Yoga, Karma, and Buddha

Catalog description

This course is designed to introduce students to philosophies of India through the study of philosophical and religious texts and key concepts of Indian philosophies, and serves to foster interest in philosophy in general and in Eastern philosophies in particular with understanding of the geographical, historical and cultural particularities of India. Topics include reality, knowledge, self, right and wrong, non-attachment, the meaning of life, death, and aesthetics. This course examines the history, practices, and basic tenets of philosophies of India. Through the comparative study of the classical philosophies of India, students will examine such philosophical issues as the nature of reality, the self, knowledge, ethics, society, the good life, and enlightenment in writings associated with Vedas, the Upanisads, Jainism, the Bhagavad Gita, and Buddha. It also offers students an alternative to Western perspectives.