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Revealing^® Eastern Religions

Version 4.0

Copyright © 2001-2011 Thinking Strings, LLC

Table of Contents

Exploring Religion

What is Religion?

• Goals: What is Religion?
• Religion & Religions
• One Reality or Many?
• Defining Religion
• Theoretical, Practical, Sociological
• Religious Specialists
• Religious Syncretism
• Summary: What is Religion?

Types of Religions

• Goals: Types of Religions
• Eastern & Western Religions
• Families of Religions
• Ethnic & Universal
• Theisms
• The Ineffable
• Atheism & Agnosticism
• Summary: Types of Religions
• Try It: Types of Religions

Studying Religion

• Goals: Studying Religion
• Why Is There Religion?
• Functionalism
• Theorists of Religion
• Ways to Study Religion
• Belief & Unbelief
• Why Study Religion?
• The Religious Quest
• Summary: Studying Religion
• Try It: Studying Religion

Hinduism

Defining & Finding Hinduism

• Goals: Defining Hinduism
• Religion in Ancient India
• Religions of India
• Hinduism's Expansiveness
• How Old is Hinduism?
• Sanatana Dharma
• Indian Definition of Hinduism
• Religious Conflict in India
• World Distribution
• Summary: Defining Hinduism
• Try It: Defining Hinduism

The Birth of Hinduism

• Goals: The Birth of Hinduism
• Timeline of Hinduism
• Indus Civilization
• Aryan Invasion Theory
• Caste System
• Early Vedic Religion & Ritual
• Vedic Gods
• Agni & Soma
• Vedic Scriptures
• Summary: The Birth of Hinduism
• Try It: The Birth of Hinduism

Hinduism After the Vedas

• Goals: Hinduism After the Vedas
• Hinduism's Relationship to Buddhism
• The Epics
• Classical Texts
• Tantric Texts
• Islam in India
• Colonial Powers in India
• Indian Independence
• Summary: Hinduism After the Vedas
• Try It: Hinduism After the Vedas

Philosophy of Hinduism

• Goals: Philosophy of Hinduism
• Basic Tensions in Hinduism
• Brahman
• Atman
• Maya
• Karma
• Reincarnation in Hinduism
• Samsara
• Moksha
• Cosmogenesis & Kaliyuga
• Summary: Philosophy of Hinduism
• Try It: Philosophy of Hinduism

Yoga

• Goals: Yoga
• Types of Yoga
• Jnana Yoga
• Karma Yoga & Arjuna
• Bhakti Yoga & Mirabai
• Raja Yoga
• Hatha Yoga
• Four Stages of Life
• Sannyasin
• Varieties of Yoga
• Summary: Yoga
• Try It: Yoga

Schools of Hindu Philosophy

• Goals: Schools of Hindu Philosophy
• Samkhya Philosophy
• Purusha & Prakriti
• The Three Gunas
• Meditation & Consciousness
• Vedanta
• Qualified Nondualism
• Tantric Hinduism
• Kundalini Yoga
• Tantra
• Summary: Schools of Hindu Philosophy
• Try It: Schools of Hindu Philosophy

The Hindu Pantheon

• Goals: The Hindu Pantheon
• Nature of the Hindu Pantheon
• The Trimurti
• Vishnu
• Rama
• Krishna
• Shiva
• Devi
• Lesser Deities
• Summary: The Hindu Pantheon
• Try It: The Hindu Pantheon

Puja & Pilgrimage

• Goals: Puja & Pilgrimage
• Hindu Practice
• Hindu Tradition
• Hindu Devotional Practice
• Darshan & Puja
• Procession & Pilgrimage
• Gurus
• Temple Worship
• Music & Chant
• Hindu Sacred Dance
• Summary: Puja & Pilgrimage
• Try It: Puja & Pilgrimage

Hinduism in the West

• Goals: Hinduism in the West
• Hinduism Outside India
• Swami Vivekananda
• Transcendental Meditation
• ISKCON
• Yoga in the West
• Summary: Hinduism in the West
• Try It: Hinduism in the West

Buddhism

The Life of the Buddha

• Goals: The Life of the Buddha
• Siddhartha Gautama
• Siddhartha's Context
• From Birth to Age 30
• Four Passing Sights
• Siddhartha as Renunciate
• Siddhartha's Awakening
• Buddha as Teacher
• Sangha
• Parinirvana
• Summary: The Life of the Buddha
• Try It: The Life of the Buddha

