(Part 2) Best hinduism books according to redditors

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We found 276 Reddit comments discussing the best hinduism books. We ranked the 144 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.

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Subcategories:

Books about gandhi
Hindu sutras books
History of hinduism books
Hindu rituals & practice books
Sacred hindu writings

Top Reddit comments about Hinduism:

u/Monteoas · 40 pointsr/worldnews

> the concept of homosexuality here in India

Really? Ancient india for an instance was waay too leet in terms of in the concept of homosexuality in India

Like

Kama shastras (kama sutra)
Khajuraho Temple and
Many countless other temples

Just last month I read quite exciting book in this genre

Tritiya-Prakriti: People of the Third Sex
Understanding Homosexuality, Transgender Identity And Intersex Conditions Through Hinduism


https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=587197

And

Shikhandi: Ánd Other ‘Queer’ Tales They Don’t Tell You

https://www.amazon.com/Shikhandi-Other-Queer-Tales-They/dp/9383074841

And this video

https://youtu.be/iplGW7MNNmI

And about the SC decision I think it it's latest right to privacy decision it's clear now LGBTQ is going to be legal in India very soon.

u/ElvenlyPossible · 8 pointsr/teslore

>hashing

For those interested, the latest step in the Mammalspur ARG was "breaking" a MD5 hash.

The bird gave us a8d3e09a929192aa66b223e7a0a5fd30, which is apparently the MD5 hash of "ISBN 10: 0-7914-0657-1 pg. 73" if you enter it into an online rainbow table.

There's something really fishy going on here, though. The bird told us that the hash is incorrect.

If you take the MD5 hash of "ISBN 10: 0-7914-0657-1 pg. 73" -- you actually get 34b6386ad7c17ba369b466a52eefb5a3.

There's something weird going on here. Try entering both hashes into the same utility, and you'll find that they resolve to the same plaintext.

If the bird somehow found a MD5 collision, my mind will be blown.

u/serpentpower · 7 pointsr/Psychonaut

I myself am particularly interested in esoteric Buddhism and Hinduism. So when I say "the ancients" I personally think of the ancient Hindus. But truthfully, this was known across many cultures (think Egypt, Babylon, etc), including the shamanic ones. Actually shamanism is the foundation out of which most of our esoteric knowledge derives. But it could also refer to forms of paganism, to the Kabbalists (esoteric Judaism), it can refer to the gnostic Christians. The list is really endless.

This all relates to meditation in the sense that concentration/focus is the first thing necessary to understanding this knowledge. It is a kind of back and forth between theory and practice. You learn something new from a book about shamanism for example, then you go meditate about that concept and analyze how that concept changes your meditation. You get some insight in the meditation, then you go back to the theory to understand that new insight.

As far as links, I have a lot of information I can share with you. I'm just wary of giving the wrong information.

There is a book written by a theoretical quantum physicist, Amit Goswami, called Physics of the Soul: The Quantum Book of Living, Dying, Reincarnation and Immortality which spends a great deal of time examining the question of which comes first, matter or consciousness. He also discusses how this relates to a book called the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I think this is a good start if you have had no previous exposure to this.

C.G. Jung is an invaluable source and an excellent foundation for esoteric knowledge for somebody coming from a Western/scientific point of view. He explains the same concepts in terms acceptable to the rational aspect of the mind.

You can read this site to understand some of the ancient Hindu philosophy:

http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/tantra.htm

which can be difficult to grasp at first, but the knowledge starts to slowly coalesce.



u/[deleted] · 6 pointsr/DebateReligion

Bhagavad Gita most accurate without commentary :

Most accessible without commentary

With Sri Shankaracharya's commentary

Also with Sri Shankaracharya's commentary

With independent commentary


Mahabharata

Don't know which translation of the Ramayana is good.

The Vedas are not supposed to be translated and there are no good translations available.


Upanishads with Sri Shankaracarya's commentary : Vol I and Vol II

u/iaTeALL · 5 pointsr/hinduism

Of self

One acknowledges and other rejects.

