interpretation.
This research brings to light elements of his intellectual journey based on well-grounded analysis so as to contextualise al-Bīrūnī’s work of transmission of Indian philosophies into Arabic. Thanks to a theoretical framework rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, including Translation Studies, it enables to comprehend the full scope of his work and to analyse deeply his motives and choices of interpretation.
A Socio-Cultural History of al-Bīrūnī’s Interpretation of Sāṅkhya and Yoga
Author:
Al-Bīrūnī (ca. 973-1050) was an impressive and innovative encyclopaedist thinker. He is particularly known to have investigated into India of his time. Yet, his life and the circumstances of his encounter with Indian languages, culture and sciences are still shrouded in mystery and legends.
This research brings to light elements of his intellectual journey based on well-grounded analysis so as to contextualise al-Bīrūnī’s work of transmission of Indian philosophies into Arabic. Thanks to a theoretical framework rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, including Translation Studies, it enables to comprehend the full scope of his work and to analyse deeply his motives and choices of interpretation.
This research brings to light elements of his intellectual journey based on well-grounded analysis so as to contextualise al-Bīrūnī’s work of transmission of Indian philosophies into Arabic. Thanks to a theoretical framework rooted in a multidisciplinary approach, including Translation Studies, it enables to comprehend the full scope of his work and to analyse deeply his motives and choices of interpretation.
Author:
Cai Yuanpei: Selected Writings on Education traces the evolution and revolution of Chinese modern education in the early twentieth century initiated by Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), the first Minister of Education of Republic of China, Father of Peking University and Founder of Academia Sinica. This book interprets Cai Yuanpei’s spirit of “freedom of thought and academic inclusiveness” through his own words from his political, social and academic endeavors. Cai Yuanpei navigated the then Chinese education through the interactions between tradition and revolution, between the East and the West, setting the cornerstone of Chinese modern education system. His innovative ideology remains significant over the Chinese education reforms in the 21st century.
Author:
Cai Yuanpei: Selected Writings on Education traces the evolution and revolution of Chinese modern education in the early twentieth century initiated by Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), the first Minister of Education of Republic of China, Father of Peking University and Founder of Academia Sinica. This book interprets Cai Yuanpei’s spirit of “freedom of thought and academic inclusiveness” through his own words from his political, social and academic endeavors. Cai Yuanpei navigated the then Chinese education through the interactions between tradition and revolution, between the East and the West, setting the cornerstone of Chinese modern education system. His innovative ideology remains significant over the Chinese education reforms in the 21st century.
What does it mean to be human? We invite the reader to discuss this most fundamental issue in philosophy and to do so in an intercultural framework. The question of the human was the starting point for a legendary discussion between two German philosophers who met in Davos in 1929. We return to this historical event and re-imagine the debate between Martin Heidegger and Ernst Cassirer from a global perspective. Generating twenty papers from elaborate discussions, our authors contribute to the thought experiment by inviting the Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitarō from Kyoto and other Japanese thinkers into the debate to overcome the challenge of Eurocentrism inherent to these historic days in Davos.
What does it mean to be human? We invite the reader to discuss this most fundamental issue in philosophy and to do so in an intercultural framework. The question of the human was the starting point for a legendary discussion between two German philosophers who met in Davos in 1929. We return to this historical event and re-imagine the debate between Martin Heidegger and Ernst Cassirer from a global perspective. Generating twenty papers from elaborate discussions, our authors contribute to the thought experiment by inviting the Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitarō from Kyoto and other Japanese thinkers into the debate to overcome the challenge of Eurocentrism inherent to these historic days in Davos.
Author:
Wei Shi’s well-crafted study weaves together historical context, ideological complexities, and insightful case studies on Confucian metaphysics, ethics, and politics. Engagingly written, it seamlessly bridges the gap between universal and nationalist (particular) perspectives, offering a rich tapestry of ideas and satisfying unity.
Shi describes the profound impact of Confucian revival on China's cultural identity. She argues that Confucian ideas continue to shape China's trajectory in an ever-changing world. Specialists, graduate students, and enthusiasts will find this work an invaluable resource in understanding the multifaceted landscape of China’s Confucian revival in the twenty-first century.
Shi describes the profound impact of Confucian revival on China's cultural identity. She argues that Confucian ideas continue to shape China's trajectory in an ever-changing world. Specialists, graduate students, and enthusiasts will find this work an invaluable resource in understanding the multifaceted landscape of China’s Confucian revival in the twenty-first century.
