The Character of the Self in Ancient India

Brian Black

Description

This groundbreaking book is an elegant exploration of the Upanisads, often considered the fountainhead of the rich, varied philosophical tradition in India. The Upanisads, in addition to their philosophical content, have a number of sections that contain narratives and dialogues—a literary dimension largely ignored by the Indian philosophical tradition, as well as by modern scholars. Brian Black draws attention to these literary elements and demonstrates that they are fundamental to understanding the philosophical claims of the text.

Focusing on the Upanisadic notion of the self (ātman), the book is organized into four main sections that feature a lesson taught by a brahmin teacher to a brahmin student, debates between brahmins, discussions between brahmins and kings, and conversations between brahmins and women. These dialogical situations feature dramatic elements that bring attention to both the participants and the social contexts of Upanisadic philosophy, characterizing philosophy as something achieved through discussion and debate. In addition to making a number of innovative arguments, the author also guides the reader through these profound and engaging texts, offering ways of reading the Upanisads that make them more understandable and accessible.
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations

Introduction

      Opening statement
      What are the Upanisads?
      The self, life, death, and immortality
      The historical and social context
      Characterizing the self
      Literary characters
      The social conditions of knowledge
      Mystery or mystique: The character of knowledge

1. Teachers and students: The emergence of teaching as an object of discourse

      Introduction
      Sandilya and the teaching of atman and brahman
      Sandilya: From ritualist to teacher
      Uddalaka Aruni and the teaching of tat tvam asi
      Uddalaka and Svetaketu: Acting out the upanayana
      Indra as the persistent student
      Narada and Sanatkumara: Knowledge of atman as more important than the Vedas
      Naciketas and the initiation of an Upanishadic brahmin
      The graduation of a brahmin student in the Taittiriya Upanisad
      Satyakama and the beginnings of a brahmin hagiography
      Conclusion

2. Debates between brahmins: The competitive dynamics of the brahmodya

      Introduction
      The brahmodya and the sacrifice
      Uddalaka Aruni and the brahmodya in the Satapatha Brahmana
      Yajnavalkya and the philosophical tournament
      Yajnavalkya’s interlocutors: The social and political implications of debate
      Yajnavalkya and the tactics of debate
      Losing face or losing one’s head? The motif of head shattering
      Upanishadic teachings and material wealth
      Yajnavalkya and renunciation
      The life story of Yajnavalkya
      Conclusion

3. Kings and brahmins: The political dimensions of the Upanisads

      Introduction
      The myth of ksatriya authorship
      Janaka and Yajnavalkya: Negotiating the brahmin’s position in the court
      Janaka and Yajnavalkya in the Brhadaranyaka Upanisad
      Kings as teachers: Asvapati teaches a group of brahmin householders
      Uddalaka Aruni and Svetaketu: Instructions for how to seek patronage
      Conflicting agendas for how kings should teach brahmins
      Upanishadic knowledge as a political discourse
      The battle of the pranas as a political metaphor
      Pravahana and the teaching of the five fires
      Conclusion

4. Brahmins and women: Subjectivity and gender construction in the Upanisads

      Introduction
      The gender of the self: Atman and the male body
      The self, virility, and immortality
      Yajnavalkya and Satyakama: Competing ideals of male subjectivi

Sujets

• East Asian religions
• Hinduism

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 16 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791480526
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Character of the Self in Ancient India Priests, Kings, and Women in the Early Upaniɉads

Brian Black

The Character of the Self in Ancient India

SUNY Series in Hindu Studies Wendy Doniger, editor

The Character of the Self in Ancient India

Priest, Kings, and Women in the Early Upaniƒads

Brian Black

State University of New York Press

Cover art:Kedara Ragini, artist unknown, from the Manley Ragamala folio, The British Museum. Used by permission of the British Museum.

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2007 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production, Judith Block Marketing, Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Black, Brian, 1970– The character of the self in ancient India : priests, kings, and women in the early Upanisads / Brian Black. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Hindu studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-7013-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Upanishads—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Hindu literature, Sanskrit—History and criticism. 3. Character in literature. 4. Self in literature. I. Title. II. Series.

BL1124.57.B63 2007 294.5’9218—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2006013430

In memory of my father, Jerry Black, my most inspirational dialogical companion

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A CKNOWLEDGMENTS

A BBREVIATIONS

Contents

I NTRODUCTION Opening statement What are the Upani∑ads? The self, life, death, and immortality The historical and social context Characterizing the self Literary characters The social conditions of knowledge Mystery or mystique: The character of knowledge

C HAPTER  O NE Teachers and students: The emergence of teaching as an object of discourse Introduction Íåˆ∂ilya and the teaching ofåtmanandbrahman Íåˆ∂ilya: From ritualist to teacher Uddålaka ≈ruˆi and the teaching oftat tvam asi Uddålaka and Ívetaketu: Acting out theupanayana Indra as the persistent student Nårada and Sanatkumåra: Knowledge ofåtman as more important than the Vedas Naciketas and the initiation of an Upanishadic brahmin The graduation of a brahmin student in theTaittir¥ya Upaniƒad Satyakåma and the beginnings of a brahmin hagiography Conclusion

xi

xiii

1 1 3 7 12 16 19 22 24

29 29 30 33 36 38 41

44 46

50 53 57

viii

Contents

C HAPTER  T WO Debates between brahmins: The competitive dynamics of the brahmodya Introduction Thebrahmodyathe sacrifice and Uddålaka ≈ruˆi and thebrahmodya in theÍatapatha Bråhma£a Yåjñavalkya and the philosophical tournament Yåjñavalkya’s interlocutors: The social and political implications of debate Yåjñavalkya and the tactics of debate Losing face or losing one’s head? The motif of head shattering Upanishadic teachings and material wealth Yåjñavalkya and renunciation The life story of Yåjñavalkya Conclusion

C HAPTER  T HREE Kings and brahmins: The political dimensions of the Upani∑ads Introduction The myth ofkƒatriya authorship Janaka and Yåjñavalkya: Negotiating the brahmin’s position in the court Janaka and Yåjñavalkya in theB®hadåra£yaka Upaniƒad Kings as teachers: Aßvapati teaches a group of brahmin householders Uddålaka ≈ruˆi and Ívetaketu: Instructions for how to seek patronage Conflicting agendas for how kings should teach brahmins Upanishadic knowledge as a political discourse The battle of theprå£ås as a political metaphor Pravåhaˆa and the teaching of the five fires Conclusion

C HAPTER  F OUR Brahmins and women: Subjectivity and gender construction in the Upani∑ads Introduction The gender of the self:‹tman and the male body The self, virility, and immortality

59 59 60

63 67

70 74

80 88 92 96 98

101 101 103

105 110

112

114 117 119 121 124 129

133 133 135 141

Contents

Yåjñavalkya and Satyakåma: Competing ideals of male subjectivity The myth of recovering an authentic female voice Gårg¥: The debating tactics of a female philosopher Women andgandharvas: The lack of authority for female speakers The ambiguities of Satyakåma’s mother and wife Maitrey¥ and Kåtyåyan¥: Knowledge ofåtman versus str¥prajñå Conclusion

C ONCLUSION

N OTES G LOSSARY B IBLIOGRAPHY I NDEX

ix

ix

145 148 150

156 158

162 167

169

175 197 201 211