Is Indian Philosophy Really That Crazy? Introducing Easy-to-Understand Recommended Introductory Books and Commentaries!

Introduction

"Indian philosophy crazy"

I was surprised. Or perhaps, it was the expected result... To my surprise, the keyword "Indian philosophy crazy" occupied the majority of internet searches regarding Indian philosophy.

Since there are so many searches like this, the image of Indian philosophy being "crazy" might actually be the reality. (When I looked into it, there was indeed talk about the University of Tokyo's Indian philosophy department being "crazy".)

It is true that India is a mysterious chaos. I stayed in India from 2023 to 2024, so I can understand why it is called "crazy."

However, when asked in what way it is "crazy," one can only say that it is a matter of individual perception. This is also the drawback of the word "crazy." Because the scope of the word is too broad, even if it is called "crazy" across the board, what it refers to depends on each person's perception. This makes the meaning of the word unclear.

Generally, Indian philosophy is considered too mysterious, and perhaps the image of it being "crazy" means "if you get hooked on this, you won't be able to come back, something terrible will happen, or you will become an eccentric person," in that sense. It could be said that it is a form of tracing the image of India, the land of mystery, as it is.

However, in my experience, I doubt whether such an overly mystified image really applies to Indian philosophy. I have read various books on Indian thought, but I have not found elements that would be called "crazy" to that extent. There is a mysterious side, of course, but at the same time, an intellectual and clear logic coexists there. In other words, I feel that "Indian philosophy = crazy" is a greatly exaggerated image.

Therefore, there is no need to be so afraid of Indian philosophy or Indian thought. It includes the ideas that became the matrix of our Buddhism. If you actually read the books I will introduce from now on, I am sure you will feel how interesting it is. And you will also realize that such Indian thought actually has a surprisingly large influence on us Japanese. I myself was surprised by many things.

I think it will overturn your stereotypical view of India in a good way.

The books I will introduce from now on are recommended commentaries for learning Indian philosophy and thought. Please refer to the links for each book, as they provide more detailed information.

Let's get started right away.

6 Recommended Introductory Books on Indian Philosophy

1 Tatsuo Morimoto"Hinduism: The Sacred and Profane in India"

I used to associate India and Hinduism with rituals of worship like the one in the photo above, but in this book, you can learn not only about the formation and thought of Hinduism but also about the faith of ordinary believers at a daily level.

The mysterious country of India. You can learn about India, which feels like another world even though it is in the same Asia, in a fun way in this book. The author's narrative is also very easy to understand, and you can discover the fun of the complex and strange Indian world. It is interesting because you can learn "why India is so unique" along with its historical background.

India, which looks like a complex and strange demon realm to us. There are unique religious circumstances in its background. This was very interesting.

In addition, you can learn about many interesting religious circumstances in India in this book. And they will make you think not only about Indian religion but also about "what religion is in the first place."

2 Hiroshi Yamashita"Ancient Indian Thought"

In this book, you can learn how Indian thought has been greatly influenced by its unique climate and natural features. This work is highly stimulating, as it explores why an infinite, cosmic philosophy was born in India and why Indians believe in polytheistic religions, all through the lens of nature and climate.

This book also discusses other topics that are very interesting for considering Indian thought, such as the monsoon climate, dry and rainy seasons, and forests.

This is fascinating. It is a book that provides very important insights not only for thinking about India but also for considering all religions, philosophies, and cultures. I highly recommend this work.

3 Shunji Hosaka"A History of the Rise and Fall of Indian Religions"

This book is a very helpful reference for learning about Indian religions.

This is because its feature lies in the fact that it does not look at the many religions in India separately, but rather discusses them by focusing on their interrelationships.

The relationship between ancient Indian Brahmanism, Buddhism, and Jainism. What was the background behind the rise of Hinduism and Islam over time? Why did Buddhism decline, and why was its sister religion, Jainism, able to survive to this day? This book is extremely valuable as it allows you to view these things through historical backgrounds and the interrelationships between religions. Religion is not just religion. History, culture, politics, and economics are all involved. This is a very stimulating work that allows you to feel the dynamism of history.

4 Martin J. Dougherty"Encyclopedia of Indian Mythology"

Dougherty does not just tell the content of the stories, but also speaks to their historical background and the depth of their culture.

