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oapen-20.500.12657-296342021-11-12T16:18:09Z Soulless Matter, Seats of Energy Ferrari, Fabrizio M. Dähnhardt, Thomas W.P. South Asia religion customs folklore metals minerals mythology bic Book Industry Communication::J Society & social sciences::JF Society & culture: general Soulless Matter, Seats of Energy: Metals, Gems and Minerals in South Asian Traditions investigates the way in which Indian culture has represented inorganic matter and geological formations such as mountains and the earth itself. The volume is divided into four sections, each discussing from different angles the manifold dimensions occupied by minerals, gems and metals in traditions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The various chapters offer a rigorous analysis of a variety of texts from different South Asian regions from a range of perspectives such as history, philology, philosophy, hermeneutics and ethnography. The themes discussed include literature (myth and epics), ritual, ethics, folklore, and sciences such as astrology, medicine, alchemy and cosmetics. The volume critically reflects on the concept of “inanimate world” and shows how Indian traditions have variously interpreted the concept of embodied life and lifelessness. Ranging from worldviews and disciplines which regard metals, minerals, gems as alive, sentient or inhabited by divine presences and powers to ideas which deny matter possesses life and sentience, the Indian Subcontinent proves to be a challenge for taxonomic investigations but at the same time provides historians of religions and philosophers with stimulating material. 2018-07-17 23:55 2019-03-28 15:51:14 2020-04-01T12:34:31Z 2020-04-01T12:34:31Z 2016 book 1000304 OCN: 1051781129 9781781791288; 9781781791295; 9781781794364; 9781781794371 http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/29634 eng Equinox 4f72fab9-2a3a-43b4-aead-a9a346dbe888 eb439769-e370-4c55-9195-ed3f0de9f258 178e65b9-dd53-4922-b85c-0aaa74fce079 9781781791288; 9781781791295; 9781781794364; 9781781794371 European Research Council (ERC) 316 639363 H2020 H2020 European Research Council H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council open access
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Soulless Matter, Seats of Energy: Metals, Gems and Minerals in South Asian Traditions investigates the way in which Indian culture has represented inorganic matter and geological formations such as mountains and the earth itself. The volume is divided into four sections, each discussing from different angles the manifold dimensions occupied by minerals, gems and metals in traditions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The various chapters offer a rigorous analysis of a variety of texts from different South Asian regions from a range of perspectives such as history, philology, philosophy, hermeneutics and ethnography. The themes discussed include literature (myth and epics), ritual, ethics, folklore, and sciences such as astrology, medicine, alchemy and cosmetics.
The volume critically reflects on the concept of “inanimate world” and shows how Indian traditions have variously interpreted the concept of embodied life and lifelessness. Ranging from worldviews and disciplines which regard metals, minerals, gems as alive, sentient or inhabited by divine presences and powers to ideas which deny matter possesses life and sentience, the Indian Subcontinent proves to be a challenge for taxonomic investigations but at the same time provides historians of religions and philosophers with stimulating material.
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