INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL

CONGRESS
12-14 February, 2017
ABSTRACTS
AND
SOUVENIR

Organized by:

Sanchi University of BuddhistIndic Studies

Village- Barla, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh
(India) PIN-464551
Website: www.sanchiuniv.org.in
 91ST SESSION
OF
THE INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL CONGRESS
12-14 February,2017
____Sanchi University of BuddhistIndic Studies
Village- Barla, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh (India) PIN-464551

Organizing Committee
Patron: Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan,
Honble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh

Vice- Patron: Shri Surendra Patwa,

Honble Minister of Culture, M.P.

Chairman: Prof. Dr. Siddheshwar R. Bhatt

Chairman, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi

Vice- Chairman: Prof. Dr. Yajneshwar S. Shastri.

Vice Chancellor, Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, M.P.

Distinguished Members:

Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayaka Thero,

President, Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka &
Chief Sanghanayake of Japan

Prof. Geo Lyong Lee

Department of Naturopathic Medicine, SUN Moon University, Korea

Prof. Haiyan Shen

Dept. of Philosophy, Shanghai University, China

Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten

Vice Chancellor, Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi

Shri Basant Pratap Singh, IAS,

Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh

Shri Manoj Shrivastav, IAS

Principal Secretary, Commercial Tax, Culture and Religious Trusts and Endowments, Madhya Pradesh

Shri Rajesh Gupta, IPS

Registrar, Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, M.P.

Prof. M.P. Singh

Member Secretary, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi

Prof. Panneerselvam
Former Professor & Head, Department of Philosophy,
University of Madras, Chennai

Prof. Balaganapathi Devarakonda

Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi, Delhi

Prof. Aditya Gupta

Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi, Delhi

Local Secretary:
Prof. Baidyanath Labh
Dean, Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, M.P.
 INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL
CONGRESS
12-14 February, 2017

ABSTRACTS
AND
SOUVENIR

Organized by:
Sanchi University of BuddhistIndic Studies
Village- Barla, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh
(India) PIN-464551
Website: www.sanchiuniv.org.in
 91ST SESSION
OF
THE INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL CONGRESS
12-14 February,2017
____Sanchi University of BuddhistIndic Studies
Village- Barla, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh (India) PIN-464551

OFFICE BEARERS
Chairperson
Prof S. R. Bhatt
Former Professor & Head, Dept of Philosophy, University of Delhi
Chairman, ICPR, New Delhi
Mobile: 09599955780
srbhatt39@gmail.com

General Secretary
Prof S. Panneerselvam
Former Head, Dept of Philosophy, University of Madras, Chennai
sipasel@rediffmail.com
Mobile:0-9841059170

Vice Chairpersons
Prof S K Singh
Former Pro Vice Chancellor, Veer Kunwar Singh University
sksingh_ipc@rediffmail.com
Mobile:0-9431670221

Prof D A Gangadhar
Dept of Philosophy & Religion, BHU
dagangadhar@gmail.com
Mobile:0-9452074375

Joint Secretaries
Prof Yajneswar Shastri
Vice-Chancellor
Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, Barla, Madhya Pradesh
yajnashastri@yahoo.com
Mobile: 0-9898546883

Prof. Debika Saha

Dept of Philosophy,
University of North Bengal
sahadebika@yahoo.com
Mobile: 0-9433772141

Prof. Sreekala M. Nair

Head, dept. of Philosophy
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit,
Kalady, Kerala.
Sree_kala_nair@yahoo.com
Mobile: 0-9496226842

Treasurer
Prof. S. N. Choudhary
Rtd. Head of Philosophy, R N College,
Hajipur.Mobile:0-9431856755
snchudhary@rediffmail.com
 CONTENTS
PREFACE
SANCHI: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

ABSTRACTS
ENDOWMENT LECTURES
SYMPOSIUM
HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
LOGIC AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD
METAPHYSICS AND EPISTEMOLOGY
ETHICS AND SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY
RELIGION
 PREFACE
Philosophy is the systematic and critical study of fundamental questions that arise both in
everyday life and through the practice of other disciplines. The aim of Philosophy is not to
master a body of facts, so much as think clearly and sharply through any set of facts. Philosophy
thereby helps in developing skills of rational dialogue and arguing, the thinkers and scholars of
philosophy examines and compares various topics as the nature of reality, Philosophy uses the
tools of logic and reason to analyze the ways in which humans experience the world. It enables
us to develop critical thinking, close reading, clear writing, and logical analysis; it uses these to
understand the language we use to describe the world, and our place within it. Thus, Philosophy
as a critical and comprehensive process of thought involves resolving confusion, unmasking
assumptions, revealing presuppositions, distinguishing importance, testing positions, correcting
distortions, looking for reasons, examining world-views and questioning conceptual frameworks.
It also includes dispelling ignorance, enriching understanding, broadening experience, expanding
horizons, developing imagination, controlling emotion, exploring values, fixing beliefs by
rational inquiry, establishing habits of acting, widening considerations, synthesizing knowledge
and questing for wisdom.

At this background, the Indian Philosophical Congress was established by Nobel Laureate
Rabindranath Tagore and Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan in 1925. Its Silver Jubilee Session was at
Calcutta University and the Golden Jubilee Session was at Delhi University. In 1985, the
Diamond Jubilee session was inaugurated in Hyderabad by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In
2000, the Platinum Jubilee session was held in New Delhi with President K. R. Narayanan
presiding as Patron. Each year, the Congress is hosted by a different university in India, as
decided by the Executive Committee during the previous Congress. Philosophers, thinkers,
research scholars, students & even lay people from India & abroad participate in the Congress. In
continuation to this research and academic voyage, 91st Indian Philosophical Congress is being
planned from 12-14 February 2017 at the Academic Campus of Sanchi University of Buddhist-
Indic Studies, located at Barla (Raisen).

