- Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
USA
Jeffery Long
Elizabethtown College, Religious Studies, Faculty Member
- Buddhism, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Hinduism, Jainism, and 29 moreComparative Theology, Philosophy Of Religion, South Asia, Indian Philosophy, Religious Pluralism, Nonviolence, Religion and Violence/Nonviolence, Process Theology, Philosophy of Religious Pluralism, Jeffery D. Long, A Vision for Hinduism: Beyond Hindu Nationalism, Theology, Metaphysics, Comparative Religion, Ontology, Systematic Theology, Comparative Philosophy, Relativism, Interreligious Dialogue, Alfred North Whitehead, Pluralism, Vedanta, Advaita Vedanta, Swami Vivekananda, Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramakrishna Vivekananda Philosophy, and Ramakrishna Missionedit
- Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religionedit
The region historically known as the Indian subcontinent (and more recently as South Asia) is rich with ancient and sophisticated traditions of intellectual and contemplative investigation. This includes both indigenous traditions (Hindu,... more
The region historically known as the Indian subcontinent (and more recently as South Asia) is rich with ancient and sophisticated traditions of intellectual and contemplative investigation. This includes both indigenous traditions (Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh) and traditions that have found a home in this region (Islamic, Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian). This series is devoted to studies rooted in critical and constructive methodologies (such as ethics, philosophy, and theology) that show how these traditions can illuminate universal human questions: questions about the meaning of life, the nature of knowledge, good and evil, and the broader metaphysical context of human existence. A particular focus of this series is the relevance of these traditions to urgent issues that face humanity today–such as the ecological crisis, gender relations, poverty and social inequality, and religiously motivated violence–on the assumption that these traditions, far from being of merely historical interest, have the potential to enrich contemporary conversations and advance human understanding. NOTE: Contrary to the flyer, the person to whom to send proposals is now Megan White (mwhite@rowman.com).
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This dissertation attempts to construct a pluralistic approach to religion in the tradition of Raimon Panikkar and John Hick, but with a significant difference. Unlike their theories, my approach is based on a synthesis of Whitehead’s... more
This dissertation attempts to construct a pluralistic approach to religion in the tradition of Raimon Panikkar and John Hick, but with a significant difference. Unlike their theories, my approach is based on a synthesis of Whitehead’s process metaphysics and the Jain “philosophy of relativity.” I claim that a form of religious pluralism can be developed on the basis of this synthesis that expresses the understanding of the relativity of truth central to current versions of this position, without rejecting altogether the notion of an absolute truth as the logical foundation for the relativity of religious claims. The traditional Jain approach to religious and philosophical plurality is the model I use for developing a pluralistic system for the interpretation and evaluation of particular religious claims as relatively true, but I do so on the basis of Whitehead’s metaphysical theism. I claim that this approach improves upon previous theories while yet advancing the same basic position that many religions can be conceived as, in various senses, true.
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Two radically different ideologies are currently competing for the loyalties of the Hindu community. One of these ideologies, Hindu nationalism, conceives of Hinduness as co-extensive with Indianness. The other ideology, which has been... more
Two radically different ideologies are currently competing for the loyalties of the Hindu community. One of these ideologies, Hindu nationalism, conceives of Hinduness as co-extensive with Indianness. The other ideology, which has been articulated by such figures as Sri Ramakrishna and Mahatma Gandhi, repesents Hinduism as the 'eternal' or 'universal' religion. This is an idea of Hinduism that is pluralistic and all-inclusive. Arguing that Hindu nationalism is not only destructive of communal relations, but that it also prevents Hinduism from emerging as a world religion in the true sense of the term, the author here explores a reconfigured version of the second of these two ideologies. He presents a vision of Hinduism as a tradition capable of pointing the way towards a future in which all the world's religions manifest complementary visions of a larger reality - and in which they all, in various ways, participate. This radical religious agenda puts a new and ex...
Updated and expanded edition of the 2011 Historical Dictionary of Hinduism, by Jeffery D. Long. Please see link for more details:... more
Updated and expanded edition of the 2011 Historical Dictionary of Hinduism, by Jeffery D. Long. Please see link for more details: https://books.google.com/books?id=IWXRDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=jeffery+d.+long+historical+dictionary+of+hinduism+second+edition&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjfhYng77PoAhXSYDUKHa2oDu8Q6AEwAHoECAIQAg#v=onepage&q&f=false
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A volume of essays on the topic of rebirth, or reincarnation, which explore this topic from theological, philosophical, historical, and literary perspectives, with a primary focus on Hindu, Christian, and scientific claims about this topic.
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See attached link to Google Books for most of the text of this book.
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See attached link to Google Books for most of the text of this book.
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Review by Ellen Gough of my book, Jainism: An Introduction (London: I.B. Taurus, 2009)
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See attached link to Google Books for most of the text of this book.
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Review by Jean MacPhail of A Vision for Hinduism (American Vedantist, Summer 2007).
