The author's Thesis--University of Köln.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame. / Autographed from type-written copy. Bibliography: numb. l. i-iii.

Proefschrift--Utrecht. / Bibliography: v. 1, p. [xi]-xv.

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This dissertation is about how to use the Arthaśāstra of Kauṭalya as a source for the study of religion and culture in classical South Asia. The Arthaśāstra is perhaps the single most important source for reconstructing the culture of the period and one of the most misunderstood. In the following pages, I take two approaches to helping scholars produce more and better information from the text. First, I engage in source criticism of the extant Arthaśāstra, trying to unlock its various layers and compositional moments. Second, I use this material to demonstrate how the ideology of Brahmanism, which promotes the political interests of the Brahmanical community, was a later addition to a text previously devoid of such concerns. In the conclusion, I apply these findings to the current thinking on the history of religions in this period and argue that the redaction of the Arthaśāstra was part of a broad re-assertion of Brahmanical privilege in a new political context. / text

In this thesis I examine the religious philosophy of consciousness of Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950). He was an Indian scholar, teacher, politician, writer and mystic who studied in London and Cambridge. In India he developed his spiritual being through Yoga. He wrote more than thirty books, which formed the main source of information for this study. Sri Aurobindo developed his cosmology using normal intellectual means and through experiencing profound supra-intellectual regions intuitively. For him, Brahman's desire to experience delight was the cause of creation. This prompted Him to cause a creation cycle through the process of involution and evolution. In His state of holistic unity and non-duality beyond space and time, he commenced the involution phase. He spawned Sachchidananda, a composite of sat (being), chit (consciousness-force) and ananda (bliss). These are the cardinal constituent elements of all creation, material and spiritual. From Sachchidananda, Supermind, the first aspect of the Supreme that contained elements of duality, originated. Then followed Overmind, Intuitive Mind, Illumined Mind, and Higher Mind, with all these being domains of being and consciousness. This culminated in a state of Inconscience, a dormant state of utter nescience. Regardless, it paradoxically contains all that Brahman is. From the inconscient evolution starts. The first phase is the manifestation of Matter. This, which too has all of Brahman inherent in itself, produces Life, and then Mind. This implies different life forms, including humans. Evolution of all that is, including humans, is upwards, back towards Brahman, in an inverse order to that of involution. Humans possess or are consciousness. Sri Aurobindo mentions and explains the various ordinary states of consciousness namely nescience, inconscience, subconscience, intraconscience, circumconscience, superconscience, sleep, dream, and waking state, samadhi and cosmic consciousness. In addition, inherent in humans is the ability and the task to develop the various higher states of consciousness found in the various phases of the involution. This starts with the development of the psychic being or soul, which is spiritual in nature, and the growth of the higher domains of consciousness. This constitutes the spiritual evolution of mankind which culminates in spiritual perfection, in the return to Brahman. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

《薄伽梵歌》是以婆羅門教為主、廣納與修改印度流行的宗教修行方式與觀念、且重新解釋吠陀傳統的新婆羅門教，此一「新」讓婆羅門教不再只是遵循吠陀傳統、以婆羅門為中心的宗教，而是以種姓制度內所有人為本、以專意向著Krsna為本、使凡人都能得到解脫的「印度教」。 文中將從《薄伽梵歌》的基本 – karma為始，首先瞭解《薄伽梵歌》中的karma為何，其次是《薄伽梵歌》不斷強調的dharma(種姓職責)，第三是karma的細部分類 – guna，第四是《薄伽梵歌》將印度宗教修行方法統合至一的瑜伽。 從上可見得《薄伽梵歌》如何回應西元前七世紀到西元後三世紀婆羅門教面臨的問題，包括佛教與耆那教的產生、種姓制度的嚴峻與瓦解。 / Bhagavad Gita is based, in the main , on Brahmanism. However, as an important Hindu scripture, it synthesizes yet remodifies the previous religious practices and thoughts. It is neo-Brahmanism in a sense that it reconstructs the Vedic tradition. However, the Gita does not totally succumb to the authority of the Veda and Brahmanic orthodoxy. On the one hand, it addresses to the general audience under caste system; on the other hand, it declares that any devotee of Krsna, irrespective of the position in caste system, has the chance to attain moksa. The first part of the thesis is on the meaning of karma in the Gita. The second part is on dharma, or rather svadharma. The third part is on the details classification of karma, that is , the idea of guna. The last part is on the encompassing idea of yoga in the Gita which embodies different yogin traditions. The above description also gives us an idea that from the 7th century BCE to the 3rd century AD Brahmanism faced many troubles within and without. Among others, the dissemination of Buddhism, Jainism and the rigor as well as possible disintegration of the caste system pose formidable challenges.

