Nibbana As True Reality Beyond The Debate

some contemporaryThai discussions by Potprecha Cholvijarn

A dissertation submitted to University of Bristol in accordance with the requirement of the degree of Master of Philosophy in Buddhist Studies in the Faculty of Arts Department of Theology and Relegious Studies.

Indian philosophy was more decisively established with the Upanishads, the first of which may have been written in the 7th century BC. Early Upanishads, which dominate the late ancient period of thought, were key to the emergence of several classical philosophies. In the Upanishads, views about Brahman and atman were proposed. Buddhism, now a major world religion, also appeared in the ancient period of Indian philosophy. The Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, lived during the 6th century BC. Religious, or spiritual, metaphysics, a field that currently receives little attention among philosophers in academia in the West, considers the question of the nature of a Supreme Being and its relation to the world. Indian Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta, and theistic Vedanta all have contributed to this debate. Within spiritual metaphysics, an insistence on spiritual monism is probably the most important consideration that Indian thought upholds, though with numerous variations: Much Buddhist philosophy promotes the idea of the interdependence of everything; theistic Vedanta finds no gap between the world and God; and Advaita Vedanta insists that everyone’s true self is nothing other than Brahman, the Absolute. This book presents information on some of the basic concepts of this subject. Contents: • Zoroastrianism • Judaism • Christianity • Islam • Tribal Religions of India • Phenomenology • Vedanta Philosophy • Maya: Nature and Arguments

THE THINKERS, THE THOUGHTS, AND THE THEORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. With A World of Ideas, you can get to the bottom of the big bang theory; find out where Freud's ideas were coming from, and where Einstein's might take us; demystify surrealism and structuralism, communism and capitalism. Prepared with the assistance of an academic board of leading scholars, this invaluable reference includes - Hundreds of entries, alphabetically arranged, with key words and concepts highlighted and cross-referenced--more than two thousand in all - A special emphasis on multicultural influences and contemporary thought - A comprehensive index giving easy access to all essential terms and names A World of Ideas is an indispensable resource for the curious reader.

Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought engages students with lively anecdotes, essential primary and secondary sources, an accessible writing style, and a clear historical approach. The text focuses primarily on India, China, and Japan, while showing the relationships that exist between Eastern and Western traditions. Patrick Bresnan consistently links the past to the present, so students may see that Eastern traditions, however ancient their origins, are living traditions and relevant to modern times. Updates to the Sixth Edition include a new introduction as well as new approaches to problem areas throughout the text, but with special emphasis in Chapter 5 (Ashtanga Yoga), Chapter 10 (Basic Teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha), Chapter 12(Mahayana Buddhism: Madhyamaka section) and Chapter 18 (Chan Buddhism: regarding the relationship of Chan Buddhism to Zen Buddhism). In addition, all references and source material have been brought up to date. The companion website includes two new videos and many new photos, produced by the author. New to this Sixth Edition: • A new introduction that provides a helpful overview of each of the nineteen chapters and important connections between them; • An improved explanation of the nature of Vedanta philosophy, and a more logical organization of the Key Elements of the Upanishads in Chapter 3; • An extensive rewrite of Chapter 5, which deals with the subject of Ashtanga Yoga as expressed in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; • A greatly improved presentation of Buddha’s “Four Noble Truths” in Chapter 10; • A total recasting of the teaching of Nagarjuna in the Madhyamaka section of Chapter 12; • A clearer and easier to understand presentation of the teaching of the Dao De Jing in Chapter 14; • A major revision of Chapter 18 so as to clearly distinguish Chinese Chan from Japanese Zen; • Greater emphasis throughout, where pertinent, on the role of meditation practice in all Eastern traditions; • Revised and updated Questions for Discussion at the end of each chapter; • New photos and two newly produced videos prepared by the author for the book’s companion website: http://patrickbresnan.com/.

The Way of the Bodhisattva, composed by the monk and scholar 'S=antideva in eighth-century India, is a Buddhist treatise in verse that beautifully and succinctly lays out the theory and practice of the Mahayana path of a bodhisattva. Over one thousand years after 'S=antideva's composition, Künzang Sönam (1823-1905) produced the most extensive commentary on the Way of the Bodhisattva ever written. This book is the first English translation of Künzang Sönam's overview of 'S=antideva's notoriously difficult ninth chapter on wisdom. The ninth chapter of the Way of the Bodhisattva is philosophically very rich but forbiddingly technical, and can only be read well with a good commentary. Künzang Sönam's commentary offers a unique and complete introduction to the view of Pr=asa:ngika-Madhyamaka, the summit of Buddhist philosophy in Tibet, as articulated by Tsongkhapa. It brings 'S=antideva's text, and Tsongkhapa's interpretation of Pr=asa:ngika-Madhyamaka, into conversation with a vast Buddhist literature from India and Tibet. By articulating the integral relationship between emptiness and interdependence, this text formulates a sustained and powerful argument for emptiness as a metaphysical basis of bodhisattva ethics. This volume makes the ninth chapter accessible to English-speaking teachers and students of the Way of the Bodhisattva.

Drawing from all major religious traditions in the world, as well as a variety of non-religious disciplines such as psychology, philosophy and sociology, Momen’s study is an innovative, thematic presentation of the role of religion in society, covering everything from art and history to theology and the World Wide Web.