Book

Smith, Huston.

The world's religions / Huston Smith.

50th anniversary ed.

New York : HarperOne ; Enfield : Publishers Group UK [distributor], [2009]

xvi, 431 p. ; 21 cm.

This volume offers an introduction to comparative religion, exploring the essential elements and teachings of the world's predominant faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the native traditions of Australia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. Emphasizing the inner, rather than the institutional, dimension of these religions, the author devotes special attention to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the teachings of Jesus. He conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on the human heart and imagination. Includes a new preface to the 50th anniversary edition written by the author in January 2009, as well as a supplemental section on p. 401-431 of insights, interviews, and more.

Religions.

"Plus: insights, interviews, and more"--Cover.

Previous ed.: c1991.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Point of Departure -- Hinduism. What people want -- What people really want -- The beyond within -- Four paths to the goal -- The way to god through knowledge -- The way to god through love -- The way to god through work -- The way to god through psychophysical exercise -- The stages of life -- The stations of life -- "Thou before whom all words recoil" -- Coming of age in the universe -- The world-welcome and farewell -- Many paths to the same summit -- Appendix on Sikhism. -- Buddhism. The man who woke up -- The silent sage -- The rebel saint -- The four noble truths -- The eight-fold path -- Basic Buddhist concepts -- Big raft and little -- The secret of the flower -- The diamond thunderbolt -- The image of crossing -- The confluence of Buddhism and Hinduism in India. -- Confucianism. The first teacher -- The problem Confucius faced -- Rival answers -- Confucius' answer -- The content of deliberate tradition -- The Confucian project -- Ethics or religion? -- Impact on China. --

Taoism. The old master -- The three meanings of Tao -- Three approaches to power and the Taoisms that follow -- Efficient power : philosophical Taoism -- Augmented power: Taoist hygiene and yoga -- Vicarious power: religious Taoism -- The mingling of the powers -- Creative quietude -- Other Taoist values. -- Islam. Background -- The seal of the prophets -- The standing miracle -- Basic theological concepts -- The five Pillar -- Social teachings -- Sufism -- Whither Islam?. -- Judaism. Meaning in God -- Meaning in creation -- Meaning in human existence -- Meaning in history -- Meaning in morality -- Meaning in justice -- Meaning in suffering -- Meaning in Messianism -- The hallowing of life -- Revelation -- The chosen people -- Israel. -- Christianity. The historical Jesus -- The Christ of faith -- The end and the beginning -- The good news -- The mystical body of Christ -- The mind of the church -- Roman Catholicism -- Eastern orthodoxy -- Protestantism. -- The Primal Rreligions. The Australian experience -- Orality, place, and time -- The primal world -- They symbolic mind. -- A final Examination. The relations between religions -- The wisdom traditions -- Listening -- Exploring religious frontiers -- Huston Smith's search for wisdom in a bewildered world.

BL80.2 S645 2009

9780061660184 (pbk.)

0061660183 (pbk.)

415338

3

3

3

3

0