Anthology of Asian scriptures / Robert E. Van Voorst.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Van Voorst, Robert E.

Contributor:

Hazel M. Hussong Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sacred books.

Asia--Religion.

Asia.

Religion.

Physical Description:

xv, 240 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Belmont, CA : Wadsworth, [2001]

Summary:

This wonderfully clarifying anthology introduces readers to the most important scriptures of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto. Robert Van Voorst's Anthology of Asian Scriptures not only presents scripture passages, but also organizes them in a way helpful for teaching and learning - setting them in the context of their application to the traditions themselves. Scriptural passages for each religion are organized by history, main doctrinal teachings, ethical systems, and other important criteria. Each chapter also features a full range of pedagogical aids to promote understanding.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Asian Scriptures Among the World's Religions 1

A Brief History of Scripture Scholarship 2

The Nature and Definition of Scripture 4

The Uses of Scripture 9

Advantages and Disadvantages 11

Asian Scriptures and Modern Scholarship 14

Scriptures and the World Wide Web 15

Chapter 2 Hinduism 23

Teaching 30

Aditi and the Birth of the Gods (Rig-Veda 10.72) 30

The Creation Hymn (Rig-Veda 10.129) 30

Creation from Brahman (Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad 1.4.1-7) 31

The God Indra (Rig-Veda 2.12) 32

The God Shiva (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.1-13) 33

"That You Are" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.1-2, 9-11) 34

The Goddess as Kali (Markandeya Purana, Devi-Mahatmya 7.1-25) 35

Organization 36

The Creation of the Caste System (Rig-Veda 10.90) 36

The Four Castes (Institutes of Vishnu 2.1-17) 37

Ethics 38

Sin and Forgiveness (Rig-Veda 7.86) 38

The Three Das (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.2) 39

The Way of Asceticism (Mundaka Upanishad 2.1-3, 5-8, 10-13) 39

Stages of Life for a Twice-Born Man (Laws of Manu 2.69-74, 191-201; 3.1-19; 6.1-9, 33-49) 40

The Life of Women (Laws of Manu 3.55-60; 5.147-165) 43

Ritual and Meditation 44

The Gayatri Mantra (Rig-Veda 3.62.10) 44

Hymn to Agni (Rig-Veda 1.1) 45

The Meaning of the Agnihotra Sacrifice (Agni-Brahmana 1.1-19) 45

The Puja of a Yogin (Agni Purana) 46

Soma (Rig-Veda 8.48) 47

Marriage (Rig-Veda 10.85.20-47) 48

Cremation (Rig-Veda 10.16) 50

Charms and Spells (Atharva-Veda 6.20; 7.70; 6.9; 3.16) 50

Chanting of Om (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.1-10) 51

The Practice of Yoga (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.8-15) 52

Appendix 1 Selections from the Bhagavad-Gita 53

Appendix 2 Mohandas Gandhi on the Bhagavad-Gita 63

Appendix 3 Two Tamil Poets, Appar and Tukaram 64

Appendix 4 Poems of Mira, a Hindi Female Saint 66

Chapter 3 Buddhism 71

History 77

The Past Lives of Gotama Buddha (Jataka 190) 77

The Life of Gotama Buddha (Selections from the Buddhacarita) 79

The Death of Gotama Buddha (Mahaparinibbana Sutta 6.1-14, 31-35, 45-48) 84

The Life of Milarepa (The Life of Milarepa 2.7) 86

Teaching 88

The Sermon on the Four Noble Truths (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta 1-8) 88

The Skandhas and the Chain of Causation (Buddhacarita 16.1, 28-50) 89

The Essence of Buddhism (Heart Sutra) 90

A Tibetan Commentary on the Heart Sutra (Jewel Light Illuminating the Meaning) 91