In 2012, Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies is established to address the global issues
and encompass educationists, academicians, philosophers, researchers and practitioners across
the globe. Its prime focus will be on Asian countries which are commonly regarded as the land of
genesis and propagation of Buddhist-Indic culture. Undoubtedly, this will strengthen active
interaction to promote harmony amidst Asian civilizations and developing cross-pollination of
ideas and thoughts. It aims to develop as an academic and research hub for preservation and
conservation of manuscripts and promotion of documentation and translation of original texts.
This University is devoted to knowledge, academics, art, literature, culture and skills pertaining
to the prominent concept of 'Dharma-Dhamma'. Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies is a
forerunner of the great traditional knowledge system of ancient India and is committed to explore
multifaceted dimensions of philosophy and knowledge. Its core objective is to foster quality
research, scholarly discussion and enhance pragmatic knowledge. The University invites
knowledge & wisdom from all ten directions and provide a suitable platform to the scholars and
researchers for healthy interaction among Asian countries and facilitate cross pollination of ideas
& foster harmony among different civilizations of the world.

This treatise of abstracts represents the papers received from distinguished scholars across the
globe written on varied topics to be presented in 91st Indian Philosophical Congress scheduled
on 12-14 February 2017 at the Academic Campus of Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic
Studies, located at Barla (Raisen). During the three day long sessions, deliberations will be made
on History of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, Metaphysics and Epistemology, Ethics
and Social Philosophy, Religion and such other relevant themes and topics. The renowned
delegates, experts and participants across the world will be attending this conference. We do
hope that the scheduled conference will provide ample opportunity to the learned scholars and
experts to explore Asian modes of thinking and steer us for betterment of mankind.

Prof. Baidyanath Labh

st
Local Secretary- 91 Indian Philosophical Congress
& Dean
Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, M.P.

SANCHI: AN OVERVIEW
The establishment at Sanchi (lat. 230 29N.; long. 770 45 E.; Dist.. Raisen) by far overshadows
others in Madhya Pradesh not only by the number and variety of its monuments but also by the
quality of its architectural and sculptural features. Indeed, amongst the vast galaxy of structural
monuments of India, Sanchi, with its well preserved monuments, stands out majestically. Further,
it has the distinction of having specimen of almost all kinds of Buddhist architectural forms.
With its nuclear dating from the third century B.C., the establishment continued to flourish till
the twelfth century A.D., despite of all political changes due to the rise and fall of many
dynasties.

The site had no associations with the master and earliest structures were the work of the king
Asoka who erected on the flattened top of the hill a brick Stupa and by its side a polished pillar
of the Chunar sandstone with a capital similar to the one at Sarnath. One of the reasons behind
king Asokas selection of the site might have been his early linkage with Vidisha, when, as a
victory of Ujjayini, he married the daughter of a banker of this city. This queen of king Asoka
was a devotee of Buddha and stated in the Ceylonese chronicles to have constructed a monastery
on the Vedisagiri (variantly Chetiyagiri), generally identified with the hill of Sanchi. Her son was
Mahendra, who carried Buddhism to Ceylon. The Sunga period also witnessed the construction
of the drum-balustrade and the ground-balustrade and later on processional path at the ground-
level. The four gateways were added by the devotees in the first century B.C.

The elaborately carved four gateways (torana) were added by the devotees in the first century
B.C. As the inscriptions reveal, top architrave of South Gateway was the gift of one Ananda, who
was the foreman of the artisans of King Satakarni, a former member of the Satavahana dynasty.
The South pillar of the West gateway and the middle architrave of the South gateway were the
gifts of the same person, one Balamitra, the pupil of Aya-Chuda. Nagapiya, a native of Kurara,
was the donor of both South pillar of the East gateway and North pillar of the West gateway
which is famous for its rich texture, vibrant with lavish carvings, are unique of their kind. The
form of the gateways is similar to that of the Eastern gateway of Bharhut but here the pillars are
oblong in section.

The projecting ends of the architraves are supported by the arresting figures of Salabhanjikas.
The entire surface of the gateways is replete with bas-reliefs depicting five jatakas- Vessantara-
jataka, Mahakapi-jataka, Chhaddanta-jataka, Sama-jatakas and Alambusa-jataka- incidents from
the life of Buddha, miscellaneous scenes including the division of relics, the Stupa of
Ramagrama and king Asokas homage to the Boddhi tree, Manushi-Buddhas and ornamental
patterns and figures. These reliefs, with their decorative beauty and edifying narration, make an
irresistible appeal to the human mind. From the technical points of view, these reliefs are an
advance upon those of Bharhut in composition, perspective as well as in modelling.

The last addition to the Stupa was made in the Gupta period when four seated images of Buddha,
each under a pillared canopy, were consecrated against the drum of the Stupa facing the four
entrances. Besides this Stupa, which is known as Great Stupa or Stupa or Stupa 1, there are many
others. Among them stand conspicuously Stupas 2 and 3. Stupa, of about the second century B.C.
and modelled after Stupa 1, is located by the latters side.

The top of its drum, gained by a staircase, served as the second Pradakshina-patha, the first one
existing on the ground around it. Its ground-balustrade, relieved with lotus-patterns, and a single
gateway, carved luxuriantly like the gateway of the Stupa 1, were constructed respectively in the
1st century B.C and A.D. The relic-content of this Stupa is of great sanctity, as the bone pieces,
as known from the inscription on the stone boxes containing the caskets, belonged to the two
foremost disciples of Buddha, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana. The relics of these two
distinguished persons were also found in the contemporaneous Stupa 2 of Satdhara on the bank
of the river Bes.

Stupa 2, on a lower ledge, is without any gateway but its ground-balustrade with four L-shaped
opening, of about the 2nd century B.C., is remarkable for its ornamental reliefs, mostly framed
inside medallions. These reliefs bear a family-resemblance to those of Bharhut and represent the
folk art in its true indigenous character with all its archaism simplicity and decorative beauty.
This Stupa is also important in its yield of the body-relics of ten Buddhist luminaries of at least
three generations of teachers, including Kasapagota and Majhima, who were commissioned to
preach the doctrine in the Himalayan region in the reign of the king Asoka. Monastery 45, with
remains of two periods respectively of the 7th -8th and 10th-11th centuries A.D., is remarkable
for its temple. The cells of the first period are arranged in the usual quadrangular way.

Buddhist Vihara is a modern monument. The relics found in Satdhara Stupa are enshrines in a
glass casket here in the inner sanctum. The excavation has revealed this mammoth bowl carved
out of a single piece of stone. Food used to be distributed from this bowl to the Buddhist monks
living at Sanchi.

