A group blog of scholars exploring Indian philosophy
On his American Buddhist Perspective blog, my friend Justin Whitaker recently posted an interesting interview on the experience of trans* people in American Buddhism. Justin uses “trans*” as a shorthand for “transgender”, “transsexual”, “transvestite” and similar terms – to denote Continue reading Trans* inclusiveness as an innovation to Buddhism
In a recent exchange with Graham Priest, Massimo Pigliucci (who works mainly in philosophy of science, and Stoicism) takes aim at this notion that most Western philosophers’ disdain for Buddhism has to do with an aversion to contradictions, easily understood if one’s Continue reading Logic, mysticism, both or neither
I have recently welcomed the corrective force of books like Andrew Nicholson’s Unifying Hinduism, which remind us that modern appropriations of Indian tradition have their own continuity with the evolving past tradition. I now find myself regularly reminded just how Continue reading The double standard of misinterpretation
In light of these recent posts about places for pursuing graduate training in Indian philosophy, I would like to invite a different (but related) sort of discussion: specifically, about the future of Indian philosophy, given recent debates about progress in Continue reading Whither Indian Philosophy?
A little while ago, Matthew Dasti provided a fascinating glimpse into the recent, 20th-century history of “Indian philosophy” – not the doing of it but the studying of it, the history of “secondary work” into Indian philosophy. Since Westerners have Continue reading Matilal vs. Radhakrishnan
I was raised up believing I was somehow unique Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see. And now after some thinking I’d say I’d rather be A functioning cog in some great machinery, serving Continue reading Welcome to the Machine
A strange coincidence surprised me as I designed this spring’s course in Indian philosophy – but one that I suspect is quite significant. The coincidence resulted from three of my primary concerns in selecting content for the course syllabus, and Continue reading The accidental Gītā
Once a month, I publish on my personal blog a post in Sanskrit. Last month, Matthew Dasti suggested to cross-post one here, too. Thus, if you enjoy what follows, praise Matthew, if you don’t blame me (or at least let Continue reading शब्दविषये रसेल(Russell)मत: संस्कृतायां वाचि निरूपितः
[Cross-posted at Love of All Wisdom.] I am increasingly getting the impression that the debates over Orientalism in Asian traditions have taken a new turn, and one very much for the better. Few books of the twentieth century have made Continue reading A synthesis beyond Orientalism