Three doctrines have often been identified in the context of Hindu civilization as its distinctive markers: the doctrine of the varṇas (or the doctrine of the four classes), the doctrine of āśramas (or the doctrine of the four stages of life), and the doctrine of the puruṣārthas (or the doctrine of the four goals of life). The study of the last of these has been comparatively neglected and the doctrine has even been dubbed a myth (Krishna 1996, 189-205). The purpose of this article is twofold: to establish the cogency of the doctrine of the puruṣārthas in the face of such criticism and to indicate the directions in which the doctrine could be developed further.
Founded in 1973 to "assist in shaping and locating the advanced edge of scholarly work in religious ethics." The Journal of Religious Ethics is committed to publishing the very best scholarship in religious ethics, to fostering new work in neglected areas, and to stimulating exchange on significant issues. Neither a tradition-specific journal of social ethics nor a tradition-neutral journal of philosophical ethics, the JRE offers serious ethical reflection set in the context of specific religious traditions and communities. The journal seeks to publish essays in three domains: studies in comparative religious ethics, considerations of foundational conceptual and methodological issues, and historical studies of influential figures and texts. An independent scholarly journal, the JRE is currently edited at Florida State University.
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