Archaeological museum preserve the objects discovered during the course this museum was
established on the hilltop of Sanchi in 1919. The objects displayed in the gallery are
representative of six cultural periods, namely Mourya, Sunga, Satvahara, Kushana, Gupta and
Post-Gupta periods.

Thus, Sanchi being a renowned Buddhist pilgrimage centre and has a direct association with the
life and teachings of Buddha, has a vast significance behind establishment of the University. The
University is established to revive the old glory of Sanchi on the lines of great traditional
knowledge system of Nalanda and Takshila so as to promote quality research, scholarly
discussion and pragmatic knowledge in order to facilitate common man.
ENDOWMENT
LECTURES
SYMPOSIUM
HISTORY OF
PHILOSOPHY
 SELF AND OTHER IN MALAYALAM TRAVELOGUES: AN OVERVIEW
Afeef Sufiyan N
Ph. D. Scholar
Department Of Russian and Comparative Literature
University Of Calicut, Kerala

Travel literature as a genre delineates the life and culture of the Other people and provides us
an ambit for conducting cross-cultural studies. The concept of the other is closely connected with
post colonial studies. In the mid 1980s the term postcolonial first appeared in the scholarly
journals as subtexts. By the mid 1990s, the term established itself in academic and popular
discourse. Its subjects include universality, differences, nationalism, postmodernism,
representation and resistance, self and other, ethnicity, feminism, language, education, history,
place, and production (Al Saidi 2014: 01). Literature that has been created as a voice to the
powerless and the poorest members of the global community is a major phenomenon of
postcoloniality. The other by definition is something that lacks identity, propriety, purity and
literality.
In this sense the other can be described as the foreign: the one, who does not belong to our
group, does not speak our language and does not have the same customs; it is the unfamiliar,
uncanny, unauthorized, inappropriate, and the improper. It is Frantz Fanon who develops in his
writings the idea of the other to be a key concern in postcolonial studies. To him the other is the
"not me". So from this perspective an effort has been made in this study to foreground such
concepts of other as found in the travelogue literature. This study seeks to consider how the
travelogue literature describes the other from a visitors point of view. It shows the ways that
would maintain authority over the other in a colonial situation, that is, an imperialist must see
theOther as different from the Self; and therefore he has to maintain sufficient identity with the
other people and culture to valorize control over it. One of the main features of imperial
oppression, also, is control over language. It has become the key concept in post-colonial theory,
as Bill Ashcroft observes in Postcolonial Studies The Key Concepts Human beings have a
natural curiosity to learn the sentiments, manners, and condition of the rest of mankind For this
paper, how the self and other represented in malayalam travelouges as taken as the basic texts of
reference. Focusing on the various Malayalam travelouges of writers like Jnanapith won writter
SK Pottekkat, Ravindran, George Onakkoor, MP Veerendra Kumar, Sachidhanandan, Sacaria,
MT Vasudevan Nair, etc and how they depicted the self and other in their works.
 GHAZALIS CONTRIBUTION TO PHILOSOPHY LESSER KNOWN
DIMENSIONS

Nazir Ahmad Sheikh

Research Scholar in Philosophy
Barkatullah University, Bhopal, M.P.

Al-Ghazali is one of most prominent Islamic philosopher and outstanding original thinker of
the world . He was according to Macdonald, the greatest, certainly the most sympathetic figure
in the history of Islam and equal of Augustine in philosophical and theological importance. He
was an encyclopedic figure and learnt so many subjects such as theology, jurisprudence,
mysticism, philosophy, logic etc.

In the paper it is to be attempted to explore al-Ghazali as philosopher and his contributions in the
field of philosophy. It is the notion of common people that Al-Ghazali was only a theologian,
Jurist and mystic and do not consider him as philosopher certainly he is distinguished theologian
and mystic. Moreover, it is the contention of some Western as well as Eastern thinkers for
example Henri Corbin who regards al-Ghazali as one of the spiritual personalities of Islam, but
he denied to Ghazali any philosophical status, and prefers to call him the most fervent critic of
philosophy. However, in opposition to this view it is to be observed in the paper that a critic of
philosophy himself assumes a status of a philosopher. Actually he made critique to Greek
philosophy and its Muslim adherents. In the ninth century AD Muslim philosophers such as Al-
Farabi and Ibn-Sina became much influenced by Greek philosophy and they tried to reconcile
between the philosophy and religion. However, Ghazalis argument was that Islam and Greek
philosophy are two different positions. For the purpose of the same, he authored a highly
philosophical magnum opus entitled Tahafut al-Filasifah (incoherence of philosophers).
M.N.Roy has paid tribute to Ghazali by saying: His place in the history of philosophy can be
judged from the opinion of the famous French Orientals Renon , who thought that the father of
modern skepticism , Hume , did not say anything more than what had been said by the Arab
philosopher , who preceded him by seven hindered years. Consequently we can say that in the
paper in addition to it, there would be some comparative studies between western philosophers
and Al-Ghazali for different philosophical issues.
LOGIC AND
SCIENTIFIC
METHOD
METAPHYSICS AND
EPISTEMOLOGY
 POORNVAD
GLOBAL PHILOSOPHY FOR 21ST CENTURY

Dr. Shobha Deshpande

Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University Nanded (M.S.).

The day has come that the world philosophers should come together on common platform to
prepare the agenda for global philosophy, which shall present a post modern face of global
culture. Poornvad Philosophy has all the potentialities to become global philosophy.
Poornvad Philosophy is the contemporary Indian Philosophy which represents rationale
reasoning and re-interpretation of Vedic Philosophy. The roots of world philosophy, goes to
Veda. Poornvad re-interpret the Vedic philosophy.

