Exo and Endo

[V.V. Raman]

Dear Prof. Y. Vassilkov:
In a paper I read at the Vedanta Conference (1998) in Rishikesh on "21st
Century Approach to Indic Studies" (published in my book "Reflections from
Alien Shores") I had used precised the terms you suggest: Modern and
Traditional.
However, in recent months, as a result of the Aryan-Roots Debate, (as you well
know)  there have emerged many intense anti-Western-scholarship writings and
postings in India and abroad in the context of Indology. Many of them not only
(rightly) castigate the motivations of Max Mueller et al. (who are dead and
gone) in their explorations of Indian civilization, but also feel that the
colonial/racist/insensitive attitudes persist among a great many  <modern
Indology-scholars>.  Some have even suggested suggested that such Western
scholars should keep away from Indology. Many Hindu scholars may not appreciate
the description of <traditional> to scholars who are engaged in
<self-discovery>, <self-affirmation> and <discovery of esoteric spirituality in
ancient utterances which are regarded as objectively valid>, while reserving
the term <modern> to those  who are indifferent or insensitive  to <the
culture/religion/self-assertion> of Hindus, whether in India or abroad. That
was the reason for my choice of the prefixes endo- and exo-. Let's see what
others have to say on this.
Best regards,
V. V. Raman
October 26, 2000