As Dougherty states, 'To understand any religion, it is essential to know the society and culture that form its background, and the history in which that culture was formed (p. 13),' the book is structured in a very helpful way that also allows you to learn about the historical background in which Hinduism was established.

Humans cannot fully know the truths of the world. Mythology itself does not provide answers. However, 'there is self-awareness there.'

This commentary really struck a chord with me. I have spent about four years studying the theme of 'Shinran and Dostoevsky,' and in the Christian worldview, the idea that 'there is no absolute truth' almost never arises. The existence of God as an absolute being and creator is taken for granted. However, that was not the case in India. It is also interesting to feel these differences between the West and the East.

And as you read this book, you will also learn about the Hindu view of life, death, and the afterlife. Thinking about these things while intertwining them with the historical background of the time, I strongly felt that Buddhism was truly born from the 'Indian context.'

I realized once again that Buddhist thought and the terms and concepts used therein were born from the world of Hinduism. There are things that become visible by tracing back from Buddhism to learn about Indian history and culture. It was a reading experience that convinced me of this. This is interesting. It is a wonderful work that gives a new perspective on Buddhism.

5 Katsuhiko Kamimura"The World of the Bhagavad Gita: Salvation in Hinduism"

This work is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita which is the supreme philosophical text of India written within the great Indian epic Mahabharata .

This Mahabharata, along with the Ramayana, is one of the two great epics that represent India, and these great epics are still cherished in modern India.

Mahabharata? Bhagavad Gita? Ramayana?

You might be blanking out when hearing these proper nouns, but in fact, they are actually familiar to modern Japanese people as well.

Do you know the Indian movie called RRR? It was a huge hit in Japan a few years ago. In fact, this movie was based on the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Ramayana.

One of the protagonists of this movie, Bheem, comes from the hero Bhima who appears in the Mahabharata. Furthermore, the other protagonist, Rama, comes from Rama, the protagonist of the Ramayana. In other words, RRR is a gorgeous work that is the culmination of Indian spiritual expression, a fusion of India's two great epics. This really got me fired up!

The dance scene for "Naatu" took the world by storm. It is truly THE India! It is a great explosion of India! It is a super intense video, so please take a look!

Now, I have digressed a little, but the author states the following in this book.

"It is no exaggeration to say that Japanese people are, so to speak, 'closet Hindus.' Demonstrating this is one of the purposes of this book."

That is a shocking statement, isn't it?

However, as you read this book, these words start to feel very real. The connections between Japanese culture and Mahayana Buddhism are explained in a very easy-to-understand way.

This book itself might be a work that is hard to pick up because it is a commentary on the ancient Indian philosophy called the Bhagavad Gita. But why not change your perspective a little and look at this book as a Buddhist text?

This book is structured so that you can read it even without knowing about ancient India or Indian philosophy. At the same time, it is easy enough to serve as an introductory book on Buddhism. This is a truly magnificent masterpiece.

It is a highly recommended work that provides a new perspective for understanding Japanese Buddhism. Why not pick it up and take a look?

6 Nobuyuki Watase The Laws of Manu: The Prototype of the Hindu World

This book is a reference book for the Laws of Manu, which became the foundation for the worldview and life norms of the Indian Hindu world.

This work is a wonderful piece that explains the outline of the Laws of Manu in an easy-to-understand way.

In India, religion is integrated into life itself. It is not just something to be believed in spiritually, but exists as the very practice of living. Buddhism was also born within this Indian religious and worldview context.

Also, as explained in this work, the "Manusmriti" was greatly influenced by the existence of Buddhism, Jainism, and various ascetic practitioners. Or, to be more precise, ideas and systems were created while influencing each other.

When we Japanese try to learn about Indian Buddhism, we tend to look at the Indian world only from the perspective of Buddhism. However, in India, Buddhism was more of an outsider. The mainstream was, after all, the Hindu world.

Moreover, Buddhism adopted a policy of not intervening much in the daily lives of lay believers. In other words, it is said that the daily lives and rites of passage of Buddhists remained within the framework of the Hindu world.

This book, which allows us to know the life norms and worldviews of the Hindu world that coexisted with such Indian Buddhists, is extremely valuable. I believe it is a work of great significance for thinking about Indian Buddhism as well.