The paper covers the Poornvad concepts of Poorna Purush, Maya, Vidya-Avidya, Parbrahma,
Vaishnav, Dnyan-Vidyan, Moksha and finally on Poornadvait.
None of the philosophers of the world established form relation of the Lord and the World except
Veda. Poornvad pointed out the form-relation between the Lord and the World with giving the
reference to Veda. World philosophers established cause and effect theory. While stating the
world (universe) as the effect of Lord. But it creates agnoism. Because nobody can answer if the
Lord has created this world then who created the Lord. Cause and effect creates discrimination
between the Lord and the world. Form-relation theory of Poornvad is fully scientific concept that
the whole universe is in one form and it is the cause and effect both in itself. It has no beginning
(birth) and the end (death). Therefore Veda says that the Lord has no birth and no death Anadi
Anant. Universe itself is the Lord Poorna Purusha. Poorna Purusha is the personification of the
universe
sahastrar puru sahastrk sahastrapt.
sa bhmi vivat vtvtytihaddagulam
(Rigved - Purush Sukta)
It is one and wanted to be plural ekoham bahusyam. Poorna Purusha is the vedic concept which
has been enlightened by Poornvad of Dr. Ramchandra Parnerkar in the 20th century (1948).
ETHICS AND
SOCIAL
PHILOSOPHY
 APPLIED ETHICS OF SIGALOVADA SUTTA: WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS & BUSINESS
ETHICS
Avinash Kumar Srivastava
Professor & Head
P. G. Dept. of Philosophy
Magadh University P. G. Centre, Nalanda College Biharsharif, NALANDA

In the Present ethical scenario the ethicists are giving greater emphasis on its applied aspect
rather than theoretical understanding of ethical concepts and principals or accepting any
particular standard or idea about right or wrong. The reason is simple. With the rise of
industrialization born modern mechanical civilization, the human life has become very
complicated. The rat race to compete and achieve target of life and profession in the full
competitive age have created multifaceted dilemmatic problems that cannot be shorted out
through theoretical discussions, because the ethical questions that arise out of the related
activities are too difficult for the moral thinkers to answer the situational normative riddles. In
the process of arriving at the reason, remedy and solution of the situational moral tragedy,
applied ethics got its genuine expression that attempts to short out difficult moral questions and
controversial moral issues that people actually face in their normal or abnormal business of life.
However, in analyzing the actual problematic ethical cases the applied ethicists utilize
philosophy as a tool to address important moral issues in various practical disciplines. They are
more concerned with particular cases than with more abstract theoretic question.

In other words it can be said that applied ethics is a discipline of philosophy that attempts
to apply ethical theory to real life situation. Strict principle- based ethical approaches often result
in solution to specific problems that are not universally acceptable or impossible to accept.
Applied Ethics is much more ready to include the insight of psychology, sociology, ecology and
other relevant area of knowledge in its deliberations. It is used in determining public policy.
Since the content of Applied Ethics is so varied and requires considerable empirically working
knowledge that its pursuit is done by looking at different human practices. These days it only
makes sense when we work on different types of applied ethics such that an expert working on
one kind will not have much to say in another. For instance experts of business ethics have
nothing to say on medical ethics, engineering ethics, environmental ethics or bio ethics.
Applied Ethics may be considered to be a new development in western horizon, which was
supposed to be initiated roundabout 1970 with Thomson's article "A Defense to Abortion". But
let it be known that the in India both ethics and philosophy are rooted in practical problems and
evils of human life. Here nature and society have always been in the midst of philosophical,
ethical and social brooding. Hence, in order to uproot or eradicate the human suffering, crisis and
practical existential problems of life ethics and philosophy came at the rescue and emerged as a
separate discipline. With the emergence of the Buddhism the applied utility of ethics and
philosophy started becoming visible. The Buddha employed the methods of argument from
analogy and bare difference argument that helped him uncover moral components in practical
situation. It also helped him to draw conclusions about actual cases. He kept mum on the
metaphysical questions and did avoid arguing from baseline ethical theories.

The present paper is a humble attempt to spot light the applied elements in his preaching and
teachings with special reference to Singal Sutta. Herein the Buddha being an omniscient being
has delivered on various existential problems of life. In one Sutta He has provided ethical
solution for different walk of human life. If these are explained and developed properly, it will
give birth to many fields of applied ethics highlighting different areas and issues through one
methodological worry that deals with many issues of different fields. The Buddha, in Sigalovada
Sutta, touches many issues of applied ethics wherein many hidden moral considerations were
uncovered that was imbedded in one traditional practice of Singal, which he was performing
without knowing its importance and import. In doing so the Buddha employed the methods of
argument from analogy and bare difference argument in order to uncover the relevant moral
components in the practical situation and thereby draws conclusions about actual case. A brief
account of some of the branches of applied ethics, as found in Singal Sutta, is mentioned below

1. Environmental Ethics:- In order to save nature and environment from human

encroachment and destruction Buddha says, "A house holder should accumulate wealth
like a honey bee that collect nectar from flowers without hurting or causing harm to it.

2. Crisis Management: - For protecting any business from future shock arising of
unexpected financial crisis Buddha frames a principle, "Man should divide his earned
wealth into four equal portions. Two portions should be utilized for his business (house
hold work), one portion should be left for friendly things and one portion should be kept
left for crisis management.

In the same way we find the threads of Family Ethics, Social Ethics, Management Ethics and
other kinds of Applied Ethics. I am sure, if this Sutta is interpreted properly in this line it will
give birth to Applied Buddhism as a separate discipline in the field of Philosophy and Ethics
 INNER PEACE A BUDDHIST: PERSPECTIVE
Basil Behanan Baby
Student of Philosophy, Maharajas College, Ernakulam, Kerala.
Basilparekkara@Gmail.Com

Every one of us is suffering due to lack of peace within ourselves as well as among us. Some
people suffer directly by injuries and death in wars while others suffering indirectly with
sickness, hunger, fear, anger and frustration, etc. If we want to stop this suffering, we have to
identify the real cause of suffering. Nothing in this world is perfect or adequate to expectations of
human beings. Desire to achieve power, status, and prestige are increase with cravenness and
defilements such as jealousy, condemnation, rejection, arrogance, anger and violence results as
consequences. This situation brings the peace under risk.

The teachings of Buddha are crystal clear and the truth of them is verifiable in ones own
experience. When we practice the Buddhas teachings (the Dhamma), we will see obvious and
quick results. Buddhas teachings are so valuable. In the beginning; as they point us in the right
direction. In the middle; they make perfect sense, showing us what is right, what is wrong, and
we can verify the truth for ourselves. In the end; as we truly wash away the impurities in our
hearts and minds, and suffering disappears, step by step.

