Hajime Nakamura

"There is hardly any book equal to Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples in terms of its thorough and systematic presentation of the intricate thought patterns of Asian peoples. The book not only is an essential reference for the student of Asian culture, but also for students of philosophy, religion, anthropology, and art, as it is an excellent source for aiding the student in gaining a deeper understanding of each facet of Oriental thought." --Isshi Yamada, Northwestern University "The clearest discussion and analysis of these complex subjects that I have found. My advanced undergraduate students find this work to be 'stimulating', 'challenging' and comprehensible.' The organization of the text enhances the usefulness of this volume, but it is the high quality of the scholarship that makes Ways of Thinking a most valuable addition to Asian studies and to the academic training of upper division students." --Ann B. Radwan, University of North Florida "I find Ways of thinking a most provocative source for exploring with my students certain basic themes in Eastern religion and culture. Used carefully, it is a most stimulating and effective source for tapping Eastern 'ways' at a fundamental level of inquiry." --Wilbur M. Fridell, University of California, Santa Barbara

India, China, Tibet, Japan (Revised English Translation)

Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples

The history of the Vedanta school is well known since the time of Sankaracarya on, and its prehistory before Sankara is quite obscure. However, from the time of compilation of major Upanisads to Sankara there is a period of thousand years, and the tradition of Upanisads was not lost; there appeared many philosophers and dogmaticians, although their thoughts are not clearly known. The author has made clear the details of the pre-Sankara Vedanta philosophy, utilizing not only Sanskrit materials, but also Pali, Prakrit (Jain), as well as Tibetan and Chinese sources. In this respect this is quite a unique work. For this work the author was awarded the Imperial Prize by the Academy of Japan. Some sections of this work were already published in Indian as well as European and American journals in English. This work is a complete English translation of the entire book. The English translation was done with the financial aid by the Harvard-Yenching Institute, and the final touch was given by Mr. Trevor Leggett, the British writer, who is well-versed in Sanskrit as well as in Japanese.

A History of Early Vedānta Philosophy

This work presents a survey of Indian Buddhism with detailed bibliographical notes. Besing itself on recent studies, it is intended to introduce studies in various aspects of Indian Buddhism carried on by Japanese scholars as well as Western and Asian, especially Indian, scholars. The main text constitutes a gengeral survey of the development of Indian Buddhism, and studies by scholars past and present are mentioned in full detail in copious footnotes with due evaluations. This work can be regarded, so to speak, as a development with revisions, of the Buddhist portion of M. Winternitz` History of Indian Literature. Major studies before and after Winternitz` work are exhaustively mentioned. As a reference work also this book is of extreme help to scholars and students alike. The work has been edited by Prof. Ramesh Mathur. Contents Foreword, Preface, I. General Survey of Buddhism, II. early Buddhism: 1. The Time of the Rise of Buddhism, 2. The Life of Gotama Buddha and his Disciples, The Scriptures of Early Buddhism, Aspects of Original Buddhism, The Thought of Early Buddhism, The Practice of Early Buddhism, The Worship of Buddhas and Faith, Social Thought, III. Conservative Buddhism and Transition to Mahayana: Historical background, Philosophical Schools, Philosophical Thought, Biographies of the Buddha, The Poet Asvaghosa and his school, The Avadana Literature, IV. Mahayana Buddhism: Historical Background, Mahayana Sutras, The Philosophical Schools of Mahayana, V. Logicians: Before Dignaga, Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Logicians at the Final Stage, Some Features of Indian Logic, VI. Esoteric Buddhism: the Beginning, Systematization, The Final Stage, Some Features of Esoteric Buddhism, Addenda et Corrigenda, Abbreviations and Periodicals, Index.

A Survey with Bibliographical Notes

Indian Buddhism

The history of the Vedanta school is well known since the time of sankara but its prehistory before sankara is quite obscure. However there is a period of a thousand years between the compilation of the major Uapanisads ot sankara without loss of the tradition of the upanisads there appeared many philosophers and dogmaticians although their thoughts are not clearly known. In a history of early vedanta Philosophy the author made clear the details of the pre sankara vedanta philosophy utilizing not only sanskrit materials but also Pali prakrit as well as Tibetan and Chinese sources. In this respect this epoch making work was awarded the imparial prize by the Japan Academy.

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.

Hajime Nakamura

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