000 02821namaa2200469uu 4500
001 doab32963
003 oapen
005 20260305123942.0
006 m o d
007 cr|mn|---annan
008 210210s2016 xx |||||o ||| 0|eng d
020 _a9781781791288; 9781781791295; 9781781794364; 9781781794371
040 _aoapen
_coapen
041 0 _aeng
042 _adc
072 7 _aJF
_2bicssc
720 1 _aFerrari, Fabrizio M.
_4edt
245 0 0 _aSoulless Matter, Seats of Energy
_bMetals, Gems and Minerals in South Asian Traditions
260 _bEquinox
_c2016
300 _a1 online resource (316 p.)
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
506 0 _aFree-to-read
_fUnrestricted online access
_2star
520 _aSoulless 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.
536 _aH2020 European Research Council
540 _aAll rights reserved
_uhttp://oapen.org/content/about-rights
546 _aEnglish
650 7 _aSociety & culture: general
_2bicssc
653 _acustoms
653 _afolklore
653 _ametals
653 _aminerals
653 _amythology
653 _areligion
653 _aSouth Asia
720 1 _aDähnhardt, Thomas W.P.
_4edt
720 1 _aDähnhardt, Thomas W.P.
_4oth
720 1 _aFerrari, Fabrizio M.
_4oth
793 0 _aDOAB Library.
856 4 0 _uhttps://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/32963
_70
_zFree-to-read: DOAB: description of the publication
999 _c92464
_d92464