History 100 world religions aka comparative study of religion. Hinduism is practised by eighty per cent of indias population, and by thirty million people outside india. Also known as sanatana dharma or the eternal law, hinduism took birth in the indian subcontinent thousands of years ago and is still followed by more. Sankara has greater status as a philosopher, but ramanuja has had a great influence on how the masses practice hinduism. The earliest of the hindu scriptures, the rig veda, was composed well before 6500 b. Hinduism is a religion that originated in the indian subcontinent. There is clearly a need for an authentic, nonacademic introduction to hinduism that can be presented with confidence on such occasions. I think this would be a helpful first text in a comparative religions course. It is perhaps the best book for someone who has no prior knowledge of the religion, a stable stepping stone for the student of religious studies, and an eyeopener for the practicing hindu. There were sections where i thought the introduction was too short, but a book of this length must of necessity disappoint readers, and then point them to other works of greater detail. The world is slow to recognize its importance in the development of human thought and acknowledge its contribution in the progress of our civilization. Known and valued for its balanced approach and its respected board of consulting editors, this text addresses ways to study religion, provides broad coverage of diverse religions, and offers an arresting layout with rich illustrations.
Hinduism flows from the misty past some 6000 to 7000 years ago. Free ebooks an introduction to hinduism introduction to. Oprah winfreys heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the. Having read a number of introductory works on hinduism in my studies i have found this one unsurpassed in. Hinduism is the oldest living religions of the world. Tennent refers to near the end of the lecture is the three vehicle structure of hinduism, which is labeled lecture 6 in the complete class. What would be the best books to read, if i want to learn.
Very short introductions discover vsis from oxford now. In this very short introduction, kim knott combines a succinct and authoritative overview of a major religion with an analysis of the challenges facing it in the twentieth century. You need to read a low level introductory book that nevertheless gives a decent overview of hinduism. You will have to read a lot to understand hinduism. The institutes of vishnu sbe 7 julius jolly, translator 1880 sacred books of the east, vol. A very short introduction to the religion of hinduism. Following in the buddhas footsteps, buddhists seek to reach nirvana, or enlightenment, a state of transcendence free from suffering, desire and the cycle of death and rebirth. The broad term hinduism encompasses a wide variety of traditions, which are closely related and share common themes but do not constitute a unified set of beliefs or practices. Hinduism starts with 3 trimurti, or deities and ends with over. The diversity of hinduism is such that it is difficult to do justice to its variety. Purists refer to it more as sanatana dharma the eternal pathlaw rather than a religion, as it is believed to be a virtuous way of life it is the oldest practised religion in the world and has the third largest following after christianity and islam it has over a billion practising followers, 90% of whom live in south. Most hindus believe all humans and living creatures possess a soul, which is a reflection of god, and that the soul is reincarnated over many lifetimes. She discusses key preoccupations of hinduism such as the centrality of the veda as religious texts, the.
The flow of hinduism can be divided roughly into major periods of change and development. Very basic introduction tovery basic introduction to hinduism. Please consider support hhh this summer for more world history vids for the kiddies. Hinduism contains its own customs, festivals and holy books as well as a number of deities that intertwine its history, culture and indian society, past and present. Kandiah sivaloganathans a brief introduction to hinduism, is a handy tool for all those who yearn to understand the philosophy behind one of the worlds oldest religions hinduism. Founded by siddhartha gautama, later known as the buddha, circa the 5th century bce, buddhism outlines a path of personal spiritual enrichment through meditation and insight. If any single text can be compared to the new testament, it is thisone. Intro to hinduism originally, the word hindu simply meant indian. Religionfacts does not necessarily endorse the contents of these books. Hinduism for beginners an concise introduction to the eternal path to liberation by. Find out more see the full list of titles currently available. Oprah winfrey network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. A collection of handselected books on hinduism, chosen on the basis of apparent usefulness and quality.
This book is a very good introduction for someone who knows little about the subject and would like to learn more, however for someone who does know a something about. Flood traces the development of hindu traditions from ancient origins and the major deities to the modern world. It is also the most complex in its philosophy and practices and difficult to understand. This book fulfills its promise as a very short introduction to hinduism. Unlike islam or christianity, hinduism s origins cannot be traced to any one individual. A very short introduction very short introductions 9780198745549. Rivers, rocks, trees, plants, animals, and birds all play their part, both in mythology and everyday worship. She discusses key preoccupations of hinduism such as the centrality of the veda as religious. One of the oldest living religions in the world, hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it had no single founder but grew over a period of 4,000 years in syncretism with the religious and cultural movements of the indian subcontinent.
Discover a new topic or subject with these intelligent and serious introductions written by authors who are experts in their field. They have a large number of different sects hindson and caner 262265. This introduction to hinduism brings us as close as any book can to an appreciation of that variety. Introduction hinduism is a term that was coined by foreign invaders of india to designate the traditional socio. It furthers the universitys objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. A very short introduction, follows the same format as other texts in the very short introduction series it has fewer than 150 pages, is well indexed, has a useful glossary, accessible and enjoyable narrative, and captures the essence in a very short space the major points of its topic. Hinduism on the academic oxford university press website. A very short introduction and millions of other books are available for instant access.
The books are concise introductions to particular subjects, intended for a general audience but written by experts. Scholars describe hinduism as the product of religious development in india that spans nearly 4,000 years, making it perhaps the oldest surviving world religion. A very short introduction by kim knott pdf except the obvious case is exquisitely fresh solution. Hinduism is different than other major religions around the world, including islam, judaism or christianity in that it does not claim one idea, person or entity as its founder. A very short introduction is indeed very short, perhaps too short to do more than scratch to surface of a topic as complex and varied as the religion of hinduism. Part of a series by oxford university press, this book, buddhism. This book by jayaram v presents a thorough and scholarly understanding of the basic and essential aspects of hinduism from. The ancient indians were not interested in history as such, which is simply the records of kings and merchants written by the victors. World religions history 100 audio on apple podcasts. This civilization originated more than 4,000 years ago, long before the first historical events recorded in.
Introduction to hinduism varun soni, dean of religious life at the university of southern california, discusses the goals and beliefs of hinduism, the third largest religion in the world. A very short introduction kim knott oxford university. Hinduism is the worlds third most popular religion, with around 750 million followers. The word hinduism is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term hindu was introduced by foreigners referring to people living across. Hinduism worldview hinduism is a panetheism belief system in which there are over 330 million different deities.
Hinduism is practised by nearly eighty per cent of indias population, and by some seventy million people outside india. A very short introduction by kim knott, 9780198745549, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Oxford university press is a department of the university of oxford. A leading textbook for world religion, this new edition is designed to help students in their study and research of the worlds religious traditions. Read the slides to answer the questions on the sheet in front of you. Of all the basic books on hinduism, this rather thin volume of 160 pages is the most balanced introduction to the religion. Introduction to world religions, third edition fortress. A survey of the five religions, hinduism, buddhism, judaism, christianity, and islam.
Very short introductions vsi are a book series published by the oxford university press oup. While authors may present personal viewpoints, the books are meant to be balanced and complete as. Otherwise you will have difficulty in understanding hindu. This harmony is most evident in remote places like this, and i hope it does not loose its unique character in the ruthless urban advance. This book provides a muchneeded thematic and historical introduction to hinduism, the religion of the majority of people in india. In this very short introduction, kim knott offers a succinct and authoritative overview of this major religion, and analyses the challenges facing it in the twentyfirst century.