A Comparative History of IdeasMotilal Banarsidass Publ., 1992 - 572 pages Hajime Nakamura argues with remarkable erudition that particular intellectual and social developments can be traced in all great cultures; that each culture deals with its problems in about the same order. Discussing, in their similarities and in their subtle differences, ideas from India, China, Japan and Europe, the author considers such inclusive notions as the concept of God, the controversy over universals and the nature of orthodoxy and heterodoxy. This is a lucid and rewarding book which sets a new standard for dealing with a history of thought across many cultures. |
Contents
3 | |
26 | |
The Search for the Absolute | 47 |
Conclusion | 69 |
The Rise of Philosophy | 76 |
B Elements Regarded as the Fundamental Principle | 85 |
The Concept of the Absolute | 91 |
Problems of Practice | 125 |
Human Existence | 237 |
The Ideal of the Universal State | 317 |
Concluding Remarks | 344 |
FEATURES OF MEDIEVAL THOUGHT | 351 |
Two Types of Religion | 370 |
Theology and its Counterparts | 423 |
Conclusion | 469 |
COMMON FEATURES OF MODERN THOUGHT | 475 |
The Development of Heterodoxies | 142 |
F Concluding Words | 183 |
EARLY UNIVERSAL RELIGIONS | 191 |
B Faith | 206 |
Concluding Words | 215 |
B Attitude toward Philosophy in General | 225 |
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absolute According Amitabha ancient Aristotle Aśoka asserted ātman attained attitude become believed body Brahman Brhad Buddha Buddhist called China Chinese Christian concept Confucian Confucius cultural death deity Deussen developed Dhammapada Digha-nikāya disciples discussed divine doctrine Dōgen early Buddhism earth East and West Eastern Eckhart ethical evil existence faith fire gods Greece Greek heaven Heraclitus Hindu History human Ibid idea ideal India individual Izanagi Jain Jainism Japan Japanese Jesus karma King knowledge later living London Mahāyāna master means medieval meditation metaphysical mind modern monks moral mystics Nāgārjuna nature period person Plato Plotinus practice Prince Shōtoku principle problems Pure Land Radhakrishnan Rāmānuja reality regarded religious Rhys Davids Sanskrit scriptures sect sense Shinran similar Sōtō soul spirit T. W. Rhys Davids taught teaching theory things thinkers thinking thought tion Tokyo tradition translated truth Upanisads Vedic Western Philosophy word worship
Popular passages
Page 23 - ... souls, because they will not use their memories: they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves.