A Brief History of Indian Philosophy (Century Library)

Author: Tang Yongtong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Century Human Culture Series includes five interfaces: "The Century Library," "The Century Frontier," "Miniature Classics," "University Classics," and "Open Humanities." Each series is distinct yet complementary. "Clarifying the context of Western thought and renewing the tradition of Chinese academia" serves as the editorial principle of "The Century Library." The library is divided into two major book series: the Chinese Studies series and the Western Studies series. The Chinese Studies series, starting from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, comprehensively organizes academic works since modern China, aiming to provide a progressive framework for contemporary reflection on China's social and spiritual condition. The Western Studies series aims to systematically translate and introduce classic texts from Western civilization since ancient Greece and Rome, thereby showcasing the emergence and evolution of Western thought traditions and laying a solid textual foundation for addressing core issues in modern China. This book is part of the Western Studies series, written by Tang Yongtong. Professor Tang Yongtong is a renowned scholar of Buddhist history in China, and his work A Brief History of Indian Philosophy is one of the first important works in China to study the history of Indian philosophy using modern scientific methods. In the preface, the author states: "Gathering materials from both China and India, drawing on recent research by others, I have compiled several essays, starting from ancient times and ending with Shankara. I have now revised and expanded them into twelve chapters, and I have strived to have them published, hoping they may serve as a temporary aid to scholars." This book covers the philosophy of the Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and other ancient Indian traditions, as well as the origins and development of Buddhism, and the various external paths and philosophical schools of the time, up to Shankara's Vedanta. It provides a comprehensive overview of religion and philosophy in India before the eighth century in the Western Regions. The book offers a meticulous analysis of Indian philosophy, the origins and evolution of Buddhism, and remains an internationally recognized academic classic to this day.