Sources of Indian Tradition, Vol. 1: From the Beginning to 1800

by William Theodore de Bary (editor)

Since 1958 Sources of Indian Tradition has been one of the most important and widely used texts on civilization in South Asia (now the nation-sates of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal). It has helped generations of students and lay readers understand how leading thinkers there have looked at life, the traditions of their ancestors, and the world they live in.

This second edition has been extensively revised, with much new material added. Introductory essays explain the particular settings in which these thinkers have expressed their ideas about religious, social, political, and economic questions. Brief summaries precede each passage from their writings or sayings.

The traditions represented include Brahmanism, Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. The book includes a chronology of Indian history from 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1858.

Genres: History, India, Nonfiction, Religion, Hinduism, Philosophy, Islam

547 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

William Theodore de Bary was an East Asian studies expert at Columbia University, with the title John Mitchell Mason Professor of the University and Provost Emeritus.

De Bary graduated from Columbia College in 1941, where he was a student in the first iteration of Columbia's famed Literature Humanities course. He then briefly took up graduate studies at Harvard before the US entered the Second World War. De Bary left the academy to serve in American military intelligence in the Pacific Theatre. Upon his return, he resumed his studies at Columbia, where he earned his PhD.

He has edited numerous books of original source material relating to East Asian (primarily Japanese and Chinese) literature, history, and culture, as well as making the case, in his book Nobility and Civility, for the universality of Asian values. He is recognized as essentially creating the field of Neo-Confucian studies.

Additionally, DeBary was active in faculty intervention during the Columbia University protests of 1968 and served as the university's provost from 1971 to 1978. He has attempted to reshape the Core Curriculum of Columbia College to include Great Books classes devoted to non-Western civilizations. DeBary is additionally famous for rarely missing a Columbia Lions football game since he began teaching at the university in 1953. A recognized educator, he won Columbia's Great Teacher Award in 1969, its Lionel Trilling Book Award in 1983 and its Mark Van Doren Award for Great Teaching in 1987.

Now the director of the Heyman Center for the Humanities and still teaching, De Bary lives in Rockland County, New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_de_Bary

Reviews

[James Violand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one work needed to study the history of India. It presents the writings/sources upon which the myriad tribes of the subcontinent evolved into the most spiritually enlightened people on the planet. There is a depth here that is sadly lacking in European civilization: the quest for the soul's fulfillment. I cannot praise this work enough.

[Edward Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite insightful on the Indian thought.
This book covers quite nicely and concisely Indian religion , social justice, politics, and history.

[Cathreen Shiucheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

i didnt finish the whole book. Just for the chapter on Theravada Buddhism.

[Antonio Troisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I have read it twice for a concise and in-depth look into the esoteric teachings and history of Hinduism.

[Olivia Wojtecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for my Indian Civilization class. I loved the way it is set up. So much information!

[Dean Oken · Rating 3 out of 5]

glad i am now someone who can mansplain the origins and bases of buddhism, jainism, hinduism, and islam from 500 BC to 1600 AD

[Eugene Kernes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of Indian culture delivered via detailed explanation and reasoning of the importance of passages and how they fit into the grand scheme. The books major theme is the intellectual history of the subcontinent of South Asia. The layout of the book is consistent; having first a background, then a short explanation of some historic text, and the actual (translated) text. It is very interesting to see how the Indian philosophy has progressed. In terms of the overall coverage of the philosophy provided, it goes from property rights to what is knowledge. India's culture provides many insightful wisdoms.

[Ellen Stansell, PhD, RYT · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous! It gathers together primary sources starting with the Vedas and moving through Indian literature to the 1800's. Each section is introduced by very clear and informative scholarly pieces. It is a guided tour the roots of Indian culture, religion, and society. The reading selections from the primary texts are short but excellent. You get a lot of variety. They are thematically arranged, which provides continuity. This book is a treasure!

[Melika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I only was able to analyze an excerpt from the entire book, which I imagine was much longer, I was able to obtain wealth of information on Indian tradition, both from commentary and essays, and from direct source excerpts, which I found particularly interesting and helpful. Reading an anglo-interpretation of the veda is one thing, but having some introduction followed by a translated, original document gives room for critical analysis and personal opinion.

[S.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a little dry at some times and a bit dense at others, but it is highly informative and uses a wide range of direct writing from various ancient faiths. If you want to get a really good sense of the development of Hinduism as a way of life and what has gone into Indian culture, this is a good start.

[Bradley Farless · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a little commentary, but mostly primary source documents, which are indispensable when researching. Unfortunately, it makes for pretty dry reading when going through the parts you're not too interested in. As a source of information for Indian history, though, it's great!

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good selection of scriptural texts from the subcontinent including traditions of Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism.

[Mandy Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really more of a religious, historical text of hinduism, rather than a story with a plot. Very interesting if you enjoy studying the conception of societal religious constraints.

[Billy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writings of the Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs over 3,000 years. It's all somewhat bewildering for my secular mindset but a good beginning, nonetheless.

[Antonio Troisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve now read this twice due to the breadth and complexity of the Hindu tradition. This is a must-read as far as I’m concerned for anyone who aspires to understand eastern religion and spirituality.