Furthermore, recommended reference books for learning about Indian philosophy and Indian thought

1 Yuto Kawamura“Words and Magical Power: Deciphering Vedic Mythology”

This book is a work that considers the power of "words" using ancient Indian mythology as its subject. You might feel hesitant if you hear the term ancient Indian "Vedas" as it sounds difficult, but please rest assured. The author has put great effort into making it easy and fun to read even for those who know nothing about India.

Words represent the person themselves. Of course, as the saying "words, words, words" goes, there are times when words themselves cannot be trusted. However, the words we use casually in our daily lives do indeed represent who we are. I believe that words are what emerge from within a person.

I think this book is a wonderful opportunity to rethink what words are. It is also a grateful work that allows you to enjoy learning about the history and culture of ancient India, which you do not usually come into contact with.

2 Noboru Karashima & Yasuaki Nara“Life World History 5: The Face of India”

In this book, you can learn about the culture and spirituality at the level of daily life in India. As the author states, there is "honne and tatemae" (true feelings and public facade) in actual life. The realization that ignoring this and picking only one side would result in something completely different was indeed something I could nod along to.

In this book, not only these religious aspects but also caste, art, food including curry, politics, language, cities and villages, love, and so on are discussed in a wide variety of ways regarding "Indian life." This book was also a very interesting work for thinking about the flow of how Buddhism was born and then absorbed into the Hindu world. This is a work I highly recommend. Why not pick it up and take a look?

3 Masaaki Hattori“Mystical Thought of Ancient India: The World of Early Upanishads”

This book is a work that explains Upanishadic philosophy, which can be called the profound mystery of ancient Indian thought.

And as I wrote in the title of this article, the beginning of this book also discusses the connection between ancient Indian thought and Schopenhauer.

I have looked at Schopenhauer on this blog before, and it was very interesting to learn in detail about his connection to ancient India and the influence it had on European society.

4 Musashi TachikawaHindu Pilgrimage

This book makes you feel like you are traveling through the holy sites of Hinduism along with the author.

This book introduces not only India but also places like Nepal and Bali. When people think of Hinduism, they often think of India, but in fact, Hinduism was also practiced in its surrounding countries. The chapter on Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, was particularly eye-opening for me. The author reveals the world he saw with his own eyes, showing us what happens when modern capital suddenly enters a traditional society.

The appearance of a religion that has lived on since ancient times, and the lives of the people. In this book, you can see the lives of real human beings themselves, rather than abstract philosophical concepts. What is the relationship between the local people and their religion? How is it different from us living in Japan? It makes you think about such things.

5 Naoshiro TsujiThe Dawn of Indian Civilization: Vedas and Upanishads

This book aims to introduce the outline of the Vedas to non-specialists. Therefore, this is not a research book on the Vedas, but an introductory book on the Vedas as common knowledge.

When you hear "Vedas and Upanishads," you might get the impression that it is something incredibly difficult, but as stated here, this book itself is an introductory text written so that even non-specialists can understand it.

This book allows you to learn what was believed in ancient Indian religion and how it was practiced.

In particular, the Rig Veda, the oldest document in India, features many gods of Brahmanism, which became the source of modern Hinduism. This book was very helpful in feeling the differences from Indian religion before it became Hinduism.

6 Translated by Naoshiro TsujiHymns of the Rig Veda

This book is a collection of excerpts from the main parts of the Rig Veda, the fundamental scripture of ancient India.

Above, I introduced a recommended reference book for this scripture, "The Dawn of Indian Civilization: Vedas and Upanishads" by Naoshiro Tsuji, and now the main event has arrived.

As the title "Hymns of the Rig Veda" suggests, this scripture is filled with repeated praises to the gods.

And as mentioned in the commentary above, the variety of those gods is truly abundant. It is also very interesting that the ranking and order of the gods are ambiguous. A truly polytheistic world unfolds there.

Among them, what I found particularly interesting was that Vishnu and Shiva, who would later become the main deities in Hinduism, have a minor presence in these "Hymns of the Rig Veda." It was very interesting to learn that Shiva appears under his predecessor's name, Rudra, and was not such a popular god at the time of ancient India.

