Między Wschodem a Zachodem : Indie, Europa i Polska : przeszłość i teraźniejszość

The paper is an analysis of the relations between Orient and West in their historical perspective. The focus of the text are the cultural influencies. Ancient India and Greece are of the main concern. There is also some information on Polish contribution to the topics discussed. Some general questions concerning the chances of mutual understanding are raised. The works of W. Halbfass, E. W. Said and J. Kieniewicz are shortly discussed. Researchers such as S. Schayer, J. Bronkhorst and K. Karttunen are also mentioned in the context of detailed studies concerning the main subject of influencies between India and West. Fragments of the works of Herodotus, Scylax of Caryanda, Ctesias of Cnidus and Diogenes Laertius are analyzed, in order to show how exotic India seemed to them and what kind of information did they share with the European public of their times. As an example of Indian literary motifs existing in modern Polish literature some poems of B. Leśmian are refered to. Finally, the question of modern times with the chances of better mutual understanding is asked.