Scriptures of the World's Religions

Cover
Title
Copyright
Contents
Preface
Hinduism
	Introduction
	Vedas
		Creation of the Universe
		Origin of the Gods
		Indra, the Paradigmatic Warrior
		Prayer to Agni, the God of Fire
		Burning Dead Bodies
		The Beneficial Effects of Drinking Soma
		Sex and the Yogi
		A Cunning Woman
		The Horse Sacrifice
		To the Fire Altar
		What is the Origin of the World?
	Vedanta: The Upanisads and Their Commentaries
		Yama\'s Instructions to Naciketas
		Truth and Transcendence
		Sacrifices cannot Lead to the Ultimate Goal
		Instructions on Renouncing the World
		Self-Effort and Liberation
		Maya
		That is You
		Qualified Nondualism: Ramanuja\'s Interpretation
	Yoga
		The Meaning of Yoga
		Yogic Techniques
		Yogic Attainments
	Puranas and Epics
		The Four Ages
		The Lingam of Siva
		The Buddha: a False Teacher
		The Power of the Goddess
		Rama, A God Among Humans
		The Bhagavad-Gita: Arjuna\'s Refusal to Fight
		The Life of a Sage
	Devotional Literature
		Praise of the Goddess
		Prayer for Identity With the Goddess
		Mirabai\'s Mystical Marriage to Krsna
		Cheating on her Husband
	Treatises on Dharma
		Actions and their Results
		Manu\'s Instructions on Finding the Right Mate
Jainism
	Introduction
	Jaina Scriptures
		Mahavira, the Ascetic Paradigm
		Women cannot Attain Liberation
		Women can Attain Liberation
		Bondage and Liberation
		The Worthlessness of Possessions, Friends, and Relatives
		The Importance of Equanimity
		The World is Full of Suffering
		Fasting Unto Death
		There is No Creator God
		Excerpts from The Sutra on Understanding the Meaning of the Categories
Buddhism
	Introduction
	The Life of the Buddha
	Pali Canon
		The First Sermon
		The Buddha\'s Good Qualities
		Criteria for Assessing Valid Teachings and Teachers
		Nirvana
		Dependent Arising
		Questions that Should be Avoided
		Selflessness
		Instructions on Meditation
		Ordination of Women
		The Cessation of Suffering
		My Teacher
		The Joy of Release
		The Buddha\'s Last Days and Final Instructions
		The Questions of King Milinda
		How to Avoid Extreme Views
	Mahayana Scriptures
		The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Discourse
		Excerpts from the Diamond Sutra
		Why Bodhisattvas are Superior to Hearers
		Why the Bodhisattva Works Alone
		On the Differences between Men and Women
		The Lotus Sutra: Parable of the Burning House
		Just War Principles
		Everything is Controlled by the Mind
		The Base Consciousness
		Nagarjuna on Emptiness
		The Bodhisattva\'s Vows of Universal Love
		Tantric Skill in Means
		The Stage of Completion
		Unbounded Action
		Women Should be Honored
		Sa.sara and Nirvana are One
		Using Desire to Eradicate Desire
		The State of Pure Awareness
		The Importance of the Guru
	Tibetan Buddhist Scriptures
		Ultimate Reality
		Bardo, the State between Lives
		Milarepa on Meditation
		Niguma on Mahamudra
		Instructions from Mañjusri
		The Triple Appearance
		Developing the Mind of Awakening
	Chinese and Japanese Buddhist Scriptures
		The One Mind
		The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
		Kukai: Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism
		Dogen\'s Meditation Instructions
		The Mu Koan
		Pure Land: Shinran on Amida\'s Vow
		Truth Decay: Nichiren on the Title of the Lotus Sutra
Sikhism
	Introduction
	Sikh Scriptures
		Nanak, the First Guru
		Guru Nanak\'s Death
		The Mul Mantra: The Basic Statement
		Discussion of the Mul Mantra
		The Divine Name
		The One Path to God
		Nudity Does Not Make One a Saint
		Books and Learning are of No Use
		External Observances are of No Use
		On Hukam
		On Haumai
		The Ecstasy of Mystical Union
		Guidelines for a Happy Marriage
		Formation of the Khalsa
		Justification for Use of Force
		God, the Sword Supreme
Confucianism
	Introduction
	Confucian Scriptures
		Sima Qian\'s Account of Confucius\'s Life
		Emperor Yao\'s Good Qualities
		Confucius: Selections from the Analects
		The Great Learning
		Centeredness
		The Life of Mencius
		Selections from the Mencius
		Xunzi: the Nature of Human Beings is Evil
		Yang Xiong: Human Nature is a Mixture of Good and Evil
		Han Yu: Attack on Buddhism and Daoism
		Zhou Dunyi: The Great Ultimate
		Zhu Xi: Nature and Humanity
		Wang Yangming: Questions on the Great Learning
Daoism
	Introduction
	Daoist Scriptures
		A Brief Account of Laozi\'s Life
		Laozi Instructs Confucius
		Laozi Converts the Barbarians
		Laozi Becomes an Immortal
		Laozi: The Daodejing
		Wang Bi: Commentary on the Daodejing
		Visualizing the Dao
		The Dao of Immortality
		Purity and Tranquillity
		Zhuangzi\'s Life and Work
		The Dao is in Everything
		Dao is Beginningless
		Does What I Say Mean Anything?