Philosophy of Buddhism

• Goals: Philosophy of Buddhism
• The Four Noble Truths
• The Five Precepts
• The Three Jewels
• Dharma
• Dependent Co-Arising
• No Self (Anatta)
• Nirvana
• Arhat
• Reincarnation in Buddhism
• Summary: Philosophy of Buddhism
• Try It: Philosophy of Buddhism

The First 400 Years

• Goals: The First 400 Years
• Transmission & Spread of Buddhism
• King Asoka
• Schools of Buddhism
• Major Branches of Buddhism
• Buddhism in First Century CE
• Summary: The First 400 Years
• Try It: The First 400 Years

Theravada Buddhism

• Goals: Theravada Buddhism
• Pali Canon (Tipitaka)
• Becoming an Arhat
• Women in Theravada Buddhism
• Theravadan Meditation
• Theravadan Iconography
• Worship of the Buddha
• Sri Lanka
• Major Theravadan Temples
• Thailand
• Summary: Theravada Buddhism
• Try It: Theravada Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

• Goals: Mahayana Buddhism
• The Bodhisattva Ideal
• The Buddhist Pantheon
• Three-Body Doctrine (Trikaya)
• Skillful Means (Upaya)
• Mahayana Scriptures
• Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy
• Summary: Mahayana Buddhism
• Try It: Mahayana Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism

• Goals: Vajrayana Buddhism
• Origin of Vajrayana Buddhism
• Buddhism in Tibet
• Tantric Buddhism
• Buddhist Mantras
• Vajrayana Iconography
• Vajrayana Meditation
• Tibetan Deities
• Milarepa
• Summary: Vajrayana Buddhism
• Try It: Vajrayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism in China

• Goals: Mahayana in China
• Buddhism Enters China
• Chan (Zen) Buddhism
• Pure Land Buddhism
• Huayan Buddhism
• Master Xu Yun
• Chinese Buddhist Iconography
• Buddhism in China Today
• Mahayana in Korea
• Mahayana in Vietnam
• Summary: Mahayana in China
• Try It: Mahayana in China

Mahayana Buddhism in Japan

• Goals: Mahayana in Japan
• Buddhism Enters Japan
• Nara Period
• Shingon Buddhism
• Tendai Buddhism
• Kamakura Period
• Jodo Shu Buddhism
• Nichiren Buddhism
• Zen Buddhism
• Devotional Practice
• Summary: Mahayana in Japan
• Try It: Mahayana in Japan

Buddhism in the West

• Goals: Buddhism in the West
• Schools of Buddhism in the West
• Insight Meditation Society
• Shambhala
• City of 10,000 Buddhas
• Plum Village
• Engaged Buddhism
• Women in Western Buddhism
• Summary: Buddhism in the West
• Try It: Buddhism in the West

Sikhism

Emergence of Sikhism

• Goals: Emergence of Sikhism
• The Sikh Religion
• The Punjab
• Blending Hinduism & Islam
• Guru Nanak
• Summary: Emergence of Sikhism
• Try It: Emergence of Sikhism

Life of Guru Nanak

• Goals: Life of Guru Nanak
• Guru Nanak's Family
• Birth of Guru Nanak
• Nanak as a Young Man
• Nanak's Epiphany
• Nanak's Travels
• Nanak's Travels
• Nanak's Ashram
• Nanak's Death
• Summary: Life of Guru Nanak
• Try It: Life of Guru Nanak

Sikh Theology

• Goals: Sikh Theology
• Sikh Monotheism
• A Personal God
• The Sikh View of Human Nature
• Reincarnation & Liberation
• Union with God
• Summary: Sikh Theology
• Try It: Sikh Theology

The Ten Gurus

• Goals: The Ten Gurus
• The First Guru
• The Second Guru
• The Third Guru
• The Fourth Guru
• The Fifth Guru
• The Sixth Guru
• The Seventh & Eighth Gurus
• The Ninth Guru
• The Tenth Guru
• Summary: The Ten Gurus
• Try It: The Ten Gurus

The Khalsa

• Goals: The Khalsa
• Founding the Khalsa
• Sikh Identity
• The Warrior Ideal
• Sikh/Muslim Conflict
• Summary: The Khalsa
• Try It: The Khalsa

Sikh Scripture

• Goals: Sikh Scripture
• Adi Granth
• Mul Mantra
• Authors of the Granth
• Translations of the Granth
• Dasam Granth
• Other Sikh Scriptures
• Summary: Sikh Scripture
• Try It: Sikh Scripture

