Lecture of the J.P. and Beena Khaitan Visiting Fellow
Week 4, Wednesday 11 February 2.30-3.30, OCHS Library

Dr Alan Herbert

I am interested in whether typical philosophical methods can adequately grasp diverse, and even contradictory, conceptions of divinity. As an illustrative example, I will look to the concept of Kṛṣṇa in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theology. This tradition seeks to accommodate and balance a Vedāntic perspective in which Kṛṣṇa is positioned as the fullest expression of God, or Bhagavān, surpassing Brahman (by way of its interpretations of the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, and Tantras), with its own intensely emotive bhakti (devotion), which regards Kṛṣṇa as incomplete without his intrinsic potency, or Śakti—specifically Rādhā, his closest confidante. This Gauḍīya approach raises questions about the problems that philosophy has in explaining hierarchical features of the divine alongside the deeply personal reality of God, the understanding of which, especially in this case of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, is often gained through a recommended participatory engagement in a religious process.

Alan Herbert’s specialities and interests lie in philosophy, religion, Indian thought and culture. He is also acquainted with sociology. He draws on a wide range of teaching experience in both tertiary and secondary/high school education in the USA, UK, and Asia, all of which informs his research. Currently, he is a research fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. There he directs research projects, develops and runs online courses, teaches, tutors, mentors, publishes, and organises conferences. Recently he has been working on projects and papers exploring issues in the philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, personal identity, imagination studies, Indian theology, and societal problems among contemporary Hinduism and Hindus.

This lecture will explore how Kundakunda (1st Century CE – 6th Century CE?) deals with the nature of soul, non-soul and their relationship. The historical identity of Kundakunda, the literature attributed to him, and his philosophy have been partially discussed in secondary scholarship; however, several aspects remain to be explored. One of the most significant and less explored gaps revolves around the metaphysical explanation of how the immaterial soul (said to be pure in nature) interacts with the material non-soul. Briefly outlining the secondary scholarship on Kundakunda, his texts, and philosophy, this lecture investigates the taxonomy of the soul and non-soul to trace taxonomical and conceptual shifts amongst four texts, viz. Samayapāhuḍa, Pavayaṇasāra, Paṃcatthikāya, and Ṇiyamasāra, attributed to Kundakunda. This will be followed by examining Kundakunda’s treatment of an ‘incomprehensible mysterious’ (Flügel 2023) question of interaction between soul and non-soul entities.

Anubhav Jain is a researcher in philosophy, especially in Jaina philosophy and Prakrit studies. Jain is currently a PhD researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London. His ongoing research project is “Jaina Metaphysical Discourses on Soul: A Comparative Analysis of the Chakkhaṇḍāgama and the Kundakunda’s Literature and their Commentaries” under the supervision of Prof. Peter Flügel (SOAS) and is a recipient of the Kanji Swami MPhil/ PhD Scholarship. He is also a researcher for an academic documentary film called “Search for Kundakunda”, a project in collaboration between SOAS and Chouette Films.

Pragya Jain

Drawing on Arthur Koestler’s observation that meditation must be grounded in moral awareness rather than reduced to mechanical chanting, this talk investigates the layered conception of meditation in Jain philosophy. The Jñānārṇava, composed by Śubhacandra in the 11th century, provides one of the most systematic treatments of meditation in the Jain tradition. It emphasizes that meditation is not a uniform practice but exists in both inauspicious and auspicious forms. Inauspicious meditation, characterized by attachment, aversion, and delusion, is seen as the default state in which all living beings participate. The text then outlines the transformative role of śuddhopayoga (pure cognition) which enables the transition toward auspicious meditation, serving as the basis for right belief and ultimately leading to liberation.

Pragya Jain is a research associate at the International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) and a visiting researcher at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS). Her research explores the theory of meditation in Jainism with special reference to Jñānārṇava. She has developed her research in dialogue with contemporary philosophy, including emerging intersections with AI and consciousness studies. She has presented and published her work on various international platforms like Religion Compass and serves as Assistant Editor of the academic journal ISJS-Transactions. Recently elected to the Executive Committee of the European Association for South Asian Studies (EASAS), she contributes to shaping interdisciplinary conversations in the field.

Week 4, Wednesday 5 November 2.30-3.30, OCHS Library

Dr Theo Wildcroft and Dr Barbora Sojkova

Yoga Studies in Five Minutes provides an accessible guide to the diverse and growing field of research into yoga as a social, historical and cultural phenomenon. Both leading scholars and innovative researchers offer 60 brief responses to questions that offer insights into the study of yoga, such as: Who was the first teacher of yoga? Is yoga Indian? What is parampara? Are there holy texts in yoga? What are the goals of yoga? Why do yogis hold their breath? The collection covers ancient history, modern developments, and contemporary issues, considers the diverse practices and philosophies of yoga in a range of contexts, and uses a range of approaches, from philology to anthropology to art history. The collection is useful for established scholars looking to broaden their understanding of this rapidly developing field, as well as for those new to the subject. The book is an ideal starting point for both independent study and the classroom.

At this book launch event, the two editors, together with a few of the contributors, will introduce the book, talk about the process of producing it, and read a few of the entries. This will be a relaxed event to celebrate the book’s publication, free to attend, and with a few nibbles to tempt you. Anyone is very welcome to join us.

Theo Wildcroft, PhD is a yoga teacher-trainer, writer and scholar who is interested in the democratization of yoga post-lineage, somatic literacy, meaning-making and the counter-culture. She is an Associate Lecturer at the Open University, UK, Visiting Lecturer in Dharmic Worldviews at the University of Chester, Fellow of the HEA, former Coordinator of the SOAS Centre of Yoga Studies, editor of the BASR Bulletin, an honorary member of the British Wheel of Yoga, member of the IAYT, a continuing professional development trainer and consultant for Yoga Alliance (E-RYT® 500, YACEP®), and Council Member for the American Yoga Council. She is the author of Post-lineage yoga: from guru to #metoo, co-writer of Leading Safe and Simple Yoga Nidras (coming soon), editor of Religion and the Sense of Self (also coming soon), and co-editor of The Yoga Teachers’ Survival Guide and Yoga Studies in Five Minutes.

Barbora Sojkova holds a DPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Sanskrit) from Balliol College, University of Oxford, where her research focused on human-animal relationships in Vedic Sanskrit literature. She is a qualified librarian (PgDip in Library and Information Studies, UCL, 2024) and has previously worked at All Souls College and the Bodleian Library, Oxford. She was a postdoctoral researcher in the MANTRAMS Project at the University of Oxford, working on the history of mantra in Vedic. She is also a certified yoga teacher and trainer focusing on history and philosophy of yoga.