Want to start learning..

about eastern philosophy. Where should I start? There's so much stuff around and I've read some of it but it all just confuses me. Is there an idiots guide to eastern philosphy?

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Philosophy is philosophy.

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Well yeah but I don't know where to start reading up on the stuff.

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Yes, as a matter of fact there is.

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The Complete Idiot's Guide To Eastern Philosophy

 

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Is that for real?

 

Yes, it's for real. Click here and see for yourself.

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Oh wow, that's great. Thanks for your help I'll have to get it.

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you want to learn eastern philosophy?

start one at a time.....hinduism alone is incredibly vast...so is buddhism and the far eastern religions.

don't try to tackle everything at once.

 

nervefilter - You're welcome.

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Yeah I wasn't going to. I was just wondering if there was anything that was 'easy' that I could start out with.

 

I'd start with Socraates and Plato, since (IMO) their views coincide with the fundamental ideas of most eastern philosophies but without all the accumulated window dressing.

The main thing to watch out for is the idea that reading about teaches you anything much. It is not for nothing that most people who practice Buddhism for long end up throwing away their books. Eastern philosophy tends to be more about practice and inner understanding rather than received opinion and dogma.

 

Books (a zen story)

Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who
devoted himself to the study of Zen for many years. On the
day that he finally attained enlightenment, he took all of his
books out into the yard, and burned them all.

 

Yeah that's what I want.. inner understanding.

 

http://www.beezone.com/sivasutras/sivasutras.htm

 

Try reading Satre's Being and Nonbeing, that should cure you of any interest in philosophy

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Then if that does not work begin reading U. G Krishnamurti (not to be confused with J. krishnamurti). It's like being slapped across the face while someone pours ice down your pants

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Could try also 'The Ultimate Understanding' by Ramesh Balsekar.

 

"about eastern philosophy. Where should I start? There's so much stuff around and I've read some of it but it all just confuses me. Is there an idiots guide to eastern philosphy?"


I think there is actually a book of that title, but there are others which go into more depth. Before looking at the Great Eastern Texts, it might be useful to consult a standard work on comparative Philosophy. I'd strongly recommend Ninian Smart's book "World Philosophies", which starts with the key philosophical schools of India and outlines the key texts, and moves on from there (his coverage is very balanced and isn't Eurocentric like other treatments tend to be). You might also want to get a decent biography on Buddha, since his thought is crucial to understanding a lot of Eastern philosophy.

Key classical texts are basically the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads (part of the Mahayana Epic), the Poems of Lao-Tzu, the Analects of Confucious, Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", The "I-Ching Book of Changes" and others. There are also some good books which try to apply Eastern thought to a Western Context, i.e. Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", Fritjof Capra's "The Tao of Physics", and Gary Zukav's "The Dancing Wu-Li Masters", though there are sure to be many others as well.

In novels and fiction, a good writer who elaborates on Eastern philosophy in a literary way is Phillip K. Dick. Again, this list is hardly definitive or exhaustive, but hopefully it will help.

 

In regards to Buddhism, "The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha" by E. Burtt(I think) is an AWESOME introduction. Also look for "The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma" translated by Red Pine, it's very good, and reads a lot like the Tao Te Ching.

 

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What to you is inner understanding??
I would avoid eastern philosophy and read a psychology book and possibly someting from Ayn Rand.


unless you prefer to cater to mysticism and the undefined.