Sikhism in India and the Diaspora

• Goals: Sikhism in India and the Diaspora
• Sikhism after Guru Gobind Singh
• Ranjit Singh
• Sikhs and the British Empire
• The Partition of India
• Sikh Separatism
• Sikhs in the Punjab Today
• Sikhs in the Diaspora
• Variants of Sikhism
• Summary: Sikhism in India and the Diaspora
• Try It: Sikhism in India and the Diaspora

Rituals and Rites of Passage

• Goals: Rituals and Rites of Passage
• Sikh Worship
• The Gurdwara
• The Langar
• Birth
• Initiation
• Marriage
• Death
• Summary: Rituals and Rites of Passage
• Try It: Rituals and Rites of Passage

Sikh Holidays

• Goals: Sikh Holidays
• The Cycle of Sikh Holidays
• Baisakh
• Hola
• Diwali
• Sikh Commemorations
• Sikh Processions
• Sikh Pilgrimage
• Summary: Sikh Holidays
• Try It: Sikh Holidays

Taoism

Ancient Chinese Religion

• Goals: Ancient Chinese Religion
• China's Indigenous Religions
• The Warring States Period
• Ancient Chinese Religions
• Ancient Chinese Philosophy
• Taoism & Confucianism
• Summary: Ancient Chinese Religion
• Try It: Ancient Chinese Religion

Beginnings of Taoism

• Goals: Beginnings of Taoism
• Laozi
• Origins of the Tao Te Ching
• The Tao Te Ching
• Zhuangzi
• Transliterating Chinese
• Summary: Beginnings of Taoism
• Try It: Beginnings of Taoism

Philosophy of the Tao

• Goals: Philosophy of the Tao
• What is the Tao?
• The Ten Thousand Things
• The Ineffable Tao
• Wu-Wei
• The Nature of Human Beings
• Yin & Yang
• The Importance of Nature
• Summary: Philosophy of the Tao
• Try It: Philosophy of the Tao

Taoism as a Religion

• Goals: Taoism as a Religion
• Philosophy or Religion?
• Celestial Master Taoism
• Magic & Alchemy
• Supreme Clarity Taoism
• Numinous Treasure Taoism
• Summary: Taoism as a Religion
• Try It: Taoism as a Religion

Taoist Pantheon

• Goals: Taoist Pantheon
• Basic Features
• Hierarchy of the Pantheon
• Major Deities
• Kwan Yin
• Land God
• God of Wealth
• The Eight Immortals
• Ho Hsien Ku
• Other Taoist Deities
• Summary: Taoist Pantheon
• Try it: Taoist Pantheon

Second Millennium CE

• Goals: Second Millennium CE
• Later Sects of Taoism
• Orthodox Unity Taoism
• Integral Perfection Taoism
• White Cloud Abbey
• Taoist Temples
• Wang Ling Guan
• Taoist Priesthood
• Summary: Second Millennium CE
• Try It: Second Millennium CE

Taoist Meditation & Medicine

• Goals: Taoist Meditation & Medicine
• Breathing Exercises
• The Spiritual Embryo
• Holding the Ones
• T'ai-chi Ch'uan
• Taoist Martial Arts
• Traditional Medicine & Acupuncture
• Herbology
• Macrobiotic Diet
• Summary: Meditation & Medicine
• Try It: Taoist Meditation & Medicine

Taoist Ritual Practices

• Goals: Taoist Ritual Practices
• Chinese Festivals
• Chinese Astrology
• Feng Shui
• Yijing
• Calligraphy
• Healing Rituals
• Ancestor Veneration
• Chiao
• Summary: Taoist Ritual Practices
• Try It: Taoist Ritual Practices

Taoism in the Modern Era

• Goals: Taoism in the Modern Era
• The Decline of Taoism
• Taoism Under the Manchus
• Taoism & Western Imperialism
• T'ai-p'ing Rebellion
• The Communist Revolution
• Taoism in China Today
• Taoism Outside Mainland China
• Summary: Taoism in the Modern Era
• Try It: Taoism in the Modern Era

Confucianism

The Life of Confucius

• Goals: The Life of Confucius
• Early Life of Confucius
• Confucius as a Young Man
• Teacher & Philosopher
• Summary: The Life of Confucius
• Try It: The Life of Confucius

Fundamentals of Confucianism

• Goals: Fundamentals
• A Moral Philosophy
• Confucianism as a Religion
• Five Great Relationships
• Rectification of Names
• Five Virtues
• Male Dominance in Confucianism
• Human Nature in Confucianism
• Confucian Ideals for Government
• Yin & Yang in Confucianism
• Summary: Fundamentals
• Try It: Fundamentals