The way to know suffering that the Buddha taught is called the practice of Vipasana. It is to
know in a very special way the three characteristics of the body and the mind. The three
characteristics are that nothing is permanent (anicca), that nothing persists (dukkha or
unsatisfactoriness), and that nothing can be controlled (anatta or non-self).

When we start to examine this body and this mind, we will see that they are suffering, that they
are nothing special at all. When we see this truly clearly, we will let go of all attachment to the
body and mind. The goal of Buddhism is to be free from personal suffering. This is called
enlightenment or Nirvana. Whenever there is wanting, the mind is not peaceful. It struggles. And
whenever there is struggle there is suffering. The body and mind are suffering already, and when
wanting occurs an extra load of suffering is added to the mix. There is more suffering when we
are no longer attached to the body and to the mind because the body and mind are what suffer.

I am trying in this paper to elaborate the relevance of Buddhas teachings for the achievement of
inner peace.
 CONTEMPORARY ETHICS A POSTMODERN APPROACH
WITH REFERENCE TO NARAYANA GURUS SELF
INSTRUCTION
Prof. P. K. Pokker
Senior Fellow, ICPR.

The advent of postmodernism has paved way for intensive hermeneutic approach in Ethics.
Hermeneutic is the process of interpreting signs. All signs belong to language. Language is the
medium of interpersonal communication. Human life is social by its own nature. Interpreting
language means going to the roots of being. If man is social he/she should be ethical also.
Otherwise he would have vanished from earth as Thomas Hobbes conceived in the pre-modern
State of Nature. Whether man was in a warring state or not in the state of Nature is only a guess
that we need not bother about. On the other hand the present life world of man is a reality. Man
not only survived but also created lot of social affairs with the co-operation of each other. The
interpersonal communication is the basis of all creative functions with social implications. In a
period of social alienation and crisis communication as such becomes problematic. In such a
situation ethics also faces crisis. Ethics needs rethinking as we have entered a period of global
crisis. In this regard first of all the postmodern has to be interpreted in order to proceed with the
ethical question of the present. Postmodern stands for the socio-cultural situation of the present
world. It denotes a period of economic globalization and change in the arena of technology and
thereby economy and culture.

Justice is the ultimate aim of ethics. What we ought to do depends on the nature of
unaccomplished justice. Injustice results from ignorance. Mostly the other is being haunted or
exploited because of ignorance. The formation of individuality takes place in certain cultures of
which he or she is part. All individuals are simultaneously part of certain culture. Any attempt to
solve the problem invites an effort to understand culture that exists outside ones culture. Sree
Narayana Guru was a philosopher and social reformer who preached and practiced ethical
approach to purify one and simultaneously expand the self to the whole society by knowing
oneself along with others. His approach is still relevant to build up an ethics suitable for the
contemporary world. It is a kind of Gnostic pluralism where all communities and cultures co-
exist and build up cooperation by knowing each other. The knowledge of the other is always
related to knowing oneself. To understand one as a being who deserves an apt position in society
also should realize his/her approach towards the other. In Atmopadesha Shatakam, (Treatise on
Self- instruction) the Guru shows how should we develop a right way towards knowing each
other. For the Guru theory and practice should go together. He created places of worship and
dialogue simultaneously. He showed the way to interpret theology in terms of justice. He wanted
to create a world of brotherhood. His temples were places for assembling all human beings
regardless of caste, religion or creed. He wrote there, place of all assembling as brothers
(Sodaratvena Vazhunna mathruka sthanam). Here in this paper an attempt is made to analyze the
future of ethics from the perspective provided by Sree Narayana Guru.
THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF UNDERSTANDING GENDER
DISCRIMINATION
Dr Prasanta Sarkar
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Philosophy
The University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal

The epithet feminism, although widely used, is not very clear to us, and as a result, it often
relapses into unnecessary controversy. A large section of people, including women, shows
apathy to this terminology. Feminism is a term that carries a potent emotional charge. To be a
feminist is a badge of pride for some people, central to their sense of identity; for others,
feminist is a label to be repudiated at all costs, as a code representing whatever they fear or
hate. As Patricia Maguire says more concretely, Feminism is: (a) a belief that women
universally face some form of oppression or exploitation; (b) a commitment to uncover and
understand what causes and sustains oppression, in all its forms and (c) a commitment to
work individually and collectively in everyday life to end all forms of oppression.

My concern here is to focus women and gender, the importance of consciousness raising, and
an intention to empower women and change power relations and inequality. My point would
be to show that traditional ways of thinking women are mainly based on androcentrism. The
male points of viewing things are the human view-point. Such androcentric humanism fails
to take seriously specific interests, rights and identity of women vis--vis men; and to
recognize womens ways of thinking and doing as valuable as those of men. My suggestion
would be first to understand the conceptual framework of women subordination without
which we cannot properly address to gender issues. Finally we must say that those, who
claim to be humanist without travelling en route feminism, are not serious in their
proclamation. First bridge the gap of status and dignity between man and woman. And after
that, we may proceed to the realm of real humanism.
 POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY OF VAGBHATANANDA

Rakesh. K
Research scholar
Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit,
Kalady, Kerala.

The second half of the 19th century witnessed various reform movements in Kerala. The most
significant aspect of the social and cultural movements during that period was awakening of the
lower caste people and their struggles against the evils of the society, especially in Hindu society.
These socio cultural movements totally known as Kerala renaissance. Kerala renaissance
movements especially against existing vulgar cast distinction. Leaders of this movements were
mainly against the evils existing on the basis of caste. They thought that through a solution to
this major problem, they can lay the foundation of democratic secular nature of Kerala.
Untouchability, social discrimination, superstition, irrational customs, social injustices, etc. were
taking an upper hand in those days. To make the social condition right social reformers like
Ayyankali , Vakkom Abdul Kader Maulavi, Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, Chattambi Swami,
Sree Narayana Guru and Vagbhadanandan were in the scene. Ayyankali and Vakkom Abdul
Kader Maulavi were only social reformers, were as Brahmananda Swami sivayogi , Chattambi
Swami, Sree Narayana Guru and Vagbhadanandan were spiritual leaders cum social reformers.

