A remarkable but little commented on feature of the various discourses on ?India? circulating today is the near total absence of its metaphysical heritage as a source of illumination into our contemporary condition. The central claim of this book is that this heritage has an autonomy of its own that is not subsumable under any other purportedly ?larger? concept; and that furthermore, if we ever hope to break out of our thralldom to the reigning hegemonic?but rather bankrupt?vision of humanity?s future, we must squarely confront the full consequences of this fateful evasion of the heritage.