BHAGAVADGITA

Author(s): / Language(s): Romany / Publication Year: 2009

Translation to Romany language of the ancient Indian epic "Bhagavad Gita". / "We translated the ancient Indian epic Bhagavadgita for the first time in the world in the Roma language some ten years ago. The first variant of the text was published in the Andral magazine Nos 10, 19-20, 21, 22-23, 24, 25-26, 27-28 and 29-30 from 2000 till 2003. A decade after the first translation came to light, the translation comes out in a separate revised version. Many times I have pointed out that for me the Andral translations are no more than preliminary attempts; it was far more important for us to participate in a ‘game’ aiming at a goal that was next to impossible in the past and dare tackle the linguistic problems that occurred. The different texts are merely challenges for different solutions. No venture, no win." / "U puranuindueku eposi “Bhagavadgita” irizyam rromani chshibati agu drom desh bresh anglal. Agu variantus hramusaribnasti mukyam andu zhuralusti “Andral” andw ila 10, 19-20, 21, 22-23, 24, 25-26, 27-28 ti 29-30 mashkaral 2000 ti 2003 breshwndi. Desh bresha palal kanatu mukyam u agu kotor, u sastu irizipi akana inkila korrkorimnangu pandakerdu ti lachshwskerdu inkalzipnasti. Aver drom da vakerimas, ta Andraliskw irizipya mangi sini butserni, amingi astsyal mangseyla pis u “khelwybi” ti ovil bizaprimi buti manushwndar, ti shiyzis ti kerws chshipas, kontu her manush anglisarni vakwtsindar phennasli, ta si … bishiyzimnu, hwzlws ti astarws tut ti alakhis u tertipya sar ti irizis u tekstuya, sar ti irizis u inkistu angla tw ekhindi swy nanwy chshibakw problemuya. U ekha-avera hramusaribya sade mangina ti benin andw tuti u indriya ti rodis ekha-avera tertipya ti kerws butsi twrri en lachshws. Bi ti kerws kiya butsi, si nanwyshiyzimis ti alakhis sotu ti ovil."

Bir Anomali Olarak Varidat: Şeyh Bedreddin’in Varidat’inin Felsefi Boyutlari

Author(s): Çetin Türkyilmaz / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 85/2016

This article deals with philosophical dimensions of various ideas in Sheikh Bedreddin’s work Varidat in relation to those of various currents of thought that are claimed to underlie Bedreddin’s work. First, Neo-platonist notions that are presumed to underpin Sheikh Bedreddin’s views will be presented with reference to Plotinus and Sühreverdi’s works, before pointing at several critical points that distinguish Varidat from the neo-platonist philosophy. At first, the basic difference between Bedreddin and Neo-platonism is based on a thought according to which a body that is a manifestation of God is never be “evil”. Besides, contrary to Sühreverdi’s view, Bedreddin wants to get rid of all transcendent conception of being in his thought. Secondly, considering those claims that Bedreddin was influenced by the Hurifi thought and materialism, the materialist standpoint (Dehrîyyun) represented by İbn Ravendi, and El-Maarri will be discussed to show how Bedreddin’s vision ties in and also differs from it. Bedreddin’s basic difference from materialism (Dehriyyun) stems from a fact that he asserts a mystical conception of being whereas materialism is based on a rationalist perspective in which all things can be explain in a rational way. In contrast to the messianic understanding of Hurufism, for Bedreddin such messianic inclinations and hopes are not important in respect of Sufi thought. Thirdly, Sheihk Bedreddin will placed at midway between the philosophies of İbn Arabi and Spinoza, and Sheikh Bedreddin will be argued to stand closer to Spinoza. On the other hand, it will also be argued that Sheikh Bedreddin departs from Spinoza particularly in terms of methodology. In conclusion, it will be claimed that Sheikh Bedreddin’s Varidat can be considered an anomaly as it stands apart from those all those views despite its resemblances.

Body ‒ Tradition ‒ Expression. Remarks om Japanese Culture

Author(s): Leszek Sosnowski / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

The way the Japanese attribute the meaning to their world and how it becomes under-standable to them seems particularly attractive. This attitude underlies the fundamen-tal difference between the European and Japanese culture. A Westerner seeks to fully disclose the world, unveiling all its secrets. Accordingly, various strategies to achieve this goal have been developed in the Western culture, leading to different results. All scientific (philosophical) and non-scientific (commonsense) stands share a common conviction that truth is a Holy Grail of cognition, and that it is equally unattainable. The Japanese have been shaped by three religions: Shinto, Buddhism and Confucian-ism, and these regulate every aspect of their private as well as social functioning. An internal participant has no difficulties to adjust to the requirements of a particular re-ligion. Likewise, the truth also acquires different meanings depending on the context. For an external observer, however, the overlapping of these diverse domains of life creates a problem, as it results in an original but complicated culture.

