344
Numbers in bold refer to main entries.
A
Aborigines (Australian) 19, 34–35
Abraham (Judaism) 166, 170 –71, 175
Abu Bakr (Islam) 271, 283 , 338
Adi Shankara (Hinduism) 91, 118 –21,
122, 329
African Churches (Christian), new 337
Agni, Hindu god of fire 96
Ahmadiyya movement (Islam) 151,
284–85, 308, 339
Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrianism) 62–63,
64, 65, 327
Ainu 19, 24–25
Alexander the Great 79
Almohad movement (Islam) 281
Amish (Christianity) 335–36
Amitabha (Buddhism) 156, 330, 331
Anglicans (Christianity) 221, 236, 335
Anthony, Saint (Christianity) 221, 223
Anubis, Egyptian god 59
Aristotle 62, 203, 229 , 277, 281
Armenian Church (Christianity) 334
Arya Samaj (Hinduism) 329
al-Ash’ari, Abu al-Hasan (Islam) 277
Ashkenazim (Judaism) 166–67, 332
Asoka (Emperor) (Buddhism) 147
Augustine of Hippo (Christianity) 203,
214, 218, 220–21
Avalokiteshvara (Buddhism) 155–56, 159
Averroes (Ibn Rushd) (Islam) 278
Avicenna (Ibn Sina) (Islam) 250, 276, 280
Aztec civilization 18, 42–45
B
Baal Shem Tov (Judaism) 188
Babylonian Dynasty 54, 56–57, 176–77,
179–80, 183
Baha’i faith 295, 308–309, 326
Baiga 19, 32
Baptists (Christianity) 335
Bar Kokhba, Simeon (Judaism) 181
Barth, Karl 218, 219, 245
Benedictine order (Christianity) 220,
222, 223
Benson, Herbert (prayer study) 246
Bible Student movement see Jehovah’s
Witnesses
Booth, William (Salvation Army) 337
Brahman (Hinduism) 91, 95, 96, 97,
102–105, 122–23
Buddhism 326
bodhisattva 152–57
Bodhi Tree 132, 138
elements in Confucianism 77
existentialism 151
Japan 82–83, 85, 310, 330
Lokayata philosophy 132, 133–34
mandala 156, 158, 331
meditation 141–42, 144, 146–47,
156 , 157, 162–63, 330, 331
monastic life 134, 135, 145, 330, 331
ritual and repetition 158–59, 331
Samkhya philosophy (Indian) 113,
329
spread and diversification 129
symbolism 155–56
Tibetan Lamas 159
timeline 128–29
Vedic religion, rejection of 133, 134
Buddhism, beliefs
ahisma (nonviolence) 146–147
anata (lack of fixed essence) 134, 135
anicca (impermanence) 134, 135
conventional and absolute truth 151
debate, importance of 144
dhamma, (Wheel of Life) 136–43,
155, 331
dukkha (truth of suffering) 129, 134,
138, 139
Eightfold Path 135, 138–43, 154, 330
enlightenment 54–55, 129, 132, 144,
145, 154–57, 330
eternal cycle, escape from 136–43
Five Precepts 146–47, 330
fixed ego and existential
unhappiness 161Buddhism, beliefs (cont.)
Four Noble Truths 128–29, 135,
138–39, 140, 142, 154
human cravings and needs 138–39
interconnectedness 130–35, 142–43,
148, 150, 157
Jataka tales (birth stories) 154–55
metta (loving kindness) 146–47
The Middle Way 129, 132–34, 135,
145, 147, 148
moral guidelines 140–41
nihilism, rejection of 133–34
nirvana, mental training for 139,
141–43, 155
nonviolence 146–47
rebirth 154–57, 331
self as constantly changing 148–51,
157
three poisons, freedom from 113
unselfish action 110
wisdom acquisition, stages of 144
Yogacara Buddhism 158
Buddhism, branches of 330–31
Mahayana Buddhism 114, 128, 129,
154–57, 330–31
Nichiren Buddhism 145, 331
Pure Land Buddhism 330
Soka Gakkai Buddhism 331
Tantric Buddhism 129, 154, 158–59,
331
Tibetan Buddhism 158–59, 330–31
Theravada Buddhism 129, 140, 145,
150, 155 , 330
Triratna Buddhist Community 331
Zen Buddhism see Zen Buddhism
Buddhism, figures 129, 154–57, 159
Amitabha (Buddha of Infinite Light)
156, 330, 331
Asoka (Emperor) 147
Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of
Compassion 155–56, 159
Dalai Lama 147, 156, 157, 159 , 331
Emerald Buddha 150
Nagarjuna (philosopher) 157
Nagasena (sage) 149–51
Nishida Kitaro (Zen Buddhism) 161
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) 90,
128, 132–33, 138, 326
Sixteen (or Eighteen) Arhats 149INDEX