Anthology of World Scriptures

396 Pages·2008·3.9 MB·English

by  Robert E. Van Voorst

A W
NTHOLOGY OF ORLD
S
CRIPTURES
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S I X T H E D I T I O N
A W
NTHOLOGY OF ORLD
S
CRIPTURES
ROBERT E. VAN VOORST
Western Theological Seminary
Holland, Michigan
AUSTRALIA (cid:2)BRAZIL (cid:2)CANADA (cid:2)MEXICO (cid:2)SINGAPORE
SPAIN (cid:2)UNITED KINGDOM (cid:2) UNITED STATES
Anthology of World Scriptures, Sixth Edition
Robert E. Van Voorst
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To James and Genevieve Bos
My parents-in-law
In gratitude for your friendship
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C O N T E N T S
PREFACE xix
1 Scripture Among the World’s Religions 1
A Brief History of Scripture Scholarship 2
The Nature and Definition of Scripture 4
The Uses of Scripture 8
Advantages and Disadvantages of Studying Religions Through
their Scriptures 10
World Scriptures and Modern Scholarship 13
Scriptures and the World Wide Web 16
The Plan of This Book 16
Suggestions on How To Read Scriptures 17
Glossary 19
Questions for Study and Discussion 19
Suggestions for Further Reading 20
Companion Website 20
2 Hinduism 21
Introduction 22
Overview ofStructure 22
Contemporary Use 25
Historical Originand Development 26
TEACHING 28
Aditi and the Birth of the Gods (Rig-Veda 10.72) 28
Two Philosophical Views of Creation (Rig-Veda 10.129;
Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad 1.4.1–7) 29
The God Indra (Rig-Veda 2.12) 30
Rudra and Shiva (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.1–13) 31
‘‘That You Are’’ (Chandogya Upanishad 6.1–2, 9–11) 32
– vi –
Contents vii
ETHICS 34
Sin and Forgiveness (Rig-Veda 7.86) 34
The Three Da’s (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.2) 34
The Way of Asceticism (Mundaka Upanishad 2.1–3, 5–8, 10–13) 35
Stages of Life for a Twice-Born Man
(Laws of Manu 2.69–74, 191–201; 3.1–19; 6.1–9, 33–49) 36
The Life of Women (Laws of Manu 3.55–60; 5.147–165) 39
ORGANIZATION 40
Creation and the Caste System (Rig-Veda 10.90) 40
The Four Castes (Institutes of Vishnu 2–1.17) 41
The Outcastes (Laws of Manu 10.51–57) 42
RITUAL AND MEDITATION 43
The Gayatri Mantra (Rig-Veda 3.62.10) 43
Devotion to Agni in Prayer and Sacrifice
(Rig-Veda 1.1; Agni-Brahmana 1.1–19) 43
Soma (Rig-Veda 8.48) 44
Marriage (Rig-Veda 10.85.20–47) 45
Cremation (Rig-Veda 10.16) 47
Charms and Spells (Atharva-Veda 6.20; 7.70; 6.9; 3.16) 48
Chanting of Om (Chandogya Upanishad 1.1.1–10) 49
The Practice of Yoga (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.8–15) 49
SELECTIONS FROM THE BHAGAVAD GITA 50
TWO TAMIL POETS, APPAR AND TUKARAM 60
[Appar:] Confession of Sin 60
The Presence of God 60
[Tukaram:] Waiting 61
The Burden of the Past 61
Glossary 62
Questions for Study and Discussion 62
Scriptures in Film 62
Suggestions for Further Reading 63
Companion Website 64
3 Buddhism 65
Introduction 66
OverviewofStructure 67
Contemporary Use 71
HistoricalOrigin and Development 72
viii Contents
HISTORY 73
The Past Lives of Siddhartha Gotama
(Jataka 190, Birth-Story of the Blessing of the Commandments) 73
The Life of Siddhartha Gotama (Buddhacarita 1.1–2, 9–10, 15–17, 19–21,
23–25, 34, 54, 59, 62, 72–74, 83; 2.24–26, 28–32; 3.1–8, 26–33,
40–44, 53–61; 5.7–20; 12.88–104; 14.1–9, 35–37, 64–68, 79–81) 74
The Death of Gotama Buddha
(Mahaparinibbana Sutta 6.1–12, 33–35, 45–48) 79
TEACHING 80
The Sermon on the Four Noble Truths
(Dhammacakkapparattana Sutta 1–8) 80
The Noble Eightfold Path (Dhammacakkapparattana Sutta 9–20) 82
The Skandhas and the Chain of Causation
(Buddhacarita 16.1, 28–50) 83
The Essence of Buddhism (The Heart Sutra) 84
A Mahayana View of the Buddha
(Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra 2.36; 10.1) 85
The Blessings of the Pure Land (Array of the Joyous Land Sutra) 86
ETHICS 88
Conduct of the Monk (Dhammapada 25, 360–382) 88
Admonition to Laity (Cullavagga, Dammikasutta 18–27) 89
The Wisdom of the Buddha (Dhammapada 1–20) 89
ORGANIZATION 91
Founding of the Monastic Order
(Mahavagga 1.6.10, 11–16, 27–30, 32, 34, 37) 91
Founding of the Order of Nuns (Cullavagga 10.1.1–6) 92
The Rules of Defeat for Monks and Nuns
(Patimokkha, Parajika Dhamma 1–4) 94
Rules Requiring Formal Meetings of Monks
(Patimokkha, Samghadisesa Dhamma 1–13) 96
RITUAL 97
The Relics of the Buddha (Mahaparinibbana Sutta 6.58–60) 97
Mindfulness in Meditation
(Majjhima-nikaya, Satipatthanasutta 10.1–9) 98
A Mahayana View of the Merit of Making Images
(Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo 16.694) 100
Tibetan Scripture to Guide the Soul after Death
(Bardo Thodol 1.1–2) 102
A Zen Koan, ‘‘What Is Extraordinary?’’
(The Blue Cliff Record 26) 103
Contents ix
The Main Characteristics of the Falun Gong Movement
(Li Hongzhi, Zhuan Falun, Lecture 1, Conclusion) 104
Glossary 106
Questions for Study and Discussion 107
Scriptures in Film 107
Suggestions for Further Reading 107
Companion Website 108
4 Jainism 109
Introduction 110
OverviewofStructure 110
Contemporary Use, HistoricalOrigin, and Development 111
HISTORY 112
The Life of Mahavira
(Acaranga Sutra 2.15.6–9, 14, 16–20, 22–25, 27) 112
TEACHING 114
The Causes of Sin (Acaranga Sutra 1.1–2) 114
The Road to Final Deliverance (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 28) 115
ETHICS 117
Ahimsa (Sutrakritanga 1.7.1–9) 117
Rules for Monastic Life (Uttaradhyayana Sutra 35) 117
ORGANIZATION 118
The Five Great Vows (Acaranga Sutra 2.15.i–v) 118
Glossary 119
Questions for Study and Discussion 119
Suggestions for Further Reading 120
Companion Website 120
5 Sikhism 121
Introduction 122
OverviewofStructure 122
Contemporary Use 123
HistoricalOrigin and Development 124
TEACHING 125
Selections from the Japji
(Japji 1–3, 5–6, 9, 12–13, 15, 17–18, 20–22, Epilogue) 125
Remembering God (Gauri Sukhmani, Mahala 5) 127
Dancing for Krishna (Rag Gurji, Mahala 3) 128
The Hindu Thread (Asa Ki Var, Mahala 1) 129