A Survey of Hinduism: Third EditionThis third edition of the classic text updates the information contained in the earlier editions, and includes new chapters on the origins of Hinduism; its history of relations with Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam; Hindu science; and Hindu measures of time. The chronology and the bibliography have been updated as well. A comprehensive survey of the Hindu tradition, the book deals with the history of Hinduism, the sacred writings of the Hindus, the Hindu worldview, and the specifics of the major branches of Hinduism Vaisnavism, Saivism, and Saktism. It also focuses on the geographical ties of Hinduism with the land of India, the social order created by Hinduism, and the various systems of Hindu thought. Klaus K. Klostermaier describes the development of Hinduism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including present-day political Hinduism and the efforts to turn Hinduism into a modern world religion. A unique feature of the book is its treatment of Hinduism in a topical fashion, rather than by chronological description of the development of Hinduism or by summary of the literature. The complexities of Hindu life and thought are thus made real to the reader, and Hindus will recognize it as their own tradition. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Sources and Worldview | 15 |
The Three Hindu Paths to Liberation | 119 |
Part III The Structural Supports of Hinduism | 261 |
Part IV Hinduism Encountering the Other | 369 |
Part V Miscellany | 455 |
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Common terms and phrases
according ancient ātman avatāras became become Bhagavadgītā Bhāgavata Purāṇa bhakti body Brahmā brahman Brāhmaṇa Buddha Buddhist called caste century chapter Christian considered culture darśanas devas developed Devī devotion dharma divine famous Gandhi Gītā Goddess guru Hindī Hindu Hinduism human hymns Ibid important India Indra Īśvara karma knowledge Kṛṣṇa large number liberation literature living Lord Mahābhārata Mahātmā major mantras Manu Manusmṛti Mīmāṃsā modern Muslim nature Nyāya offered one’s philosophy political popular practice prakṛti Purana Purāṇas puruṣa Rāma Rāmānuja Rāmāyaṇa reality recitation religion religious Ṛgveda ritual ṛṣis S. N. Dasgupta sacred sacrifice sādhus Śaiva Śaivism Śaivite Śakti Saṃhitās Sāṁkhya saṃpradāya saṃskāras Śaṅkara Sanskrit śāstras satī scholars schools scriptures Sītā Śiva smṛti spiritual Śrī śruti Supreme Sūtra Tamil teaching temple texts thousand tion tradition translation universe Upaniṣads Vaiśeṣika Vaiṣṇava Veda Vedānta Vedic Viṣṇu Western word worship Yoga