History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China

HPI 15 - Mostly Harmless - Non-Violence

Vegetarianism and non-violence (ahimsa) in ancient Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

HPI 14 - World on a String - The Bhagavad-Gita

The Bhagavad-Gītā or “Song of the Lord” from the Mahābhārata ties its theory of detached action to an innovative conception of the divine.

HPI 13 - Grand Illusion - Dharma and Deception in the Mahabharata

The great Hindu epic Mahābhārata explores moral dilemmas and the permissibilty of lying, against the background of the ethical concept of dharma.

HPI 12 - Rupert Gethin on Buddhism and the Self

Peter speaks to Rupert Gethin about the no-self theory, and its implications for Buddhist ethics and meditation practices.

HPI 11 - Carry a Big Stick - Ancient Indian Political Thought

Two figures from the Mauryan dynasty, Kautilya and the king Ashoka, set out contrasting ideas about the ideal political rule.

HPI 10 - Crossover Appeal - The Nature of the Buddha’s Teaching

The Buddha offers two parables to explain the purpose of his philosophical teaching.

HPI 09 - Suffering and Smiling - the Buddha

The Four Noble Truths of the Buddha, and the function they are supposed to play in our lives.

HPI 08 - Case Worker - Panini's Grammar

The pioneering Sanskrit grammar of Pāṇini and its implications for philosophy of language.

HPI 07 - Brian Black on the Upanisads

An interview with Brian Black about the philosophical and social aspects of the Upanisads.

HPI 06 - You Are What You Do - Karma

The origins of the idea of karma, its moral significance in the Upanisads, and an alternative conception in the Bhagavad Gita.