Author:
Wei Shi’s well-crafted study weaves together historical context, ideological complexities, and insightful case studies on Confucian metaphysics, ethics, and politics. Engagingly written, it seamlessly bridges the gap between universal and nationalist (particular) perspectives, offering a rich tapestry of ideas and satisfying unity.
Shi describes the profound impact of Confucian revival on China's cultural identity. She argues that Confucian ideas continue to shape China's trajectory in an ever-changing world. Specialists, graduate students, and enthusiasts will find this work an invaluable resource in understanding the multifaceted landscape of China’s Confucian revival in the twenty-first century.
Shi describes the profound impact of Confucian revival on China's cultural identity. She argues that Confucian ideas continue to shape China's trajectory in an ever-changing world. Specialists, graduate students, and enthusiasts will find this work an invaluable resource in understanding the multifaceted landscape of China’s Confucian revival in the twenty-first century.
Spirit-Writing in Chinese History and Society
Few religious innovations have shaped Chinese history like the emergence of spirit-writing during the Song dynasty.
From a divinatory technique it evolved into a complex ritual practice used to transmit messages and revelations from the Gods. This resulted in the production of countless religious scriptures that now form an essential corpus, widely venerated and recited to this day, that is still largely untapped by research.
Using historical and ethnographic approaches, this volume for the first time offers a comprehensive overview of the history of spirit-writing, examining its evolution over a millennium, the practices and technologies used, and the communities involved.
From a divinatory technique it evolved into a complex ritual practice used to transmit messages and revelations from the Gods. This resulted in the production of countless religious scriptures that now form an essential corpus, widely venerated and recited to this day, that is still largely untapped by research.
Using historical and ethnographic approaches, this volume for the first time offers a comprehensive overview of the history of spirit-writing, examining its evolution over a millennium, the practices and technologies used, and the communities involved.
Spirit-Writing in Chinese History and Society
Few religious innovations have shaped Chinese history like the emergence of spirit-writing during the Song dynasty.
From a divinatory technique it evolved into a complex ritual practice used to transmit messages and revelations from the Gods. This resulted in the production of countless religious scriptures that now form an essential corpus, widely venerated and recited to this day, that is still largely untapped by research.
Using historical and ethnographic approaches, this volume for the first time offers a comprehensive overview of the history of spirit-writing, examining its evolution over a millennium, the practices and technologies used, and the communities involved.
From a divinatory technique it evolved into a complex ritual practice used to transmit messages and revelations from the Gods. This resulted in the production of countless religious scriptures that now form an essential corpus, widely venerated and recited to this day, that is still largely untapped by research.
Using historical and ethnographic approaches, this volume for the first time offers a comprehensive overview of the history of spirit-writing, examining its evolution over a millennium, the practices and technologies used, and the communities involved.
Volume Editor:
Mahayana, Theravada, ancient, modern? Even at the most basic level, the diversity of Buddhism makes a comprehensive approach daunting. This book is a first step in solving the problem. In foregrounding the bodies of practitioners, a solid platform for analysing the philosophy of Buddhism begins to become apparent.
Building upon somaesthetics Buddhism is seen for its ameliorative effect, which spans the range of how the mind integrates with the body. This exploration of positive effect spans from dreams to medicine. Beyond the historical side of these questions, a contemporary analysis includes its intersection with art, philosophy, and ethnography.
Building upon somaesthetics Buddhism is seen for its ameliorative effect, which spans the range of how the mind integrates with the body. This exploration of positive effect spans from dreams to medicine. Beyond the historical side of these questions, a contemporary analysis includes its intersection with art, philosophy, and ethnography.
Volume Editor:
Mahayana, Theravada, ancient, modern? Even at the most basic level, the diversity of Buddhism makes a comprehensive approach daunting. This book is a first step in solving the problem. In foregrounding the bodies of practitioners, a solid platform for analysing the philosophy of Buddhism begins to become apparent.
Building upon somaesthetics Buddhism is seen for its ameliorative effect, which spans the range of how the mind integrates with the body. This exploration of positive effect spans from dreams to medicine. Beyond the historical side of these questions, a contemporary analysis includes its intersection with art, philosophy, and ethnography.
