Does it matter what we call Buddhist?

[Cross-posted at Love of All Wisdom.] Does it matter whether something is or isn’t Buddhist? Or whether it is “distinctively” Buddhist? I was asked these related questions in two blog discussions from last year, both involving Justin Whitaker. Justin raised Continue reading Does it matter what we call Buddhist?

Dialog across Traditions (part I)

(As a consequence of the discussion which took place here, Debajyoti Gangopadhyay updated the structure and concept of the “dialog” project.) Description: This Dialog mission is intended basically to make sense of a single question, which started getting shaped since Continue reading Dialog across Traditions (part I)

What is a commentary? And how the Nyāyamañjarī and the Seśvaramīmāṃsā do (not) fit the definition UPDATED

What makes a text a “commentary”? The question is naif enough to allow for a complicated answer. First of all, let me note the obvious: There is not a single word for “commentary” in Sanskrit, where one needs to distinguish Continue reading What is a commentary? And how the Nyāyamañjarī and the Seśvaramīmāṃsā do (not) fit the definition UPDATED

dravya and avayavin in Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika

As a result of a recent conversation with Roy Perrett, I had a question. (Incidentally, many of you will know, but some may not, that Roy Perrett’s ‘Introduction to Indian Philosophy’, Cambridge University Press, has been out since the beginning of Continue reading dravya and avayavin in Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika

An interview with Shalini Sinha: first in an occasional series

Inspired by the various interviews with philosophers here and on the Internet at large, I’m starting a series here at the Indian philosophy blog. The goal is to introduce readers to a wide range of scholars working on Indian philosophy. Due Continue reading An interview with Shalini Sinha: first in an occasional series

Quick Note – History of Philosophy Podcast on Mīmāṃsā

Over at History of Philosophy without any Gaps, Peter Adamson, with Jonardon Ganeri, has been running a series on Indian Philosophy. The last few weeks have focused on Mīmāṃsā, and the IPB’s Elisa Freschi has been assisting with the episodes. Continue reading Quick Note – History of Philosophy Podcast on Mīmāṃsā

Epistemology and Comparative Philosophy in Confluence and the APA Blog

At the beginning of the month, there was an interdisciplinary conference in Kanazawa, Japan–the International Conference on Ethno-Epistemology – Culture, Language, and Methodology. Jonardon Ganeri gave a keynote presentation, “Pluralism about Epistemic Cultures” and Anand Vaidya, along with Purushottama Billimoria, gave Continue reading Epistemology and Comparative Philosophy in Confluence and the APA Blog

News from Manipal University (a guest post by Mrinal Kaul)

Dear readers of the Indian Philosophy Blog, I am delighted to share with all of you that we have been able to establish a Centre for Religious Studies (CRS) in Manipal University. As the coordinator of this centre I look Continue reading News from Manipal University (a guest post by Mrinal Kaul)

Interview with Mark Siderits, a guest post by Debajyoti Gangopadhyay* (part 2)

Debajyoti Gangopadhyay: Let us now turn towards the concept of śūnyatā in Buddhist Philosophy. Śūnya had been famously advocated by Nāgārjuna as going even beyond the catuṣkoṭi —the four possible state of affairs advocated by the Buddha, so that given Continue reading Interview with Mark Siderits, a guest post by Debajyoti Gangopadhyay* (part 2)