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Dominik Wujastyk: "Concepts of the Human Being in Early Āyurveda. Birth, Identity and Liberation"

PS, 2 SSt., 5 ECTS.

Studienplancodes: BA14

Termin: Do, 10:00-11:30, SR 3 SAK, ab 8.3.

Unterrichtssprache: Englisch

Beschränkte Teilnehmerzahl: 36

Achtung, Anmeldung erforderlich! Bitte melden Sie sich unter judith.starecek@univie.ac.at unter Angabe von Matrikelnummer und Studienfach bis zur ersten Einheit am 8.3. an!

The 2000-year-old Sanskrit medical encyclopedia by the sage-physician Caraka includes many philosophical passages. One whole section of the encyclopedia, "The Embodied Person," (Skt. Śārīrasthāna) is devoted to a discussion of the nature of the embodied human being, including such topics as the nature of mind, the processes of speech and action, a refutation of evolution, the formation of an embryo, the descent of the soul into the body, the reason for pregnant cravings, and the working of heredity. This section also discusses the different types of human personality, and describes the nature of yoga and the path to spiritual liberation.

In this course, I shall begin by introducing you to the history and formation of early ayurvedic medical thought and literature. We shall then read selected passages from the “Embodied Person” section of the encyclopedia, and discuss their meaning and their relationship to other branches of Indian philosophy.

The main language of the course is English. Some passages will be read in Sanskrit. Those who do not know Sanskrit can still participate in the discussion of the translation and the meaning of the texts.

Selected readings: The university’s Moodle system will be used to support teaching and communication in this course, and to distribute scans of essential readings.

• Dominik Wujastyk (2003) The Roots of Āyurveda: Selections from Sanskrit Medical Writings. 3rd ed. London, New York, etc.: Penguin Group, esp.pp. 50-60.
• Dominik Wujastyk (2009). “Interpreting the Image of the Human Body in Premodern India”. In: International Journal of Hindu Studies 13.2, pp. 189–228.
• Dominik Wujastyk (2011) “The Path to Liberation through Yogic Mindfulness in Early Ayurveda”. In: Yoga in Practice. Ed. by David G. White. Princeton University Press, pp. 31–42.
• Priya Vrat Sharma (1981-1994). Caraka-Saṃhitā: Agniveśa’s Treatise Refined and annoted by Caraka and Redacted by Dṛḍhabala (text with English translation). 4v. Varanasi, Delhi: Chaukhambha Orientalia. Vol. 1, pp. 395–488 is a rough translation of the whole chapter we are studying in this course.
• Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld (1999-2002). A History of Indian Medical Literature. 5v. Groningen: E. Forsten. Volume IIA, pp. 38–47 summarizes the “Embodied Person” section, and gives detailed notes and suggestions for further reading.
• Antonella Comba (2001). “Carakasaṃhitā, Śārīrasthāna I and Vaiśeṣika Philosophy”. In: Studies on Indian Medical History. Ed. by Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld and Dominik Wujastyk. 2nd ed. First published in 1987 Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. Chap. 3, pp. 39–55.