Foundations of Nepali Philosophy
What is karma?
The law of moral cause and effect that governs action and consequence.
Who are the Newar?
The indigenous people of Kathmandu Valley known for their Hindu-Buddhist syncretic culture.
Who is Carl Jung?
This psychologist explored religion and the Eastern unconscious, influenced by Nepalese Buddhism.
Madhesi people
What is the Kathmandu Valley?
This sacred valley is seen as a ritual ecosystem where civic order is upheld through cooperation between Buddhist and Hindu practitioners.
What is Hinduism?
This philosophical tradition emphasizes karma, dharma, and the pursuit of moksha.
What is Mundhum?
This scripture guides the Kirat/Kiranti people's religious life.
Who is Alan Watts?
This American philosopher popularized Eastern thought in the West and was influenced by Zen and Hinduism.
What is the varna–jāti system?
The belief system that divides society into fixed hereditary roles.
truth and ethics
What is Lumbini?
The birthplace of the Buddha, located in the Terai plains of Nepal.
What are Ubhauli and Udhauli?
These seasonal festivals mark the migration and ancestral cycles in Kirati tradition.
What is New Age spirituality?
This term refers to the blending of Hindu-Buddhist ideas with Western spiritual trends.
What is the tension between order and justice?
This ongoing societal tension in Nepal reflects the balance between social order and individual rights.
What does Nepali Philosophy (hindu-buddhist) have in common with other religions?
Encourages spiritual retreat in natural settings (forests, mountains) for inner awakening.
What is saṃsāra?
The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in both Hinduism and Buddhism.
What is a jhankri?
This type of healer or ritual specialist is common among Janajati communities.
What is pluralism (or pragmatic pluralism)?
This is the Nepali philosophical value of peaceful coexistence through diversity and balance.
What is the Constitution of Nepal? (re social laws)
The 2015 document that outlawed untouchability and ensured inclusion.
What are core Buddhist teachings on the nature of the self and reality?
These two philosophical concepts—śūnyatā (emptiness) and anātman (non-self), are key in Nepali Buddhism and have influenced Western thought.
What is dharma?
This concept means one's sacred duty or right role in life.
Which text focuses on the ritual of truth-telling?
Newar text
What was Schopenhauer's philosophy?
influenced by Buddhist ideas of suffering and detachment
What is the Muluki Ain?
This legal code of 1854 institutionalized caste in Nepal.
What is Newar Vajrayāna Buddhism?
This form of Buddhism practiced by Newars combines tantric rituals with householder life, supported by Vajracharya monks.