Hinduism and Universality in Religion

A religion of the book? On sacred texts in hinduism

In this article I provide an overview of the identity, role and function of sacred texts in Hinduism. Hinduism’s tremendous diversity extends to the numerous ways in which different types of texts have been identified as sacred and used by Hindu practitioners. It would be a mistake to attempt to summarise the role of sacred texts in the lives of Hindus, since different texts have had different ...

The Life of Hinduism

Hinduism and Ecology Conference Participants and Abstracts

of paper: Can Hindu Beliefs and Values Help India Meet its Ecological Crisis? India is facing a serious social and ecological crisis. The devastation of the natural resource base has increaed poverty and increasingly constitutes a serious threat to public health. The Hindu beliefs, values and practices, built on a 'utilitarian conservationism' rather than a 'protectionist conservationsism,' can...

Vegetarianism, Hinduism and Food Habits of Children

Food choices are extremely personal and no one has a right to dictate others in this matter. Although I was raised a strict vegetarian in India, I have given up extreme vegetarianism. This short essay discusses some moral and practical issues. The arguments are placed in separate paragraphs so that a reader who disagrees with me can refer to speci c points of disagreements. Since the context fo...

Orientalism and the Modern Myth of "Hinduism"

a meaningful nitary notion of Hinduism from the Indian phenomena, unless it is done by exclusion..." (Frits Staal [1989], Ritual Without Meaning, p. 397). Orientalism and the Modem Myth of "Hinduism" 165 The work of integrating a vast collection of myths, beliefs, rituals, and laws into a coherent religion, and of shaping an amorphous heritage into a rational faith known now as "Hinduism" were ...