The Upadesasahasri of Sankara: 2 Volumes: Introduction, Text and Indices

The Upadesasahasri of Sankara: 2 Volumes: Introduction, Text and Indices

It is widely agreed that Sankara, an Indian philosopher who lived in the eighth century, was the greatest thinker in the lengthy history of Indian philosophy as well as in the metaphysical tradition known as Vedanta. Sankara is credited with founding the Vedanta school of thought. The Advaita or non-dualist approach to the issue of existence and ultimate reality is emphasised in the Advaita Vedanta school or philosophy, which was developed by him. For hundreds of years, this way of thinking has been the dominant school of thought in India.

The majority of Sankara’s writings are comments on other great works of Indian philosophy, such as the Brahmasutra, the Bhagavadgita, and the Upanisads. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” is the only independent and non-commentary work that can be safely attributed to him; the other independent writings that have traditionally been ascribed to him are all probably spurious. The Upadesasahasri, also known as “A Thousand Teachings,” has been critically edited and translated into English here.

Sengaku Mayeda, the author of this work, has provided both academics and general readers with a critical edition based on the analysis of 27 metrical and 11 prose manuscripts, as well as an exact and readable English translation of the work based on his definitive edition of the work, in addition to his extensive introduction to the work. These materials can be found on this website. This Indian philosophical classic is now available to a far larger audience thanks to his lucid and trustworthy translation as well as his in-depth introduction that discusses Sankara’s biography as well as his ideas.

Author

Sengaku Mayeda

About the Author(s)

Sengaku Mayeda, Ph. D. (Univ. of Pennsylvania) and D. Litt. (Univ. of Tokyo), is Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, Executive Director of the Eastern institute founded by the Late Dr. Hajime Nakamura. Among his English publications, there are Sankara’s Upadesasahasri (1973), Critically Edited with Introduction and Indices and A Thousand Teachings: The Upadesasahasri of Sankara (1979), Translated with Introduction and Notes; they are the original versions of the present publication for which he was conferred a Japan Academy Award in 1988. He also authored Vedanta Philosophy (1980), An Introduction to Indian Philosophy (2000), and other books and articles in Japanese. He edited Japanese Studies in Indian Philosophy (1989). The Way to Liberation: Indological Studies in Japan, vol. 1 (2000), and A History of Early Vedanta Philosophy by Hajime Nakamura Part Two (2004).