Vishnu and Shiva, who had a low profile in the Vedas, eventually gained immense popularity in Indian religion. This change seems to be a very important point in understanding Indian religion.

7 Mizuho Okita"Introduction to the Mahabharata: An Introduction to Indian Mythology"

This book is a recommended introductory guide to get an overview of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata.

This book was extremely helpful in grasping the overall picture of this vast epic. It is a recommended introductory book that even beginners can read with peace of mind as they learn the flow of the story. It is a work I highly recommend to anyone interested in India.

8 "Indian Mythological Tales: The Mahabharata"

The Mahabharata is one of the two major epics representing India (the other being the Ramayana).

This great epic is still loved in modern India, and many films have been made using the heroes and gods that appear in it as motifs. As I mentioned above, the recently explosive hit Indian film 'RRR' is one such example.

As a story itself, the Mahabharata is extremely interesting. Since the story originates from a struggle for the throne, a very diverse human drama unfolds. With curses and connections from past lives intertwined, it becomes an even more dramatic and rewarding story to read.

Furthermore, starting with the Bhagavad Gita, this mythology questions how to live and what one should seek in life amidst the miserable hell of war and a life full of suffering. Deep contemplation on 'how one should live' is embedded within the dramatic mythological story. Perhaps it is because of this deep contemplation and the wisdom of 'how one should live' that it has become so deeply rooted in India.

Just like Greek mythology's "Iliad", it is fundamentally outstandingly interesting as a story! There is a reason why it is still loved by many people today. It was also a very interesting work for understanding the origins of Indian thought.

9 "The Bhagavad Gita"

The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue set within the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, which can be called the secret teachings of Indian thought.

This work consists of a dialogue between one of the protagonists of the Mahabharata, Arjuna, and his charioteer Krishna (who is actually an incarnation of the god Vishnu).

That dialogue, of course, begins against the backdrop of the plot of the Mahabharata. It is not impossible to understand if you read the Bhagavad Gita on its own, but I believe it is essential to know the main outline of the Mahabharata to appreciate it more deeply.

The Bhagavad Gita is quite compact at about 140 pages in paperback. Also, Katsuhiko Kamimura's translation is very easy to read, and I am grateful that there is over 50 pages of commentary at the end of the book.

If you read it in conjunction with the previously introduced 'The World of the Bhagavad Gita: Salvation in Hinduism', Mizuho Okita's 'Introduction to the Mahabharata: An Introduction to Indian Mythology', and the 'Mahabharata' itself, your understanding will be further deepened.

This also had great significance for learning Buddhism. No, it was a gem of a sacred text that opens one's eyes not only to Buddhism but also to religion and humanity itself.

10 "The Indian Mythological Tale: Ramayana"

The "Ramayana," which is hailed alongside the "Mahabharata" as one of the two great Indian epics, is an adventure story about the protagonist Rama setting out to rescue his wife Sita, who was captured by the demon king Ravana.

I have now read the two great Indian epics, the "Mahabharata" and the "Ramayana," one after the other, and it has been a wonderful experience. I have been completely captivated by the depth and fascination of India. This is a work I highly recommend.

11 Akira Hasegawa "Introduction to Indian Mythology"

In this book, you can learn about the gods of India along with many illustrations. It is very helpful and easy to understand to be able to learn the characteristics of the gods and how to distinguish them while actually looking at their forms.

Although it is difficult for us as foreigners to distinguish between the Indian gods at a glance, there are clear points to look for. Each god has specific forms and attributes. Once you know how to distinguish them, you will feel a greater sense of familiarity with the Indian gods.

Until now, I have learned about India mainly through the text of books, but looking closely at the actual forms of the gods like this was very fresh and fun. At first, I found them eerie and couldn't even open the book, but now this book is my favorite. I pick it up on every occasion to review the characteristics of each god, thinking, "Ah, so this was Shiva's feature." This is a convenient book to have.

12 "Manusmriti"

The "Manusmriti" is an Indian sacred text believed to have been compiled between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. This sacred text continues to have a major influence on Indian society today.

The "Manusmriti" is not just a law book. What surprises you when you start reading the "Manusmriti" is that it begins abruptly with the story of the creation of the universe. It first describes a grand cosmology and worldview centered on the creator, Brahman, and from there, it discusses how people should live and what they should take as norms and rules for life.

