Understanding Asian Philosophy: Ethics in the Analects, Zhuangzi, Dhammapada and the Bhagavad Gita

Understanding Asian Philosophy introduces the four major Asian traditions through their key texts and thinkers: the Analects of Confucius, the Daoist text Zhuangzi, the early Buddhist Suttas, and the Bhagavad Gita. Approached through the central issue of ethical development, this engaging introduction reveals the importance of moral self-cultivation and provides a firm grounding in the origins of Asian thought. Leading students confidently through complex texts, Understanding Asian Philosophy includes a range of valuable features: brief biographies of main thinkers such as Confucius and Zhuangzi primary source material and translations maps and timelines comprehensive lists of recommended reading and links to further study resources relevant philosophical questions at the end of each chapter As well as sections on other texts and thinkers in the tradition, there are frequent references to contemporary examples and issues. Each chapter also discusses other thinkers in different traditions in the West, presenting various comparative approaches. With its clear focus on thinkers and texts, Understanding Asian Philosophy is an ideal undergraduate introduction to Chinese, Indian, Buddhist and Daoist thought.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Ethical Philosophy in Asian Traditions Kinds of philosophy Ethical theories Asian traditions Self-cultivation in Asian philosophical traditions—the layout of the book Part I: Ethics and Self-Cultivation in Ancient China Early Chinese Philosophy: Map and Timeline 1. The Analects of Confucius 1.1The Life and Legacy of Confucius and the Analects 1.2 Social Harmony 1.3 The “Humane” Person and the “Rites” 1.4 The Virtues of the Family and Community 1.5 A Life of Learning 1.6 The Ideal Person 1.7- Later Confucianism 1.8 Further Resources on Confucianism and Self-Cultivation 1.9 A Short Biography of Confucius Relevant Questions 2. Zhuangzi and the Daoist Tradition 2.1 Yangism, the Daodejing, Zhuang Zhou, and the Retreat from Society 2.2 The perspective of the dao 2.3 “Fasting of the mind” and “listening ridiculously” 2.4 The use of the useless 2.5 Delighting in “The transformation of the myriad things,” what we truly are, and freedom from suffering 2.6 Later Daoism 2.6 Further resources on Zhuangzi and self-cultivation 2.7 A Short Biography of Zhuangzi Relevant Questions Part II: Ethics and Self-Cultivation in Ancient India Early Indian Philosophy: Map and Timeline 3. The Suttas, Dhammapada, and the Early Buddhist Tradition 3.1 The Buddha and the Early Buddhist tradition 3.2 Suffering and the eightfold path 3.3 Controlling the mind 3.4 The role of compassion and moral conduct 3.5 The role of wisdom and the insubstantiality of the “self” 3.6 The enlightened person and nirvana 3.7 Later Buddhism a. Early Mahayana b. Madhyamaka c. Chan/Zen d. Pure Land e. Tantrayana 3.8 Further resources on Buddhism and self-cultivation 3.9 A Short Biography of Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha Relevant Questions 4. The Message of the Bhagavad Gita 4.1 The Background--Vedas, Vedanta, and the Mahabharata 4.2 The crisis of choice 4.3 Sacred duty and the fruits of action 4.4 Discipline--knowledge, action, and devotion 4.5 The living universe--Krishna’s revelation and its impact 4.6 The yogi, the realized soul a. Advaita and Dvaita b. Devotional schools; Vaishnava c. Gandhi’s allegorical reading 4.7 Further resources on the Gita and self-cultivation 4.8 A Short Biography of Vyasa and Shankara Relevant Questions Conclusion: New Directions in Scholarship Annotated Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Alexus McLeod is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Colorado State University, USA.

Review :
By focusing on transformative personal cultivation as the axis shared by these canonical Asian texts, McLeod makes a persuasive argument that while these texts certainly provide a framework for the ethical life, they are much more, demanding as they do different regimens of assiduous practice and the nurturing of profound religious sensibilities. Highly recommended for classroom use. Understanding Asian Philosophy delivers what its title promises in a refreshingly clear and concise manner. Well-focused on one key text from each of the four major traditions of Asian philosophy, McLeod's book is an insightful and stimulating introduction to the main issues at stake in these texts and the traditions they helped generate.