A cultural and intellectual history of Ancient India that brings together its major philosophical traditions?Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain?into a single, accessible narrative.

Winner Best Indie Book Award

Never before has the history and substance of Indian thought been laid out as clearly as in Burton's book. ?Prof Nicolas Martin, Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, University of Zürich

At sixteen, reading the Bhagavad Gita opened a door in my thinking that never closed. Over the next three decades, I searched for a single book that could bring together the vast world of Indian thought?clearly, coherently, and without sacrificing depth.

In the end, I wrote the book I couldn't find.

Spanning philosophy, religion, history, and culture, this book explores the central ideas that shaped Ancient India and continue to influence the modern world. Rather than treating Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism as separate subjects, it shows how they emerged from a shared intellectual world and developed through dialogue, debate, and mutual influence.

Drawing on Vedic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, it connects ideas that are often studied in isolation and reveals the larger intellectual tradition that unites them.

Along the way, you'll discover:

• Why the Kama Sutra is far more than a manual of sexual technique
• What yoga originally meant in its philosophical context
• What the Buddha taught about the end of suffering
• The elusive concept of the self that philosophers and even the gods grappled with
• How Vedic deities relate to their Greek and Roman counterparts
• How the swastika was reinterpreted and misappropriated in the 20th century
• The philosophical roots of Gandhi's non-violence
• Different paths to enlightenment in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions
• How the Gupta Golden Age contributed to developments such as zero, chess, and early surgical techniques
• And much more

This is not a textbook, but a guided journey through one of the richest intellectual traditions in human history. Written for curious readers rather than specialists, it combines the clarity of an introduction with the depth of a serious intellectual history.

About the author

Dr Neel Burton is a philosopher and psychiatrist who lives and teaches in Oxford, England. His other books include The Meaning of Myth; The Gang of Three: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle; and Stoic Stories: Stoicism by Its Best Stories. He has written for publications including Aeon and Psychology Today.

Editorial reviews

Impeccably crafted... a monumental achievement. ?Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite (5/5 stars)

The parallels between Indian and Greek philosophy amazed me... This book will hold your interest until the last page. ?Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite (5/5 stars)

Burton shines a fascinating light on one of the world's most ancient, and still thriving, cultures. ?The US Review of Books (Recommended)

Insightful and thorough ... Having practised yoga for years, learning about its background and significance offered me a new perspective. ?The International Review of Books

Discover the ideas, stories, and philosophies that shaped one of the world's oldest and most influential civilizations.