Dharma is central to all the major religious traditions which originated on the Indian subcontinent. Such is its importance that these traditions cannot adequately be understood apart from it. Often translated as “ethics;†“religion;†“law;†or “social order;†dharma possesses elements of each of these but is not confined to any single category familiar to Western thought. Neither is it the straightforward equivalent of what many in the West might usually consider to be “a philosophyâ€. This much-needed analysis of the history and heritage of dharma shows that it is instead a multi-faceted religious force; or paradigm; that has defined and that continues to shape the different cultures and civilizations of South Asia in a whole multitude of forms; organizing many aspects of life. Experts in the fields of Hindu; Jain; Buddhist and Sikh studies here bring fresh insights to dharma in terms both of its distinctiveness and its commonality as these are expressed across; and between; the several religions of the subcontinent. Exploring ethics; practice; history and social and gender issues; the contributors engage critically with some prevalent and often problematic interpretations of dharma; and point to new ways of appreciating these traditions in a manner that is appropriate to and thoroughly consistent with their varied internal debates; practices and self-representations.
#924354 in Books imusti 2015-01-06 2015-01-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.27 x 1.08 x 5.49l; .81 #File Name: 1781685584336 pagesVerso
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Well written with very strong opinionsBy Junaid M. AfeefI enjoyed this book. I learned some very interesting bits of information as a result of Kundnani's research. There are passages; and in some cases; major observations with which I disagreed; but that did not detract from the value of this book. I think he gives Muslims in the U.S. more slack than is warranted (I believe American Muslim need to do a lot more to combat the false and negative opinions peddled by Islamophobes); but his concluding observations (e.g.; that mosques need to be able to engage more openly with those who espouse aberrant interpretations of Islam rather than shutting them out) make sense.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A good introduction if you think you might be interestedBy JeffreyEastWell written; well organized; and well cited. This is outside my normal purview so I can't attest too much to it's accuracy but it at least attempts to back up it's points in a fair way.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy BakarVery accurate analysis