Vagbhatananda was a social reformer who fought against the evils of customs, rituals and
superstitious beliefs so as to make new light into the cast ridden society of Kerala. He was a
spiritual leader, a profound scholar, a fiery orator, a poet of rare excellence, a zealous patriot and
intrepid fighter against social evils. He stands among other stalwarts of his time as the harbinger
of secular and egalitarian ideals. He used philosophy and literature as a tool for social
renaissance. The philosophical thought of Vagbhatananda is based on rationalism.
Vagbhatananda obtained sufficient knowledge in the ideology of important religion. According to
him religion should be a private affair of an individual and is a programme for making perfect
man. He criticized irrationality in the customs and religious practices, opposed the conflict
between religious practices, opposed the conflict between religions so that he opposed religious
conversion. Ahimsa or non-violence is the philosophy of Vagbhatananda. He opposed animal
sacrifices and considered it as a shameful ceremony for society. Vagbatananda played a
significant role in the social and moral eradication of evils customs customs and practices and
also organized panthibhojanam, inter-cast marriage, widow remarriage etc. He was also a great
promoter of gender equality and argued economic equality. Taking all in all, Vagbhatanantda was
a prominent and fiery social reformer, who brought about quantitative changes in the texture of
Kerala.

THE PLACE OF MORAL VALUES AND SPIRITUALITY IN EDUCATION

Dr. Sunil Kumar Das,

Assistant Professor,
Department of Philosophy, The University of Burdwan

We find in our society that even highly educated persons doing wrong things, indulging in
criminal acts, becoming very greedy and so on. One feels that something has gone wrong in our
education system and that our education needs to be reformed. In this paper it is argued that
education should be remodeled in such a way that the student comes to imbibe moral values and
spiritual orientation. This will enable him to live a good life in the future.

We have tried to explain briefly how different moral philosophers and religious teachers have
sought to explicate the concept of moral goodness. Egoistic hedonism holds that it is the pleaser
of the individual agents that counts towards moral goodness while altruistic hedonism or
utilitarianism goes for the maximum happiness of the maximum number of people of the society.
For Kant an action is good if it is done in accordance with the categorical imperative, that is to
say, a universal law that does not involve any reference to feeling or sentiment. But some moral
philosophers emphasize the roll of virtues in moral life. Plato, for instance, puts emphasis on four
main virtues, namely, wisdom, self-control, courage, and justice. St. Augustine and other
Christian thinkers recognized, in addition to the above the three theological virtues of faith, hope,
and love. Aristotle also puts stressed on the notion of virtue in his moral philosophy. On Aristotle
views a virtue is an excellence of some sort. Moral training in childhood generally puts emphasis
on the cultivation of virtues like always speaks the truth, be kind to others, and respect your
parents and so on.

Swami Vivekanandas ideas on educations are very relevant if we want to infuse into the student
moral values and a spiritual orientation through education. According to Vivekananda education
is the manifestation of the perfection already in man. This implies that something already exists
and is waiting to be expressed. His definition is one of remarkable insight. According to
Vivekananda, who was deeply influence by Vedanta Philosophy which ultimately led to his
spiritual awakening, the human soul is the repository of infinite knowledge, but this is hidden by
some layers of covering, and a man learns what he deserves by taking the cover off his own soul.
As Vivekananda observes knowledge is inherent in man, no knowledge comes from outside; it is
all inside. While the manifestation of the infinite knowledge hidden in human soul remains the
ultimate goal and requires spiritual training to achieve it, the education of a student should
prepare him or her for this purpose so that this goal is not lost sight of.

PUTNAM ON ETHICS
Suraj Kumar Sahoo, Research Scholar,
Dr. Rajakishore Nath, Associate Professor,
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
IIT Bombay, Mumbai-76

Putnam has given a different twist to the ethical issues in his philosophical writing on ethics. In
his on Ethics Without Ontology has given different connotation to ethical issues. Putnam states
that there is no ontology in ethics. For him, there is nothing wrong with ethics, rather there is
something wrong with ontology. The ethics cannot be justifiable from non-ethical stand point of
view. This idea of ethics goes against the possibility of Platonic forms, Aristotelian metaphysics,
Kantian category, and Heideggers ontology. Putnam thinks that philosophy needs to take the
ways of thinking that are indispensable in everyday life much seriously than the ontological
tradition has been willing to do. He replaced ethical ontology that of with pragmatic pluralism:
the recognition that, in our everyday lives we employ many different kinds of discourses,
discourses subject to different standards and possessing different sorts of applications that all
contribute to the description of reality.
 GANDHIS MORAL PHILOSOPHY OF EQUALITY
(A CONCEPTUAL STUDY)
Tejram Pal
Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, H.N.B.G. University Srinagar (Garhwal)

Many people have been attempted for knowledge in philosophy. Every one of them describes the
truth according to their own philosophy. They all have their personal view about the absolute.
Gandhi ji was also a philosopher of this kind. Whole his life he tried to prove the existence of
God. The fundamental principle of his enquiry of truth was moral equality. Gandhi ji was the
master of his philosophy of moral equality. All creatures were equal for him. If I have the same
view for my well wishers and my enemies, that mean there is equality, exist in me. In equality
there remains no difference of mine and yours. Here we have equal love and emotions for all.
Equality for rich and poor, equality for Shudra and sanwaran that is what we find in Gandhian
ethics.

Gandhis life is his philosophy and his philosophy is his ethics. He didnt only philosophise his
eleven values but he also used them in his whole life. His eleven principles of morality create the
harmony in the society. He accepts the truth as the only God for both atheist and theist. For him
truth and nonviolence are made of the one metal. Asteya makes our belief in one another,
unbreakable. Aparigrah teaches us not to store more than the requirement and this makes the
distribution of the things equally. Brahmcharya teaches us to control our subtle desires and turns
our mind towards the purity. Abhaya teaches us to be undeterred in the path of morality.
Ashprasyata-nivaran ends the difference of races and categories. Kayik shram makes us healthy
and teach us to earn our living. Sarv dharm sambhav makes us secular for all religion. Aswad
teaches us to live simple living. Using swadeshi vrat, the economical condition of the country
can be made strong. Thus the samdarshi nitishashtra is full of humanity.
 CONCEPT OF POORNA PURUSH IN POORNVAD PHILOSOPHY
Dr. T. P. Deshpande
Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University
Nanded (M.S.).

