Religion in India: A Historical Introduction

1

On Wearing Good Lenses

Lenses used through the years

Pejorative putdown

Romanticism

“Noble savage”

Interpretation by imposition

“Benign neglect”

On understanding the “nature” of religion

Recommended reading

How clearly can you see? This is an apt question as one begins an attempt
to understand the religious heritage of India. It is apt because metaphors of
vision spiral their way throughout Indian religion and thought: the term,
dars ́an, for example, “seeing” (the deity) is the highpoint of Hindu ritual.
Dars ́anis also the viewpoint from which one sees something of the truth.
Another term, vidya ̄– “knowledge” – is derived from the Sanskrit term vid

• “to perceive or know”; avidya ̄(“not seeing/knowing”) is perceived to be
  the fundamental human problem. Buddhi(enlightenment or awaking) is a
  matter of understanding, of seeing correctly. Indian religions ask again and
  again: “How well do you see?”
  This is also an apt question because it invites us to check our lenses before
  we start this enterprise. Whatone sees in the Indian setting is often a product
  of how one sees. We bring agendas, presuppositions, and images to our
  examination of Indian religion which may not be accurate or helpful. It is
  important in our viewing that we be self-conscious of the lenses we bring. As
  one studies Indian religion, one finds that there is wisdom in stepping into
  the optometrist’s office to check one’s focus and the adequacy of one’s
  vision.