Buddyzm w literaturze na przykładzie opowiadania Iwan Kublachanow Wiktora Pielewina

Author(s): Aleksandra Imosa / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 5/2015

The subject of this article brings together literary theory and cultural studies as it concerns the introduction of Buddhist elements into literature. Victor Pelevin's Ivan Kublakhanov is studied as an example of this literary phenomenon. The axis of this short story is assumed to be the doctrine of dependent arising. The Four Noble Truths, the concept of Anatman and The Tibetan Book of the Dead are also taken into consideration. Each element is explained briefly and supported by a presentation of appropriate passages from the story.

Cultural Narratives of Superflat and Supercute – Feasting on the Imaginary

Author(s): Ana Došen / Language(s): English / Issue: 9/2016

Japanese artist Takashi Murakami conceptualized the Superflatart movement based on a “flattened” form of Japanese animation,manga and Edo wood-block art and its specific way of controlling “thespeed of the observer’s gaze”. His “theory of art in two-dimensions”proclaims the absence of depth where all the differences of cultural,social, historical (temporal) contexts operate as comparable and equal.Additionally, the phenomenon of Japanese cuteness (kawaii) – emanatingthe playful, the immature and the gentle – demonstrates an immensefascination towards the realms of “flat” fictional characters. The proliferationof cute characters, ranging from those globally recognized to locallycontextualized mascots (appearing on diverse consumer products),seems to be unrelenting. This paper explores the cultural narratives ofsuperflatness in which viral consumerism obliterates the distinction betweenart and commodity, and gives prominence to no-depth contentdesigned for instant gratification, measured in a blink of an eye.

DEMOCRATIC ELEMENTS IN TRADITIONAL YORUBA SOCIETY AS A BASIS FOR THE CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA AND THE GLOBAL SOCIAL ORDER

Author(s): Olatunji A. Oyeshile / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

The paper examines democratic concepts or elements in traditional Yoruba society and their implications for the culture of democracy in Africa and the social order at the global level. One of the major problems confronting African states is the problem of governance. Political crises have metamorphosed into problems of ethnic conflict, war, corruption, economic stagnation, social disorder and paucity of sustainable development in Africa and these crises have also resulted in global disequilibrium. This paper revisits traditional Yoruba society, with a special emphasis on the democratic elements. It adopts as its theoretical framework some aspects of the traditional Yoruba socio-ethical values to underscore the importance of democratic elements based on communal values. Such concepts as ifowosowopo (cooperation), agbajo owo (solidarity), amumora (toler-ance), and ilosiwaju (progress) are examined to point up their roles in addressing the crisis of (democratic) governance. The paper establishes that the inbuilt democratic elements, based on social ethical values, helped to sustain governance in traditional Yoruba society. It is concluded that democratic elements are much more important than democracy itself.

Dharma and Religion in Tagore’s Views

Author(s): Iwona Milewska / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), one of the greatest contemporary Indian thinkers, discussed the problem of comparative study of religion and faith on the grounds of global pluralism and religious diversity. He presented his views in numerous poetical works but he also delivered many speeches, mostly addressed to Western audiences. In his writing, Tagore often uses the English term “religion” and the Sanskrit term dharma interchangeably. This article focuses on both key terms and on the question whether they may be seen as equivalent according to him. To answer this question one needs to consider their etymological meanings but also Tagore’s concepts of the so called “Man the Eternal” and “Divinity in Man”.

Historia ceremonii herbacianej w Japonii

Author(s): Michal Sokolowski / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2014

Ceremonia herbaciana jest czymś niezwykle złożonym i prostym zarazem. Z jednej strony może być traktowana jako wyraz filozofii, duchowości, kultury i estetyki Dalekiego Wschodu, może być analizowana przez pryzmat buddyzmu zen, pośrednio także taoizmu, który do jego wykształcenia się przy-czynił, może być umiejscawiana w chińskiej i japońskiej kulturze i historii. Jest także ceremoniałem obostrzonym mnóstwem niezwykle szczegółowych i precyzyjnych reguł i zasad. Z drugiej strony pozostaje prostą czynnością wspólnego wypicia herbaty w atmosferze życzliwości i harmonii, bardzo przy tym uniwersalną i naturalną. Z jednej strony jest wyrafinowaną sztuką, z drugiej – całościową drogą życia. Złożoność nie wyklucza prostoty, gdy to, co najprostsze, okazuje się najtrudniejsze. Zen i ceremonię herbacianą łączy przekonanie o możliwości sięgnięcia w głęboki wymiar codzienności i znalezienia głębi w tym, co zwyczajne. Zarówno w zen, jak i w ceremonii herbacianej ważniejsze od zamkniętego systemu reguł są wskazówki i własna praktyka – nie jest możliwe dotarcie do ich sedna poprzez słowa ani poprzez teorię.Ceremonia herbaciana w duchu zen uczy sięgania do Doskonałości, której doświadczenie „tu i teraz” umożliwia osiągnięcie szczęścia nieuwarunkowanego od spełniania pragnień –w tym sensie pozostaje też aktualna i żywa niezależnie od obowiązującej etykiety, form, sposobów nauczania, interpretacji.

Ki beszél még Lukácsról?

Author(s): Zsuzsanna Lurcza / Language(s): Hungarian / Issue: 06/2015

KNOWLEDGE(S), CULTURE AND AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY: AN INTRODUCTION

Author(s): Jusef Waghid / Language(s): English / Issue: 4/2016

In a previous work, entitled African Philosophy of Education Reconsidered: On Being Human (Waghid, 2014), a defense is offered for the notion of African philosophy as a reasoned and culture-dependent concept on the basis that any philosophical genre cannot be devoid of reasonableness and dismissive of culture. The premise on which the latter claim is built is two-fold: Firstly, any form of philosophizing involves (and ought to do so) an aspiration towards the attainment of what can be conceived as being reasonably justifiable – that is, reasons are offered and amended to elucidate meanings that can be convincing to others in the inquiry; and secondly, meanings are (re)constructed and deconstructed on the basis of people’s cultural stock (a term I borrow from Jane Roland Martin, 2013) – that is, people’s images, attitudes, backgrounds, symbols and other ways of seeing things in the world. Thus, as a combination, reasonableness and culture determine what constitutes African philosophy. In this way, it would not be implausible to embrace explications of African philosophy that connect with the reasons people offer on account of their ethical orientations, indigenous perspectives, and/or sagacious utterances. This is what makes African philosophy a reasoned and culture-dependent practice. But then, as with any form of philosophy, African philosophy foregrounds culture in so far as it provides the notion of knowledge with a distinctive form in relation to what Africa has to offer. Put differently, knowledge(s) are a manifestation of the ways in which philosophy organizes cultural understandings on the African continent. This article examines at least three ways in which culture is organized through an African philosophical discourse, and how knowledges are manifested in the practices of people on the continent: Firstly, African philosophy guides cultural practices in accordance with practices of communal interactions – that is, Ubuntu (human interdependence); and, when Ubuntu is under threat, ethnic conflict, political tension and strife seem to hold sway. Secondly, African philosophy orientates people towards an appreciation of an ethical life and, when the latter is tangibly at risk, destruction is perilously imminent; and thirdly, African philosophy inclines people towards some higher good, and when the latter is visibly absent, religious conflict seems to be hazardously omnipresent. My understanding is that Ubuntu, ethics and an inclination towards a higher good are cultural practices that give knowledge, as understood by Africans, a distinctively reasonable form. In short, the reasonableness of African knowledge(s) is guided by an appreciation of Africans’ cultures. And, when these cultures are at risk, the potential exists that African knowledge(s) will become misguided.

Kompariranje logosa u kršćanstvu sa savršenim čovjekom Ibn Arebija

Author(s): Mansour Mo'tamedi,Vali Abdi / Language(s): Bosnian / Issue: 68-69/2015

The notion of pre-Christianity logos is found in an abstract form in ancient Greek philosophy as well as Judaism (ancient times and some works of Philo of Alexandria). In Christianity (Prologue to the Gospel of John), logos is for the first time identified with a historical character (Jesus), and Christians, namely, Church elders, attributed to logos some characteristics very much resembling Islamic Gnostic interpretation of the “perfect man”. In Islamic gnosis, Ibn Arabi gave a detailed treatment of the issue of the perfect man and gave standpoints comparable to Christian standpoints on logncesos. Having processed Ibn Arabi’s standpoint and standpoints of his commentators’ on the perfect man, as well as standpoints of Church elders on logos, we have concluded that, despite noticeable differences between these two terms, the question of embodiment of logos in Christianity still makes a huge difference regarding this issue.

Konfucjanizm Yong Huanga na rozdrożu pomiędzy tradycją i współczesnością

Author(s): Dawid Rogacz / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 12/2015

The aim of my paper is to analyze the philosophy of Yong Huang – leading representative of Confucianism in the 21st century, from the perspective of the evolution of Confucian thought within history and the specificity of contemporary Confucianism. I take into consideration political thought of Yong Huang, which manifests its critical attitude towards both political liberalism (especially that of Richard Rorty) and Christian heritage. By means of putting the thought of Yong Huang in the historical framework, I want to demonstrate which philosophical beliefs remain common for ancient and contemporary Confucianism. In the conclusion of the article I want to show the tension between the tendency to universalize Confucian values and the relativization of cultural narrations, taken from the Western thought.Celem mojego artykułu jest analiza filozofii Yong Huanga, czołowego przedstawiciela konfucjanizmu w XXI wieku, w perspektywie historycznej ewolucji myśli konfucjańskiej oraz specyfiki współczesnego konfucjanizmu. W sposób szczególny uwzględniam myśl polityczną Yong Huanga, która ustosunkowuje się krytycznie zarówno do liberalizmu politycznego, zwłaszcza w wersji Richarda Rorty’ego, jak i do dziedzictwa chrześcijańskiego. Poprzez umieszczenie myśli Yong Huanga w kontekście historycznym zamierzam wykazać, które poglądy filozoficzne pozostały wspólne starożytnemu i współczesnemu konfucjanizmowi. W konkluzji artykułu pragnę pokazać napięcie pomiędzy tendencją do uniwersalizacji wartości konfucjańskich a przejętą z myśli zachodniej relatywizacją kulturowych narracji

Koniec sztuki w klasycznym konfucjanizmie

Author(s): Rafal Mazur / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2014

Sztuka i filozofia w Chinach związane są ze sobą mocno i od dawna. Jak twierdzą badacze sztuki, trudno odnaleźć w chińskich archiwach pisma nawiązujące do innych przykładów działalności artystycznej niż działalność filozofów. Sztuka była bowiem jedną z praktyk, jakim oddawali się filozofowie. Te dwa fenomeny ludzkiej działalności związane są ze sobą co najmniej od czasów najważniejszego filozofa Chin – Konfucjusza. W artykule przed-stawiam konfucjańską koncepcję sztuki, wykształconą w klasycznym (czyli starożytnym) okresie filozofii chińskiej.

Letting be: Thoreau and Cavell on thinking after the bhagavatgita

Author(s): Branka Arsic / Language(s): English / Issue: 7/2015

The essay starts from Cavell’s contention that what is sometimes called one’s “cultural identity” is never available to the one whose identity it is supposed to be, but is instead registered by those whose cultural identity it isn’t, and explores in particular Cavell’s propositions regarding how the mind can start revealing to itself what is opaque to it. The paradigmatic example of how the mind undoes itself to better access what is different from it is found in Thoreau’s practices at Walden. Analysis of Cavell’s reading of Thoreau leads me to propose that the work of undoing and leaving oneself – without which there is no substantive transformation – requires a certain joyous mourning over what is left behind.

Nadczłowiek a bodhisattwa. O różnicach między filozofią Nietzschego a buddyzmem zen

Author(s): Alfred Skorupka / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 37/2016

The author of article polemicizes with interpreters of Nietzsche’s philosophy, that seek connections between views of German thinker and Zen Buddhism. In the work is claimed, that Übermensch has not much common with enlightened man (bodhisattwa). The way of Nietzsche’s and Zen masters thinking lead to the different conclusions and different attitude to the life and people. According to the author, even if we a interpretation accepted, that German philosopher had a intuition of enlightenment, we must – in terminology of Zen say – that he achieved kensio, and not satori.

Notes Towards Defining ‘Theory’ (Śāstra) in Sanskrit; Systematic Classification Presented in Rājaśekhara’s Kāvyamīmāṃsā

Author(s): Katarzyna Pazucha / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

Even though the genre of śāstra is one of the most familiar and important constituents of the cultural and intellectual history of South Asia, it did not receive the proper atten-tion and the term itself remains obscure. Also in the tradition of Sanskrit letters itself the scope and nature of śāstra, it would seem, is not precisely delineated. Using the dis-cussion presented by Rājaśekhara, the tenth century poet and theoretician, in his Kāvy-amīmāṃsā, this article will try to bring together recent evaluations of the genre with a contextualized discussion of the tradition’s selfunderstanding.

