A Conceptual-analytic Study of Classical Indian Philosophy of MoralsUsing recontructive ideas available in classical Indian original works, this book makes a departure in the style of modern writings on Indian moral philosophy. It presents Indian ethics, in an objective, secular, and wherever necessary, critical manner as a systematic, down-to-earth, philosophical account of moral values, virtues, rights and obligations. It thereby refutes the claim that Indian philosophy has no ethics as well as the counter-claim that it transcends ethics. It demonstrates that moral living proves that the individual, his society and the world are really real and not only taken to be real for behavioral purposes as the Advaitins hold, the self is amoral being a non-agent, moksa is not a moral value, and the Karmic theory, because of involving belief in rebirth, does not fuarantee that the doer of an action is also the experiencer of its results, contrary to what is commonly held, and Indian ethics can sustain itself even if such notions are dropped. Rajendra Prasad calls Indian ethics organismic because, along with ethical concerns, it also covers issues related to professions, politics, administration, sex, environment, etc. Therefore, in one format it is theoretical and applied, normative and metaethical, humanistic and non-humanistic, etc., of course, within the limits of the then cognitive enquiry. |
Contents
On Studying Classical Indian Ethics Philosophically | 1 |
1 | 8 |
Notes and References | 16 |
A Rethinking | 27 |
5 | 39 |
6 | 61 |
8 | 70 |
Ethics Indian Philosophy and ParāAparā Vidya Categoriology | 73 |
Notes and References | 170 |
Some Structural Features | 205 |
Value as Material Wellbeing Artha Puruṣārtha | 229 |
Value as Appetitive Wellbeing Kāma Puruṣārtha | 249 |
Value as Living a Morally Good Life Dharma Puruṣārtha | 271 |
Morally Good Life through Inculcation of Virtue Sāmānya Dharma | 301 |
Morally Good Life through the Performance of Casteduties Varṇadharma | 335 |
61 | 357 |
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Common terms and phrases
according action admit Advaita akrasia anger Arjuna artha attaining mokṣa axiological become Brahman brāhmaṇa called Cārvāka caste character characterization claim classical Indian ethics classical Indian philosophy classical Indian thinkers classical thinkers cognitive concept considered darśana Dasaratha desire desireless dharma discussion Draupadi Drona Duryodhana empirical ethical theory example fact feeling fight forgiveness fulfil Gītā give gunas highest value human Ibid immoral implication important Indian ethics individual individual's inquiry interpretation intrinsic justified kāma karma karmic killing kind knowledge Kṛṣṇa kṣatriya liberation living logical Mahābhārata Mahadevan man's manner matter means metaphysics mokṣa moral principle morally right morally wrong nature normative object obligation obvious parāvidyā person possible practice present problem pursuit puruṣārtha Rāma Rāmānuja Rāmāyaṇa realize reason reborn relation role sāmānya Sankara self-realization sense sexual Sītā Smṛtis social society sort spiritual status sudra suffering thing transcended truth ultimate reality unreal varna varṇa-system varṇadharma Vedas virtue Yudhisthira