“Scripture” in India: Towards a Typology of the Word in Hindu Life

Culture, genre and theMāndūkya Kārikā:Philosophical inconsistency, historical uncertainty, or textual discontinuity?

“…[29] Writing and the written text are associated with the incompetence of the scribe [30] and with various defilements that render a pupil too polluted to recite the Vedas. [31] The record of Chinese monks like I-Tsing (671-695 C.E.) leave us with the following impression.…”

Sensation and Metaphor in Ritual Performance: The Example of Sacred Texts

“…The beauty and emotional intensity of Qur'anic recitations has been widely celebrated since its origins (Graham 1987, 85-112;Rooke 2006, 219). Similarly, commentary on the cosmic power of the sounds of Vedic recitations has played a decisive role in the development and continuing power of South Asian religious traditions (Coburn 1984;Graham 1987, 70-71). Ritualizing the expressive dimension inspires listeners and performers, and they tend to project this experience of inspiration onto the text itself, which they regard as supernaturally inspired (Watts 2013, 22).…”

The History and Theory of Children’s Citizenship in Contemporary Societies

“…Indeed, the fi rst part of the ancient Bhagavad Gita touches on moral and social problems caused by unwanted children (see Coburn 1984or Cornille 2006. They are not only important in their own right but ensure extension of family lineage and are there to perform last rites for parents.…”