		Sitting and Forgetting
		The Perfected Man is Miraculous
		Zhuang Zhou Dreamed He was a Butterfly
		Zhuangzi Visits Huizi, Prime Minister of Liang
		The Sage Rides the Sun and Moon
		The True Men of Old
		Zhuangzi and Huizi Over the River Hao
		Huizi and Zhuangzi on Emotions
		Carpenter Shi Goes To Qi
		Zhuangzi Fishing on the River Pu
		Zhuangzi\'s Wife Died
		The Lady of Great Mystery
		Sun Buer: Immortality Practices for Women
		Commentary by Zhen Yangming
		Sexual Techniques for Men
		Sexual Techniques for Women
		The Great Man
		Ode to the Virtue of Wine
		Transcending the World
		The Music of Dao
Shinto
	Introduction
	Shinto Scriptures
		Birth of the Kami of Sun and Moon
		The Birth of Great Kami
		The Creation of Japan
		Izanagi Visits Izanami in the Netherworld
		Amaterasu Hides in a Cave
		The Shrine At Ise
		Why Japan is Special
		Protecting the Stability of the Country
		Prince Shotoku\'s Proclamation on Veneration of Kami
		Festival of the Gates
		Prayer to Amaterasu During the Festival of the Sixth Month
		Prayer for Moving the Shrine of Ise
		Mount Fuji
		Life is Transitory
Zoroastrianism
	Introduction
	The Avesta
		Zoroastrian Creed
		Dualism
		Removal of Hair and Nails
		Removal of the Dead
		The Daily Prayer
	Pahlavi Writings
		The Chinvat Bridge, Heaven and Hell
		Creation and the Millennia
		Life of Zarathushtra
		Coming of Saoshyant
		The Final Judgment and Restoration of the Universe
		Six Ritual Obligations
		Virtues and Social Obligation
	Zurvan Writings
		Zurvan and his Twin Sons
Judaism
	Introduction
	Books of Moses
		Creation
		Adam and Eve
		The Fall
		Covenant With Noah
		Covenant With Abraham
		Passover and Exodus
		Mosaic Covenant
		Holiness Code
	Conquest and United Kingdom
		Entry Into Canaan
		Song of Deborah
		Davidic Covenant
		Psalms Ascribed to David
		Solomon\'s Temple
		Proverbs Attributed to Solomon
	Divided Kingdom and Exile
		Elijah Versus the Priests of Baal And Asherah
		Isaiah\'s Warning to Judah
		Babylonian Conquest and Exile
		Remembering Zion
		Return from Exile and Restoration
		Esther
		Ezra and the Law
	Post-Exilic Writings
		Greek Rule and the Coming of the Messiah
		Maccabean Revolt
		Qumran Community: Rival Spirits of Truth and Falsehood
	Rabbinic Writings
		Wisdom of the Fathers
		Rabbinic Authority
		Why God is Jealous of Idols
		Resurrection of the Dead
		Coming of the Messiah
		Unity of the Ten Commandments
	Medieval Judaism
		Maimonides: Thirteen Principles of Belief
		Kabbala: Creation
	Recent Movements
		Hasidism: Stories of Baal Shem Tov
		Jewish Enlightenment: Mendelssohn on Revealed Law
			Reform Judaism: Declaration of Principles
			Orthodox Judaism: Service Prayer For the Day of Atonement
			Conservative Judaism: Schechter on Jewish Dogmas
			Zionism: Herzl\'s Vision of a Jewish Homeland
			Reconstructionist Judaism: Kaplan\'s Prayer of Thirteen Wants
Christianity
	Introduction
	Jesus\' Birth and Ministry
		Prince of Peace and Suffering Servant
		Birth of Jesus
		Jesus\' Baptism, Temptation, and First Disciples
		Sermon on the Mount
		Parables of the Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son
		Peter Receives the Keys
		Lazarus Raised from the Dead
	Jesus\' Death
		Last Supper
		Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
		Trial, Crucifixion, Resurrection
	New Testament Church
		Ascension, Pentecost
		Paul on Judaizers
		Paul on Life After Death
	Noncanonical Gospels
		Infancy Gospel of James
		Infancy Gospel of Thomas
