The Sacred East

This is a guide to the major religons of the East: Buddhism (including Zen); Taoism; Confucianism; Hinduism; and Japanese Shintoism. The book explains the common origins of eastern religions, each tradition's practices and beliefs, and how these have influenced the culture and aesthetics of eastern societies. Subjects covered include: Buddhism - the Buddha, Enlightenment, the Dalai Lama, Zen, monks and monastries; Taoism - the Tao te Ching, Yin and Yang; Confucianism - the teachings of Confucius, I Ching, the cult of the ancestors; Hinduism - birth and rebirth, Karma and yoga, the Hindu gods, the Bhagavadgita and Mahabharata, gurus and teachers; Shintoism - Kami (the essence of nature), demons, shrines and sacred places. The book should appeal not only to those interested in the spiritual traditions of the East, but to those interested by its history and culture, to armchair travellers and anyone who admires the aesthetics of oriental temples and gardens.