This course will trace the history of ideas in the religious and philosophical literature of Classical India. Starting with the Vedic period, moving through the development of the Upaniṣads and the śramaṇa traditions, such as Jainism and
Buddhism, we will examine different approaches to core issues such as self, world, and liberation. We will explore the pervasive tradition of Sāṃkhya and the Yoga of Patañjali, the dramatic dialogues of the Bhagavadgītā and the
Yogavāsiṣṭha, as well as the philosophical-theologies of the Vedānta.