Confucian Texts

• Goals: Confucian Texts
• Significance of Confucian Texts
• The Five Classics
• The Book of Rites
• The Four Books
• The Analects
• The Great Learning
• The Book of Mencius
• Summary: Confucian Texts
• Try It: Confucian Texts

Early Confucian History

• Goals: Early Confucian History
• After Confucius
• Mencius
• Mozi
• Xunzi
• The Han Dynasty
• Confucian Religion
• Veneration of Confucius
• Confucian Priesthood
• Summary: Early Confucian History
• Try It: Early Confucian History

The Modern Era

• Goals: The Modern Era
• Confucianism & Buddhism
• Neo-Confucianism
• The Great Ultimate
• Sitting Meditation
• Becoming a Sage
• Wang Yangming
• Reforms in Confucianism
• Confucianism in the Modern Era
• Summary: The Modern Era
• Try It: The Modern Era

Shinto

Early Japanese Religion

• Goals: Early Japanese Religion
• Indigenous Japanese Religion
• The Japanese People
• Prehistoric Japan
• Early Shinto
• Shamanism
• Early Shinto Gods & Goddesses
• Summary: Early Japanese Religion
• Try It: Early Japanese Religion

Shinto After Buddhism

• Goals: Shinto After Buddhism
• Shinto & Chinese Religions
• Shinto & Buddhism
• Shinto Writings
• Separating Shinto & Buddhism
• Meiji Restoration
• State Shinto
• After World War II
• Summary: Shinto After Buddhism
• Try It: Shinto After Buddhism

Key Characteristics of Shinto

• Goals: Key Characteristics
• Major Concerns of Shinto
• Purity
• Tradition in Shinto
• Honoring Nature
• The Land of Japan
• An Optimistic Religion
• Orthopraxis in Shinto
• Summary: Key Characteristics
• Try It: Key Characteristics

Shinto Mythology

• Goals: Shinto Mythology
• Origin Myth of Shinto
• Izanami & Izanagi
• The Birth of Fire
• Izanagi's Return
• The Birth of Amaterasu
• The Heavenly Rock Cave
• Amaterasu's Descendants
• Summary: Shinto Mythology
• Try It: Shinto Mythology

Kami

• Goals: Kami
• Definition of Kami
• Types of Kami
• Traits of Kami
• The Kami & Humans
• The Waving Cat
• Kami Iconography
• Summary: Kami
• Try It: Kami

Shinto Shrines

• Goals: Shinto Shrines
• Shinto Shrines in Japan Today
• Torii
• Shimenawa
• Shrine Architecture
• Features of Shinto Shrines
• Enshrined Kami
• The Three Treasures
• Summary: Shinto Shrines
• Try It: Shinto Shrines

Shinto Worship

• Goals: Shinto Worship
• Worshipping the Kami
• Visiting a Shrine
• Oracles & Charms
• Occasions for Visiting a Shrine
• Shinto Funerals
• Priest-Led Worship
• The Shinto Priesthood
• Shinto Worship at Home
• Summary: Shinto Worship
• Try It: Shinto Worship

Shinto Festivals

• Goals: Shinto Festivals
• Occasions for Festivals
• New Year's Festivals
• Rice Festivals
• Other Shinto Festivals
• Processions in Shinto
• Shinto Dance & Theater
• Shinto Pilgrimage
• Summary: Shinto Festivals
• Try It: Shinto Festivals

Religious Blending in Japan

• Goals: Religious Blending in Japan
• Who Practices Shinto?
• Taoist Elements in Shinto
• Confucian Elements in Shinto
• Buddhist Elements in Shinto
• New Religious Movements in Japan
• Shinto Outside Japan
• Summary: Religious Blending in Japan
• Try It: Religious Blending in Japan

Religious Pluralism

The World's Religions

• Goals: The World's Religions
• Making Meaningful Comparisons
• Universal & Ethnic Religions
• Orthopraxis & Orthodoxy
• Sacred Time
• Founders, Prophets, & Teachers
• Sex, Life, & Death
• One God or Many?
• Summary: The World's Religions
• Try It: The World's Religions

New Religious Movements

• Goals: New Religious Movements
• Religious Change
• Millennial Movements
• Universalist Religions
• Nature Religions
• New Age Religions
• Summary: New Religious Movements
• Try It: New Religious Movements

Religion in the 21^st Century

• Goals: The 21^st Century
• The Secularization Thesis
• Fundamentalism
• Interreligious Dialogue
• Women's Religious Leadership
• Religion in Popular Culture
• Looking Forward
• Summary: The 21^st Century
• Try It: The 21^st Century

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