Comparative Ethics in Hindu and Buddhist Traditions

Book excerpt: The exploratory volume in the new field of comparative ethics serves the diverse goals of groups variously interested in International law and morality, in comparative religious ethical ideals, or simply in cross-cultural literature and drama. The author draws moral ideals from primary Hindu sources--popular and formal, literary and spiritual. The same method is applied for Buddhist moral texts. Introducing method in comparative ethics with a synopsis of Hindu mystical tradition, the author diiscusses in detail ethics in the Rgveda, Upaniisads, Laws of Manu, Ramayana, Gita, other popular classics, poetry, drama, philosophers, and reformers. After summarizing pluralism in Hindu ethiics, the author sketches ethical thought in Mahayana Buddhiist texts. The book contains elaborate notes, two appendices, critical textual matter, a diagram of topical parallels, a bibliography, and an index.