The Pulse of Wisdom The Philosophies of India, China, and Japan

by Brannigan, Michael C.

• ISBN13: 9780534551278
• ISBN10: 0534551270
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-12-10
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

THE PULSE OF WISDOM provides an introduction to Asian philosophy as found in the countries of India, China, and Japan. Its thematic approach covers the most significant questions in the areas of Oriental metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, and ethics as it successfully integrates historical and regional approaches. In addition, readings from Indian, Chinese, and Japanese sources allow the reader to gain some familiarity with primary sources. This book helps readers develop a sound grasp of the major teachings and leading figures and schools in Oriental thought. Furthermore, it enables the reader to gain a competent understanding of the ways of thinking of peoples with whom we will continue to work together more closely in our global community.

Author Biography

Michael C. Brannigan (Ph.D., Higher Institute of Philosophy, University of Leuven, Belgium) is a Professor of Philosophy at La Roche College

Table of Contents

Historical Survey	1	(56)
Indian Philosophies	1	(22)
Philosophical Traits	2	(2)
Hindu Philosophies	4	(10)
Indian Budddhism	14	(9)
Chinese Philosophies	23	(14)
Philosophical Traits	23	(3)
Ancient Period (before 221 B.C.E.)	26	(4)
Middle Period (221 B.C.E.--960 C.E.)	30	(4)
Neo-Confucianism (960--1912)	34	(2)
Modern Period (1912--present)	36	(1)
Japanese Philosophies	37	(14)
Philosophical Traits	37	(3)
Period of Antiquity: Nara and Heian Schools	40	(3)
Medieval Buddhism	43	(2)
Tokugawa Confucianism	45	(4)
Modern Period	49	(2)
Study Questions	51	(2)
Notes	53	(4)
Reality	57	(72)
Indian Philosophies	57	(13)
Hindu Perspectives on Reality	57	(8)
Buddhist Perspectives on Reality	65	(5)
Chinese Philosophies	70	(12)
Basic Themes Concerning Reality	70	(2)
Ancient Chinese Views of Reality	72	(2)
Confucianism and Reality	74	(1)
Tao as Wu: Neo-Taoism and Reality	75	(1)
Chinese Buddhism and Reality	76	(4)
Neo-Confucianism and Reality	80	(2)
Japanese Philosophies	82	(7)
Early Buddhism and Reality	82	(1)
Medieval Buddhism and Reality	83	(2)
Tokugawa Confucianism and Reality	85	(1)
Kyoto School and Reality	86	(3)
Study Questions	89	(3)
Notes	92	(37)
Nasadiya (Creation Hymn), from Rig Veda	95	(1)
Introduction to Commentary on the Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana	96	(4)
``An Examination of Relational Condition,'' from Madhyamika Karika	100	(2)
Tao Te Ching	102	(3)
``The Nature of Things'' (Wu-shih), from Lun-Heng	105	(3)
``On Sunyata,'' from Chao Lun	108	(3)
``Principle (Li) and Material Force (Ch'i),'' from Complete Works of Chu Hsi	111	(3)
From Hsin li-hsueh (The New Rational Philosophy)	114	(4)
``One Bright Jewel,'' from Shobogenzo	118	(4)
``The Fundamental Mode of True Reality''	122	(4)
``The Standpoint of Sunyata''	126	(3)
Self	129	(60)
Indian Philosophies	129	(11)
Hindu Perspectives	129	(6)
Buddhist Perspectives	135	(5)
Chinese Philosophies	140	(5)
Chuang Tzu: ``Forget the Self''	140	(1)
Confucius and Tung Chung-shu	141	(1)
Neo-Confucianists	142	(2)
Buddhists	144	(1)
Japanese Philosophies	145	(6)
Shushi, Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism	145	(1)
Japanese Buddhism	146	(1)
Kyoto School	147	(2)
Watsuji Tetsuro: Self and Climate	149	(2)
Study Questions	151	(1)
Notes	152	(37)
