Universe and Inner Self in Early Indian and Early Greek Thought

Richard Seaford

book: Universe and Inner Self in Early Indian and Early Greek Thought

Open Access Published by Edinburgh University Press 2016

Universe and Inner Self in Early Indian and Early Greek Thought

Richard Seaford

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474411004

Overview
Contents

About this book

Explores the remarkable similarities between early Indian and early Greek philosophy

From the sixth century BCE onwards there was a revolution in thought, with novel ideas such as such as that understanding the inner self is both vital for human well-being and central to understanding the universe. This intellectual transformation is sometimes called the beginning of philosophy. And it occurred – independently it seems - in both India and Greece, but not in the vast Persian Empire that divided them. How was this possible? This is a puzzle that has never been solved.

This book brings together Hellenists and Indologists representing a variety of perspectives on the similarities and differences between the two cultures, and on how to explain them. It offers a collaborative contribution to the burgeoning interest in the Axial Age and will be of interest to anyone intrigued by the big questions inspired by the ancient world.

Key features:

Brings together two supremely sophisticated ancient cultures that, despite their similarity, are almost always studied separately
Indicates the kind of collaboration between specialists that is needed to move forward the stalled debate on the Axial Age
Contributors include Paolo Magnone, Joanna Jurewicz, John Bussanich and Jens Schlieter

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	iii
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Notes on contributors Publicly Available Download PDF	vi
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Introduction Open Access Download PDF	1
1 The common origin approach to comparing Indian and Greek philosophy Nick Allen Open Access Download PDF	12
2 The concept of ṛtá in the Ṛgveda Joanna Jurewicz Open Access Download PDF	28
3 Harmonia and ṛtá Aditi Chaturvedi Open Access Download PDF	40
4 Ātman and its transition to worldly existence Greg Bailey Open Access Download PDF	55
5 Cosmology, psyche and ātman in the Timaeus, the Ṛgveda and the Upaniṣad Hyun Höchsmann Open Access Download PDF	71
6 Plato and yoga John Bussanich Open Access Download PDF	87
7 Technologies of self-immortalisation in ancient Greece and early India Paolo Visigalli Open Access Download PDF	104
8 Does the concept of theōria fit the beginning of Indian thought? Alexis Pinchard Open Access Download PDF	118
9 Self or being without boundaries: on Śaṅkara and Parmenides Chiara Robbiano Open Access Download PDF	134
10 Soul chariots in Indian and Greek thought: polygenesis or diffusion? Paolo Magnone Open Access Download PDF	149
11 ‘Master the chariot, master your Self’: comparing chariot metaphors as hermeneutics for mind, self and liberation in ancient Greek and Indian sources Jens Schlieter Open Access Download PDF	168
12 New riders, old chariots: poetics and comparative philosophy Alexander S. W. Forte and Caley C. Smith Open Access Download PDF	186
13 The interiorisation of ritual in India and Greece Richard Seaford Open Access Download PDF	204
14 Rebirth and ‘ethicisation’ in Greek and South Asian thought Mikel Burley Open Access Download PDF	220
15 On affirmation, rejection and accommodation of the world in Greek and Indian religion Matylda Obryk Open Access Download PDF	235
16 The justice of the Indians Richard Stoneman Open Access Download PDF	251
17 Nietzsche on Greek and Indian philosophy Emma Syea Open Access Download PDF	265
Bibliography Open Access Download PDF	279
Index Open Access Download PDF	303

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 320
Keywords: Classics & Ancient History

eBook

Published: July 11, 2016
ISBN: 9781474411004