The Ethics of Sankara and Santideva: A Selfless Response to an Illusory World

233 Pages·2013·1.33 MB·English

by  Warren Lee Todd

The eThics of Śaṅkara and ŚānTideva
dialogues in souTh asian TradiTions:
religion, PhilosoPhy, liTeraTure and hisTory
Series Editors
laurie Patton, duke university, usa
Brian Black, lancaster university, uk
face-to-face conversation and dialogue are defining features of south asian
traditional texts, rituals and practices. not only has the region of south asia
always consisted of a multiplicity of peoples and cultures in communication with
each other, but also performed and written dialogues have been indelible features
within the religions of south asia; hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, sikhism, and
islam are all multi-vocal religions. Their doctrines, practices, and institutions have
never had only one voice of authority, and dialogue has been a shared tactic for
negotiating contesting interpretations within each tradition.
This series examines the use of the dialogical genre in south asian religious and
cultural traditions. historical inquiries into the plurality of religious identity in
south asia, particularly when constructed by the dialogical genre, are crucial
in an age when, as amartya sen has recently observed, singular identities seem
to hold more destructive sway than multiple ones. This series will approach
dialogue in its widest sense, including discussion, debate, argument, conversation,
communication, confrontation, and negotiation. it will aim to open up a dynamic
historical and literary mode of analysis, which assumes the plural dimensions of
religious identities and communities from the start. in this way the series aims
to challenge many outdated assumptions and representations of south asian
religions.
The ethics of Śaṅkara
and Śāntideva
a selfless response to an illusory World
Warren lee Todd
University of South Wales
© Warren lee Todd 2013
all rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Warren lee Todd has asserted his right under the copyright, designs and Patents act, 1988, to
be identified as the author of this work.
Published by
ashgate Publishing limited ashgate Publishing company
Wey court east 110 cherry street
union road suite 3-1
farnham Burlington, vT 05401-3818
surrey, gu9 7PT usa
england
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Todd, Warren lee.
The ethics of Śaṅkara and Śāntideva : a selfless response
to an illusory world. – (dialogues in south asian
traditions)
1. sankaracarya–ethics. 2. Śāntideva, 7th cent.–ethics.
3. self (Philosophy) 4. altruism. 5. Buddhist ethics.
6. hindu ethics. 7. Philosophy, indic.
i. Title ii. series
181.4-dc23
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
Todd, Warren lee.
The ethics of Śaṅkara and Śāntideva : a selfless response to an illusory world / by Warren lee
Todd.
pages cm. – (dialogues in south asian traditions: religion, philosophy, literature and
history)
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBn 978-1-4094-6681-9 – isBn 978-1-4094-6682-6 (ebook) – isBn 978-1-4094-6683-3
(epub) 1. sankaracarya–ethics. 2. santideva, 7th cent–ethics. 3. religious ethics–india–
history. i. Title.
B133.s5T63 2013
170.92’234–dc23
2012049673
isBn 9781409466819 (hbk)
isBn 9781409466826 (ebk – Pdf)
isBn 9781409466833 (ebk – ePuB)
IV
contents
Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama vii
Abbreviations ix
Acknowledgements xi
1 The self 1
2 a new ethical Model 17
3 situating Śaṅkara and Śāntideva 47
4 Their common approach to the World 81
5 knowledge and liberation 121
6 a selfless response to the World 139
7 Marginal cases 177
conclusion 199
Bibliography 203
Index 215
This page has been left blank intentionally
foreword:
h.h. the dalai lama
This page has been left blank intentionally
abbreviations
ait.u. (Bh.) Aitareya Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
a.n. Aṅguttara Nikāya
Bca Bodhicaryāvatāra
B.s. (Bh.) Brahma Sūtra (Bhāṣya)
Bṛ.u. (Bh.) Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
Bh.g. (Bh.) Bhagavad Gītā (Bhāṣya)
ch.u. (Bh.) Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
d.n. Dīgha Nikāya
dhp. Dhammapada
ehu Enquiry concerning Human Understanding
ePM Enquiry concerning Principles of Morals
g.k. (Bh.) Gauḍapāda’s Kārikā (Bhāṣya)
g.s. Gay Science
gau.d.s. Gautama Dharma Sūtra
Īś.u. (Bh.) Īśā Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
Jā.u. Jābāla Upaniṣad
ka.u. (Bh.) Kaṭha Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
ken.u. (Bh.) Kena Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
Mā.u. (Bh.) Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
Miln. Milinda Pañha
MMa (Bh.) Madhyamakāvatāra (Bhāṣya)
MMk Mūla-madhyamaka kārikā
M.n. Majjhima Nikāya
Mu.u. (Bh.) Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
P.u. (Bh.) Praśna Upaniṣad (Bhāṣya)
Ś.s. Śikṣā Samuccaya