ABSTRACT
Hindus place high value on moral and cultural pluralism, and claim not only to tolerate but also to respect and cherish different ways of thought and life. Although their historical record is good and in some respects better than that of most other societies, it has its dark passages and is not as honourable as they imagine. In this chapter I critically examine the philosophical foundations of Hindu pluralism, showing how they foster both tolerance and intolerance, contain an internal tension, and need to be revised. Since the term ‘Hindu’ is a subject of dispute, I begin with a brief discussion of what I take it to mean and refer to. I then analyze the logical structure of the Hindu theory and practice of tolerance and assess its strengths and weaknesses.