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Review by M. Sivaramakrishna of A Vision for Hinduism, Prabuddha Bharata, January, 2010
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Incorporating a blend of historical and anthropological approaches, this book will trace the histories and the contemporary thought and practice of several distinct but inter-related (and sometimes overlapping) groups: immigrant or... more
Incorporating a blend of historical and anthropological approaches, this book will trace the histories and the contemporary thought and practice of several distinct but inter-related (and sometimes overlapping) groups: immigrant or diasporic Hindu communities in North America; “converts,” or adherents of Hinduism from various ethnic backgrounds who were not born to Hindu families; and groups centered on the teaching of a particular guru or yoga tradition with clear Hindu provenance, not all of which self-identify as Hindu. It will also explore the influence and diffusion of Hindu concepts and practices such as karma and rebirth, meditation, and yoga in American consciousness, particularly through the medium of popular culture, and the emergence of an increasingly assertive socially and politically active American Hinduism. The research for this book will include both the already existing literature in this field and primary research by the author (including participant observation in Hindu American events, undertaken over the course of the last fifteen years, and interviews and interactions with a wide range of persons involved in the Hindu American community). The basic thesis of this book is that the phenomenon of Hinduism in America cannot be fully grasped unless one is attentive not only to diasporic Hindu communities, but also to converts and to the wider penumbra of guru traditions, the yoga movement, and larger cultural currents such as the emergence of the “spiritual but not religious” phenomenon.
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In the emerging field of world philosophy, Indian philosophy occupies a position of special importance. Firstly, the Indian intellectual tradition has ongoing and direct relevance to the lives of over a billion human... more
In the emerging field of world philosophy, Indian philosophy occupies a position of special importance. Firstly, the Indian intellectual tradition has ongoing and direct relevance to the lives of over a billion human beings–constituting, as it does, the conceptual backgrounds of both the Hindu and Buddhist religions–religions that command the loyalty and shape the lives of persons across Asia and, increasingly, globally.
Indian philosophy also has both historical and philosophical significance for scholars of many cultural backgrounds. In terms of historical significance, understanding Indian philosophy is clearly central to an adequate understanding of the intellectual history of the Indian subcontinent. But Indian philosophy also has ancient ties to the European intellectual tradition from the inception of the latter, having close affinities to both pre-Socratic and Platonic thought, as well as being an important–albeit a little known and indirect–interlocutor with and influence upon early Christianity.
Substantively, Indian philosophies are relevant to a host of issues currently being explored by contemporary philosophers, particularly in relation to the nature of language, consciousness, and self. Distinctions made in Western philosophy among pre-modern, modern, and post-modern thought do not, in Indian philosophy, correspond to neatly separable historical periods–or rather, they do so even less in Indian philosophy than they do in the Western philosophical tradition. In other words, views that could be fairly described in substantive terms as “modern” and “post-modern” in a European or American intellectual context were present from a very early period in India. The modern and post-modern critiques of knowledge and power are anticipated and ways of approaching philosophical issues developed in classical Indian philosophy that continue to hold more than only historical interest for contemporary philosophers.
This volume will provide an historical overview of the Indian philosophical tradition from its pre-systematic foundations in ancient Indian reflection on the nature of the universe and humanity’s place within it, through the development of its subtle and highly sophisticated systematic forms in the classical period, to its modern continuation in the work of major figures who continue to refine and define this tradition in our world today. It will present these traditions in way that is sufficiently clear to be useful for beginning students of Indian philosophy, either in a university or college setting, or privately. It will also provide an extensive bibliography of sources that interested readers can use to continue their studies of particular traditions or issues in greater depth.
The book will begin with an introduction that will outline for the reader the broad contours of Indian philosophy–its distinctive concerns and assumptions (which will be preceded by a brief note to the reader regarding the correct pronunciation of Sanskrit terms). The first section, or set of chapters, of the book proper will be devoted to the ancient, pre-systematic phase of Indian philosophy as found in the literature of both Vedic and non-Vedic traditions of the first two millennia before the Common Era. The second section, which will constitute the majority of the text, will explore the classical systems of Indian philosophy in detail, with attention to issues and debates among the adherents of these systems. The third section will examine the modern period. The volume will conclude with a reflective chapter on the importance of studying the traditions covered in this book, a brief overview of relevant literature in this field, a chronology, glossary, bibliography, and index.
Indian philosophy also has both historical and philosophical significance for scholars of many cultural backgrounds. In terms of historical significance, understanding Indian philosophy is clearly central to an adequate understanding of the intellectual history of the Indian subcontinent. But Indian philosophy also has ancient ties to the European intellectual tradition from the inception of the latter, having close affinities to both pre-Socratic and Platonic thought, as well as being an important–albeit a little known and indirect–interlocutor with and influence upon early Christianity.
Substantively, Indian philosophies are relevant to a host of issues currently being explored by contemporary philosophers, particularly in relation to the nature of language, consciousness, and self. Distinctions made in Western philosophy among pre-modern, modern, and post-modern thought do not, in Indian philosophy, correspond to neatly separable historical periods–or rather, they do so even less in Indian philosophy than they do in the Western philosophical tradition. In other words, views that could be fairly described in substantive terms as “modern” and “post-modern” in a European or American intellectual context were present from a very early period in India. The modern and post-modern critiques of knowledge and power are anticipated and ways of approaching philosophical issues developed in classical Indian philosophy that continue to hold more than only historical interest for contemporary philosophers.
This volume will provide an historical overview of the Indian philosophical tradition from its pre-systematic foundations in ancient Indian reflection on the nature of the universe and humanity’s place within it, through the development of its subtle and highly sophisticated systematic forms in the classical period, to its modern continuation in the work of major figures who continue to refine and define this tradition in our world today. It will present these traditions in way that is sufficiently clear to be useful for beginning students of Indian philosophy, either in a university or college setting, or privately. It will also provide an extensive bibliography of sources that interested readers can use to continue their studies of particular traditions or issues in greater depth.
