Abstract Western philosophical and psychological thinking lacks an accepted theory of human personality; it has produced conflicting and inadequate notions, such as the religious one of a soul, the vague concept of the ?mind? and biological theories basing their understanding of man on the functions of the nervous system, particularly the brain, or dealing with his mental dimension only in terms of behavioural patterns. This paper explores the notions of personality in Indian systems and finds that virtually all of them (...) understand it, despite differing terminology, as a fluid complex of functions or living forces characterised by intrinsic intelligence and coordinated by a dynamic structural principle, operating on three levels of reality: phenomenal material, phenomenal immaterial and noumenal or absolute. One can say that the Indian tradition fully appreciated the complexity of the problem and produced theories of personality which are more comprehensive than western ones and merit study as well as attention from the point of view of contemporary creative philosophical thinking. [1]. (shrink)

It is therefore most appropriate that Yoga and Indian philosophy be given equal attention both in the context of academic research and in the framework of ...

The aim of this paper is to compare the contents of the Lotus Sūtra and the style of presentation of its message with the thrust of the Buddha's teachings as they are preserved in the early Buddhist sources, particularly the Sutta Piaka of the Pāli Canon, and also in the Pāli commentarial literature. In the process it attempts to identify in the early sources the precedents of some of the bold statements in the Lotus Sūtra which appear as complete innovations, (...) but may be elaborations of elements contained in Pāli sources in germinal form. Despite the difference in style, language and mythological imagery, the conclusion is that both the Sutta Piaka and the Lotus Sūtra express in their respective manners the true spirit of the Buddhist message. Attention is drawn also to the striking parallels between the Buddhist picture of the multiple universe and modern cosmological theories. (shrink)

A Comparative Study of Jainism and Buddhism. Brahmacari Sital Prasad. Madras 1932, repr. Bibliotheca Indo-Buddhica No. 7, Sri Satguru Publications, Delhi 1982. xxiii + 304 pp. Rs. 80.

An Evaluation of the Vedantic Critique of Buddhism. Gregory J. Darling. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1987. xv, 393pp. Rs 175. Distributed by Motilal Books, Oxford, @ £17.50.

A Thousand Journeys. The Biography of Lama Anagarika Govinda. Ken Winkler. Element Books, Shaftesbury 1990. 182 pp., illustrated. P/back £8.95.

Advaita Vedanta and Madhyamika Buddhism. Eastern Religions in Western Thought. M.A. Cherian, published by the author, Broadstairs, Kent 1988. 195 pp. No price given.

Buddhist and Vedic Studies. A Miscellany. O.H. De A. Wijesekera. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1994. xv, 361 pp. Rs 275.

Buddhist and Western Philosophy. Edited by Nathan Katz. Sterling Publishers, New Delhi-Bangalore-Jullundur 1981. xxviii + 491pp. Rs 200.

Buddhisten in Indien heute. Beschreibungen, Bilder und Dokumente. Detlef Kantowsky., Konstanz 1999. 216 pp. ISBN 30930959-3-5.

Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies. Padmanabh S. Jaini. Motilal Banarsidass. Delhi 2001. xvii, 557 pp. Rs 595. ISBN 81-208-1776-1.

Der Buddha und seine Lehre. Elf Beiträge zur rechten Anschauung. Herausgegeben von Raimund Beyerlein. Verlag Beyerlein und Steinschulte, Stammbach-Herrnschrot 2002. 235 pp. ISBN 3-931095-26-6.

Dharmottaras kurze Untersuchung der Gültigkeit einer Erkenntnis - Laghupramanyapariksa, Teil I: Tibetischer Text und Sanskritmaterialen, Teil II: Übersetzung. Helmut Krasser. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1991. 162 and 148 pp. ÖS 350.00, DM 50.00.

Dharmakirti on Compassion and Rebirth. Eli Franco. Universität Wien, Vienna 1997. 394 pp. pbk.

Ehe und Mystik in Ost und West. Hellmuth Hecker. Verlag Beyerlein & Steinschulte, Stammnach-Herrnschrot 2002. 289 pp. Pb. ISBN 3-931095-41-X.

Foundations of Indian Culture I - II. G. C. Pande. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2nd ed. 1990. x, 378 and vi, 284 pp. Rs. 325.

Indian Philosophy. A Very Short Introduction. Sue Hamilton. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2001. xvi, 153 pp. Pb £5.99. ISBN 0-19-285374-0.

Karma and Teleology. A problem and its solution in Indian philosophy. Johannes Bronkhorst. The International Institute for Buddhist Studies of the International College for Advanced Studies, Tokyo 2000. iii, 142 pp. ISBN 4-906267-44-0.

Könne und Vertrauen. Das Tovil-Heilritual von Sri Lanka als kultureigene Psychotherapie. Beatrice Vogt Frýba., Verlag Rüeger, Chur/Zürich 1991. Sw.Fr.54. 284 pp., illustrated.

