INDIA IN THE EYES OF EUROPEANS : conceptualization of religion in theology and oriental studies

A re-examination of Western interpretations--and distortions--of Indian religious traditions. In India in the Eyes of Europeans , Martin Fárek argues that when Western scholars interpret Indian traditions, they actually present distorted reflections of their own European culture, despite their attempts at unbiased objectivity. This distortion is clearest in the way India is viewed primarily through a religious lens--a lens fashioned from an implicitly Christian design. While discussing the current international dialogue on the topic and the work of such scholars as S. N. Balagangadhara, Fárek's study presents the results of original research on several key topics: the problems in assigning religious significance to the Indian traditions that gave rise to Hinduism and Buddhism; Europeans' questioning of Indians' historical consciousness; the current debate surrounding the arrival of the Aryans in India; and controversial interpretations of the work of the reformer Rammohan Raj. The result is a provocative study that should prove fascinating to Indologists, theologians, anthropologists, and anyone interested in the history of thought. Karolinum Cover 1 Table of Contents 5 Acknowledgments 7 A Note on the Transliteration of Indian Words and on the Translation from Czech 9 Introduction 10 How Do Europeans Approach the Otherness of Indian Traditions? 10 Paradigms and Theories in the Study of Indian Culture 13 The Problematic Concept of Religion 29 The Research Questions and Steps 42 Europeans’ Search for Religion in India 47 The Czech Understanding of Indian Traditions 50 Definition Problems in “Endless” Discussions about Hinduism 50 Was Buddhism a Protest against the Brahminical Orthodoxy and the Castes? 65 Intermezzo: Language Usage, Theories, and Metastructure of Ideas 78 Orientalists Continue with Theological Questions 83 Theories and Observations 84 Search for the “Primitive” Monotheism in India and Its Consequences 90 Religion, Historiography, and Indian Past 109 The Legacy of Christian Thought in Historiography 110 History of India Written by Europeans 128 The Truth of History Versus the Truth of Stories 139 Changing Interpretations of the Aryans 154 What Did Archaeology Prove? 159 Physical Anthropology and the Racial Theory 167 From the “Brahminical Invasion” to the Aryans 173 Did Ram Mohan Roy Understand Western Religion? 183 Problems in the Debate about Roy’s Ideas of Religion 186 Western Monotheistic Framework Accepted . . . 192 . . . but not Understood: “Good Idolatry” and “Evil in the Name of God” 199 The Traditional Indian Framework of Roy’s Thoughts 208 Conclusions 214 Bibliography 226 Index 238 This book is centered around the claim that although the research in Oriental and religious studies seemingly presents unbiased, objective interpretations of Indian traditions, it really puts forward distorted images which primarily reflect the researchers’ own European culture. A thorough examination demonstrates to what extent Oriental studies as well as other humanities are still influenced by theological preconceptions. English edition.