The book will begin with an introduction that will outline for the reader the broad contours of Indian philosophy–its distinctive concerns and assumptions (which will be preceded by a brief note to the reader regarding the correct pronunciation of Sanskrit terms). The first section, or set of chapters, of the book proper will be devoted to the ancient, pre-systematic phase of Indian philosophy as found in the literature of both Vedic and non-Vedic traditions of the first two millennia before the Common Era. The second section, which will constitute the majority of the text, will explore the classical systems of Indian philosophy in detail, with attention to issues and debates among the adherents of these systems. The third section will examine the modern period. The volume will conclude with a reflective chapter on the importance of studying the traditions covered in this book, a brief overview of relevant literature in this field, a chronology, glossary, bibliography, and index.
This volume of primary readings (mostly English translations from Sanskrit) is designed as a companion volume to the author’s Indian Philosophy: An Introduction, also to be published by I.B. Tauris. Each chapter of this volume will... more
This volume of primary readings (mostly English translations from Sanskrit) is designed as a companion volume to the author’s Indian Philosophy: An Introduction, also to be published by I.B. Tauris. Each chapter of this volume will correspond to a chapter of Indian Philosophy: An Introduction. The intention is that the two can be read in tandem, either in the context of an advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate course in Indian philosophy, or as part of private study of this subject.
An in-depth exploration of the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and their relevance to such pressing contemporary issues as inter-religious relations, religious fundamentalism, religion and violence, the challenge of the "new atheism," and... more
An in-depth exploration of the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and their relevance to such pressing contemporary issues as inter-religious relations, religious fundamentalism, religion and violence, the challenge of the "new atheism," and the "spiritual but not religious" movement.
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While it is sometimes characterized as a "world-denying" philosophy, Advaita, or non-dual Vedānta, with its vision of the ultimate oneness of all existence, bears within itself the capacity to form the conceptual basis not only for... more
While it is sometimes characterized as a "world-denying" philosophy, Advaita, or non-dual Vedānta, with its vision of the ultimate oneness of all existence, bears within itself the capacity to form the conceptual basis not only for liberation as it traditionally understood in Hindu traditions-as mokṣa, or freedom from the cycle of rebirth-but also for a project of human emancipation in a more conventional, socio-political sense-as freedom from oppression and injustice. This paper will examine Advaita Vedānta, particularly as presented by Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), in terms of its implications for deep ecology.
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This article has two purposes. First, it aims to reformulate the threefold model of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism that has become standard in the theology of religions. It will then give an analysis of Swami Vivekananda's... more
This article has two purposes. First, it aims to reformulate the threefold model of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism that has become standard in the theology of religions. It will then give an analysis of Swami Vivekananda's theology of religions that utilizes this reformulated model. Specifically, the article will argue for a differentiation of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism on three distinct levels: the level of truth, the level of salvation, and a third, increasingly important level in our current global situation, the level of social interaction. It will be argued that Vivekananda's theology of religions is inclusivist with regard to truth and pluralistic with regard to both salvation and social interaction. It is hoped that the article will contribute both to the ongoing theological and philosophical conversation on religious diversity as well as advancing our understanding of the teachings of Vivekananda, whose thought has been characterized, variously, as pluralistic, inclusivist, and even as an articulation of Hindu nationalism. These varied interpretations arise partly from a failure to differentiate between the claim that many religions are true and the claim that many religions can lead their adherents to salvation, as well as a failure to give due attention to, or to cynically dismiss, the ethical claim of Vivekananda's teaching that it is incumbent on all of us as human beings to cultivate an attitude of acceptance toward the religious other. Vivekananda's teachings are thus at least as important in the twenty-first century as they were when he first articulated them.
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This chapter seeks to develop a foundation for a Hindu theology of liberation in the philosophy of seva, or selfless service, developed by Swami Vivekananda. It shows the continuities of Vivekananda’s understanding of seva as part and... more
This chapter seeks to develop a foundation for a Hindu theology of liberation in the philosophy of seva, or selfless service, developed by Swami Vivekananda. It shows the continuities of Vivekananda’s understanding of seva as part and parcel of a path to God-realization with ancient Indic sources such as the Bhagavad Gītā, the Dharma Śāstras, Buddhism, and Jainism, all of which seek, in varying ways, to reconcile the currents of renunciation and worldly engagement present in Indic thought. It then examines the equally strong continuities of Vivekananda’s thought and the “constructive program” of Mohandas K. Gandhi, arguing that Gandhi essentially implemented the ideal for which Vivekananda had provided the theoretical underpinnings in Vedāntic metaphysics. One can say that Gandhi translates the thought of Vivekananda into action.