Also, as explained in the aforementioned "Manusmriti: The Prototype of the Hindu World," the point is not just to list life norms and systems, but that they are given religious authority by the creator, Brahman.

The "Manusmriti" is a sacred text that has the aspect of a counter-argument against Buddhism, Jainism, and countless ascetic practitioners. While Buddhism was pessimistic and idealized the destruction of desire, the Hindu sacred texts are world-affirming and do not deny the fulfillment of desires. This may be one of the reasons why Buddhism later perished in India and Hinduism reached the height of its prosperity.

13 Kautilya "Arthashastra"

The author of this work (as attributed) Kautilya is actually a person with a major connection to us Buddhists. This is because Kautilya is known as the great prime minister of Chandragupta, the founder of the Maurya Dynasty established in 317 BC, and the most famous person of this dynasty is King Ashoka, who appears in the era shortly after this.

King Ashoka is a king famous for spreading Buddhism throughout India, but it can be said that his dynasty was able to possess power that spread throughout India precisely because of this Kautilya's political prowess.

And so, Kautilya is actually connected to us Buddhists as well.

Now, while Machiavelli's The Prince advocates for quite ruthless political maneuvering, this 'Arthashastra' is also remarkably intense.

As the commentary in this book states, 'The author of this book advocates for every possible political maneuver that a monarch should adopt to protect their country's security, strengthen national power, and acquire the territories of others. In particular, the practical examples of espionage activities developed throughout the book are among the most noteworthy. In Indian classics, espionage was highly valued, and even in later literary works, kings who could not properly utilize spies were criticized,' so the use of spies is explained with particular care.

Reading this book makes me not at all envious of being born into royalty. No matter how much luxury I could have, I would respectfully decline that right. Perhaps the Buddha felt the same way.

Although it was several hundred years before the 'Arthashastra,' during the Buddha's lifetime, all of India was in a warring states period, presenting an aspect of survival of the fittest. Furthermore, the Buddha was a prince of the Shakya clan and was originally supposed to govern the country using the kind of political maneuvering described in the 'Arthashastra.' In the end, the Buddha abandoned that path and became an ascetic, but the Shakya clan was later destroyed by the great kingdom of Kosala. The Buddha witnessed the disappearance of the country of his birth.

Moreover, even the Kosala kingdom that destroyed the Shakya clan was soon destroyed by the Magadha kingdom. By the way, the king of Magadha at this time was a famous figure named Ajatashatru. I am sure many of you have heard of him.

The Buddha preached Buddhism after feeling the reality of this survival of the fittest and political maneuvering firsthand. Thinking about it, one realizes how far the Buddha's peaceful teachings were from the common sense of that time.

'Isn't the peace the Buddha preaches just an ideal? Such things are powerless in the face of reality. Governing a country cannot be done with pretty words.'

Such painful thoughts crossed my mind many times, but if the Buddha was someone who still lived to the end preaching his teachings with conviction, then I think that is truly great.

This book is also a very useful work for understanding the harsh situation in India at that time.

14 Kama Sutra

The reason I decided to read the 'Kama Sutra' was because of Khajuraho in India. Even though these are Hindu temples, they are filled with sexual sculptures.

However, do not underestimate it as merely 'sexually dubious.' The issue of sexuality in religion held something very important. Moreover, this is not just a story within Hinduism; Buddhism also absorbed Hindu thought and led to Tantrism and Esoteric Buddhism, which is why these ideas and practices related to sexuality appear.

The 'Kama Sutra' is not just a lewd text. It is misunderstood as being only about intense sexual expression, but that is just one part of life between men and women. The 'Kama Sutra' includes the entirety of the encounter between men and women and the life they walk together. I was also surprised to find that this legal code is packed with life norms for men and women.

The 'Manusmriti' introduced above also preached life norms for every aspect of life. Thinking about it, it means that in the Hindu world, norms, things to do, and things to believe were quite strictly defined in every aspect of daily life. Of course, just as there is a difference between true intentions and public facades, not everything was strictly followed. However, I suspect that the teachings of Hinduism were ingrained in every corner of life.

