Being Different: An Indian Challenge To Western Universalism (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism.ReviewRajiv Malhotra, authour of Being Different “hopes to set the terms for a deeper and more informer engagement between dharmic and Western civilizations.” This book has nothing to do with converting others. He talks about India and the people of India. Rajiv Malhotra talks about how India isn’t just a nation; it is an ancient and diverse civilization with a distinct culture and various philosophies. By looking at the West with an Indian, specifically Hindu pair of eyes, he highlights the challenges that both parties face about themselves and others. The philosophy that Rajiv Malhotra speaks about in Hinduism portrays the Hindu Indian and allows the reader to connect to themselves and understand others. I enjoyed reading this book because it educated me about my spiritual, philosophical, cultural, and my entire background. Being Different really talked about Being Different, and how the Westerners and the Indians handle the abundance of diversity within a person. This book isn’t just meant for Hindu, Indian, or brown readers. This book connects to everyone on a universal level, addressing everyone simply with the eyes of Dharma. Not only does Rajiv Malhotra bring up other religions, he discusses everyone. Although Indian readers will understand this easier, for other readers, an amazing footnote section in the back is provided to allow for clarifications. This book allows for Indians to learn about themselves, others to learn about Indians, and people to just learn and accept each other. With the knowledge of others, a sense of acceptance will come, and this is what I really love about this book. A definite 5/5! I liked the Idea of Integral Unity which is indigenous to every one of us, who follows the Dharmic perspective. This is the inner scienctific view where we CONSIDER everyone as ourself untill unless realized through various methods of Gyan,Bhakti,karm ,hath or Rajyoga. The Western thoughts are materialistic based which is based on outer science on which they try hard to Show off thier unity which is false. Hence each and everytime when they boastoff their Synthetic Unity at the end they reach nowhere and hence dissatsfaction among most of the followers of Western Thoughts. Moreover, our Mahtama Rishis have developed these inner science based on experiments and realizations, which Westerns dont accept as a Science. For them "Science" only means calculations on which they can achieve only some materialistic based outcome but not "Vigyan" (Vishesh gyan) of Integral Unity, which brings peace and harmony among all the relagions and paths.
What do You think about Being Different: An Indian Challenge To Western Universalism (2011)?
This book compares/contrasts Western thought with dharmic thought. Erudite and deep.
—lmccarthy90