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214 Swamiji’s Distinctive Perspective on Yoga mong Swamiji’s many contributions to global spirituality, some of the most important, and also the least understood, are his contributions to the discourse of yoga: that is, to the... more
214 Swamiji’s Distinctive Perspective on Yoga mong Swamiji’s many contributions to global spirituality, some of the most important, and also the least understood, are his contributions to the discourse of yoga: that is, to the understanding of what, precisely, yoga is, its aim and purpose, and the methods that it involves. There are, of course, many interpretations of yoga, as well as many types of yoga. Indeed, the same thing can be said of yoga that Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi once said of religion: ‘In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals.’1 Similarly, there are as many yogas as there are individuals. The intent of this essay is not to claim that Swamiji’s approach to the nature of yoga is the only correct approach; nor, in claiming that his approach is distinctive; the intent is to state that this approach is entirely unique, and that important aspects of it are not also shared by other major thinkers on yoga. Many Paths to One Goal: Swami Vivekananda’s C...
Research Interests: Philosophy and Sophia
This paper will present an overview of a Hindu process theology. The specific problem it will address, utilizing this theological model, is whether there is only one ultimate reality, or more than one. A source of recent controversy among... more
This paper will present an overview of a Hindu process theology. The specific problem it will address, utilizing this theological model, is whether there is only one ultimate reality, or more than one. A source of recent controversy among process thinkers is the approach to religious pluralism that has been developed by John Cobb and David Ray Griffin. This approach operates with the idea that there is more than one ultimate reality. But does this not contradict the very notion of what an ultimate reality is? Or do Cobb and Griffin use an understanding of the term ultimate different from conventional understandings? This paper will suggest that Cobb’s and Griffin’s basic thesis can be preserved with the idea of a single, but internally complex, ultimate reality, and that this concept is available from within the Vedānta tradition.
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This essay will pose and seek to answer the following question: If, as Swami Vivekananda claims, the four yogas are independent and equally effective paths to God-realization and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, then what must... more
This essay will pose and seek to answer the following question: If, as Swami Vivekananda claims, the four yogas are independent and equally effective paths to God-realization and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, then what must reality be like? What ontology is implied by the claim that the four yogas are all equally effective paths to the supreme goal of religious life? What metaphysical conditions would enable this pluralistic assertion to be true? Swami Vivekananda’s worldview is frequently identified with Advaita Vedānta. We shall see that Vivekananda’s teaching is certainly Advaitic in what could be called a broad sense. As Anantanand Rambachan and others, however, have pointed out, it would be incorrect to identify Swami Vivekananda’s teachings in any rigid or dogmatic sense with the classical Advaita Vedānta of Śaṅkara; this is because Vivekananda’s teaching departs from that of Śaṅkara in some significant ways, not least in his assertion of the independent salvific efficacy of the four yogas. This essay will argue that Swami Vivekananda’s pluralism, based on the concept of the four yogas, is far more akin to the deep religious pluralism that is advocated by contemporary philosophers of religion in the Whiteheadian tradition of process thought like David Ray Griffin and John Cobb, the classical Jain doctrines of relativity (anekāntavāda, nayavāda, and syādvāda), and, most especially, the Vijñāna Vedānta of Vivekananda’s guru, Sri Ramakrishna, than any of these approaches is to the Advaita Vedānta of Śaṅkara. Advaita Vedānta, in Vivekananda’s pluralistic worldview, becomes one valid conceptual matrix among many that bear the ability to support an efficacious path to liberation. This essay is intended not as an historical reconstruction of Vivekananda’s thought, so much as a constructive philosophical contribution to the ongoing scholarly conversations about both religious (and, more broadly, worldview) pluralism and the religious and philosophical legacies of both Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda. The former conversation has arrived at something of an impasse (as recounted by Kenneth Rose), while the latter conversation has recently been revived, thanks to the work of Swami Medhananda (formerly Ayon Maharaj) and Arpita Mitra.
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The pluralistic turn in modern Hindu thought corresponds with the rise of an emphasis on direct experience of divine realities in this tradition. Both pluralism and a focus on experience have precedents in premodern Hindu traditions, but... more
The pluralistic turn in modern Hindu thought corresponds with the rise of an emphasis on direct experience of divine realities in this tradition. Both pluralism and a focus on experience have precedents in premodern Hindu traditions, but have become especially prominent in modern Hinduism. The paradigmatic example in the modern period of a religious subject embarking upon a pluralistic quest for direct experience of ultimate reality as mediated through multiple religious traditions is the nineteenth century Bengali sage, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886), whose most famous disciple, Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902) played a prominent role in the promotion of the idea of Hinduism as largely defined by a religious pluralism paired with an emphasis on direct experience. The focus in the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda on Brahman as a universal reality available, at least in principle, to being experienced by anyone, and interpreted using the categories of the experiencing subject's religion or culture, gives rise to a corresponding pluralism: a move towards seeing many religions and philosophies as conducive to the experience of a shared ultimate reality. This paper will analyze the theme of experience in the thought of these two figures, and other figures who are representative of this broad trend in modern Hindu thought, as well as in conversation with recent academic philosophers and theorists of religious experience, John Hick and William Alston. It will also argue that aspects of Hinduism, such as pluralism and an emphasis on direct experience, that are often termed as 'Neo-Vedantic' or 'Neo-Hindu' are not simply modern constructs, as these terms seem to suggest, but are reflective of much older trends in Hindu thought that become central themes in the thought of key Hindu figures in the modern period. Finally, it shall be argued that a pluralistic approach to the diversity of religions, and of worldviews more generally, is to be commended as an approach more conducive to human survival than the current global proliferation of ethno-nationalisms.
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Essay on Swami Vivekananda's welcome address at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions, previously published in Rose, Ziad, and Hessler, ed., 'Words to Live By: Sacred Sources for Interreligious Engagement.'
