San Antonio College Library

A "collection of the key written and oral texts by spiritual teachers from South Asia, covering 3,500 years and all the major traditions - Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and 'new' Indian religions"--Back cover.

In India, the birthplace of some of the world's major faiths and home to many more, religion is a way of life, existing as much in temples, mosques, churches and wayside shrines as it does in social laws, cultural practices and the political arena. Bringing this complex and fascinating subject into easy access through essential facts and figures, clear, concise definitions and up-to-date information on recent religio-political developments, "The Penguin...

Peter Owen Jones explores Karma in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery high in the mountains, and attends the 300th anniversary of a Sikh guru.

This is a fresh and innovative exploration of traditional Indian religion and culture - an area that has fascinated and puzzled the West for centuries. Making use of his own original research, conducted over twenty-five years, Friedhelm Hardy aims at presenting the widest possible range of themes that have preoccupied Indian culture. He draws on a variety of sources, in various languages, and listens not only to what the philosopher or theologian...

Here is a timeless collection of traditional stories that recount the personal spiritual journeys and true acts of selflessness by saints from various religious traditions indigenous to India, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Sufism. The authors present a diverse selection of these inspirational tales-about both men and women saints, from a variety of time periods, and from all over India-and make them relevant for a modern audience....

A look now at the ancient Hindu practice of "kirtan," a call-and-response chanting of Sankrit mantras that started in India as a path to enlightenment. Practitioners believe the chanting awakens the love of God, which is present in everyone's heart. This form of meditation is gaining popularity here in the U.S.; Krishna Das, an internationally known spiritual teacher, led a kirtan workshop in New York.

In this program a group of young Hindus define the Bhagavad Gita's Four Paths to God and reflect on which path he or she feels the most affinity with-Bhakti (Devotion), Jnana (Knowledge), Rajah (Contemplation), or Karma (Action). With feedback from experts such as Jay Lakhani, director of the Vivekananda Centre in London, the teens examine the practices and philosophies of the paths, explaining that Hinduism accommodates many ways to worship. The...

In India, religious observances weave countless golden threads into the homespun fabric of daily life. This program provides an overview of four of India's prominent religions: Jainism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Stunning footage from all around the subcontinent displays these jewels of India's religious heritage-along with their monuments, shrines, temples, festivals, and sacred rituals-against the backdrop of the nation's intricate history,...