One who rejects says others (who acknowledge) are failing to come out of Maya, illusion and others (who acknowledge) says others (who rejects) are suffering from ego.

Anyways I can recommend following book. Bit advance but worth reading.

https://www.amazon.com/Hindu-Buddhist-Ideas-Dialogue-Traditions/dp/140944354X

u/Sangpup · 5 pointsr/hinduism

You can do custom prayers to Her in whatever language you prefer :)

https://www.amazon.com/Kali-Dakshineswar-Elizabeth-U-Harding/dp/0892540257

That's a book that I first read in learning about Kali :) I thought it was very helpful in learning more about Her and it talks about one of Her most famous devotees, Sri Ramakrishna!

I usually offer fruit, milk, or water when I want to give thanks. Just talk to Kali as if She were your own mother who had just taken you into her arms :)

u/petrus4 · 4 pointsr/hinduism

I unfortunately just wasted $10 on this. It's nothing more than a collection of New Age buzzwords and apologia for Western feminism.

If anyone wants to actually learn about Mother, I would recommend Devadatta Kali's translation of the Devi Mahatmaya.

u/AmazingGraced · 4 pointsr/yoga
u/Swadhisthana · 4 pointsr/hinduism

You can look through my comment history, but I would start with the following books, probably in this order:

Shakti, Realm of the Divine Mother, by Vanamali - This is a great overview over the Goddesses many names and forms, along with a great recounting of Her many stories.

In Praise of the Goddess: The Devimahatmya and Its Meaning, by Devadatta Kali

  • The Devi Mahatmyam is one of the most important Shaktaa religious texts, and while other translations exist, this one is by far the best.

    Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar, by Elizabeth Harding - An exploration into Mother Kali, and how She is worshipped at Dakshineswar temple in Kolkata. The author also goes into the life of Sri Ramakrishna, one of the modern day saints of the Divine Mother.

    The Thousand Names Of The Divine Mother: Shri Lalita Sahasranama - The other "most important" book amongst Shaktaa's, this version contains verse by verse commentary.

    As for converting - that's a bit of a thorny topic, but it's not really necessary. Begin to read, learn, and most importantly, practice the Dharma, and after a few years of doing so, perhaps consider a more formal conversion.

    Also, seek out a guru if you can. It can be tough, but it makes a lot of this go a lot easier.

u/dec1phah · 4 pointsr/zen

My advice:

Don’t ask for a definition in this forum, before you’ve got familiar with the literature from some actual scholars.

1. [Blue Cliff Record] (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Cliff-Record-Thomas-Cleary/dp/159030232X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479373811&sr=8-1&keywords=blue+cliff+record)
by the Cleary brothers.

The preface will provide you a good introduction to the history of zen. Plus, insights into the lineage of the masters.

This book is actually a collection of koans. But my advice is: Don't jump into cold water. Makes yourself familiar with the background first (preface's).

2. [Zen Essence] (https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Essence-Shambhala-Dragon-Editions/dp/1570625883/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479374319&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+essence+thomas+cleary) by Thomas Cleary.

Cleary provides quotes/ sayings from the masters referring to “topics” or “questions”, like “Zen Teaching?”, “Basis of Zen?”, “Summary of Zen Practice?”.

I think this approach is very helpful for people who want to get introduced to Zen, in terms of “What the hell is this shit about?” -- good guy Thomas Cleary!

3. Gateless Gate
by Robert Aiken.

This is rather a workbook for the practitioner than literature regarding zen.

I haven’t read the book I’ve linked to, but in my opinion, starting with the Mumonkan without any notes or comments from contemporary scholars/ students/ teachers/ translators is not the right approach. Use the commentaries from Aitken only as an orientation or a hint. The meaning itself has to be found by you!

u/PeteInq · 3 pointsr/nondirective

Non-directive meditation is found in different traditions. The main one's I've found are:

Taoism

u/so_just_here · 3 pointsr/hinduism

You have got some great responses. I am sure you have some ideas now on how you can go forward in your journey of discovery. Nonetheless I thought it may be helpful for you to see a list of simple next steps for you:

  • identify the different temples near your residence or office. Visit them and see what draws you. Make it a habit to visit the temple of your choice at least once a month and just sit there for 10-15 minutes.