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Please see link to access article. This chapter gives a broad overview of Hindu responses to Pope Francis and contextualizes these responses in terms of Hindu history and theology, specifically in terms of the Hindu history of being on... more
Please see link to access article. This chapter gives a broad overview of Hindu responses to Pope Francis and contextualizes these responses in terms of Hindu history and theology, specifically in terms of the Hindu history of being on the receiving end of Christian proselytization and the Hindu theology of “many paths to a common goal,” found, for example, in the Ramakrishna tradition of which the author is an adherent. The chapter argues that Hindu responses to Pope Francis are diverse, but typically converge around a theme of “cautious hope” for improved relations between traditions.
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A discussion of Aldous Huxley's concept of the perennial philosophy, with a particular focus on the roots of Huxley's thought in the Vedanta tradition of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda.
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An overview of responses to the diversity of worldviews, with a special focus on pluralism.
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Is religious experience necessarily the product of one specific tradition? The constructivist approach to religious experience which prevails in the contemporary academy certainly suggests that this is the case. But is this not at odds... more
Is religious experience necessarily the product of one specific tradition? The constructivist approach to religious experience which prevails in the contemporary academy certainly suggests that this is the case. But is this not at odds with the idea of an ultimate reality that exists objectively and independently of what any given group of human beings may think about it? This paper argues that the phenomenon of religious conversion militates against the constructivist account. Please see link for PDF of article.
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Analysis of the co-existence of Vaishnava vegetarianism with non-vegetarianism in Bengal.
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Essay on Swami Vivekananda's famous welcome address at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, for a volume of sources on interfaith engagement.
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Please attached see link for article. Among the numerous intellectual traditions indigenous to South Asia, the Jaina or Jain tradition is distinctive in a number of important ways. Not least among these is its view of consciousness as... more
Please attached see link for article.
Among the numerous intellectual traditions indigenous to South Asia, the Jaina or Jain tradition is distinctive in a number of important ways. Not least among these is its view of consciousness as inherent to all living beings. According to Jain tradition, not only are all living beings possessed of consciousness, but this consciousness is also, in each being, potentially infinite in extent. Indeed, the ultimate soteriological goal of the Jain path, as a spiritual practice, entails the attainment of a unique, absolute awareness (kevala jñāna) in which the practitioner realizes a state of literal omniscience. The attainment of this state is taken, in the Jain tradition, to be an extremely difficult achievement that requires many lifetimes of rigorous ascetic practice. For beings who have not attained this state – the vast majority of beings in the cosmos – consciousness is realized only in a relative way that is dependent upon the amount and type of karma to which a given being is bound. Karma is seen in the Jain tradition as a type of matter that adheres to a living being, or jīva, and obscures the infinite potential inherent in that being, thus giving rise to the great variety of organisms that exist in the world. This Jain understanding of consciousness gives rise to a set of doctrines – the Jain doctrines of relativity – that are among the most important contributions of the Jain tradition to world philosophy. These doctrines – anekāntavāda, nayavāda, and syādvāda – have profound implications for the discourses of interreligious dialogue and religious pluralism. Jain intellectuals of the modern period have begun to explore these implications, as have authors from outside the Jain tradition sympathetic to its approach to truth. This is an approach which affirms the relativity of perspectives but avoids a sceptical relativism that would deny the possibility of ever grasping the truth at all.
Among the numerous intellectual traditions indigenous to South Asia, the Jaina or Jain tradition is distinctive in a number of important ways. Not least among these is its view of consciousness as inherent to all living beings. According to Jain tradition, not only are all living beings possessed of consciousness, but this consciousness is also, in each being, potentially infinite in extent. Indeed, the ultimate soteriological goal of the Jain path, as a spiritual practice, entails the attainment of a unique, absolute awareness (kevala jñāna) in which the practitioner realizes a state of literal omniscience. The attainment of this state is taken, in the Jain tradition, to be an extremely difficult achievement that requires many lifetimes of rigorous ascetic practice. For beings who have not attained this state – the vast majority of beings in the cosmos – consciousness is realized only in a relative way that is dependent upon the amount and type of karma to which a given being is bound. Karma is seen in the Jain tradition as a type of matter that adheres to a living being, or jīva, and obscures the infinite potential inherent in that being, thus giving rise to the great variety of organisms that exist in the world. This Jain understanding of consciousness gives rise to a set of doctrines – the Jain doctrines of relativity – that are among the most important contributions of the Jain tradition to world philosophy. These doctrines – anekāntavāda, nayavāda, and syādvāda – have profound implications for the discourses of interreligious dialogue and religious pluralism. Jain intellectuals of the modern period have begun to explore these implications, as have authors from outside the Jain tradition sympathetic to its approach to truth. This is an approach which affirms the relativity of perspectives but avoids a sceptical relativism that would deny the possibility of ever grasping the truth at all.
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The Jain philosophical tradition appears, at first glance, to represent a relatively straightforward dualism, akin to the dualism of the Sāṃkhya and Yoga traditions. In the course of many centuries of reflection, however, on the... more
The Jain philosophical tradition appears, at first glance, to represent a relatively straightforward dualism, akin to the dualism of the Sāṃkhya and Yoga traditions. In the course of many centuries of reflection, however, on the implications of their realist ontology, Jain thinkers developed a relational conception of reality in the form of their anekānta doctrine. Building on the author's earlier work on this topic, some implications of this doctrine for the philosophy of religions, and for religious pluralism in particular, are explored. The article cannot yet be uploaded due to copyright restrictions, but interested readers are encouraged to go to the attached link.