Mahayana-Buddhismus. Die zweite Drehung des Dharma-Rades. Hans Wolfgang Schumann. Diederichs, Munich 1990. 215 pp. DM32.

The aim of this paper is to compare the contents of the Lotus Stra and the style of presentation of its message with the thrust of the Buddha's teachings as they are preserved in the early Buddhist sources, particularly the Sutta Piaka of the Pāli Canon, and also in the Pāli commentarial literature. In the process it attempts to identify in the early sources the precedents of some of the bold statements in the Lotus Stra which appear as complete innovations, (...) but may be elaborations of elements contained in Pāli sources in germinal form. Despite the difference in style, language and mythological imagery, the conclusion is that both the Sutta Piaka and the Lotus Stra express in their respective manners the true spirit of the Buddhist message. Attention is drawn also to the striking parallels between the Buddhist picture of the multiple universe and modern cosmological theories. (shrink)

Zen and the Taming of the Bull. Towards the Definition of Buddhist Thought. Essays by Walpola Rahula. Gordon Frazer, London 1978. 160 pp. £6.50.

Querying the Medieval. Texts and the History of Practices in South Asia. Ronald Inden, Jonathan Walters, Daud Ali. Oxford University Press, New York 2000. 235 pp. £32.50. ISBN 0-19-512430-8.

Spirála Buddhova ucení. Anonymous; no place or date of publication in Czechoslovakia given. Disseminated in typescript copies since 1985. 312 pp.

Suhrllekah. Festgabe für Helmut Eimer. Edited by Michael Hahn, Jens-Uwe Hartmann and Roland Steiner. Indica et Tibetica Verlag, Swisttal-Odendorf 1996. xxii, 282 pp. DM48. ISBN 3-923776-28-4.

Sankaranandanas Isvarapakaranasanksepa mit einem anonymen Kommentar und weiteren Materialen zur buddhistischen Gottes-politik, Teil I: Texte; Teil 2: Annotierte Übersetzungen und Studie zur Auseinandersetzung über die Existenz Gottes. Helmut Krasser. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2002. xix, 127 & 378 pp. Pb. ISBN 3-7001-3024-4.

Studies in Mahayana G. C. Pande., Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi 1993. xii, 179 pp. No price given. ISBN 81-900149-7-8, 81-900149-8-6.

The Awakening of the West. The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture: 543 BCE - 1992. Stephen Batchelor. Aquarian, London 1994. xvi, 416 pp. £12.99.

The Civilizations of Asia. Before the European Challenge. Jaroslav Krejcí. Macmillan Press, London 1990. xiv, 348 pp. £37.50.

Thailänderinnen im Schmeltztiegel der Ausländerpolitik. Helmut Klar. E.G. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt 1997. 50 pp. Pb DM29.80. ISBN 3-89501-437-0.

The Origin and Development of Early Indian Contemplative Practices. Edward Fitzpatrick Crangle. Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 1994. xiii, 314 pp. DM 148.

Although worship of the relics of the Buddha — and its corollary, st?pa worship — is a widespread feature of Buddhist devotional practice among both lay Buddhists and monks, there is in some quarters a view that, while recommended to lay followers, it is forbidden to monks. This controversy started very early after the Buddha’s parinibb?na and has reverberated throughout the centuries till the present time. Its source is in the Mah?parinibb?na Sutta, and it stems from the ambiguity in the (...) meaning of the compound sar?ra-p?j? in the Buddha’s reply to?nanda’s two questions concerning the actions to be taken after the Master’s death with respect to his body. The resolution of the controversy depends on a correct understanding of the nature of the Buddha’s replies to the two questions. This paper analyses the relevant passages of the sutta and the way they have been translated, correctly or incorrectly, into Western languages and into Chinese, and finally arrives at a solution derived entirely from within the text of the Mah?parinibb?na Sutta itself. (shrink)

Tibetan Studies. Jan Willem De Jong., Indica et Tibetica Verlag, Swisstal-Odendorf 1994, xi, 254 pp. Pb, DM64. ISBN 3 923 776 25 X.

Three Sanskrit Texts on Caitya Worship, in relation to the Ahoratravrata; an edition and synopses in English. Ratna Handurukande., The International Institute for Buddhist Studies, Tokyo 2000. xxv, 131 pp. ISBN 4-906267-45-9.

The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India. Johannes Bronkhorst. Franz Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden GmbH, Stuttgart 1986. xii, 145 pp. DM 36.00.

Wege zur Todlosigkeit. Tod und Transzendez in der Lehre des Buddha. Alfred Weil. Universität Konstanz, Forschungsprojekt 'Buddhistischer Modernismus', Forschungsberichte 8, Konstanz 1993. 202pp. No price given.