A Description of Nirvana (Milinda-panha 4.8.65-66) 92

A Mahayana View of the Buddha (Saddharma-pundarika Sutra 2.36; 10.1) 93

Poems of Early Nuns (Therigatha) 95

Ethics 96

Conduct of the Monk (Dhammapada 25.360-382) 96

Admonition to Laity (Cullavagga, Dhammikasutta 18-29) 97

Wisdom of the Buddha (Dhammapada 1-20, 157-166) 98

The Bodhisattva Ideal (Mahavastu) 100

Organization 101

Founding of the Order (Mahavagga 1.6.10, 11-16, 27-30, 32, 34, 37) 101

The Rules of Defeat (Patimokkha, Parajika Dhamma 1-4) 102

Rules Requiring Formal Meetings (Patimokkha, Samghadisesa Dhamma 1-13) 103

The Order of Nuns (Cullavagga 10.1.1-6) 105

Ritual and Meditation 107

The Relics of the Buddha (Mahaparinibbana Sutta 6.58-60) 107

Mindfulness in Meditation (Majjhima-Nikaya, Satipatthanasutta 10.1-9) 107

The Merit of Making Images (Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo, 16, no. 694) 110

Scripture to Guide the Soul After Death (Bardo Thodol 1.1-2) 112

Chapter 4 Jainism 117

History 119

The Life of Mahavira (Acaranga Sutra 2.15.6-9, 14, 16-20, 22-25, 27) 119

Teaching 122

The World Is Uncreated (Mahapurana 4.16-31, 38-40) 122

The Causes of Sin (Acaranga Sutra 1.1-2) 123

Can Women Achieve Liberation? (Strinirvana-pariccheda 2, 4; Sutraprabrita 1.22-26) 124

The World Is Full of Suffering (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 19.61-67, 71, 74) 125

The Road to Final Deliverance (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 28) 125

Organization 127

The Five Great Vows (Acaranga Sutra 2.15i-v) 127

Ethics 128

Ahimsa (Sutrakritanga 1.7.1-9) 128

Rules for Monastic Life (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 35) 129

The True Monk (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 15.1-16) 130

Stories from Jaina Scriptures and Commentary (Avasyakasutra 1.484.11-485.13; 2.200.11-201.12; Mulasuddhiprakarana, 179-180) 131

Chapter 5 Sikhism 137

Teaching 140

Selections from the Japji (1-3, 5-6, 9-10, 12-13, 15, 17-18, 20-22, 25, 28-29, 33, 37-Epilogue) 140

