The Ocean of Inquiry

Michael S. Allen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. His areas of research include Hinduism, Indian philosophy, and environmental ethics. He is the co-founder of the Hindu Philosophy unit at the American Academy of Religion, and his work has appeared in the Journal of Indian Philosophy, the Journal of Hindu Studies, the International Journal of Hindu Studies, and Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy.

• Preface Abbreviations and Notes on Conventions Part I: Vernacular Vedanta Chapter 1. Introduction: The Unwritten History of Advaita Vedanta The Ocean of Inquiry - Niscaldas and Greater Advaita Vedanta -- Recovering the history of Advaita Vedanta -- The argument of this book Chapter 2. The Life and Works of Niscaldas Early years - Composing The Ocean of Inquiry -- Niscaldas, disciple of Dadu -- Guru to a king Chapter 3. Niscaldas and Hindi Vedanta The significance of the vernacular -- Beyond the Sanskrit/vernacular binary -- Sources and models -- Hindi Vedanta Part II: Scholastic Vedanta Chapter 4. Why Epistemology Matters Prelude: <"The incrustation of scholasticism> " -- Knowledge and liberation -- The puzzle of Tattvadrsti -- Instrumental epistemology: The basic framework -- Instrumental epistemology: The idealist framework - Material epistemology -- On epistemic conflict -- Conclusions Chapter 5. The Path to Liberation Qualifications for the study of Vedanta -- Hearing, reflection, and contemplation -- The meaning and method of inquiry -- The role of meditation -- Knowledge and liberation revisited -- Scholasticism as a way of life? Chapter 6. Inquiry in Practice Originality and the values of scholasticism -- The need for a teacher -- The form of inquiry: Debates and dialogues -- Pedagogy in practice: The case of Tattvadrsti -- The case of Adrsti -- The puzzle of Tarkadrsti -- Conclusions Chapter 7. Conclusion: The Premodern Origins of Modern Hinduism The <"construction of Hinduism> " debate -- The eighteen vidya-sthanas -- Scholastic precedents -- From <"Vedism> " to <"Hinduism> " Bibliography Index

We have learned much in the last two decades about forms of knowledge in early modern India. Michael Allen pushes us to consider how those forms develop in early colonial India, before the motifs of reform, revival, and renaissance condition our narratives of modern Hinduism. By weaving together his expertise in Sanskrit and vernacular traditions of philosophy, Allen shows us that the scholastic and the popular are never far apart. The Ocean of Inquiry, like its subject, will become a modern classic.