15 Kenji Watanabe Jainism: Non-possession, Non-violence, Non-killing - Its Doctrine and Real Life

Jainism is a religion that shares so many commonalities with Buddhism that it is often called a sister religion.

In this book, you can easily learn about the basic doctrines of Jainism and the background of its establishment.

I highly recommend this book as it allows you to understand what Jainism is along with its historical context.

It was a very easy-to-read introductory book on Jainism and also a helpful reference for Buddhism.

16 Jun Ohi, 'Brahmins and Hymns in Modern South India'

This work, 'Brahmins and Hymns in Modern South India,' is recommended for learning about South Indian culture. Indian culture, religion, and history are often discussed with a focus on North India, such as Delhi and the Ganges River basin. In that context, a book that discusses culture and society by focusing on the Dravidian people and Tamils of South India is quite valuable.

And this book examines the unique culture of South India through the lens of religious hymns.

While there are many books on Indian religion and culture, a book specialized in South Indian music is rare. It was my first time thinking about Indian culture from this perspective, and I was able to read this book with a very fresh feeling.

17 Jiro Managa'The Truth of Gandhi: What is the Philosophy of Non-Violence?'

Mahatma Gandhi is a great figure among great figures, known to everyone for the major role he played in India's independence.

This work, 'The Truth of Gandhi: What is the Philosophy of Non-Violence?', is a recommended reference book that allows you to easily look into Gandhi's philosophy, personality, and the influence he had on society.

Gandhi's famous "non-violence" is a term we are all familiar with. However, what this "non-violence" actually entails is not well known, or rather, it is even misunderstood. This book raises such questions.

In particular, chapters 5 and 6, which discuss Gandhi's religious views and family issues, are shocking. I was also surprised, thinking, "Wait, really?"

However, this book is not mere gossip. It clarifies Gandhi's philosophy and personality through various documents.

18 Hajime Nakamura'Ancient India'

This book is a reference on ancient India by the Buddhist scholar Hajime Nakamura.

Professor Hajime Nakamura has left behind'History of Indian Philosophy', which can be called a classic of Indian philosophy research, but the wonderful point of this work, 'Ancient India,' is that you can learn about the historical background and climate of ancient India where Buddhism was born.

This book begins with the prehistoric era of India, allowing you to learn in detail about the process from the Indus Valley Civilization, the Aryan invasion, and the development of Brahmanism, to the birth and decline of Buddhism. You will learn in an easy-to-understand way about the grand narrative of why Buddhism was born, what kind of people were moved by the Buddha's teachings, how the Buddhist order spread throughout India, and why it eventually declined.

This book will make you strongly feel the importance of looking at Buddhism not only from the perspective of thought, but also from the perspectives of history, culture, ethnicity, and climate.

Professor Hajime Nakamura wrote this book after actually experiencing India on the ground. Professor Nakamura values the local atmosphere and sensations that cannot be understood just by reading books. The key to understanding religion and thought lies in how Indians lived within the 'specific environment of India.' You will keenly realize that there are things you cannot understand by just looking at documents in a distant land.

You will also realize that Buddhism was born within the framework of Brahmanism and Hinduism and continued to live while interacting with them.

There are countless books that explain the teachings and thoughts of Buddhism, but there are surprisingly few books that clearly summarize the historical background and climate in which those thoughts were born. This book is a valuable work with a mountain of unexpected discoveries for us Japanese. I am sure you will be surprised if you read this.

19 Philip C. AlmondThe British Discovery of Buddhism

What we assumed to be Indian was actually a product of British rule...

As mentioned in this book introduction, this work tells a shocking fact. Although the issue of Western-derived Buddhist studies is also discussed in New History of Asian Buddhism 02: India II - Formation and Development of Buddhism, which I introduced on this blog before, this book can be said to be the very heart of that matter.

This book also provides very significant suggestions for thinking about Indian thought.

This is a super stimulating book. It is an incredible work. Please, by all means, read it! I am sure you will all be shocked!

20 Masakazu Yoshimura, 'A Cultural History of Spiritualism: The Spiritual British Era'

When I hear the word spiritualism, I have an occult and suspicious image, but there was actually an interesting background where it was born from the Industrial Revolution and the global trend of rationalism.

