Indian Wisdom: Examples Of The Religious, Philosophical, And Ethical Doctrines Of The Hindus (cambridge Library Collection - Religion)

First published in 1875, this book reflects a growing nineteenth-century British interest in South Asian culture and literature. In it Monier Williams, the Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford, outlines the patterns of thought and customs of the Hindu religion. He also describes the character and content of Sanskrit literature, which had not previously been attempted in English. According to Williams, Sanskrit literature holds the key to a full understanding of Hinduism. He makes it unequivocally clear that Britain's colonial hold over India involves a particular responsibility and indeed opportunity to study the three religions confronting Christianity there, namely Brahmanism, Buddhism and Islam. Monier Williams writes about the Vedas (the sacred texts of Hinduism), the different traditions of philosophy and the five schools of Hindu law. He elaborates on the epic poems and the doctrine of incarnation embedded in them, and compares this ancient poetry with that of Homer. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 6 PREFACE......Page 8 THE INDO-ROMANIC ALPHABET WITH THE EQUIVALENT SANSKRIT LETTERS AND RULES FOR PRONUNCIATION......Page 17 Contents......Page 18 INTRODUCTION......Page 20 Sketch of the past and present condition of India......Page 21 Religion of the Hindus......Page 31 Languages of India......Page 32 Christianity compared with Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Islam......Page 40 Modern Religious Sects of the Hindus......Page 52 LECTURE I - The Hymns of the Veda......Page 54 Hymn to Varuna, `the Investing Sky'......Page 69 Indra, `god of the atmosphere'......Page 70 Agni, `god of fire'......Page 71 Surya, `the Sun'......Page 72 Ushas, `Dawn'......Page 73 Yama, `god of death'......Page 74 Hymn descriptive of Creation......Page 75 The Purusha-sukta or hymn to the `Embodied Spirit'......Page 77 Hymn to Time......Page 78 Hymn to Night......Page 79 LECTURE II - The Brahmana Portion of the Veda......Page 80 The Upanishad Portion of the Veda......Page 88 LECTURE III - The Systems of Philosophy......Page 101 Buddhism......Page 106 Common Philosophical Creed......Page 114 LECTURE IV - The Nyaya System of Philosophy......Page 124 The Vaiseshika branch of it......Page 129 LECTURE V - The Sankhya System of Philosophy......Page 142 The Yoga branch of it......Page 155 LECTURE VI - The Mimansa System of Philosophy......Page 161 The Vedanta System of Philosophy......Page 164 Atma-bodha, `knowledge of soul'......Page 173 LECTURE VII - Irregular Systems and Eclectic School......Page 180 Jainism......Page 181 The Carvakas......Page 185 The Bhagavad-gita, `song of Krishna'......Page 189 LECTURE VIII - Smriti. The Vedangas......Page 208 Kalpa-sutra, `ceremonial directory'......Page 210 S'iksha, `phonetic directory'......Page 213 Chandas, `metre'......Page 216 Nirukta, `exposition'......Page 219 Vyakarana, `grammar'......Page 224 Jyotisha, `astronomy'......Page 233 LECTURE IX - Smarta-sutra. Grihya, `domestic rules'......Page 248 Asvalayana's Grihya-sutra......Page 250 Smarta-sutra. Samayacarika, `conventional rules'......Page 263 The Dharma-sastras or Law-books. Manu......Page 264 LECTURE X - The Law-books. Mainu continued......Page 274 Religious teaching of Manu......Page 275 Philosophy of Manu......Page 279 Acaara, `social practices' of Manu......Page 284 Vyavahara, `rules of government and judicature'......Page 314 Manu's eighteen heads of law......Page 319 Manu's civil law......Page 320 Manu's criminal code......Page 326 Manu's Prayas-citta, `rules of expiation'......Page 331 Manu's Karma-phala, `acts-recompenses'......Page 332 LECTURE XI - Metrical Version of some of Manu's Moral and Religious Precepts......Page 335 Code of Yajnavalkya......Page 347 Other codes of law......Page 357 The five schools of Hindu law......Page 358 LECTURE XII - The Epic Poems......Page 362 Doctrine of incarnation......Page 374 The Ramayana......Page 390 LECTURE XIII - The Maha-bharata......Page 424 LECTURE XIV - The Epic Poems compared together and with Homer......Page 468 Religious and Moral Sentiments from the Epics......Page 493 LECTURE XV - The Artificial Poems......Page 502 Extract from the Raghu-vansa......Page 508 Moral Sentiments from the Kiratarjuniya......Page 510 Moral Sentiments from Magha's Poem......Page 514 The Dramas......Page 515 The Puranas......Page 542 The Tantras......Page 554 The Niti-sastras......Page 558 Precepts and Sentiments from Bhartri-hari......Page 565 Fables and Apologues. The Panca-tantra......Page 566 The Hitopadesa or `friendly advice'......Page 569 INDEX......Page 572 ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS......Page 595 ORIENTAL WORKS......Page 596 Introduction The hymns of the Veda The Brāhmana portion of the Veda The systems of philosophy The Nyāya system of philosophy The Sānkhya system of philosophy The Mīmān̲sa system of philosophy Irregular systems and Eclectic School Smr̥iti. The Vedāngas Smārta-sūtra. Gr̥ihya, domestic rules The law-books. Manu continued Metrical version of some of Manu's Moral and religious precepts The epic poems The Mahā-bhārata The epic poems compared together and with Homer The artificial poems. Indian Wisdom, first published in 1875, reflects the growing interest of Victorian Britain in South Asian culture and literature. Monier Williams, Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford, describes Hindu philosophy, customs and law. He also outlines the character and content of Sanskrit literature, which he compares with the poetry of Homer.