Poornvad is contemporary Indian philosophy founded in 1948 by Dr. Ramchandra Pralhad

Parnerkar, which is relevant to the modern way of global life. Poornvad Philosophy re-
interpreted the Indian Philosophy which gives us more relevant and rationale concept of every
aspect of Veda and the contemporary Indian Philosophy.

The paper will describe the concept of Poorna Purush in view of Poornvad Philosophy. The
uniqueness of Poornavad is that, in Vedas Poorna Purush is the only Absolute Truth and Shiva-
form, Vishnu-form and Vishwa (world)-form all three are His forms only, is the doctrinal
statement. Of course, these three rather than causal relation have form relation with Poorna
Purusha. Just as during direct perception of Parbrahman, i.e. Samadhi to establish non-duality (as
laid down by Shankaracharya) truth-consciousness-bliss-forms are experienced similarly, in non-
dual form of Poorna Purusha alone, the essential elements Shiva, Vishnu and Vishwa are
experienced and therefore, all the three forms are proved as eternal and truth.

Essential formwise there are three forms of Poorna Purusha. In each of the three forms, the other
two are in witness form (shall we say latent). As such, of the three forms each is inclusive of the
other two forms viz. in Parbrahman, the trio are truth-consciousness-bliss; in Vishnu those are
desires-enjoyment and satisfaction whereas in Shiva creation-sustenance and destruction. In the
non-dual oneness experience of Poorna Purusha the trios are experienced.

Because of form-relation of Vishwa (world) with Poorna Purusha, unlike other philosophies,
Poornvad says that Creation, sustenance and destruction are not of the world but taking place
incessantly in the world, it is its characteristic nature and the world is eternal. The word jagat is
from Sanskrit root gam which is applied to the static state of the effects motion. Jagat (world) is
in the form of flow.
In short, world is eternal and always static there is no interruption in it. But the happenings
taking place in the world i.e. creation-sustenance and dissolution are quite discernible and give
the impression of effect-cause-relation, this is what is called maya in the Vedas. If an incense
stick is lighted and moved round and round it gives a semblance of a lighted circle, similarly, the
cycle of creation, sustenance and destruction is called jagat; Poornvad believes it to be eternal
and true. It is something like the rotation and revolution of the earth.
 RELIGION

COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO KABIRS PHILOSOPHY AND

THEISTIC EXISTENTIALISM
 Dr. Amita Valmiki,
Associate Professor and Head, Department of Philosophy,
Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College,
Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai

Kabir (c. 1440- c. 1518), a great mystic from Benaras, spoke of the ecstatic experience of the
Real, the Truth (the God) in his Bani. For him, rituals, practices of different religions had no
use if the purpose of mental one-pointed concentration on God was forgotten. Much before
Kabir, Ramananda, his disciples Jayadeva, Namadeva and Trilochan practically said the same
things that Kabir mentioned in the Granthas (i.e. somewhere around 1170 AD to 1267 AD).
(Uncertainties of dates found among scholars.). The banis portrayal of the truth and truthful
living makes explicitly clear that the subjective inwardness and the theistic existentialism was
very much upheld and popularized by Kabir and his predecessors. So, Kabir holds an
intermediate position between the Saguna (Qualified) and Nirguna (Unqualified) Bhakti (the path
of devotion).

The paper concentrates on Kabirs arriving to the truth and the truthful living not by
argumentation, dialectics or reason; but his firm belief in the inwardness to the subjective
consciousness where God-realization can occur. To demonstrate this philosophy the paper will
seek help of Kabirs writings. For instance,

I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva; at the time of my death, I moved to Magahar.//2//.

For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kashi; now that my time to die has
come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! //3//.

So on and so forth. The paper will try to compare the philosophy of Kabir and Thesitic
Existentialism; and reflect that a parallel can be drawn between the philosophy of Kabir and
Theistic Existentialism, especially of Soren Kierkegaard (with minor differences).

THE CONTRIBUTION OF SAINTS IN ESTABLISHING COMMUNAL

HARMONY
 Harsha Badkar

The communal conflicts have been one of the major sources of increasing violence faced by the
society both at national as well as international levels. Rather than being a factor that may unite
the humanity, religion is becoming major dividing factor due to the dogmatic and rigid approach
of the believers. In order to resolve this issue, it is necessary to search for the root cause of the
problem which appear to be in the fundamentalist or fanatic approach of the believers rather than
their religious beliefs. The way to eradicate such a dogmatic approach towards religion is to
bring religion within the field of rationality by removing the rigidity that has entered religions
giving rise to violent conflicts and intolerance.

There have been many trends that grew within religion that focused more on the unity of
humanity as a whole, overcoming sectarian divides. Many of the saints both of Hinduism as well
as Islam have a great contribution to make in this respect. The saints from these traditions had
massive appeal among people of different religions. India has rich traditions of saints like Kabir,
Tukaram, Narsi Mehta, Shankar Dev, Lal Dedh, clearly from within the Hindu tradition, while
Nizamuddin Auliya, Moinuddin Chishti, Tajuddin Baba Auliya Ajan Pir, Nooruddin Noorani
(also known as Nund Rishi) coming from a clear Sufi tradition and Satya Pir, Ramdev Baba Pir,
having a mixed lineage, where Bhakti and Sufi themselves are deeply intertwined. Sant Guru
Nanak tried to a mix two major religions of India. He traveled up to Makkah to learn the wisdom
of Islam and went to Kashi to unravel the spiritual moral aspects of Hinduism. It is thus evident
that these saints thus a lot to contribute to the cause of communal harmony.

Today, while global discussion on religion has been centered on its divisive effects, a renewed
interest in saint tradition is of great significance. These saints opposed the institutionalization of
religion, tried to decentralize religion by declaring it to be a private matter which should not be a
ground for conflicts. Many of these saints opposed the rituals and the hegemony of the elite of
society. They adopted the languages more popular with the masses. Also, they talked of one God.
In India, in particular, Hindu-Muslim unity has been a principal concern expressed by many of
the saints from this tradition.

In this paper, I intend to look into the significant role that can be played by the saints of India in
resolving inter-religious as well as intra-religious conflicts in todays difficult times. I try to
suggest that the inclusive and humane nature of these traditions needs to be upheld and the
divisive-exclusionary versions of religions have to be ignored for the humanity to march on the
path of progress.

