[Buddha-l] Re: The Dalai Lama on Self-Loathing

[jkirk]

 Joanna et al.,

I've read Roland's "self" book and found it well-meaning but frustratingly
loose on detail and substantiation. Still, a provocative read. But I would
strongly second Joanna's recommendation of Sudhir Kakar's work. I've read
several of his books and taken a course from him when he was guest professor
at Chicago. A wonderful writer as well as a leading thinker on Indian
psychology. I would be very careful about generalizing on "Indian"
psychology--to say nothing of "Asian" 
psychology, which I believe is a term without a referent; the only person
I've been able to appreciate in that act is Kakar (partially because he'll
then turn around and nuance his position with ethnographic data).

Franz

=========
Hi Franz,

Yes indeed, Kakar is careful about adducing relevant data. He tries to avoid
essentializing, even if that word is in the title of his anthology :) But
there it seems rather to mean, the 'basic' writings.
Lucky you to get into one of his courses.
Have you seen his other excellent study, _Shamans, Mystics and Doctors: A
Psychological Inquiry into India and its Healing Traditions._ U. Chicago
Pr., 1991. 

Joanna

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