On Poetic Discourses and Ways of Expression of ‘Empty’ and ‘Silence’ Categories in the Chinese Lyric Poetry of Six Dynasties (Liu Сhao, III‒VI A.D.) and Tang (VII‒X) Epochs

Author(s): Martina Kravtsova / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

The written Chinese language has a broad scale of lexical meanings for articulating the ‘empty’ and ‘silence’ categories in all their essential aspects. The present study is limited to a discussion of the kong 空 cognitive term, in its single semantic case only, as ‘empty’ (‘emptiness’), coinciding normally with ‘silence’ (ji 寂, jing 靜); and of two poetic scenarios, which can be roughly defined as ‘dwelling in empty mountains’ and ‘dwelling in [an] empty chamber.’ The first of these is most typical of Tang lyric poetry, especially the works of Wang Wei 王維 (ca 701‒ca 761); the second, of poetry on amorous themes beginning with the individual verses of the second century A.D. In this paper I argue that in spite of all essential differences between these scenarios ‒ one praising living alone as escaping from social existence, the other representing living alone as loneliness, i.e. having an utterly negative sense ‒ both are grounded at bottom on ancient views of vision and audial perception. Their archetypical background is formed by the idea of spiritual movement, implying the ‘cutting off ’ of sensory perception in favour of self-concentration, which leads to the sharpening of receptive faculties for gaining keener and keener perception of all external things. Above all, the ‘empty’ and ‘silence’ categories appear to universally express the abundance of one’s surroundings and inner conditions, including mentality and feelings, which places these categories among the chief artistic techniques of Chinese lyric poetry.

Problematické uzly diskuze o osové době: příklad zoroastrismu

Author(s): Katerina Soukalová / Language(s): Slovak / Issue: 3/2015

The article is discussing problematic aspects of Axial Age. To start with, there is a general description of Axial Age, followed by the illustration of its most important aspects, especially many cultural and spiritual changes which occurred in this period. In particular, one of the most problematic aspects is discussed – the case of zoroastrianism. The question whether zoroastrianism could be considered in the context of Axial Age is discussed. It is not clear at all whether it is new or transformed religion if what we know about Zarathustra’s teaching is really what he said. There is a strong uncertainty about this problematic aspect because of a lack of sources. Nevertheless, we can find significant links to zoroastrianism considered as part of Axial Age and Persia as axial civilization despite the absence of sources. The ethical and moral aspects of zoroastrianic idea are also emphasized because of the rise of new cultural ontology, new spiritual ways, new vision of world; thus, new ways of understanding world which lead to new rules of human behaviour and of social life not only in zoroastrianism but in Axial Age generally. These are the most important aspects of Zarathustra’s doctrine because as a prophet he established morality, decency, and ethic as a core parts of his main ideas which have to be expressed in good thoughts, good words and good deeds.

Process Ontology in an Eastern Perspective, with Special Reference to Zhuangzi

Author(s): Desislava Damyanova / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2016

The transience of being in the Chinese context—and specifically within Daoist texts—has been the subject of scholarly attention both as a philosophical theme and as a social phenomenon. Dao is the mystery that makes nature “the way it is.” It can mean process, pattern, or existence. Eastern thinkers tend to find truth in every perspective, pursuing the middle way, and they stress mutual dependence—Zhuangzi’s “equality of things,” the “axis of Dao,” etc. The Chinese sages tend to harbor an optimistic outlook that, however opposed divergent views may appear, in the end they are bound to harmonize and complement one another. Humans can unite themselves with the way they live. There are three threads at work in Zhuangzi’s thought: (1) The principle of equality: all things are equal or have relative parity. Each has its own merit, even that which seems deformed or useless to humans. (2) The principle of difference: each thing is unique and exists in itself in accordance with the Dao. (3) The principle of transformation. The only constant is that myriad beings are always transforming and becoming.

Samodoskonalenie xiu shen – naśladownictwo wzoru osobowego junzi w Analektach

Author(s): Katarzyna Pejda / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 9/2016

The following paper presents Confucius’ view on self-cultivation. The paper also contains analysis of two concepts: de – virtue and xiao – filial piety. The author argues that those two concepts are basis for moral development as described in Analects. De is inborn, given by tian (heaven) whilst xiao, obedience towards parents and relatives, is aquired by proper education. Furher, the paper outlines three stages of self-cultivation which, in Analects, is learing how to behave morally and according to norms li . First stage of cultivation means that one follows li without any alteration, second stage – one can apply them knownig that some changes can be made. The third stage – junzi stage means that norms li no longer limit a moral person. Junzi follows them because it is his ren nature.