Understanding Eastern Philosophy

Understanding Eastern philosophy provides an accessible critical Introduction to how some of the key philosophies of the East compare with those in the West. Starting from a discussion of the problems of distinguishing between religions and philosophies Ray Billington presents a clear picture of the key tenets behind Hinduism Buddhism Taoism Jainism and Confucianism.Moving on to compare the key themes of religious philosophy that cut across East and West such as a belief in God the soul moral decision-making nature and authority understanding Eastern philosophy presents a fascinating and controversial picture of the contribution theistic religions have to make. With its belief in a personal God bestowing a particular version of truth Ray Billington concludes that the universal mysticism characteristic of Eastern thought provides a more realistic and rewarding path than is commonly supposed in the West.Understanding Eastern philosophy assumes no prior knowledge of religion or philosophy.