Bhakti and PhilosophyBhakti is a remarkable feature and tendency of human existence having to do with one's devoted involvement with a person, object, deity, or creative project. In Bhakti and Philosophy, R. Raj Singh traces the larger meanings and roles of bhakti as it historically emerged in some of the well-known thought systems of India, such as Vedanta and Buddhism, with a special focus on the seminal texts such as the Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagvadgita, the Bhakti sutras and the Buddhist sutras. The book specifically outlines the connection between bhakti and philosophy, a connection hitherto missed in most studies on bhakti, which happen to focus on the religious dimension as opposed to the secular and existential meanings of this pivotal tendency. The value of this work lies not only in its substantive contribution to philosophy and religious studies, but also in advancing our understanding of bhakti as a universal tendency and a vital component in resolving the ever-enigmatic philosophical problem stated in the simple question 'what is love?' |
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
Bhakti and Early Buddhist Thought | 23 |
Bhakti and Philosophy in the Bhagavadgita | 51 |
Bhakti and Love Nārada Bhakti Sutra | 75 |
Bhakti and the Philosophies of Art | 85 |
Epilogue | 103 |
107 | |
109 | |
About the Author | 113 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ajatashatru Ananda ancient arhats Arjuna ātman Bhagavadgita Bhagavān Bhāgavat bhaj bhakti and philosophy bhakti movement bhakti saints bhikkhus Blessed Brahman Buddha Buddhism Buddhism and Jainism century B.C. chapter classical connection between bhakti cult deity devotion dharma Dhavamony divine doctrine dukkhā elucidated epics ethos existential Gita gods guru guru-bhakti heterodox higher love Hindu Hinduism Hiriyanna human love hymns Ibid Indian philosophies Indian thought interpretations Jainism jñāna karma knowledge Krishna Sharma Kṛṣṇa literature living Mahābhārata Mahāparinibbāna Sutta māyā meaning of bhakti modern Nārada Bhakti Sutra nature nirguņa offers one's original parama philosophical practice of bhakti presence of bhakti Ramanuja Rāmāyana rasă rasās religious reverence Rig Veda role of bhakti Rupa Goswami sangha Sankara Sanskrit scholars sects secular Sikhism Śrmana Sūtra svā-dharma synonyms of bhakti T. W. Rhys Davids Tagore Tathāgata term bhakti theism theistic bhakti theories tion truth Upanishads Vajjians various Vedānta Vedic tradition word worship yoga