An Introduction to Indian Philosophy : Hindu and Buddhist Ideas from Original Sources

Introducing the topics, themes and arguments of the most influential Hindu and Buddhist Indian philosophers, An Introduction to Indian Philosophy leads the reader through the main schools of Indian thought from the origins of Buddhism to the Saiva Philosophies of Kashmir.

By covering Buddhist philosophies before the Brahmanical schools, this engaging introduction shows how philosophers from the Brahmanical schools-including Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, and Mimamsa, as well as Vedanta-were to some extent responding to Buddhist viewpoints. Together with clear translations of primary texts, this fully-updated edition features:

• A glossary of Sanskrit terms
• A guide to pronunciation
• Chronological list of philosophers & works

With study tools and constant reference to original texts, An Introduction to Indian Philosophy provides students with deeper understanding of the foundations of Indian philosophy.

“Among the book's most impressive features is the abundance of primary textual material which has been translated by the author himself . . . it transforms the book from a mere introductory text into a resource for readers seeking a taste of the primary sources.” —Mikel Burley, Religions of South Asia

“Written with enviable clarity and incisiveness, and provided with helpful didactic material throughout, this up-to-date Introduction will become indispensable reading for all those interested in the fundamentals of Hindu and Buddhist philosophy (from ca. the second to the twelfth centuries C.E.).” —Julius Lipner, Fellow of the British Academy [FBA] and Professor of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion, University of Cambridge, UK

“The most remarkable achievement of this book is the demonstration of how each tradition of Indian philosophy is unified under some theme, such as the 'no self' theory and momentariness of the Buddhists. Bartley successfully displays the diagonal relations between the horizontal and the vertical; that is, he shows how a philosopher within a particular school borrows and develops a notion from a preceding philosopher of an opposing school.” —Monica Prabhakar, Philosophy in Review