Cultures and Religions

The course offers an advanced introduction to the study of the Sanskrit language and literature through the linguistic, philological, and historical-critical analysis of two fundamental Advaita Vedānta works attributed to Śaṅkara: the Āparokṣānubhūti and the Ātmabodha. These śāstric texts present philosophical and soteriological doctrines in metrical form and require refined linguistic competence, as well as a solid understanding of their doctrinal and historical background. The course aims to provide students with methodological and interpretative tools suitable for the autonomous reading of śāstric works, situating them within the wider context of Indian exegetical traditions, the history of writing, and textual transmission in classical and medieval India. The course will address the following thematic units: – a focused review of Sanskrit morphology and syntax aimed at facilitating independent reading of advanced texts; – an introduction to the techniques of commentary in Indian philosophical literature and their role in the construction and transmission of knowledge; – orality, aurality, and writing in classical and medieval India, with special attention to processes of textual fixation and the circulation of Vedānta works; – elements of Devanāgarī and Śāradā paleography, designed to familiarise students with major manuscript traditions and with reading materials in historical scripts; – reading, linguistic analysis, translation, and commentary of selected passages from the Āparokṣānubhūti and Ātmabodha, supported by traditional commentaries and manuscript evidence; – thematic and stylistic comparison with other Advaita Vedānta works and related philosophical texts; – an exploration of the central doctrinal themes found in the two texts (such as immediate knowledge, the nature of the ātman, and the dynamics of ignorance and liberation), together with an overview of modern scholarship and its principal philological and hermeneutical issues. Reading activities will be complemented by translation exercises, morphological analysis, argumentative reconstruction, and in-class discussion to develop robust and durable linguistic, textual, and exegetical skills appropriate to the advanced level of the course.

To follow the course with profit, students are expected to possess solid foundational skills in Sanskrit grammar, acquired during their undergraduate studies or through equivalent training. Students should also have prior experience in reading and translating Sanskrit texts, preferably at an elementary or intermediate śāstric level. These competencies constitute the necessary basis for engaging critically and effectively with the linguistic, stylistic, and conceptual complexity of the Advaita Vedānta works examined in the course. No additional formal prerequisites are required. Students who do not yet have sufficient grammatical preparation or who lack previous experience in reading primary Sanskrit sources are encouraged to address any gaps through preliminary or parallel study of introductory and advanced tools recommended by the instructor, in order to ensure informed and responsible access to the course content and activities.

– S. N. Sastri (ed.), Atmabodha of Sri Sankaracharya, Chennai, The Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, 1978. – V. Bhattacharya (ed.), Āparokṣānubhūti of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya with the commentary Tattvadīpikā of Śrī Vidyāraṇya, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1978. – Teaching materials provided by the instructor: selected passages in Devanāgarī, manuscript scans, linguistic and exegetical notes, and technical glossaries.

The course is mainly based on frontal lessons. Students will be required to prepare summaries and analyses of primary sources to be presented in class. Tests that encourage personal reflection on the contents of the teaching units are also envisaged. These will take the form of rapid computer-based drills.

Attendance is optional but strongly recommended. Participation in class activities provides essential support for the full achievement of the expected learning outcomes, particularly with regard to the development of critical analytical skills, the interpretation of primary sources, engagement in discussion, and the ability to construct autonomous conceptual connections. Students who attend regularly benefit from the explanations provided during frontal lectures, from guided discussions, and from the short exercises that accompany the different teaching units. These activities promote a deeper understanding of the historical and doctrinal content addressed in the course and enhance the communication and argumentative skills required for successful learning.

Assessment is based on a final oral exam, complemented by consideration of active participation and independent study skills demonstrated throughout the course. The methods adopted aim to assess linguistic, interpretative, critical, and communication skills. The final oral exam (open-ended, with open-ended responses) aims to assess the student's mastery of the course text, as well as their understanding of philosophical and commentary-based Sanskrit. During the exam, students must demonstrate their ability to translate, analyze, and contextualize the assigned passages, illustrating their linguistic structures, doctrinal content, and argumentative strategies. As previously mentioned, the following will also be considered for the overall assessment: – active participation, understood as a relevant and informed contribution to the reading, analysis, and discussion activities conducted in class; – independent study skills, demonstrated in the preparation of translations, critical review of the texts covered, and personal elaboration of linguistic and interpretative issues.

R. Torella, Raffaele. The philosophical traditions of India: an appraisal, Varanasi, Indica Books, 2011. N. Isaeva, Shankara and Indian Philosophy, Albany, SUNY Press, 1993. E. Deutsch, Advaita Vedānta: A Philosophical Reconstruction, Honolulu, University of Hawai‘i Press, 1969.

The course is delivered mainly through frontal lectures, which introduce and contextualise the principal historical and doctrinal contents addressed during the semester. Lectures are complemented by guided discussions aimed at developing students’ ability to analyse concepts critically, formulate independent judgements, and participate in an informed way in classroom debate. Students are also required to prepare summaries and short analyses of primary sources, to be presented and discussed in class. These activities are designed to strengthen interpretative, communicative, and argumentative skills, fostering active engagement in the learning process. The course further includes short exercises carried out with the support of digital tools, consisting of targeted tests and activities that encourage autonomous reflection on the content of each teaching unit. These exercises contribute to the development of learning skills and support a more operational understanding of the conceptual categories examined in the course.

