Lipner - Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices

Julius Lipner's Hindus is widely recognized as essential reading for everyone wishing to understand one of the world's great religious traditions. Hinduism comprises the religion and culture of the great majority of the people of India, a country tipped to become a world superpower politically, economically and culturally in the course of the present century. The vast array of diverse beliefs and practices usually described as Hindu has been notoriously difficult to corral under a single regulating theme. Julius Lipner provides not only a wide-ranging introduction to Hindu religious and cultural diversity but also suggests a way to characterize Hinduism as a distinct tradition that has survived and adapted to changing circumstances from ancient times to the present day. Lipner is a recognized authority on Hinduism's polycentric emphasis, and his book is based on a lifetime of research and personal experience of his subject.

In this thoroughly revised and substantially enlarged second edition, students of Hinduism will find more coverage of the debate about Hindu origins, the nature and practice of Hindu worship, the role of women, the scope of dharma and morality, Hindu philosophical thought and the use of reason, and the way caste functions.

Julius Lipner was born and raised in India, where he learned about Hinduism first hand. He has been teaching Hinduism at the University of Cambridge since 1975, and has lectured widely on the subject, travelling regularly to India to undertake research. He is the author of numerous publications, including The Face of Truth: A Study of Meaning and Metaphysics in the Vedantic Theology of Ramanuja, and Anandamath, or The Sacred Brotherhood. He is a Fellow of the British Academy.

The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices

Series editors:
John Hinnells and the late Ninian Smart

This series provides pioneering and scholarly introductions to different religions in a readable form. It is concerned with the beliefs and practices of religions in their social, cultural and historical setting. Authors come from a variety of backgrounds and approach the study of religious beliefs and practices from their different points of view. Some focus mainly on questions of history, teachings, customs and ritual practices. Others consider, within the context of a specific region, the interrelationships between religions; the interaction of religion and the arts; religion and social organisation; the involvement of religion in political affairs; and, for ancient cultures, the interpretation of archaeological evidence. In this way the series brings out the multi-disciplinary nature of the study of religion. It is intended for students of religion, philosophy, social sciences and history, and for the interested lay person.

Other titles in the series include:

Mahayana Buddhism

The Doctrinal Foundations
Revised Second Edition
Paul Williams

Muslims

Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Andrew Rippin

Religions of Oceania

Tony Swain and Garry Trompf

Theravada Buddhism

A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo
Revised Second Edition
Richard Gombrich

Zoroastrians

Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Mary Boyce