Oldenberg, Hermann

(1854–1920)

One of the pioneers of Indology whose

works proved to have wide appeal and

lasting value. He initially focused on

Buddhism, translating many texts for

the Pali Text Society and the Sacred

Books of the East, and was the author

of the classic Buddha: Sein Leben, seine

Lehre, seine Gemeinde(1881). His con-

tributions to the study of Hinduism are

equally substantial. His work on Vedic

religion, originally published in 1894,

was translated more than a century later

into English: The Religion of the Veda

(1988). His translations of Vedic hymns

and of some Gøhya Sütras are part of

the Sacred Books of the East series. His

studies of the Mahäbhärata were pub-

lished posthumously (1922).

Om

SeeAUM.

Otto, Rudolf (1869–1937)

While best known for his Das Heilige

(The Holy), an attempt to articulate a

general theory of religion, he also has

done considerable work on Hinduism,

especially on VAIÆŒAVISM. He published

an anthology of Vai•æava texts (Vischnu

Narayana: Texte zur indischen Gottes-

mystik), a comparative study of Ÿaö-

kara and Meister Eckhart (in English:

Mysticism East and West), and a broad-

based comparison of Vai•æavism and

Christianity (Die Gnadenreligion

Indiens und das Christentum). He also

founded a museum for the history of

religions at Marburg University and

helped to draw the attention of

European students to the theistic tradi-

tions of Hinduism.

outcaste

Pañcama, or ‘fifth (varæa)’, is a designa-

tion of a large number of inhabitants of

India who do not belong to one of the

four VARŒAS. While many so-called out-

castes never belonged to Hindu CASTE

society, a large number were former

caste members who as punishment for

O

Rudolf Otto (1869–1937).

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