
The Truth Within
A History of Inwardness in Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism
Gavin Flood(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 22. October 2015
Book
Paperback/Softback
330 pages
978-0-19-874521-1 (ISBN)
Description
The idea that there is a truth within the person linked to the discovery of a deeper, more fundamental, more authentic self, has been a common theme in many religions throughout history and an idea that is still with us today. This inwardness or interiority unique to me as an essential feature of who I am has been an aspect of culture and even a defining characteristic of human being; an authentic, private sphere to which we can retreat that is beyond the conflicts of the outer world. This inner world becomes more real than the outer, which is seen as but a pale reflection. Remarkably, the image of the truth within is found across cultures and this book presents an account of this idea in the pre-modern history of Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Furthermore, in theistic religions, Christianity and some forms of Hinduism, the truth within is conflated with the idea of God within and in all cases this inner truth is thought to be not only the heart of the person, but also the heart of the universe itself. Gavin Flood examines the metaphor of inwardness and the idea of truth within, along with the methods developed in religions to attain it such as prayer and meditation. These views of inwardness that link the self to cosmology can be contrasted with a modern understanding of the person. In examining the truth within in Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, Flood offers a hermeneutical phenomenology of inwardness and a defence of comparative religion.
Reviews / Votes
This book is a thoughtful, learned and ambitious attempt to offer an overviewof the way interiority is cultivated in the religious traditions of the subtitle... * F.X. Charet, Religions of South Asia * In this stimulating study, Flood maps premodern ideas of inwardness in medieval Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism...His approach is generous, open-minded, and stimulating...Highly recommended. * CHOICE *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
498 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-874521-1 (9780198745211)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
10/2013
Oxford University Press
€195.80
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Gavin Flood is Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion at Oxford University and the Academic Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Among his publications are An Introduction to Hinduism (CUP 1996), The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory, and Tradition (CUP 2004), and The Importance of Religion: Meaning and Action in Our Strange World (Blackwell 2012).
Content
PART I: HISTORY AND TEXT ; PART II: THEORY