10 Western Thinkers who were deeply influenced by Hinduism

Hinduism has influenced our understanding of the world deeply. Here is a list of notable western thinkers who were deeply influenced by Hinduism and incorporated it in their work as well.

1. Carl Jung – The Swiss psychiatrist drew extensively from Hindu philosophy, especially concepts like karma, the self (Atman), and archetypes aligned with Hindu deities and the Upanishads.

2. Aldous Huxley – The English writer and philosopher was influenced by Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita, incorporating Hindu thought into works like The Perennial Philosophy.

3. Ralph Waldo Emerson – A key figure in American transcendentalism, he was inspired by Hindu scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, emphasizing the divine within the self.

4. Henry David Thoreau – He studied Hindu texts during his time at Walden Pond, and his philosophy of simplicity and inner discovery was influenced by the Bhagavad Gita.

5. J. D. Salinger – The author of The Catcher in the Rye explored Vedanta and Hindu mysticism, which shaped his later works like Franny and Zooey.

6. Arthur Schopenhauer – The German philosopher held the Upanishads in high regard, calling them “the production of the highest human wisdom.”

7. T. S. Eliot – The modernist poet incorporated Hindu themes, especially from the Upanishads and the Gita, into poems like The Waste Land.

8. Robert Oppenheimer - The "father of the atomic bomb" famously quoted the Bhagavad Gita after the Trinity test: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." He was deeply moved by Hindu texts, especially the Gita.

9. Werner Heisenberg - The quantum physicist reportedly found a striking similarity between quantum mechanics and Eastern philosophies. Conversations with Indian thinkers like Rabindranath Tagore influenced his outlook.

10. Erwin Schrödinger - Schrödinger drew heavily from the Upanishads in formulating his philosophical understanding of the self and consciousness. He believed in a singular, unified consciousness, closely echoing Advaita Vedanta.

These figures may not have written formal texts on Hinduism, but their thought, art, and influence which helped reshape how the modern world view — often used a lens tinted by Hindu ideas.