Indian Religions: A Historical Reader of Spiritual Expression and Experience

An expansive collection of essential texts from spiritual leaders of all major South Asian religions

Indian Religions is an expansive collection of the key written and oral texts by spiritual teachers from South Asia, covering 3,500 years and all the major traditions-Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and new Indian religions.

The volume provides clear translations of extracts from original documents and texts from most of the well-known and many of the lesser-known individuals and traditions. Overlapping parts and sections each comprise a historically and thematically defined stage of a tradition. The reader is thus able to follow the chronological development of the various traditions without isolating them from one another. Each section includes a context-setting introduction which provides historical, cultural, and textual background. A general introduction lays the foundations for the text's theoretical framework and approach.

Indian Religions is the most complete and best-organized anthology of Indian religious/spiritual texts published to date. It serves as an introduction to the history of religions in South Asia, and will appeal to readers interested in India and Eastern religions as well as students of religion and South Asian culture.

Author: Peter Heehs
Publisher: New York University Press
Published: 09/01/2002
Pages: 604
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.40w x 1.60d
ISBN: 9780814736500

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 03/15/2003 pg. 88

About the Author
Heehs, Peter: - Peter Heehs is director of historical research at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives, Pondicherry, India. He is the author of five books, the most recent of which is Nationalism, Terrorism, Communalism.