THE ROLE OF PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION IN RELIGIOUS

CONFLICTS
 Dr. Laxmikanta Padhi
Dept. of Philosophy
University of North Bengal
Siliguri, Darjelling

Philosophical analysis of religion is often not welcomed with open arms by systematic
theologians. This suggests that the God of philosophers has little or nothing to do with the God
of Abraham, Isaac or Brahman. Theologians say that philosophers are applying their analytic
tools to an idol, an exaltation of their construction. Conversely, they hold living God simply not
to be susceptible to analytic scrutiny. The mystery of God, as worshipped and adored in the
community of faith, is beyond the capacity of human and philosophical mind to analyze which is
considered as a tension noted between the philosophers and the theologians. Plato, Socrates,
Aristotle, Kant, Swedenborg and Spinoza are all striking examples in the interesting history of
Western philosophy for the high pedestal on which they have placed morality, duty and
righteousness, as the only means to the attainment of the goal of life. Vaiesika
Stra claims:
Yato-bhyudayanih reyasa-siddhih sa dharmah . That which leads to the attainment of
Abhyudaya (prosperity in this world) and Nih reyasa (total cessation of pain and attainment of
eternal bliss hereafter) is Dharma.

Almost all of us will agree with the fact that, the conflict between the Muslim world and the
East/West is essentially political but on a popular level, religion is also seen as one of its root
causes. Secularists sometimes regard all religion as essentially divisive and obscurantist. There is
a symbiotic relationship between religion and contemporary politics: each influences and
aggravates each other. Religion can play an important role in justifying the choices made by
individuals and by groups, and this is nowhere more truly than in the case of religious conflict?
Indeed, individuals and groups often maintain that their beliefs require them to engage in conflict
of some kind. But if religious beliefs and values motivate some people towards conflict, they
motivate others to act as peace-makers. Recent research demonstrates that even in societies
driven by conflicts that claim to be justified by religious difference; many religious organizations
in fact dedicate tireless efforts to promoting inter-faith dialogue, and to develop strategies of
mutual assistance and conflict resolution.

In this contribution, an attempt has been made to show that religion and spirituality remain
powerful and motivating forces in many peoples lives even if they do not choose to worship at a
temple or a church. The spiritual revolution parallels social analysis of the nature of modern
society as post-traditional and characterized by structural individualization, which requires
individuals to engage in a reflexive process of identity construction. What is said here that in
order to understand the role played by religion in conflicts, we need to understand better what
religion is, and also how conflicts tend to work. With the deepening of modernity, a rationalist
perspective has conquered many aspects of our existence and religion is no longer a central force
in social life, so the argument goes.

OSHO THOUGHTS ON MEDITATION AND LOVE

Dr. P. Chinnaiah
Professor
 Department of philosophy
S. V. University of College of Arts, Tirupati
Osho is a great revolutionary philosopher in the world. According to Osho the whole world
exists in hate, in destructiveness, in violence, in jealousy, in competitiveness. People are at each
others throats either in reality, actuality, in action, or at least in their minds; in their thoughts,
everybody is murdering, killing. There is an unpleasantly difficult, dangerous, perplexing and
harmful situation in the world. There is a conflict, predicament, sorrow, hatred, angry, violence
and war in the world. The leaders of the world wanted to divide the world, but to divide the
world they have to do the basic division which is of love. The cause of world predicament
according to Osho is human mind which is filled with thoughts. Human mind is the source for
expectations. Every expectation is bondage. It leads to sooner or later to frustration. Expectation
is a poison. It destroys all relationships and creates predicaments. The solution of world
predicament according to Osho is meditation and love. Osho says, Love is a natural kind of
meditation. Meditation is a supernatural kind of love.

Osho says that Meditation is witnessing. Meditation starts by being separate from the mind, by
being a witness. That is the only way of separating yourself from anything. If you are looking at
the light, naturally one thing is certain: you are not the light; you are the one who is looking at it.
If you are watching the flowers, one thing is certain: you are not the flower, you are the watcher.
Watching is the key of meditation. Watch your mind. Don't do anything - no repetition of
mantra, no repetition of the name of god - just watch whatever the mind is doing. Don't disturb it,
don't prevent it, don't repress it; don't do anything at all on your part. You just are a watcher, and
the miracle of watching is meditation. As you watch, slowly mind becomes empty of thoughts;
but you are not falling asleep, you are becoming more alert, more aware. As the mind becomes
completely empty, your whole energy becomes aflame of awakening. This flame is the result of
meditation. Osho says, Meditation is watching, observing without any judgment, without
any evaluation. Just by watching, you immediately get out of the mind.

WHY NOT CULTURAL BUDDHISM BUT THEOLOGICAL BUDDHISM?

 P. K. Sasidharan
Dept. of Philosophy
Sri Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit,
Kalady, Ernakulam, Kerala

As per the ongoing historisation Buddhism is understood to be having an antiquity of 26

centuries, though it still remains to be a matter of dispute and inconclusive exploration. The way
that the ideological and the institutional transformations have taken place within the history of
Buddhism seems to be profoundly deep and immensely varied. However there appears to have
some prominent ways of characterizing Buddhism, which disregard of its wider cultural and
historical trajectories. In spite of the differences Buddhist movements seem to underscore a
characteristic attitudinal coexistence, which have despised a Buddhist history of anything like an
intra or intersecterian measures of violence. In this context, the vertical and horizontal divides
and diversity within Buddhism, therefore, needs to be understood and theorized further with a
profitable intention to drawing insights for reinventing it in such a way suitable for some of the
cultural requirements of the time. It is by keeping this interest in view that the present question
on the possibility of theorizing cultural Buddhism has been brought in. It begins with an
assumption that there prevails a prominence of thinking on Buddhism as yet another theological
enterprise. The characterization of Buddhism as a nontheistic religion seems to be
acknowledging that widely prevailing perception of Buddhism. If that is to say anything, there is
possible to have a counter argument that the cultural history of Buddhism cannot be accounted as
exhausted with religious Buddhism. There are enough of alternative streams of practices that
might warrant for an all inclusive frame of cultural Buddhism.

INDIAN LUMINARIES