Building upon somaesthetics Buddhism is seen for its ameliorative effect, which spans the range of how the mind integrates with the body. This exploration of positive effect spans from dreams to medicine. Beyond the historical side of these questions, a contemporary analysis includes its intersection with art, philosophy, and ethnography.
Author:
This essay will be an introduction to the 12th century Japanese monk Myōan Eisai 明菴栄西 and his application of the esoteric term kaji 加持 (empowerment), utilized in the unique practice of visceral visualization contained within the Body Mandala outlined in his text, the Kissa Yōjōki 喫茶養生記. The attempt of this essay is to convey an appreciation of the uniqueness of this type of visceral visualization and to initiate a dialogue as to why Eisai chose to preface his Kissa Yōjōki with this unusual excerpt taken from the no-longer surviving text of the Rituals of the Mandala of the Five Viscera 五藏曼荼羅儀軌. Through a brief discussion of the history of kaji and its function within visceral visualization, an understanding will emerge of how crucial this term is in uniting both esoteric Buddhism and Chinese medicine within the thought of Eisai. An analysis of this term and its usage within the Kissa Yōjōki will reveal a more refined application of kaji an exhibit an evolution of technique, thus distinguishing Eisai’s text from previous uses and associations.
Author:
Recent scholarship has demonstrated that dream experiences - and, in particular, the experience of intentionally sought dreams - were an important source of religious revelation and verification for Chinese Buddhists in the Sui and early Tang dynasties. But how were such dreams understood? Considering this question in light of Richard Schusterman’s somaesthetics, and, in particular his multivalent notion of the body (soma) as a material object in the world, a locus of subjective knowing, and a palimpsest upon which cultural values and social power relations can be inscribed, inspired this chapter to reframe the contours of this inquiry, focusing in on dreamt bodies as depicted in medieval Chinese Buddhist sources. The present chapter explores the implicit and explicit perspectives on dreams propounded by two influential Buddhist intellectuals of the early Tang: the renowned Vinaya master and monastic biographer Daoxuan 道宣 (596–667 CE), and the polymathic editor Daoshi 道世 (d. 683 CE). It will explore the dream discourses included in Daoxuan’s hagiographical collection Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks (Xu gaoseng zhuan 續高僧傳 [T. 2060]) and in the “Dream” chapter of Daoshi’s Forest of Pearls from the Garden of Dharma (Fayuan zhulin 法苑珠林 [T. 2122]).
Author:
A scientific approach is currently demanded among universities for a credible contribution to an artistic discipline. In the course of what is now called “research-creation,” the spiritual is largely understood as the entirety of the human mind or spirit at work, including thoughts, moral values, personal ethics, the whole psyche of the individual, as well as its interaction with the body and the phenomenal world. This spiritual dimension is explored through different forms of autoinvestigation, of which autoethnography (Adams, Jones and Ellis), autoexplicitation (Vermersch), somaesthetics (Shusterman) count as rigorous frameworks. It seems that the Buddhist pragmatic of the mind may be a valid complimentary method for the arts practitioners eager to better understand their inner realm and creative potential. However, religious approaches nowadays trigger important discomforts in academia. Looking into the contextual reasons that justify this discomfort, and addressing the troublesome question of faith that awaits any university arts researcher and professor wanting to add Buddhadharma to their references, this essay explores a few Buddhist and non-Buddhist artists case studies in order to show how artists in the making would benefit from the integration of Buddhist concepts in their curriculum.
Author:
The book explores Buddhism from the lived experiences of its practitioners. In a historical mode the book spans the abstraction of dreams to the concreteness of medicine. There are also chapters that analyze the importance of the senses in Theravadan bodily cultivation, the mind/body question in Zen and how the bodily practice of nonduality is inseparable from discord in the Vimalakirti. Beyond this historical side, contemporary analysis includes chapters on art, philosophy, and ethnography. This Introduction begins by outlining the history of strategies for denying Buddhism’s relationship with the body, which was done by criticizing it for being superstitious and idolatrous. These criticisms are predicated upon the premise that this religion is devoid of rational grounding, of which a connection to the body is of paramount importance. Exploring this critical perspective will underscore the value of bringing together the scholarly perspectives presented in this book. The chapter concludes by discussing the strategies of twentieth century religious leaders who began the process of responding to critics by emphasizing the bodily connections of traditional Asian religions.