Type of Document Master's Thesis Author Tenzin, Kencho URN etd-11302006-094652 Title Shankara: A Hindu Revivalist or A Crypto-Buddhist? Degree Master of Arts Department Religious Studies Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title Dr. Kathryn McClymond Committee Chair Dr. Christopher White Committee Member Dr. Jonathan Herman Committee Member Keywords
- brahman
- sunyata
- atman
- moksa
Date of Defense 2006-11-27 Availability unrestricted Abstract ABSTRACT
Shankara, the great Indian thinker, was known as the accurate expounder of the Upanishads. He is seen as a towering figure in the history of Indian philosophy and is credited with restoring the teachings of the Vedas to their pristine form. However, there are others who do not see such contributions from Shankara. They criticize his philosophy by calling it “crypto-Buddhism.” It is his unique philosophy of Advaita Vedanta that puts him at odds with other Hindu orthodox schools. Ironically, he is also criticized by Buddhists as a “born enemy of Buddhism” due to his relentless attacks on their tradition. This thesis, therefore, probes the question of how Shankara should best be regarded, “a Hindu Revivalist or a Crypto-Buddhist?” To address this question, this thesis reviews the historical setting for Shakara’s work, the state of Indian philosophy as a dynamic conversation involving Hindu and Buddhist thinkers, and finally Shankara’s intellectual genealogy.
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