From the Chandogya Upanishad	154	(3)
From the Samkhya Karika	157	(4)
Commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Aphorisms	161	(4)
``The Eternal and the Individual''	165	(3)
``There Is No Ego,'' from the Milindapanha and the Visuddhi-Magga	168	(4)
``Examination of Self-Nature,'' from Madhyamika Karika	172	(2)
Trimsika-Karika (Thirty Verses)	174	(2)
From Instructions fro Practical Life	176	(2)
From a Letter to Shu Kuo-yung	178	(2)
``The Nonexistence of the Self,'' from The Treatise on the Establishment of the Doctrine of Consciousness-Only	180	(3)
``The Issue at Hand'' (``Genjokoan'') from Shobogenzo	183	(3)
The Phenomena of Climate	186	(3)
Knowledge	189	(60)
Indian Philosophies	189	(15)
Hindu Perspectives	189	(9)
Buddhist Perspectives	198	(6)
Chinese Philosophies	204	(6)
Chuang Tzu	204	(1)
Confuciansts	205	(2)
School of Names (Logicians)	207	(1)
Ch'an Buddhism: No-Mind	208	(1)
Wang Yang-ming: Intuitive Knowledge	209	(1)
Chang Tung-sun: Culture and Knowledge	209	(1)
Japanese Philosophies	210	(6)
Japanese Buddhism	210	(3)
Nishida Kitaro	213	(3)
Study Questions	216	(2)
Notes	218	(31)
From the Nyayasutra, with Commentary by Vatsyayana	221	(1)
``A Discourse on Absence,'' from Tattvacintamani	222	(2)
``A Discourse on the Significance of Negative Particles,'' from Nan-vada	224	(2)
Ways of Knowing	226	(4)
From Nyaya-bindu (A Short Treatise of Logic), with Commentary by Dharmottara	230	(4)
``The Real Nature of Knowledge,'' from Lun-Heng	234	(3)
``A Chinese Philosopher's Theory of Knowledge''	237	(5)
Zen Mondo, from Dentoroku	242	(2)
Zen Koan, from Mumonkan	244	(1)
``Intellectual Intuition''	245	(4)
Ethics	249	(72)
Indian Philosophies	249	(13)
Hindu Perspectives on Ethics	249	(8)
Buddhist Perspectives on Ethics	257	(5)
Chinese Philosophies	262	(8)
Ancient Schools and Ethics	262	(5)
Chinese Buddhism and Fa-tsang	267	(1)
Neo-Confucianism and Ethics	267	(3)
Japanese Philosophies	270	(7)
Japanese Buddhism	270	(1)
Japanese Neo-Confucianism	271	(2)
Bushido	273	(2)
Nishida Kitaro and the Unifying Power of Consciousness	275	(1)
Watsuji Tetsuro and Aidagara	276	(1)
Study Questions	277	(1)
Notes	278	(43)
Bhagavadgita	281	(6)
``The Spirit of Non-Violence''	287	(1)
``The Fire-Sermon,'' from the Maha-Vagga	288	(2)
``The Eightfold Path,'' from the Digha-Nikaya	290	(2)
From The Dhammapada	292	(6)
``That the Nature Is Evil''	298	(7)
``Universal Love''	305	(3)
``Moral Cultivation,'' from The Complete Works of Chu Hsi	308	(4)
Letter to Ku Tung-ch'iao	312	(4)
``The Art of the Mind-and-Heart,'' from Yamato Zokkun	316	(2)
From Fudo (Climate and Culture)	318	(3)
Death	321	(50)
Indian Philosophies	322	(11)
Hindu Perspectives on Death	322	(6)
Buddhist Perspectives on Death	328	(5)
Chinese Philosophies	333	(8)
Taoism	333	(2)
Confucianism	335	(1)
Mo Tzu on Death	336	(1)
Chinese Buddhism	336	(2)
Social Immortality	338	(3)
Japanese Philosophies	341	(7)
Basic Japanese Themes Concerning Death	342	(2)
Japanese Buddhism and Death	344	(3)
Some Japanese Customs Concerning Death	347	(1)
Study Questions	348	(1)
Notes	349	(22)
From the Katha Upanishad	352	(4)
``Questions Which Tend Not to Edification,'' from the Majjhima-Nikaya	356	(4)
``No Continuous Personal Identity,'' from the Milindapanha and the Visuddhi-Magga	360	(2)
``Simplicity of Funerals,'' from Lun Heng	362	(4)
``On Time,'' from Chao Lun	366	(4)
``Shoji'' (``Birth and Death''), from Shobogenzo	370	(1)
Glossary	371	(12)
Bibliography	383	(8)
Index	391