Imagining Karma : Ethical Transformation in Amerindian, Buddhist, and Greek Rebirth

With Imagining Karma, Gananath Obeyesekere embarks on the very first comparison of rebirth concepts across a wide range of cultures. Exploring in rich detail the beliefs of small-scale societies of West Africa, Melanesia, traditional Siberia, Canada, and the northwest coast of North America, Obeyesekere compares their ideas with those of the ancient and modern Indic civilizations and with the Greek rebirth theories of Pythagoras, Empedocles, Pindar, and Plato. His groundbreaking and authoritative discussion decenters the popular notion that India was the origin and locus of ideas of rebirth. As Obeyesekere compares responses to the most fundamental questions of human existence, he challenges readers to reexamine accepted ideas about death, cosmology, morality, and eschatology. Obeyesekere's comprehensive inquiry shows that diverse societies have come through independent invention or borrowing to believe in reincarnation as an integral part of their larger cosmological systems. The author brings together into a coherent methodological framework the thought of such diverse thinkers as Weber, Wittgenstein, and Nietzsche. In a contemporary intellectual context that celebrates difference and cultural relativism, this book makes a case for disciplined comparison, a humane view of human nature, and a theoretical understanding of ''family resemblances'' and differences across great cultural divides. 11 line illustrations 1. Karma And Rebirth In Indic Religions: Origins And Transformations -- 2. Non-indic Theories Of Rebirth. West Africa. The Trobriand Model. Animal And Human Reincarnation: Northwest Coast Indians And Inuit (eskimo). Human And Animal Transformations. Kinship, Rebirth, And Desire. Tlingit Eschatology: Rebirth, Desire, And The Return Of The Dead. Animal And Human Reincarnation: An Ethical Dilemma Among The Kwakiutl --^ 3. The Imaginary Experiment And The Buddhist Implications. The Transformation Of The Rebirth Eschatology. Emergence Of The Karmic Eschatology. Upanishadic Ethicization: The Earliest Indic Model. The Model And The Buddhist Interconnections. Ethicization In Its Historical Context: The Samanic Religions. Contemporary Tribal Religions. Ethicization, Axiology, And The Brahmanic Tradition. Nonethicized Samanic Religions: The Doctrines Of The Ajivikas. Eel-wrigglers And Hair-splitters: Contentious Discourses In Buddhist Thought. Ethical Transformation And The Axial Age: Ethical Prophecy And Ethical Asceticism. Rationalization And The Transformation Of Thought. The Limits Of Innovative Thought: Temporality, Impermanence, Nirvana. Karma, Causality, And The Aporias Of Existence. Ethicization, Karma, And Everyday Life. Ascetic Religiosity And The Escape From The World --^ 4. The Buddhist Ascesis. The Imagined Buddha. The Renunciatory Ideal In The Buddhist Imagination. The Buddha As Seer: The Life Fate Of The Buddhist Dead. Samanism And Shamanism: Ecstasis, Enstasis, And Spirit Possession. Ethicization And The Creation Of A God-making Machine. Ethicization And Axiologization. Buddhism, Axiologization, And The Vedic Tradition. Axiologization Continued: Homo Hierarchicus And Homo Aequalis In India -- 5. Eschatology And Soteriology In Greek Rebirth. Methodological Remarks. Pythagoras And Pythagoreanism: A Probable Mythos. History Telling Continued: Pythagorean Beginnings And Lifeways. Pythagorean Soteriology. Ethicization And Soteriology In Empedocles. Ethicization Step 1: Popular Religiosity In Pindar. Orphic Reincarnation: A Brief Aside. Bridging Multiple Worlds: Plato And The Myth Of Er --^ 6. Rebirth And Reason. Metacosmesis In The Phaedo. The Soteriology And Eschatology Of The Phaedrus. The Cosmology Of The Timaeus. Cosmological Homoeroticism, Heterophobia, And Female Nature In Platonic Rebirth. Ethicization And Soteriology In The Platonic Dialogues. Regrouping: Rebirth, Memory, And Retrocognition. Reason, Conviction, And Eschatology In Platonic, Buddhist, And Amerindian Thought. Karma In Greek Thought: Plotinian Eschatology And Soteriology. Rebirth And The Idea Of God: The Druze Case -- 7. Imprisoning Frames And Open Debates: Trobriander, Buddhist, And Balinese Rebirth Revisited. Reincarnation, Procreation, And The Embodiment Of The Soul. Buddhism, Procreation, And Rebirth. Balinese Rebirth: Contentious Discourses On Rebirth And Karmic Eschatologies. Methodological Postscript Gananath Obeyesekere. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 413-427) And Index.

