Disengaged Buddhism in the era of Trump

Cross-posted at Love of All Wisdom. Śāntideva’s anti-political views are very commonly missed by Buddhist scholars today, especially constructive or theological ones, who are excited by the Engaged Buddhist embrace of political action. He is hardly alone among classical Indian Continue reading Disengaged Buddhism in the era of Trump

Upcoming talks on Buddhism in Utah April 21-22

Our own Amod Lele will be giving a talk at a conference organized by Pierre-Julien Harter at the University of Utah, on April 21-22. The other philosophers there, and their talks may also be of interest to readers of this Continue reading Upcoming talks on Buddhism in Utah April 21-22

A basic introduction to Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta_UPDATED

(I have been asked to write a short introduction to Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta and would like to test it on you, dear readers and fellow bloggers. Any comment or criticism would be more than welcome!) In its full-fledged form, the Viśiṣṭādvaita Continue reading A basic introduction to Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta_UPDATED

Omniscience and realism: Marginal notes about a workshop in Hawai’i

A non-intelligible entity cannot be conceived to exist. But, if the world needs to be known in order to exist, we need to postulate a non-partial perspective out of which it can be known. Since the perspectives of all human Continue reading Omniscience and realism: Marginal notes about a workshop in Hawai’i

The Mīmāṃsā approach to the sentence meaning as something to be done

According to Mīmāṃsā authors, and unlike Nyāya ones, Vedic sentences do not convey the existence of something, but rather that something should be done. This means that the entire Veda is an instrument of knowledge only as regards duties and Continue reading The Mīmāṃsā approach to the sentence meaning as something to be done

Farewell to “Yavanayāna”

[Cross-posted on Love of All Wisdom.] Late last year I was delighted to see a post from Richard Payne retracting his earlier post on “White Buddhism”, motivated at least in part by my critique. It is all too rare to Continue reading Farewell to “Yavanayāna”

Buddhism and Phenomenology

Victoria Lysenko has been so nice as to alert me about a recent workshop on Buddhism Phenomenology, to which very interesting authorities on both topics (ranging from Dan Zahavi to “our” Christian Coseru) contributed. They realised an interactive poster through Continue reading Buddhism and Phenomenology

Philosophical and historical uses together

Cross-posted on Love of All Wisdom. Last time I examined Andrew Ollett’s distinction between “decision-oriented” texts like Kant’s Grounding and “capacity-oriented” texts like Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga, and the ways in which that distinction might suggest a “philosophical” versus a “historical” approach Continue reading Philosophical and historical uses together