The Ways of Religion

"A very rich source to enable students to get a 'taste' of influential traditions."--Mary Anne Foley, University of Scranton"A very creative, interesting introduction to world religions--a hybrid text."--Gaston Espinosa, Westmont College"An outstanding anthology and clear expositions."--Allen Howard Podet, Buffalo State College"An excellent supplementary book for World Religions courses because it quotes primary sources."--Marianne Ferguson, Buffalo State College"Excellent selection from recent studies of religion from the original texts. Eastman covers a great deal of ground in 500 pages and does it carefully and intelligently."--Dan O'Bryan, Sierra Nevada College"An excellent survey for use in introductory level courses at the seminary level. It helps to bring students into the world of religion beyond the Judeo-Christian tradition."--Philip Wickari, San Francisco Theological Seminary/Graduate Theological Union"A thorough, comprehensive book with a variety of presentations to meet different kinds of audiences."--Ralph R. Covell, Denver Seminary"The Ways of Religion was just what I was looking for. It provides substantial sections of writings (including Scripture) from various traditions without being overwhelming to students. Its inclusion of contemporary writings adds to it relevancy as well."--Joel J. Heim, Carroll CollegePraise for the previous edition (first 4 quotes): "In my twenty-five years of teaching world religions this is the first book on the subject that I have liked, with the sole exception of Huston Smith's World Religions. Unlike the latter, this is an anthology and a very excellent one at that. Eastman's book will be a boon to students."--Ramesh Patel, Antioch College"An excellent mixture of restrained but clear commentary with multiple selections of primary texts from the great traditions of humankind. The sense and sentiment, taste and feel emerge from the stories and sacred texts."--Michael Barnes, University of Dayton"A most useful introduction."--Randall Balmer, Barnard College, Columbia University"An excellent anthology...thoroughly recommended for study and general interest."--Geoffrey Parrinder

• Preface PROLOGUE Introduction Diana L. Eck: Frontiers of Encounter I. HINDUISM: Himalayas of the Soul Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: The Hindu View of Life Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty (translator): Hymns from the Rig Veda Swami Prabhavananda and Frederick Manchester (translators): Selections, The Upanishads Barbara Stoler Miller (translator): Selections, Bhagavad-Gita Barbara Stoler Miller: Yoga: The Discipline of Freedom R. K. Narayan: Chudala Mahatma Gandhi: I Am But a Seeker After Truth II. BUDDHISM: Enlightenment, Compassion, Nirvana Heinrich Zimmer (translator): The Roar of Awakening Heinrich Zimmer: Buddhahood Edward Conze (translator): Selections, Buddhist Scriptures, Selections, The Dhammapada Edward Conze (translator): Buddhaghosa on the Recollection of Death Ananda Coomaraswamy: The Mahayana and the Ideal of Bodhisattva Walpola Rahula: Buddhism As a Way of Life The Dalai Lama: Holder of the White Lotus III. ZEN BUDDHISM: The Sound of One Hand D.T. Suzuki: The Essence of Zen Ruth Fuller Sasaki: Zen Dust: The Koan Gary Snyder (translator): Han-shan and Cold Mountain Philip B. Yampolsky (translator): Hakuin: Poor Hole-Dwelling Devil Shunryu Suzuki: Be Like a Frog IV. CONFUCIANISM: An Ideal of Moral Order Confucius and the Struggle for Human Happiness Arthur Waley (translator): Selections, The Analects W.A.C.H. Dobson (translator): Selections, The Book of Mencius Tu Wei-ming: Confucian Self-Realization Julia Ching: Confucianism in Perspective Herbert Fingarette: A Confucian Metaphor--The Holy Vessel V. Taoism: The Way to Do Is to Be Frederic Spiegelberg: The Old Master and His Book Gia-fu Feng and Jane English (translators): Selections, Tao Te Ching Thomas Merton: Selections, Chuang Tzu Lin Tung-chi: The Chinese Mind: Its Taoist Substratum Huston Smith: Tao Now VI. SHINTO: The Way of the Kami Edwin O. Reischauer: Shinto and Japan: An Overview Joseph M. Kitagawa: The Way of the Kami Motoori Norinaga: The True Way Ian Reader: Beginnings, Births, Fertility, and Festivals Lafcadio Hearn: Glimpses of Shinto VII. JUDAISM: The Sanctification of Life Nicholas de Lange: What Is Judaism? Louis Finkelstein: Nothing Is Ordinary The Jewish Publication Society: Selections, The Holy Scriptures Adin Steinsaltz: The Essential Talmud Howard Schwartz: Jewish Mystical Tales Emil L. Fackenheim: Holocaust VIII. CHRISTIANITY: Taking Up The Cross Norman Perrin: Ways of Being Religious in the New Testament New Revised Standard Version: Selections, The New Testament Thomas O. Lambdin (translator): The Gospel of Thomas St. Augustine: Selections, The Confessions Soren Kierkegaard: The Anguish of Being a Christian Thomas Merton: Seeds of Contemplation Rita Dove: On the Road to Damascus IX. ISLAM: The Straight Path John L. Esposito: Muhammad, Prophet of God A. J. Arberry (translator): Selections, The Koran Fazlur Rahman: The Qur'anic Teaching Al-Ghazali: Deliverance from Error Isma'il R. Farugi: Moments of the Religious Life Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Male and Female in Islamic Perspective X. AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS: The Dawn of All Things E. Bolaji Idowu: Errors of Terminology Vincent Mulago: Traditional African Religion E. Geoffrey Parrinder: God in African Belief Marcel Griaule: Ogotemmeli and the Dawn of All Things John S. Mbiti: Divinities, Spirits, and the Living Dead XI. RELIGION IN AMERICA: A Sampler Peter Cartwright: Frontier Preacher Joseph Smith: The Faith of the Latter-day Saints Mary Baker Eddy: Christian Science The Souls of Black Folk Joseph Epes Brown: The Spiritual Values of Native Americans EPILOGUE Introduction John Hick: A Personal Note