In this thesis I examine the religious philosophy of consciousness of Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950). He was an Indian scholar, teacher, politician, writer and mystic who studied in London and Cambridge. In India he developed his spiritual being through Yoga. He wrote more than thirty books, which formed the main source of information for this study. Sri Aurobindo developed his cosmology using normal intellectual means and through experiencing profound supra-intellectual regions intuitively. For him, Brahman's desire to experience delight was the cause of creation. This prompted Him to cause a creation cycle through the process of involution and evolution. In His state of holistic unity and non-duality beyond space and time, he commenced the involution phase. He spawned Sachchidananda, a composite of sat (being), chit (consciousness-force) and ananda (bliss). These are the cardinal constituent elements of all creation, material and spiritual. From Sachchidananda, Supermind, the first aspect of the Supreme that contained elements of duality, originated. Then followed Overmind, Intuitive Mind, Illumined Mind, and Higher Mind, with all these being domains of being and consciousness. This culminated in a state of Inconscience, a dormant state of utter nescience. Regardless, it paradoxically contains all that Brahman is. From the inconscient evolution starts. The first phase is the manifestation of Matter. This, which too has all of Brahman inherent in itself, produces Life, and then Mind. This implies different life forms, including humans. Evolution of all that is, including humans, is upwards, back towards Brahman, in an inverse order to that of involution. Humans possess or are consciousness. Sri Aurobindo mentions and explains the various ordinary states of consciousness namely nescience, inconscience, subconscience, intraconscience, circumconscience, superconscience, sleep, dream, and waking state, samadhi and cosmic consciousness. In addition, inherent in humans is the ability and the task to develop the various higher states of consciousness found in the various phases of the involution. This starts with the development of the psychic being or soul, which is spiritual in nature, and the growth of the higher domains of consciousness. This constitutes the spiritual evolution of mankind which culminates in spiritual perfection, in the return to Brahman. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)

Shri Aurobindo (1872-1950) was an Indian scholar, teacher, politician, writer and mystic. He wrote prolifically, including his Magnum Opus "The Life Divine". He developed a philosophical system based on subjective knowledge obtained during experiences of higher states of consciousness. His theory states the cause of creation was Brahman's desire to experience more delight. A creation cycle comprising a downward movement (involution) and an upward movement (evolution) was fashioned for that purpose. At every stage of creation the essence of Brahman remains present in His creation, which makes Brahman both Immanent and Transcendent. The importance of this theory is the intended effect that it can have on the future evolution of mankind, which is now on the evolutionary leg. Humanity, knowing its ultimate goal, and by using Yogic techniques, can evolve to higher states of consciousness right up to the level of Brahman, which is inherent in man at present. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Shri Aurobindo (1872-1950) was an Indian scholar, teacher, politician, writer and mystic. He wrote prolifically, including his Magnum Opus "The Life Divine". He developed a philosophical system based on subjective knowledge obtained during experiences of higher states of consciousness. His theory states the cause of creation was Brahman's desire to experience more delight. A creation cycle comprising a downward movement (involution) and an upward movement (evolution) was fashioned for that purpose. At every stage of creation the essence of Brahman remains present in His creation, which makes Brahman both Immanent and Transcendent. The importance of this theory is the intended effect that it can have on the future evolution of mankind, which is now on the evolutionary leg. Humanity, knowing its ultimate goal, and by using Yogic techniques, can evolve to higher states of consciousness right up to the level of Brahman, which is inherent in man at present. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)