And what makes this book important for Indian thought is that it reveals that India's mystical teachings were a perfect match for the tastes of Westerners at the time. Moreover, it is revealed that there was also a structure where Easterners actively sold their own religions to such Westerners.

The roots of the 'mystical India' that we imagine were here.

I cannot discuss this any further here, but I talk about it in more detail at the link provided, so if you are interested, please take a look.

Recommended reference books on Indian history and the caste system

From here on, although these are not books directly about Indian philosophy, I will introduce several reference books on issues directly linked to Indian thought, such as Indian history and the caste system.

1 Motokazu Yamazaki“Civilization and Society of Ancient India (World History 3)”

This book is a recommended commentary that allows you to learn in detail about the history and culture of ancient India.

When I say "learn in detail," you might get the impression that it is a difficult and hard-to-read book, but this book is completely different. It is extremely easy to read and understand.

And the reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to know the historical background of how Buddhism was born. To understand why Buddhism was accepted by the people, one must know not only the ideological aspect but also the soil in which it was accepted. I wanted to know what kind of society the people of that time lived in and what kind of lives they led.

This book was a wonderful work that answered those questions of mine.

2 Takeshi Fujii“Caste in History: The ‘Self-Portrait’ of Modern India”

In this work, you can learn how the caste system in India became more complex and solidified due to British colonial policy.

I picked up this book because of “Cruel Tales of India: The World's Most Resilient People” by Aya Ikegame, which I also introduced on this blog.“Cruel Tales of India: The World's Most Resilient People”

Through that book, I learned about the tragic reality of caste discrimination that continues to this day. And it was this book, “World History Selection: Caste in History - The ‘Self-Portrait’ of Modern India,” that was introduced within that book.

Caste discrimination in India existed since ancient times. However, modern caste discrimination has not necessarilycontinued exactly as it was from ancient India.

There, in addition to India's unique complex culture and ethnicity, there was the influence of British colonial rule.

The caste system in India is complicated, to say the least.

It is true that there was a caste system in ancient India as well. And as we have seen on this blog so far, it was Buddhism and Jainism that criticized that caste system.

However, it was British colonial policy that transformed that indigenous Indian caste system and made it even more rigid. And to make matters even more difficult, in this book, you will learn that there was also an effort from the Indian side to utilize their own castes in order to survive British colonial rule.

This book is very valuable as it allows us to look in detail at how the current caste system is connected to the two-way interaction between Western countries, including Britain, and the local Indian people.

The author points out in this book that the Indian caste system is often discussed in an overly simplified manner. This book clarifies why such a simplified caste system is talked about by exploring its historical background.

This book is also a very valuable work for learning about the complexity of India. It is a book I highly recommend.

3 William DalrympleThe Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company

This book takes a detailed look at the process by which the giant that was India came to be dominated by the British East India Company.

Let me start by saying this: this book is truly shocking. I even felt a sense of dread while reading it. Why did the Mughal Empire, which boasted overwhelming prosperity, succumb so easily to a British trading company? What is discussed in this book is not at all irrelevant to us living in modern Japan. This book can truly be called a warning to us modern people.

I felt deeply afraid after reading this book. Even a country that boasts prosperity can collapse in an instant. Japan may have once been prosperous, but it is now in a completely downward trend. And then there is the current chaos.

I believe this book has great significance as a warning for the modern age.

Of course, it is also highly recommended for those interested in Indian history or British history. It was very stimulating for me to see how this book connected with what I had learned previously. I was astonished to find that even the American Revolutionary War and Napoleon were connected to these events.

It is a masterpiece that also teaches us that the world is interconnected. This is a book I definitely want to recommend.

4 Tatsuo MorimotoHistory of Indian Independence

This book is so heavy... The history of India's suffering explained in this book is beyond imagination.

When you think of India's independence from British colonial rule, you probably think of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).

Gandhi, the leader of Indian independence. We know about his famous resistance movements like non-violence, non-cooperation, and the Salt March at a vocabulary level. And we also know that thanks to his efforts, India eventually won its independence from Britain.

But what was happening in the background? In this book, you will witness that there was a situation so complex it defies imagination.

5 Aya IkegameCruel Stories of India: The World's Most Resilient People

I was deeply shocked by this book. It discussed issues that I, as a monk, could not help but be shocked by. I will talk about this in more detail in the second half of this article, but for me, this book raised major issues in thinking about the existence of India.

