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REVIEWS
Sāmkhyistic Yoga (pp. 212-14). These miraculous powers go back to a period when the mythic-magic thought of the Yoga schools had not yet been 'humanized' by the reflection characteristic of both Samkhyistic Yoga and Buddhism (p. 223). The seventh yogarga, dhyāna, is interpreted also as recollection of tradition (p. 228).
It has not been possible to retrace here the whole of Gerhard Oberhammer's complex and dense analysis of Yogic meditation and spirituality in its various forms, and the preceding lines have simply called attention to a number of points of interest in this book and to the method of treatment adopted. O. writes (p. 11) that, while maintaining the conscious distance necessary in scientific work and reflection, he has sought to avoid what he terms the alienation of archivistic description. Although his treatment is practically never explicitly comparative or dependent either on phenomenological philosophy (see however p. 198 note 240 on eidetic inspection) or theological categorizations, his approach to the phenomenology of Yogic spirituality is clearly informed by a concern with issues currently under discussion among both theologians and philosophers. For Indology an encounter with such contemporary currents of thought should prove fruitful, as the present book shows. O. has refrained from injecting into his study the personal/impersonal dichotomy, and the opposition between 'natural' and other mysticism used and abused by R. C. Zaehner. And his criterial use of the concept of scriptural revelation beside faith is certainly important for Hinduism. - Misprints are few. Apart from komplimentär for komplementär (p. 67), the following ones have been noted: cāryapāda for caryāpāda (p. 71), samyagniruddha for samyago (p. 100), turyatīta for turyätita (p. 124), sthimita for stimita (p. 137), and parsati for passati (p. 147).
By providing new approaches and insights and stimulating serious discussion based on careful phenomenological analyses and typological studies of comparable traditions, Gerhard Oberhammer's book will no doubt contribute very considerably to giving traditional Indian studies a useful new impetus.
London
D. SEYFORT RUEGG
A. J. Alston, Šamkara on The Absolute. A Samkara source-book. Volume I. London, Shanti Sadan, 1980. IX, 259 pp. £3.50.
According to the preface, "The present volume is the first of a projected series of six which aims to bring together the most important texts of Samkara in a systematic and digestible form ... the work consists mainly of groups of Samkara's texts in translation, interspersed only by a few passages from the anthologist designed to draw attention to the main features of the material to come, somewhat in the manner of programme notes at a concert." The first chapter gives a historical introduction: Sources of Samkara's doctrine: his life and works (pp. 1-61). Chapters 2, 3, and 4 contain selections of texts of Samkara relating respectively to the doctrine of nescience (pp. 62-114), knowledge of the absolute (pp. 115-167) and the absolute as being, consciousness and bliss (pp. 168-235). Each of these three chapters is divided into four sections, each section containing a brief introduction and selected passages. A bibliography lists (I) Texts of Samkara and (II) Other authors and works quoted. A conspectus of the contents of the six volumes is to be found at the end of the volume. The titles of volumes II-VI are: Samkara on the creation, Samkara on the individual soul, Samkara's refutation of rival views, Samkara on discipleship and Samkara on the path to enlightenment.
In his introductory chapter Alston sketches the development of the Vedanta doctrines before Samkara, Samkara's dates, life and works, and Samkara's school. With regard to the problem of the authenticity of the works ascribed to Samkara, Alston refers to the work done