The course offers an advanced introduction to the study of the Sanskrit language and literature through the linguistic, philological, and historical-critical analysis of two fundamental Advaita Vedānta works attributed to Śaṅkara: the Āparokṣānubhūti and the Ātmabodha. These śāstric texts present philosophical and soteriological doctrines in metrical form and require refined linguistic competence, as well as a solid understanding of their doctrinal and historical background. The course aims to provide students with methodological and interpretative tools suitable for the autonomous reading of śāstric works, situating them within the wider context of Indian exegetical traditions, the history of writing, and textual transmission in classical and medieval India. The course will address the following thematic units: – a focused review of Sanskrit morphology and syntax aimed at facilitating independent reading of advanced texts; – an introduction to the techniques of commentary in Indian philosophical literature and their role in the construction and transmission of knowledge; – orality, aurality, and writing in classical and medieval India, with special attention to processes of textual fixation and the circulation of Vedānta works; – elements of Devanāgarī and Śāradā paleography, designed to familiarise students with major manuscript traditions and with reading materials in historical scripts; – reading, linguistic analysis, translation, and commentary of selected passages from the Āparokṣānubhūti and Ātmabodha, supported by traditional commentaries and manuscript evidence; – thematic and stylistic comparison with other Advaita Vedānta works and related philosophical texts; – an exploration of the central doctrinal themes found in the two texts (such as immediate knowledge, the nature of the ātman, and the dynamics of ignorance and liberation), together with an overview of modern scholarship and its principal philological and hermeneutical issues. Reading activities will be complemented by translation exercises, morphological analysis, argumentative reconstruction, and in-class discussion to develop robust and durable linguistic, textual, and exegetical skills appropriate to the advanced level of the course.

To follow the course with profit, students are expected to possess solid foundational skills in Sanskrit grammar, acquired during their undergraduate studies or through equivalent training. Students should also have prior experience in reading and translating Sanskrit texts, preferably at an elementary or intermediate śāstric level. These competencies constitute the necessary basis for engaging critically and effectively with the linguistic, stylistic, and conceptual complexity of the Advaita Vedānta works examined in the course. No additional formal prerequisites are required. Students who do not yet have sufficient grammatical preparation or who lack previous experience in reading primary Sanskrit sources are encouraged to address any gaps through preliminary or parallel study of introductory and advanced tools recommended by the instructor, in order to ensure informed and responsible access to the course content and activities.

– S. N. Sastri (ed.), Atmabodha of Sri Sankaracharya, Chennai, The Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, 1978. – V. Bhattacharya (ed.), Āparokṣānubhūti of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya with the commentary Tattvadīpikā of Śrī Vidyāraṇya, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1978. – Teaching materials provided by the instructor: selected passages in Devanāgarī, manuscript scans, linguistic and exegetical notes, and technical glossaries.

The course is mainly based on frontal lessons. Students will be required to prepare summaries and analyses of primary sources to be presented in class. Tests that encourage personal reflection on the contents of the teaching units are also envisaged. These will take the form of rapid computer-based drills.

Attendance is optional but strongly recommended. Participation in class activities provides essential support for the full achievement of the expected learning outcomes, particularly with regard to the development of critical analytical skills, the interpretation of primary sources, engagement in discussion, and the ability to construct autonomous conceptual connections. Students who attend regularly benefit from the explanations provided during frontal lectures, from guided discussions, and from the short exercises that accompany the different teaching units. These activities promote a deeper understanding of the historical and doctrinal content addressed in the course and enhance the communication and argumentative skills required for successful learning.

Assessment is based on a final oral exam, complemented by consideration of active participation and independent study skills demonstrated throughout the course. The methods adopted aim to assess linguistic, interpretative, critical, and communication skills. The final oral exam (open-ended, with open-ended responses) aims to assess the student's mastery of the course text, as well as their understanding of philosophical and commentary-based Sanskrit. During the exam, students must demonstrate their ability to translate, analyze, and contextualize the assigned passages, illustrating their linguistic structures, doctrinal content, and argumentative strategies. As previously mentioned, the following will also be considered for the overall assessment: – active participation, understood as a relevant and informed contribution to the reading, analysis, and discussion activities conducted in class; – independent study skills, demonstrated in the preparation of translations, critical review of the texts covered, and personal elaboration of linguistic and interpretative issues.

R. Torella, Raffaele. The philosophical traditions of India: an appraisal, Varanasi, Indica Books, 2011. N. Isaeva, Shankara and Indian Philosophy, Albany, SUNY Press, 1993. E. Deutsch, Advaita Vedānta: A Philosophical Reconstruction, Honolulu, University of Hawai‘i Press, 1969.

The course is delivered mainly through frontal lectures, which introduce and contextualise the principal historical and doctrinal contents addressed during the semester. Lectures are complemented by guided discussions aimed at developing students’ ability to analyse concepts critically, formulate independent judgements, and participate in an informed way in classroom debate. Students are also required to prepare summaries and short analyses of primary sources, to be presented and discussed in class. These activities are designed to strengthen interpretative, communicative, and argumentative skills, fostering active engagement in the learning process. The course further includes short exercises carried out with the support of digital tools, consisting of targeted tests and activities that encourage autonomous reflection on the content of each teaching unit. These exercises contribute to the development of learning skills and support a more operational understanding of the conceptual categories examined in the course.