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Eastern philosophy is the general term for the range
of philosophies that originated in the Indian sub-continent, and now come under
the general heading of Hinduism, along with Buddhism, and those of the Far East
- Confucianism and Taoism - along with Zen and other philosophies that have come
as each of the basic streams of thought broadened and mingled with others.
The Science of
Identity and
Practical
Wisdom websites present the ideas of guru Chris
Butler. Along with short quotations on a range of issues, his short videos
present broadly Hindu ideas about the nature of the self. These are presented in
a way designed for personal reflection and spirituality, rather than academic
study.
It is sometimes argued that Eastern
Philosophy is religious in character, whereas in the West it is
purely intellectual, separated from religion. This is a gross
over-simplification, for Eastern Philosophy has argument every
but as intellectually rigorous as any in the West - the
difference is that in the East there has been a willingness to
relate thinking to life and reflective practice, and an
unwillingness to pigeon-hole philosophy and religion separately.
In the West, of course, some secular philosophers struggle to
deny any religious origins to their work - but that is another
matter.
My own book on this is
Teach Yourself: Eastern
Philosophy.
Here are some other good starting
points for getting into Eastern Thought...
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