Top 8 Recently Reviewed Books on Eastern Religions

When one thinks of 'holy wars' waged with the approval of religion, religions like Christianity and Islam come to mind, not Eastern religions which appear more peaceful. Buddhism is thought of as focused on the personal development of peace and harmony. Most don't realize the extent of Zen Buddhism's complicity with the Japanese war machine and the horrors it unleashed on Southeast Asia.

Eastern religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto) encompass a significant percentage of the world’s population and are part of some of the oldest cultures on the planet. For most Americans, though, they are nearly invisible. Most people may have heard of them, but probably don’t know anything about them.

Buddhism has become very popular in the West over the past couple of decades, but to what degree has Buddhism been changing the West, and to what degree has Buddhism itself undergone change? According to William Coleman, Buddhism has changed a lot, yet nevertheless, it is fundamentally the same as it has always been. But how can this be?

Aspects of Daoism (Taoism) have become increasingly popular in America over the past few decades. Who hasn't heard about the growth of things like tai chi and acupuncture - not to mention the money that some are making off of them? These bits and pieces are, however, divorced from the religious tradition in which they first developed, a religious tradition foreign and unfamiliar to most Americans.

Hinduism is one of the world’s great religions. It’s one of the oldest continuing religious and cultural traditions still in existence (though of course it has evolved over time) and provides context for the lives of a significant proportion of the world’s population. Nevertheless, it remains something of a mystery to many in the West.

Taoism has existed in China for centuries, but its importance is often overshadowed by Buddhism and Confucianism, despite the fact that most aspects of Chinese culture exhibit strong Taoist influences. This is unfortunate because Taoism can be found in a variety of forms: philosophical, religious, esoteric, and mystical. It exists in harmony alongside Buddhism and Confucianism, drawing from both and adding back as well.

Because the Shinto religion has been integral to Japanese culture for millennia, understanding Japan requires some understanding of Shinto. In addition, most people may not realize that the development of Buddhism has been heavily influenced by Shinto: they are the two major religions in Japan, and many Japanese see no conflict in claiming adherence to both. Thus, each has affected the other in a myriad of ways.

In 629, the Chinese Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang left the Tang dynasty capital Chang-an (current-day Xian) and traveled to India to see the main shrines of his religion. His path was difficult, taking him across deserts and mountains. His record of the 15-year-long voyage not only served generations of travelers, but also generations of scholars and school children until, eventually, it ended up largely forgotten.