First published in 1938, Indian Realism is a reconstruction of the Yogacara Vijnanavada (Subjective Idealism) and an exhaustive criticism of it by the different schools of Indian realism. The exposition of the doctrine is based on the works of Santaraksita and Kamalasila and the critics of Vijnanavada. Generally each thinker’s exposition and criticism have been given separately. Profound thinkers like Kumarila, Jayanta Bhatta, Vacaspatimisra, Sridhara and Sankara have been included. There is a criticism of Vedanta by the Buddhist realists and the different schools of the Vedanta. Incidentally, the Yogacara subjectivism has been compared with the idealism of Berkeley and the sensationism of Hume. Parallel arguments of many contemporary realists, too, have been quoted to show that philosophical genius of a particular type is apt to move in the same groove, irrespective of its location. This book will be of interest to students of philosophy, religion and South Asian studies.