This book discusses the caste system in modern India. As mentioned in the book introduction above, this book is a valuable record based on the author's field research. It contains real life that you cannot know just by reading literature at a desk.

6 Maya SuzukiCaste and Untouchables in Modern India

In this book, we will look at the miserable situation of the cleaning caste in Delhi.

Also, in this book, we will consider the content and problems of the reforms by Gandhi. What kind of Indian society did Gandhi envision? You will clearly understand how Gandhi thought about the caste system and the untouchables. Gandhi has a strong image as a saint who demonstrated great leadership in India's independence, but I think it is a very important point to understand how that Gandhi thought about caste.

This book allows you to learn valuable information about India centered on data and fieldwork. It was a very helpful work for understanding caste discrimination. I highly recommend this work along with the next one I will introduce, "The Toilets of 1.3 Billion People: The Economic Powerhouse of India Seen from Below" by Daisuke Sato.

7 Daisuke Sato"The Toilets of 1.3 Billion People"

This book was also shocking. While "Caste and Untouchables in Modern India" by Shinya Suzuki, introduced in the article above, focused on the cleaning caste in Delhi, in this work, "The Toilets of 1.3 Billion People: The Economic Powerhouse of India Seen from Below," you will learn about that miserable reality in more concrete terms.

While "Caste and Untouchables in Modern India" is an optimal reference book for grasping the overall picture, focusing on data, fieldwork, and explanations of historical circumstances, this work tells one intense example after another. Therefore, there is no doubt that there will be a synergistic effect by reading these two works as a set.

Although this book is a new paperback, it is an extremely dense work with a large amount of information. It is one of the best recommended books for knowing the reality of modern India. This book, which talks about modern India from the rather unusual angle of "toilets," is very stimulating. It is also exceptionally easy to read and you can breeze through it. Since surprising content keeps appearing, you will surely be drawn in before you know it.

8 James Crabtree"Billionaire India"

India is a major power with remarkable economic growth, having surpassed China's population in 2023. Where is India, led by Prime Minister Modi, heading from here? This book is perfect for learning about modern India, which has now become a presence that exerts a huge influence on the world.

As the title "Billionaire India: The Light and Shadow of a Society Ruled by the Super-Rich" suggests, this book looks at India with the super-wealthy in India as the main theme.

The first thing that surprises you when reading this book is the sheer wealth of India's billionaires. Super-wealthy people who rank high in the world's billionaire rankings are being born one after another in India.

This is Antilia, the home of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, which appears at the beginning of this book. It is also on the cover of this book, and this building is said to be the most expensive private residence in the world. You might think, "Aren't there many buildings like this in the world?" But that is not the case. It is not that a part of this building is his home, but that this building itself is a private residence. When you think about it that way, you can see Ambani's astonishing wealth.

Such super-wealthy people are emerging one after another in India now. They have obtained overwhelming wealth, but on the other hand, the problem of overwhelming disparity is shaking India.

It was known that the disparity in India was originally large, but now that disparity has become even more extreme. This has become a source of trouble for modern India.

So, how were such super-wealthy people born? You can see that in this book. And as mentioned in the book introduction, the main reasons were the realities that make you want to look away, such as collusion between politics and business, cronyism, corruption, and bribery.

The corruption in India told in this book is tremendous. It is said in various places such as the media that "the world will be led by India from now on," but I doubt whether things will proceed so simply. I have no idea what will happen to India's development. This is truly a case of the future being dark. I cannot imagine at all what will become of this chaotic country.

Conclusion

That concludes my recommendations for books on Indian philosophy and Indian thought.

The more you learn about India, the more fascinating it becomes. And having actually visited India after studying these topics, I found it to be truly intriguing.

I hope this serves as a helpful reference for your reading.

That was "Is Indian Philosophy Really That Wild? Introducing Easy-to-Understand Recommended Introductory Books and Commentaries!"

*Updated March 20, 2025

In this article, I introduced recommended commentaries on Indian philosophy, but in the following "Introduction to Buddhism: Learning the Life of the Buddha Through On-Site Photos" article, I explain who the Buddha actually was in the first place.

I highly recommend reading it as well.

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