The Ascetic Self Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition [Hardcover]

A 2004 approach to comparing religions (Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism), focusing on traditions of asceticism.Asceticism, the idea of giving up sense pleasures for a spiritual goal, is practised in many religions. This book focuses on Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, and argues that asceticism must be understood within the boundaries of tradition. The book exemplifies a completely new paradigm for comparative religion which seeks to avoid a problematic universalism on the one hand and an area-specific relativism on the other. This ground-breaking contribution to methodology will be influential in the future development of the entire field of comparative religious studies.Asceticism, the idea of giving up sense pleasures for a spiritual goal, is practised in many religions. This book focuses on Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, and argues that asceticism must be understood within the boundaries of tradition. The book exemplifies a completely new paradigm for comparative religion which seeks to avoid a problematic universalism on the one hand and an area-specific relativism on the other. This ground-breaking contribution to methodology will be influential in the future development of the entire field of comparative religious studies.Focusing on Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism, this book argues that asceticism must be understood within the boundaries of tradition. It exemplifies a completely new paradigm for comparative religion which seeks to avoid a problematic universalism on the one hand and an area-specific relativism on the other. The volume's original contribution to methodology will be influential in the future development of comparative religious studies.1. Setting the parameters; Part I. The Ascetic Self in Text and History: 2. The asceticism of work: Simone Weil; 3. The asceticism of action: The Bhagavad-gita and Yoga-sutras; 4. The asceticism of action: Tantra; 5. The asceticism of the Middle Way; 6. The asceticism of the desert; 7. The ascelÓ{