The Religions of the World Made Simple

196 Pages·1968·24.669 MB·English

by  John Lewis

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THE RELIGIONS
OF THE WORLD
MADE SIMPLE

THE
RELIGIONS
WORLD
OF THE
MADE
SIMPLE
REVISED EDITION
BY
JOHN LEWIS, B.Sc, Ph.D.
Lecturer in Philosophy, Morley College, London, England
Lecturer in Anthropology to the Extra-Mural Delegacy
of the University of Oxford
MADE SIMPLE BOOKS
DOUBLEDAY COMPANY,
& INC.
GARDEN NEW YORK
CITY,
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber68-14221
@
Copyright 1958, 1968 by Doubleday 6- Company, Inc.
All RightsReserved
Printedinthe UnitedStatesofAmerica
ABOUT BOOK
TfflS
Thereligious emotion is surely amongthe most intense andprofoimd ones
that man can experience, and the history of that emotion is in a very real
sense the history of mankind—in every place and time. It is to the study of
that emotion—in all its forms, varieties and manifestations—that this book
is devoted. Because we beheve that the rehgious impulse, which is as
ancient and venerable as time, cannot be fully comprehended except in
all of its expressions and traditions, we have attempted in this book to
present it in the entirety of its range and depth. We plead for no particular
creed. We espouse no single point of view. We urge nothing. We seek only
to know, only to understand this deepest and most sensitive area of man's
experience. In order to achieve our purpose with both sympathy and
objectivity, we have brought to bear on our study all the Hght that modem
science,research, andscholarshipcan provide.
Rehgion, we have said, is as old as mankind, and wherever we find men
organized in communities we find rehgion, the universal experience of awe
and wonder in the presence of the mysterious and transcendent—what has
aptly been called the "cosmic impulse." The rehgions of the world, then,
must be appreciated for what they were and are—hving things, impulses to
worship, commanding man's most passionate feeling and dedication, carry-
ing him beyond himself, engaging his deepest commitments and loyalties.
We
propose therefore to set forth as fuU an account as possible of the
principal rehgions that have existed and do now exist—to show how in
different lands, or in different ages, in different conditions, and ia oiu:
own times, rehgion has reflected and fulfilled the needs of man in aU cul-
tures and epochs, has symbolized human worship in man's ascent of the
world's altarstairs.
Here then are all the varieties of rehgious experience, and each re-
hgion will be examined in the hght of what it contributes to the life of its
followers. The rehgious impulse, we shall find, is one, though its expres-
sions are many. Each has its own significance, each has its own justification
as a response to an abiding human need and a means to deeper hving. In
them all we shall see reflected the unending currents of the ways of nwin-
kindin theeternal questforthemeaningoflife and death.
—ThePublisher

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION . . 13 The Psychology of Worship . 15
Primitive Religion 13 Psychology and Modem Man 16
.
Changing the World 13 A New Basisfor Reli.gi.on.. .. 17
Changing the Mind 13 Freud on Religion 17
....
The Supernatural 13 Jung on Religion 18
The Law of Mystical Participation . 14 Religion and the Unconscious 18
The ThreefoldNature of Religion . . 14 Advance or Regression . . 19
Religion Defined 14 Religion in Middletoum 19
... . .
Humanizing the Environment 14 Bibliography 20
Ritualand Religion 15
CHAPTER TWO
ANTHROPOLOGY AND RELIGION 21 Ancestor Worship 24
. . ,
Religion and Society 21 Magic and Mana 24
. .
Tribal Religion 21 The Coming of the Gods 24
Food Rites 22 The Priesthood 25
... .. ..
Fertility Cults 22 Monotheism 25
Religionand Magic 23 The Gods as Personal 26
.....
From Mana to Animism 23 Bibliography 26
CHAPTER THREE
BRAHMANISM 27 Yoga 31
India and its Religion 27 Salvation through Yoga 31
Vedic Religion 27 TheAimofYoga . . . 31
TheIndus Civilization 27 The Method of Yoga . 31
The Brahmans and the Caste System 28 The Holy Men 31
. ... ....
Indian Philosophy 29 Bibliography 32
....
The Vedanta and its Rivals 30
CHAPTER FOUR
LATER HINDUISM 33 Primitive Customs 35
•
Incamational Religion 33 Temples and Priests 35
....
The Returnof Vishnuand Siva , . . 33 The Position of Women 35
The Modem Period 34 The Awakening of Indian Thought 35
Hinduism Today 34 Hinduism and Christianity 35
. . .
Mythology 34 Bibliography 36
CHAPTER FFVE
BUDDHISM 37 In the Jetavana Grov.e.. .. .• 38
I Gautama Buddha 37 The Saffron Robe 38
The Light of Asia 37 The Passing of Gautama . . 39
TThhee WEhnelieglhotfenRmiegnhtteousness ... 3377 IITThheeMJeiwdedlleWiWtahiyn th.e L.otu.s .. 3399
Quenching the Fires 38 The Wheel of Life . . . . 40
TheReligionsoftheWorldMadeSimple
The Four Noble Truths 40 Re-Birth 41
The Eightfold Path 40 The Place of BUss 42
III Emancipation 40 The Arhat 42
....
The Breaking of the Chain 40 Nirvana 42
TheAgeofAnxiety 41 Bibliography 43
Karma 41
CHAPTER SIX
BUDDHISM IN CHINA AND JAPAN The Bodhisattva 47
-SHINTO 44 Tibetan Buddhism 48
...
BuddhismanditsDevelopment . . 44 Mysticism and Magicof Tibet 48
Emperor Asoka 44 Zen Buddhism 49
The Great Schism 44 The Koan 49
Hinyana Buddhism 45 Bushido 50
Buddhism in Burma and Siam ... 45 Shinto: The Way of the Gods .... 50
....
Hinyana Buddhism Today 45 Shinto Mythology 50
Mahayana Buddhism 46 State Shinto 50
Mahayana Mysticism 46 TheShinto Sects 51
Buddhism inChina 47 Bibliography 51
Popular Religion 47
CHAPTER SEVEN
CONFUCIANISM AND TAOISM 52 The Superior Man 55
. .
Confucianism and Taoism 52 Ancestor Worship 55
... ....
The Three ReligionsofChina 52 Disaster and Recovery 56
Ancient Beliefs 52 ConfucianismBecomes a Religion 56
... .
The Coming of the High Gods 52 The Development of Conf.uc.ia.ni.sm 56
Yang and Sin 53 Taoism—A Quietest Faith
Confucius 53 Taoism as a Religion 57
The Confucian System 53 Buddhism 57
The Confucian Classics 54 Confucianism Today 58
The Ethical Teaching of Confucius . 55 Bibliography • 58
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE RELIGION OF GREECE AND Health Cults 67
ROME
59 Family Religion 67
Ancient Greek Rehgion 59 Oracles and Divination 67
The Three Phases of Greek ReUg.io.n.. 59 Sallustius on the Gods .... 67
The Gods that Made the Gods 59 The Rehgion ofAncient Rome 67
DemeterandPersephone 60 Religious Originsin Italy 68
The Thesmophoria 60 The Numina 68
...
TheEleusinian Mysteries 61 The Religion of the Household 68
The Great God Pan 61 Agricultural Worship and the Placa-
The Furies 62 tion of the Dead 69
The BrightGods 63 State Religion 69
The ReligiousValueofthe Olympians 63 Superstition and the High Gods . . 69
Who Are the Gods? 64 The Mystery Cultsof the RomanEm-
...
The Return of the Mysteries 64 pire 70
Dionussu and Eros 65 Bibliography • • 71
Orphism 66