Encyclopedia of Hinduism

K xxvi Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Society and the teachings of many Hindu adepts

in the West. Today, every major form of Hindu

practice and belief has its Western form, which,

although modified from traditional Hinduism,

nevertheless contains the character of Hinduism.

An Encyclopedic Approach

In some 800 entries, Encyclopedia of Hinduism

explores the vast world of Hinduism that emerges

from prehistory and lives today in astonishing

variety. This volume focuses on the most signifi-

cant groups within Hinduism, the religious and

cultural movements that enriched its history, sig-

nificant teachers and their contributions, and the

diaspora of Hindu thought and practice around

the world. Two major religious traditions that

sprang from a Hindu milieu, Jainism and Sikhism,

have many entries; Buddhism, also a tradition that

evolved from within Hinduism, is the subject of

another encyclopedia in this series.

Inevitably, one volume cannot fully describe

a history of at least 3,000 years and a stagger-

ing diversity in the present. The authors had to

choose one topic over another and one person

over another. Yet, the Encyclopedia of Hinduism

represents major events, specific groups, central

concepts, and major teachers who have given

Hinduism its unique place as a world religion.

Importantly, the many women leaders and teach-

ers who have been valued in the evolution of Hin-

duism retain a focus in these entries. This volume,

though selective, gives the interested reader a reli-

able window into the vast and enduring tradition

of Hinduism, and some of its sister traditions in

the land of India.

—Constance A. Jones and James D. Ryan

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