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Please see link to access the article. Abstract: This essay consists of philosophical and comparative theological reflections on the topic of rebirth, or reincarnation. Informed by the work of William James, John Hick, and Francis X.... more
Please see link to access the article. Abstract: This essay consists of philosophical and comparative theological reflections on the topic of rebirth, or reincarnation. Informed by the work of William James, John Hick, and Francis X. Clooney, the essay first establishes the author’s stance that reincarnation is a plausible option for belief, at least as attractive as its two main rivals. These rival options are the belief in an everlasting life in either heaven or hell, characteristic of religions such as Christianity and Islam, and the materialist or physicalist belief that there is no afterlife, except in a highly attenuated sense. The essay then moves into a dialogical, comparative theological mode. It raises the question of whether traditional Christian rejection of rebirth, even if it is not something to which the author ultimately assents, might nevertheless carry with it an important insight that is worthy of serious consideration by those who accept the idea of rebirth. This is seen as an instance of the ‘deep learning across religious borders’ that is the main goal of comparative theology, as defined by Clooney.
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Please see attached link for article. Abstract: Site visits provide an irreplaceable learning experience to students in both religious studies and the emerging field of interfaith studies. The conceptual core of this thesis is the claim,... more
Please see attached link for article. Abstract: Site visits provide an irreplaceable learning experience to students in both religious studies and the emerging field of interfaith studies. The conceptual core of this thesis is the claim, drawn from feminist epistemology, that an embodied pedagogy–a pedagogy which engages students not only intellectually, but as embodied beings who inhabit a space, engage in physical activities, and undergo various sensory experiences–is ultimately more enriching than a pedagogy centered exclusively in the classroom. Factors that make a site visit a successful instance of embodied pedagogy include the provision of sufficient context to students in advance for them to understand and appreciate the experience, an opportunity afterward to reflect on this experience in an intentional way, and ensuring the site and the community whose space it is are treated with proper respect.
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The 25th Surjit Singh Lecture, 2017, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley; delivered February 22nd, 2017. (See attached link to Google Books for text.)
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An analysis of Hinduphobic discourse, dividing this discourse into several types and differentiating it from genuine critique.
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A comparison and contrast between the inclusivist theology of Vatican II as expressed in the document Nostra Aetate and the inclusivist-pluralist theology of Swami Vivekananda.
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An introductory overview of Hindu traditions for students.
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An appreciative overview of the life and work of Sister Nivedita (Margaret E. Noble).
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A comparative theological work which seeks to develop a Hindu theodicy in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, in dialogue with process theology.
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Reflections on Swami Vivekananda's interpretation of the Vedas, published in On Meaning and Mantras: Essays in Honor of Frits Staal, edited by George Thompson and Richard K. Payne, 2016.
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Reflections on Swami Vivekananda's contemporary global relevance to spirituality.
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A broad introductory overview of Vedānta philosophy and its various forms.
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Paper first presented at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, conference on Jain Yoga, March 2010.
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Broad introductory overview of Tantra from a perspective informed by the Ramakrishna Vedanta tradition.
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Argument that, despite concerns raised in several quarters about the term 'Hindu theology,' that constructive studies operating from Hindu perspectives can be of assistance in 'decolonizing' the tradition: that is, thinking in terms of a... more
Argument that, despite concerns raised in several quarters about the term 'Hindu theology,' that constructive studies operating from Hindu perspectives can be of assistance in 'decolonizing' the tradition: that is, thinking in terms of a Hindu self-understanding rather than understandings projected by colonial and neocolonial discourses.
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An analysis of the relationship between religion, spirituality, and atheism, drawing on the thought of Swami Vivekananda and Paul Ricoeur.
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Paper read at a seminar held at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, India, in March 2013 to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
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Overview of the relevance of Swami Vivekananda's thought to issues of globalization and religious pluralism.
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Sri Ramakrishna and Our Times: A Perspective from the West (in Sri Ramakrishna’s Ideas and Our Times: A Retrospective on His 175th Birth Anniversary, Swarup Roy, Jatisankar Chattopadhyay, Swami Shastrajnanananda, and Sandipen Sen, eds., Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math, Howrah, 2013)more
Presentation of Sri Ramakrishna's influences on Western thought, particularly religious pluralism, and his relevance to contemporary inter-religious relations.
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Outline of a possible theology of divine incarnation for the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna in dialogue with Christian theology.
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... In the research that went into this book I have relied heavily upon sources written in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Gujarati, and Hindi, and unless otherwise noted all translations from these languages are mine. ... Vocalic r is pronounced in... more
... In the research that went into this book I have relied heavily upon sources written in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Gujarati, and Hindi, and unless otherwise noted all translations from these languages are mine. ... Vocalic r is pronounced in Gujarati as ru, and in Sanskrit as ri. ...
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Page 1. Leesa S. Davis Advaita Vedénta and Zen Buddhism II" -I "- l |-- I Deoonstruotive Modes of Spiritual Inquiry Continuum Studies |n Eastern Philosophies .\\ continuum Page 2. Leesa S Davns Advaita Vedénta and ...
