Early Buddhism and its Origins

Contents: Preface. A. The philosophy & sociology of early Buddhism: I. Introduction: 1. The life, personality and prophecy of Buddha. 2. The origins of religion and early Buddhism. II. Evolution of Indian religion and Buddhism: 3. The Vedic religion and the origins of Buddhism. 4. The post-Vedic religion and the origins of Buddhism. 5. The philosophy of the Upanisads and the origins of Buddhism. III. Exposition and analysis of early Buddhism: 6. Buddhism pessimism. 7. Anatmavada. 8. The philosophy of rebirth. 9. Early Buddhist ethics. 10. Karman, Moral determinism and freedom. 11. The concept of Nirvana. 12. Early Buddhist mysticism. IV. Yoga, Samkhya and Buddhism: 13. Yoga and early Buddhism. 14. Samkhya and early Buddhism. B. Buddhism and the social sciences: 15. The economic foundations of early Buddhism. 16. The political foundations of early Buddhism. 17. The social foundations of early Buddhism. 18. The anthropological foundations of early Buddhism. 19. Early Buddhism and the methodology of social and political research. C. Appendices: 1. Buddhist Nihilism. 2. Asoka and Buddhism. 3. Buddha and Dayananda. 4. Buddha and Sri Aurobindo. 5. Sri Aurobindo’s interpretation of Buddhist philosophy. 6. Buddha and Marx. 7. Narendra Deva’s interpretation of Buddhist philosophy. Bibliography. Index.

"Buddhism is a subject of absorbing interest to student of comparative religions, ethics, history and social philosophy. Its historical foundations have been discussed by Senart, Oldenberg and C.A.F. Rhys Davids. In this book there has been presented not only an objective and scholarly exposition of the teachings and philosophy of early Buddhism but the Vedic roots of its concepts have been demonstrated. The methods of sociology of religion have also been followed. The section entitled Buddhism and the social sciences (chapters XV-XIX) constitutes an original contribution to knowledge from the pen of an eminent teacher of political philosophy." (jacket)