World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction

List of Boxes and Tables x

List of Figures xii

Note on Scriptural References xiv

Acknowledgements xv

Introduction 1

Part 1 Beyond Time and Space 25

1 IMAGE 27

The Second Commandment (Judaism) 28

Shirk (Islam) 32

Incarnate Son (Christianity) 37

Murti (Hinduism) 42

The Three Bodies (Buddhism) 46

Summary 50

2 BOOK 56

Shruti and Smriti (Hinduism) 57

The Three Baskets (Buddhism) 61

New Testament (Christianity) 65

Tanach (Judaism) 70

Qur’an (Islam) 74

Summary 79

Part II Within Time and Space 85

3 ETHICS 87

Dharma (Hinduism 88

Pancasila (Buddhism) 92

The Ten Words (Judaism) 96

A New Commandment (Christianity) 100

The Greater Jihad (Islam) 104

Summary 109

4 BIRTH 114

Baptism (Christianity) 115

B’rit Milah (Judaism) 119

Aqiqah (Islam) 124

Birth Samskaras (Hinduism) 127

The Buddhist Exception (Buddhism) 131

Summary 134

5 DEATH 140

The Wheel of Rebirth (Buddhism) 141

The Last Sacrifice (Hinduism) 145

Resurrection of the Body (Judaism) 149

Salat al-Jenazah (Islam) 154

First Fruits (Christianity) 159

Summary 164

6 MARRIAGE 172

Nikah (Islam) 173

Under the Huppah (Judaism) 177

Householder and Forest-Dweller (Hinduism) 182

Bride of Christ (Christianity) 187

The Renunciation (Buddhism) 193

Summary 196

7 FOOD 204

Ahimsa and Samadhi (Buddhism) 205

Blessed Leftovers (Hinduism) 209

Bread and Wine (Christianity) 214

Kosher (Judaism) 218

Halal (Islam) 222

Summary 226

8 CLOTHING 233

The Veil of Modesty (Islam) 234

Kippah, Tefillin, and Tallit (Judaism) 238

The Thread and the Mark (Hinduism) 244

Vestments and Habits (Christianity) 248

The Three Robes (Buddhism) 253

Summary 256

Part III time and Space 261

9 DAY 263

Uposatha (Buddhism) 264

Tithi (Hinduism) 266

Sabbath (Judaism) 270

The Lord’s Day (Christianity) 275

Salat (Islam) 279

Summary 282

10 YEAR 288

Four Seasons (Christianity) 289

Full Moons and Monsoons (Buddhism) 295

Day of Brahma (Hinduism) 299

Harvests, History, and High Holy Days (Judaism) 305

Lunar Year (Islam) 311

Summary 316

11 BUILDING 321

Mosque (Islam) 322

Synagogue (Judaism) 327

Church (Christianity) 330

Mandir (Hinduism) 334

Temple Complex (Buddhism) 338

Summary 342

12 JOURNEY 349

The Sacred Ford (Hinduism) 350

Traces of Tathagata (Buddhism) 355

The Quest of the Magi (Christianity) 360

Aliyah (Judaism) 365

Hajj (Islam) 369

Summary 374

Conclusion 380

Glossary 385

Select Bibliography 402

Index 410