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Page 1. Leesa S. Davis Advaita Vedénta and Zen Buddhism II" -I "- l |-- I Deoonstruotive Modes of Spiritual Inquiry Continuum Studies |n Eastern Philosophies .\\ continuum Page 2. Leesa S Davns Advaita... more
Page 1. Leesa S. Davis Advaita Vedénta and Zen Buddhism II" -I "- l |-- I Deoonstruotive Modes of Spiritual Inquiry Continuum Studies |n Eastern Philosophies .\\ continuum Page 2. Leesa S Davns Advaita Vedénta and ...
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Research Interests: Religion and The Religion
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Review of Ayon Maharaj's (Swami Medhananda's) groundbreaking work on the philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna.
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Review of Lori G. Beaman's 'Deep Equality in an Era of Religious Diversity.' Please see link.
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A new collection of essays shows the relevance of Hadot's thought to the study of Buddhism, but also enriches the conversation sparked by Hadot's work by drawing upon varied Buddhist examples.
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Please see attached link to read entire review. With this audacious and articulate book, journalist Hindol Sengupta presents an impassioned and most welcome case for Hinduism as an ancient and sophisticated tradition with great relevance... more
Please see attached link to read entire review.
With this audacious and articulate book, journalist Hindol Sengupta presents an impassioned and most welcome case for Hinduism as an ancient and sophisticated tradition with great relevance for the contemporary world. Noting quite rightly that Hindu traditions are poorly understood not only in the West but often even within India itself, Sengupta first traces his own journey as a Bengali Hindu growing up in Calcutta (today Kolkata), attending a Christian missionary school while also being introduced, through his family, to the Vedanta tradition as taught by Swami Vivekananda. The book is not so much a scholarly presentation of Hinduism, as one might find in an introductory textbook, as it is an invitation to the reader to join the author in his discovery of the tradition of his upbringing.
With this audacious and articulate book, journalist Hindol Sengupta presents an impassioned and most welcome case for Hinduism as an ancient and sophisticated tradition with great relevance for the contemporary world. Noting quite rightly that Hindu traditions are poorly understood not only in the West but often even within India itself, Sengupta first traces his own journey as a Bengali Hindu growing up in Calcutta (today Kolkata), attending a Christian missionary school while also being introduced, through his family, to the Vedanta tradition as taught by Swami Vivekananda. The book is not so much a scholarly presentation of Hinduism, as one might find in an introductory textbook, as it is an invitation to the reader to join the author in his discovery of the tradition of his upbringing.
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Review of Yiftach Fehige's edited volume, 'Science and Religion: East and West' (Routledge, 2016), published in Isis, a journal of the University of Chicago Press.
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Review of a recent re-issue of Raimon Panikkar's The Vedic Experience: Mantramañjari.
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Review of Sherry Fohr's Jainism: A Guide for the Perplexed (Bloomsbury, 2015–Review published in 2016).
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Link to a review of Joyce Burkhalter Flueckiger's 'Everyday Hinduism' in the American Academy of Religion's 'Reading Religion' site.
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International Journal of Dharma Studies (2016) 4:10
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Discussion of common misunderstandings of Hinduism in both popular culture and academia in the Western world, particularly the US. Please see link.
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A discussion of the influences of Vedanta, and in particular, of the thought of Swami Vivekananda, on the thought of Mohandas K. Gandhi, presented at the Vedanta Society of New York on October 20, 2019–the month of the 150th birth... more
A discussion of the influences of Vedanta, and in particular, of the thought of Swami Vivekananda, on the thought of Mohandas K. Gandhi, presented at the Vedanta Society of New York on October 20, 2019–the month of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
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Presentation on the importance of the concept of ahiṃsā to world peace.
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Reflections delivered at the United Nations on August 2, 2019, at an event to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the UN Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
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A Sunday lecture for the Vedanta Society of New York exploring similarities and differences between Jain philosophy and Vedānta, and emphasizing the pluralism of the Jain anekānta doctrine and the approach of Sri Ramakrishna.
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Wide ranging conversation including Hinduism, Indian philosophy, Tulsi Gabbard, and theories of the origins of Hinduism.
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Conversation about reincarnation, focused on my edited volume, 'Perspectives on Reincarnation: Hindu, Christian, and Scientific.'
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An exploration of the idea of the avatar, overviewing Sri Aurobindo's thought on the Daśāvatāra, and then reflecting on Buddha, Christ, and Sri Ramakrishna as embodiments of the avatar ideal.
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Re-imagining religion, Hinduism, and spiritual pluralism.
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Discussion of a range of issues, including Hindu identity and religious pluralism.
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Talk delivered on the occasion of Phalaharini Kali Puja, May 17, 2015, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston, on the theme of the Divine Mother.
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Blog for the Taylor and Francis website related to my co-edited volume, Nonviolence in the World's Religions: A Concise Introduction.
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A short piece on Swami Vivekananda's teaching of universal acceptance.
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Blog critiquing attacks on Tulsi Gabbard that are based on an allegation that her Hindu self-identity is inauthentic.
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Brief discussion of the basis for Hindu reactions to an Australian ad depicting Ganesha (and deities from various religions) eating lamb.
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Part one of a two-part series on the roles of George Harrison and George Lucas, respectively, in the process of the incorporation of Hindu themes into Western popular culture.
