Explores deep sleep (susupti), one of the three states of consciousness in Advaita Vedanta, and the major role it plays in this philosophy.
Indian philosophy bases itself on three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Deep sleep, or susupti, plays an important role in Advaita Vedanta, the major philosophical school that advocates a doctrine of pure consciousness. Explaining and savoring this paradox, this book shows how the concept of deep sleep can be used in Advaita Vedanta to reveal a philosophical insight, validate an argument, illustrate a moral, or adorn a tale. Arvind Sharma explores why sleep is a phenomenon that philosophers should be interested in and examines it in classical Hindu religious texts, including the Upanisads, and in foundational, early, and modern Advaita Vedanta.
Jadual kandungan
Preface
Introduction
1. Sleep in Advaita Vedanta: A Prologue
2. Sleep in the Prasthanatraya
(Upanisads, Brahmasutra, Bhagavadgita)
3. Sleep in Mandukyakarika
4. Sleep in Sankara Advaita
5. Sleep in Later Advaita
6. Sleep in Modern Advaita
Conclusions
Notes
Bibliography
Term Index
Subject Index
Mengenai Pengarang
Arvind Sharma is Birks Professor of Comparative Religion at Mc Gill University. He is the author of many books, including One Religion Too Many: The Religiously Comparative Reflections of a Comparatively Religious Hindu and Hinduism as a Missionary Religion, and the coeditor (with Ellen Bradshaw Aitken) of The Legacy of Wilfred Cantwell Smith, all published by SUNY Press.