		Gnostic Gospel of Thomas
		Gnostic Gospel of Mary
		Gnostic Gospel of Judas
	Early Statements of Faith
		Baptism, Prayer, and the Eucharist: Didache
		Apostles\' Creed
		Nicene Creed
		Chalcedon Creed
	Church Fathers, Saints, and Mystics
		The Martyrdom of Polycarp
		Tertullian on Heretics
		Jerome\'s Preface to the Vulgate
		Augustine\'s Confessions
		The Rule of Saint Benedict
		Aquinas on Faith and Reason
		Teresa of Avila on the Prayer of Union
	Protestant Statements of Faith
		Lutherans: Augsburg Confession
		Anglicans: Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion
		Presbyterians: Westminster Confession
		Baptists: First London Baptist Confession of Faith
		Congregationalists: Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order
		Restorationists: Campbell\'s Thirteen Propositions
		Assemblies of God: Statement of Fundamental Truths
	Catholic Documents
		The Council of Trent
		Pope Leo XIII on the Condition of Labor: Rerum Novarum
	Recent Sectarian Movements
		Unitarianism: William Ellery Channing
		Mormonism: Joseph Smith
		Jehovah\'s Witnesses: Charles Taze Russell
		Christian Science: Mary Baker Eddy
		New Age Christianity: Levi H. Dowling
Islam
	Introduction
	Qur\'an: Muhammad in Mecca
		Night of Power
		Divine Judgment
		The Opening
		Evils of Idolatry
		Early Prophets
		Resurrection of the Dead
		Revealed Qur\'an
	Qur\'an: Muhammad in Medina
		Laws
		Treatment of Women
		Jesus the Prophet
		Unbelieving People of the Book
		Five Pillars of Islam
		Jihad
		Muhammad\'s Wives
		Idolatry Abolished
		Final Revelation
	Hadith
		Call to Prophethood
		Night Journey
		Charity
		Pilgrimage
		Jihad
		The Essence of Islam
		Reciting the Qur\'an
		Stoning of Adulterous Jews
		Death of Muhammad
		First Compilation of the Qur\'an
		Definitive Compilation of the Qur\'an
	Sunni and Shi\'i Writings
		Sunni Islamic Law
		Sunni Creed
		Shi\'i Creed
		Jesus and Islam: The Gospel of Barnabas
		Judas Crucified in Place of Jesus
	Sufi Writings
		Rabi\'a: Unconditional Love of God
		Unveiling the Qur\'an\'s Secrets: Sana\'i of Ghazni
		Sufi Path: Al-Ghazali
		Union and Separation: Rumi
Baha\'i Faith
	Introduction
	The Bab
		Imprisonment
		The Qayyumu\'l-Asma\': A New Qur\'an
		The Bayan: A Book for a New Dispensation
		A Coming Leader
		Day of Resurrection
		Call to Belief
	Baha\'u\'llah
		Different Manifestations in Different Dispensations
		Baha\'i Laws
		Promoting Peace
		Paradise
	Abdu\'l-Baha
		Baha\'u\'llah\'s Teachings
		The Unity of Existence
		Universal Love
		Abdu\'l-Baha\'s Will
	Shoghi Effendi
		Possibilities for the Future
		Unity of Religions, Races, and God
	The Universal House of Justice
		Promise of World Peace
Indigenous Religions
	Introduction
	Africa
		Cause of Death
		King of Death: Angolan Myth
		Woman\'s Search for the High God: Zambian Myth
		Tree to the Upper World: Tanzanian Myth
		Dead People Become Clouds: San Myth
		War of the Gods: Yoruba Myth
	America
		Creation: Mayan Myth
		Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca: Mexican Myth
		Creation: Hopi Myth
		Creation: Cherokee Myth
		Origin of Disease and Medicine: Cherokee Myth
		Origin of Corn: Creek Myth
	Oceania
		The Wise and Foolish Twins: Melanesian Myth
		Maui the Trickster-God: Polynesian Myth
		Olofat the Trickster-God: Micronesian Myth
		Division of Labor between the Sexes: Australian Myth
		The First Death: Australian Myth
		How Fire became Widely Available: Australian Myth
		The Rainbow Serpent: Australian Myth