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Announcement of the upcoming conference on Hindu theology and sustainability issues at GTU, Berkeley.
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Letter to CNN President Jeffrey Zucker Objecting to Misrepresentation of Hinduism in Reza Aslan's 'Believer' (March 2017)
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Second installment in an autobiographical blog series.
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First installment in an autobiographical blog series.
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A brief summary of Sri Ramakrishna's and Swami Vivekananda's contributions to the rise of the interfaith movement. (See link.)
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Autobiographical account of the author's first encounter with the Bhagavad Gita
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Argument for the integrity of Hinduism and for Hindu traditions as a model for a global religious pluralism (summary of the argument of the author's A Vision for Hinduism)
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An overview of the "six systems" of Hindu philosophy
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Vikram Zutshi interviews Dr. Jeffery D. Long on Dharma, Religion, and Politics
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An exploration of the epistemological issues involved with the issue of rebirth
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A series of ruminations on the historical foundations of Buddhism and their philosophical implications.
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Reflections on the relationship between the Buddhist teaching of No Self and the Vedantic teaching of Self.
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Outline of a strategy for arguing for a traditionalist approach to yoga.
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An interview for Sutra Journal with Asko Parpola
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Part three in a series of reflections on Buddhism in relation to Vedānta. This concluding part focuses on Buddhism in Japan.
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Introduction to passages from the Upanishads in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, edited by Phyllis Zagano (2013, Palest Press).
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Introduction to selection from Katha Upanishad in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Palest Press).
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Introduction to a selection from the Mundaka Upanishad included in Mysticism and Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selections from the Chandogya Upanishad included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-Cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selections from the Yoga Sutras included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press)
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Introduction to a selection from Swami Prabhavananda's translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sutras included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selections from the Bhagavad Gita included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Question: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press)
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Introduction to a selection from the Bhagavad Gita included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to a selection from the Bhagavad Gita included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selection from Śaṅkara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selections from the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Introduction to selections from Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) included in Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Cross-cultural Anthology, Phyllis Zagano, ed. (2013, Paulist Press).
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Draft of a paper arguing that each of us actually has a singular religious commitment, to our specific worldview, even if this is expressed in terms of multiple religious participation or belonging. It is a defense of Mohandas K.... more
Draft of a paper arguing that each of us actually has a singular religious commitment, to our specific worldview, even if this is expressed in terms of multiple religious participation or belonging. It is a defense of Mohandas K. Gandhi's thesis that, "In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals."
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Reflections on correspondences between various aspects of Hindu thought and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead.
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Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, November 2016.
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Paper presented at Theology without Walls panel at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion.
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Paper presented at the annual meeting of DANAM (Dharma Academy of North America), held at the 2016 meeting of the American Academy of Religion.
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Paper read at the annual conference of DANAM (Dharma Academy of North America) at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion in San Antonio, Texas.
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The topic of reincarnation, or rebirth, is an intensely interesting one. Popular response to recent sessions held on this topic at the American Academy of Religion’s annual meetings (including a standing-room-only session held by the... more
The topic of reincarnation, or rebirth, is an intensely interesting one. Popular response to recent sessions held on this topic at the American Academy of Religion’s annual meetings (including a standing-room-only session held by the Society for Hindu–Christian Studies at the 2015 meeting, as well as sessions at the 2016 DANAM meeting) demonstrate that this is an issue of special interest to those whose focus is either Hindu–Christian relations or issues relating to religion and science (or both).
No recent publications, however, have dealt extensively with this issue in an interdisciplinary fashion that draws upon the multiple perspectives from which it can be approached. The purpose of this special issue is to fill this gap, bringing together perspectives from religious studies, philosophy, theology, and the sciences (specifically, psychology and physics) to address the question: Is there such a phenomenon as rebirth? Why or why not? How might one go about knowing whether such a phenomenon is a reality? What historical perspectives, specifically from Hindu and Christian traditions, can be brought to bear upon this question? And what, if anything, can science potentially contribute to what has traditionally been a religious and philosophical question? The aim here is to advance mutual understanding among those who hold differing views on this topic, as well as, potentially, advancing understanding of the topic itself.
Dr. Jeffery D. Long
Guest Editor
Submission
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There will be no processing charge for submissions to this special issue. Please disregard all references to a fee in the MDPI website.
Keywords
reincarnation
rebirth
Hindu-Christian dialogue
Hinduism
Christianity
parapsychology
science and religion
No recent publications, however, have dealt extensively with this issue in an interdisciplinary fashion that draws upon the multiple perspectives from which it can be approached. The purpose of this special issue is to fill this gap, bringing together perspectives from religious studies, philosophy, theology, and the sciences (specifically, psychology and physics) to address the question: Is there such a phenomenon as rebirth? Why or why not? How might one go about knowing whether such a phenomenon is a reality? What historical perspectives, specifically from Hindu and Christian traditions, can be brought to bear upon this question? And what, if anything, can science potentially contribute to what has traditionally been a religious and philosophical question? The aim here is to advance mutual understanding among those who hold differing views on this topic, as well as, potentially, advancing understanding of the topic itself.
Dr. Jeffery D. Long
Guest Editor
Submission
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There will be no processing charge for submissions to this special issue. Please disregard all references to a fee in the MDPI website.
Keywords
reincarnation
rebirth
Hindu-Christian dialogue
Hinduism
Christianity
parapsychology
science and religion