"This work is a tour-de-force in cross-cultural scholarship, both sound and bold, constructing a new and refreshing theory on the rise to prominence of rebirth eschatology in
India. Obeyesekere argues convincingly that 'ethicization' of rebirth through the theory of karma was the new ingredient that transformed a commonplace belief into a central philosophical and eschatological principle in most of
Indian theologies. This is a book that will engage and challenge anthropologists, classicists, and
Indologists alike, as well as non-specialists interested in culture and religion."—Patrick Olivelle, University of Texas at Austin

"This is a book in the grand tradition of comparative studies, pulling together anthropology, psychology, psychoanalysis, classics,
Indology, and history of religions, but in a distinctly contemporary mode. Few scholars would attempt such a project today, let alone pull it off so intriguingly as Obeyesekere does. A brilliant and intellectually courageous book."—Paul B. Courtright, Emory University, author of Ganesha, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings

Patrick Olivelle

This work is a tour-de-force in cross-cultural scholarship, both sound and bold, constructing a new and refreshing theory on the rise to prominence of rebirth eschatology in India. Obeyesekere argues convincingly that 'ethicization' of rebirth through the theory of karma was the new ingredient that transformed a commonplace belief into a central philosophical and eschatological principle in most of Indian theologies. This is a book that will engage and challenge anthropologists, classicists, and Indologists alike, as well as non-specialists interested in culture and religion.

With Imagining Karma, Gananath Obeyesekere embarks on the very first comparison of rebirth concepts across a wide range of cultures. Exploring in rich detail the beliefs of small-scale societies of West Africa, Melanesia, traditional Siberia, Canada, and the northwest coast of North America, Obeyesekere compares their ideas with those of the ancient and modern Indic civilizations and with the Greek rebirth theories of Pythagoras, Empedocles, Pindar, and Plato. His groundbreaking and authoritative discussion decenters the popular notion that India was the origin and locus of ideas of rebirth. As Obeyesekere compares responses to the most fundamental questions of human existence, he challenges readers to reexamine accepted ideas about death, cosmology, morality, and eschatology. Obeyesekere's comprehensive inquiry shows that diverse societies have come through independent invention or borrowing to believe in reincarnation as an integral part of their larger cosmological systems. The author brings together into a coherent methodological framework the thought of such diverse thinkers as Weber, Wittgenstein, and Nietzsche. In a contemporary intellectual context that celebrates difference and cultural relativism, this book makes a case for disciplined comparison, a humane view of human nature, and a theoretical understanding of "family resemblances" and differences across great cultural divides. -- from publisher description With Imagining Karma, Gananath Obeyesekere embarks on the very first comparison of rebirth concepts across a wide range of cultures. Exploring in rich detail the beliefs of small-scale societies of West Africa, Melanesia, traditional Siberia, Canada, and the northwest coast of North America, Obeyesekere compares their ideas with those of the ancient and modern Indic civilizations and with the Greek rebirth theories of Pythagoras, Empedocles, Pindar, and Plato. His groundbreaking and authoritative discussion decenters the popular notion that India was the origin and locus of ideas of rebirth. As Obeyesekere compares responses to the most fundamental questions of human existence, he challenges readers to reexamine accepted ideas about death, cosmology, morality, and eschatology.

Obeyesekere's comprehensive inquiry shows that diverse societies have come through independent invention or borrowing to believe in reincarnation as an integral part of their larger cosmological systems. The author brings together into a coherent methodological framework the thought of such diverse thinkers as Weber, Wittgenstein, and Nietzsche. In a contemporary intellectual context that celebrates difference and cultural relativism, this book makes a case for disciplined comparison, a humane view of human nature, and a theoretical understanding of "family resemblances" and differences across great cultural divides. Illustrations......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 Abbreviations......Page 30 1 Karma and Rebirth in Indic Religions: Origins and Transformations......Page 34 2 Non-Indic Theories of Rebirth......Page 52 3 The Imaginary Experiment and the Buddhist Implications......Page 105 4 The Buddhist Ascesis......Page 183 5 Eschatology and Soteriology in Greek Rebirth......Page 223 6 Rebirth and Reason......Page 282 7 Imprisoning Frames and Open Debates: Trobriander, Buddhist, and Balinese Rebirth Revisited......Page 352 Notes......Page 394 Bibliography......Page 446 Index......Page 462 9780520232204 Illustrations 14 Preface 16 Abbreviations 30 1 Karma and Rebirth in Indic Religions: Origins and Transformations 34 2 Non-Indic Theories of Rebirth 52 3 The Imaginary Experiment and the Buddhist Implications 105 4 The Buddhist Ascesis 183 5 Eschatology and Soteriology in Greek Rebirth 223 6 Rebirth and Reason 282 7 Imprisoning Frames and Open Debates: Trobriander, Buddhist, and Balinese Rebirth Revisited 352 Notes 394 Bibliography 446 Index 462 The major problem that I investigate in this work is the manner in which the "rebirth eschatologies" of small-scale societies are transformed in two large-scale historical developments: in the "karmic eschatologies" that one associates today with religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism and in the Greek religious traditions that could be broadly defined as "Pythagorean."