Remembering God (Gauri Sukhmani, Mahala 5) 145

Creation of the World (Asa Ki Var, Mahala 1) 146

Dancing for Krishna (Rag Gurji, Mahala 3) 147

The Hindu Thread (Asa Ki Var, Mahala 1) 147

Ethics 148

Truth Is the Basis of Conduct (Hymns of Guru Nanak) 148

Prayer for Forgiveness (Rag Bihagra, Mahala 5) 149

Against the Use of Wine (Rag Bihagra, Mahala 1) 149

Ritual 150

Hymn for the Installation of the Guru Granth (Rag Devgandhari, Mahala 5) 150

A Marriage Hymn (Rag Asa, Mahala 5) 150

Organization 151

The Guru (Rag Gauri, Mahala 3) 151

God's Power in the Sikh Community (Rag Gauri, Mahala 5) 152

Appendix Selections from the Dasam Granth 152

A Guru Gobind Singh's Story (Vichitar Natak, 6) 152

B God as the Holy Sword (Vichitar Natak, 1) 153

Chapter 6 Zoroastrianism 157

History 160

The Call of Zarathushtra (Yasna 29) 160

A Hymn of Praise to Zarathushtra (Yasht 24:87b-94) 161

Teaching 162

Hymn to Ahura and the Purifying Fire (Yasna 36) 162

Hymn to Ahura Mazda the Creator (Yasna 37:1-5) 163

The Doctrine of Dualism (Yasna 30) 163

Ethics 164

Personal Virtues (Denkard 6.23, 24) 164

Six Ritual Obligations (Sad Dar 6.1-7) 165

Ritual 165

The Place of the Gathas (Yasna 55:1-3) 165

The Zoroastrian Confession (Yasna 12) 166

The Four Great Prayers (From the Yasna) 167

Disposal of the Dead (Vendidad, Fargard 6, section 5, 44-51) 167

Chapter 7 Confucianism 171

Origin and Development 173

Use 174

History 175

The Character of Confucius (Analects 2.4; 7.1-9, 19-24; 10.1-4, 8-12) 175

Ethics 177

The Virtues of the Superior Man (Analects 1.1-4, 6-9, 14; 15.17-23) 177

Benevolence (Analects 4.1-6) 178

The Actions of Filiality (Classic of Rites, 10.1, 4, 7, 10-11, 13-15) 179

The Attitude of Filiality (Analects 2.5-8; 4.18-21; 13.18) 180

Propriety (Analects 3.3-4, 8-9, 12-15, 17-19) 181

The Way (Analects 16.2) 182

The Love of Learning (Analects 17.8-9, 12) 183

Early Debate over the Goodness of Human Nature (Mencius 6.1.1-4, 6) 183

The Basis of Good Government (The Great Learning 1-7; 9.1, 3-9) 185

The Ruler as Example to the People (Analects 2.18-20; 12.11, 17, 19; 13.4-6) 187

Confidence and Prosperity in Government (Mencius 4.3, 9; 1.6.20-24) 188

Ritual 189

Divination (Classic of Changes 1, 47, 54) 189

Songs for Sacrifice (Classic of Poetry, Shang 1; Kau 7; Minor Odes 10.1, 3; 5) 190

Music and Morality (Classic of Rites 17.2.10-11, 15-18, 20-21) 193

Appendix Later Developments of Early Themes 194

Later Debate over Human Nature (Xunzi 3.150-151; Fuyan 3.1a-b) 194

Attack on Buddhism (Ch'ang-li hsien-sheng wen-chi 39.2b-42) 195

Advice for Reading Texts (Conversations of Master Chu 4.37-39, 41) 196

Neoconfucian Ethics (Chang Tsai, The Western Inscription) 197

Chapter 8 Taoism 201

Teaching 203

The Nature of the Tao (Tao Te Ching, 1, 6, 25, 34; Chuang-tzu 29) 203

The World (Tao Te Ching 7, 42, 52) 205

The Domain of Nothingness (Chuang-tzu, book 7) 206

Ethics 206

Nonaction (Chuang-tzu, book 7) 206

Individual Life in Harmony with the Tao (Tao Te Ching 16, 22, 33, 44) 206

The Superior Man (Chuang-tzu, book 12) 208

Government (Tao Te Ching 3, 18, 57, 64) 209

Great and Small Rulers (Chuang-tzu, book 1) 210

On Death (Chuang-tzu, book 18) 210

Reward and Retribution (T'ai-Shang, book 1) 211

Ritual 212

Methods of Prolonging Life (Pao-p'u-tzu 15.6b-7a; 19.6b-7a) 212

The Life and Ascension of Shen Xi (Shenxian zhuan, Daozang jinghua 5.11) 214

The Relationship of Taoism to Confucianism (Pao-p'u Tzu 7.5a) 215

Appendix A Complete Taoist Scripture (The True Scripture of the Great Emperor) 216

Chapter 9 Shinto 223

The Kojiki 223

The Nihongi 224

Selections from the Kojiki and the Nihongi 224

The Creation of Japan (Kojiki, chapters 1-5, 11, 33) 227

The Shrine at Ise (Nihongi, chapter 5) 230

Emperor Yuryaku and the Story of the Woman Akawi-ko (Kojiki, chapter 154) 231

Selections from the Norito

Festival of the Gates (Norito) 232

Ritual Prayer for Forgiveness and Purification of Government Officials (Norito) 233.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Hazel M. Hussong Fund.

ISBN:

0534512461

9780534512460

OCLC:

42619707