Table Of ContentIndian Philosophy
A Collection of Readings
Series Editor
Roy W. Perrett
Massey University
Series Contents
1. Epistemology
2. Logic and Philosophy of Language
3. Metaphysics
4. Philosophy of Religion
5. Theory of Value
Philosophy of Religion
Edited with introductions by
Roy W. Perrett
Massey University
~ '} Routledge
~ ~ Taylor & Francis Group
New York London
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Garland is an imprint oft he Taylor & Francis Group
Introduction Copyright © 2001 Roy W. Perrett.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or
by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission
of the publisher.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Philosophy of religion / edited with introductions by Roy W. Perrett.
p.cm.- (Indian Philosophy; 4)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-8153-361 I-X (alk. paper)
I. India- Religion. 2. Philosophy, Indic. 3. Religion- Philosophy. I. Perrett, Roy W. II.
Series.
B 130.[63 2000 vol. 4
[BL2003]
181' .4s--dc21
[210'.954] 00-062309
5 volume set ISBN: 0-8153-33670-1
Volume I: Epistemology 0-8153-3609-8
Volume 2: Logic and Philosophy of Language 0-8153-3610-1
Volume 3: Metaphysics 0-8153-3608-X
Volume 4: Philosophy of Religion 0-8153-361 I-X
Volume 5: Theory of Value 0-8153-3612-8
Contents
vii Series Preface
ix Series Introduction
xiii Volume Introduction
1 Indian Theodicy: Sall.1kara and Ramanuja
on Brahma Sutra II. 1. 32-36
A.L. Herman
19 A "Constitutive" God - An Indian Suggestion
Shlomo Biderman
33 Unity and Contradiction: Some Arguments in Utpaladeva
and Abhinavagupta for the Evidence of the Self as Siva
Bruno M.J. Nagel
59 The World as God's "Body": In Pursuit of
Dialogue With Ramanuja
J.J. Lipner
77 A Death-Blow to Sarikara's Non-Dualism?
A Dualist Refutation
L. Stafford Betty
87 Hindu Doubts About God:
Towards a Mimall.1sa Deconstruction
Purusottama Bilimoria
107 Principled Atheism in the Buddhist Scholastic Tradition
Richard P. Hayes
132 Buddha and God: A Contrastive Study
in Ideas about Maximal Greatness
Paul J. Griffiths
161 Reason, Revelation and Idealism in Sartkara's Vedanta
John Taber
187 The Question of Doctrinalism in the Buddhist Epistemologists
Richard P. Hayes
213 Rebirth
Roy W Perrett
vi CONTENTS
231 The Naturalistic Principle of Karma
Karl H. Potter
243 Karma as a "Convenient Fiction" in the Advaita Vedanta
Eliot S. Deutsch
253 Notes Towards a Critique of Buddhist Karmic Theory
Paul J. Griffiths
269 Inherited Responsibility, Karma and Original Sin
Peter Forrest
283 Imperatives and Religion in India
Shlomo Biderman
295 Religion and Politics in India: Some Philosophical Perspectives
Roy W. Perrett
309 Towards a Pragmatics of Mantra Recitation
A.G.S. McDermott
326 The Meaninglessness of Ritual
Frits Staal
347 Analysis of the Religious Factors in Indian Metaphysics
Ninian Smart
369 Three Myths about Indian Philosophy
Daya Krishna
385 Acknowledgments
Series Preface
No anthologist succeeds in including everyone's favorites, so a few words about the
principles of selection seem appropriate. Firstly, as with other volumes in this Garland
series, priority has been given to journal articles, rather than book chapters. However,
some essential book chapters have been included, and the introductions to each vol
ume include references to significant books. Readers in search of further bibliographi
cal assistance should consult what is now the standard source: Karl H. Potter, Bibliog
raphy of Indian Philosophies, 3rd rev. ed. (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1995), and the on
line updates to it available at the "Indian Philosophy Bibliography" (http://
faculty.washington.edu!kpotter!). Secondly, the emphasis throughout is on philosophi
cal studies of Indian philosophy. Consequently, much excellent historical and philological
work has been omitted. Thirdly, the desire to make Indian philosophy accessible to in
terested Western philosophers has meant not only that all the selections are in English,
but also that most of them use a minimal amount of unglossed Sanskrit terminology.
This restriction has prevented the inclusion of more work by Indian authors.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge gratefully all the good advice and gen
erous assistance I have received from Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad, Mark Siderits, and
(most especially) Stephen Phillips. The blame for any shortcomings that may remain
rests, of course, solely upon my own shoulders.
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Series Introduction
The five volumes of this series collect together some of the most significant modern
contributions to the study of Indian philosophy. Indian philosophy is one of the great
philosophical traditions of the world. Unfortunately, however, its philosophical riches
are not always as readily accessible to Western philosophers as might be desired. The
selections in these volumes help to redress this situation by giving readers easy access
to some of the best philosophical work in the area, including material that is often
difficult to locate.
Collectively the selections in these volumes explore many of the important
commonalities and differences between the Indian and Western philosophical traditions.
These similarities and differences are philosophically pregnant. There is enough in
common between Indian and Western philosophy to suggest that the philosophers in
both traditions are often engaged with similar problems and hence should be able to
communicate with each other. However, there are also sufficient differences between
the traditions to suggest that they may have some novel perspectives to offer each other.
In choosing the selections for this series priority has been given to journal
articles, rather than book chapters. However, some essential book chapters have been
included, and the introductions to each volume include references to significant books.
The emphasis throughout is on philosophical studies of Indian philosophy. The desire to
make Indian philosophy accessible to interested Western philosophers has meant not
only that all the selections are in English, but also that most of them use a minimal
amount of unglossed Sanskrit terminology.
Volume 1.' Epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of Indian
pramiiIJa theory, i.e. that part of Indian philosophy concerned with the nature and
sources of knowledge. Indian philosophers developed a causal theory of knowledge and
acknowledged the existence of a number of valid ways of knowing, including
perception, inference and testimony. The Indian pramiiIJa theorists thus discussed many
issues that have also occupied Western epistemologists, often offering importantly
different perspectives on these matters. They also sometimes addressed various
interesting questions about knowledge that are unfamiliar to Western epistemologists.
The selections in this volume discuss Indian treatments of epistemological
topics like the means of knowledge, realism and anti-realism, truth, knowledge of
knowledge, illusion and perceptual error, knowability, testimony, scepticism and doubt.