  • find a introductory book on hinduism to read. There is enough material online but a book like The Hindu View Of Life(S. Radhakrishnan) written by respected authors can give you a grounding of the philosophy.

  • then you start on one of the epics - ramayana or mahabharata (or both). I recommend the Rajagopalachari version, which was my introduction to both. His writing is simple yet engaging. You can explore other versions later.

  • keep visiting online discussion forums like this one or the one at hindu stackexchange. You often come across interesting topics and discussions, which also help you learn more about the religion.

  • when you feel ready, set up a small altar at your home, just one or two deities, light diya/incense and pray daily.

    Activities like meditation, mantra chanting I would think comes in the next stage.

    Good luck. One of my most cherished memories of living in Mumbai was seeing the joyous enthusiasm of common janta on the roads during ganesh visarjan.
u/theyseemetoo · 3 pointsr/hinduism

Very aptly put. Very easy for any person who's even remotely associated with the cs/techno speak. I heartily recommend the remarkable book Indra's Net by Rajiv Malhotra (Amazon Link). He discusses in depth the underlying unity of the open source variety of the Dharma principles in a very modern/contemporary and easy to understand way. I really wished for it to have read it during my high school / college years; would have given me a a fantastic world view of my own heritage early on.

u/crooktimber · 2 pointsr/Psychonaut

Thanks for posting this, it's reminded me of a book I read a few years ago by Amit Goswami called Physics of the Soul.

Goswami was professor of theoretical science at the University of Oregon for many years, and the premise of this book was him being inspired to prove the essential truth of the Tibetan Book of the Dead through the tools of quantum physics.

I don't think he quite achieved that; some of his ideas would be a stretch to call 'scientific', but they're well-expressed, and you might find it rewarding to read it.

u/the-electric-monk · 2 pointsr/occult

It seems a little weird to want to buy books to try and discredit some random person online who will forget all about this conversation in a couple of days, but sure, whatever.

Nag Hammadi Scriptures

Dhammapada

Upanishads

Baghavad Gita

Mahabharata

And this volume of the Vedas, though as I said I haven't read through it yet.

I also have this copy of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which I haven't gotten around to yet.

Now, once again, please tell me where in the Nag Hammadi scriptures it says that you spend 1000 years in a Devachan before reincarnating.

u/PeopleLogic · 2 pointsr/DebateReligion

My flair refers to how people who followed Sanatana Dharma (called Hinduism today) were called "Aryans." Now it would be a bit awkward to use that, so people tend to go with "Sanatani" or, more easily, "Hindu."

For books, I found this one to be pretty accurate: https://www.amazon.com/What-Hinduism-Editors-Today/dp/1934145009

Of course, there is probably a free version online, I just happened to turn up Amazon on the first result.

As for stories, I would probably go with the Ramayana for a good base. I tend to listen to it, and haven't exactly read it, so I won't be able to provide a source I have fully read myself, unfortunately. https://www.valmikiramayan.net/ I have partially read, but instead of telling the story as a whole, it breaks it apart verse by verse, and provides additional commentary. Still easier to read than Griffith's, and more trustworthy. If you do read an alternate version, make sure it is translated from Valmiki's version. Anything else is basically fanfiction.

u/anathemas · 2 pointsr/DebateReligion

>My flair refers to how people who followed Sanatana Dharma (called Hinduism today) were called "Aryans." Now it would be a bit awkward to use that, so people tend to go with "Sanatani" or, more easily, "Hindu."

Oh, I was thinking you meant something to do with this sub in particular — there used to be a bit of drama with some anti-Hindu trolls (or more likely, the same guy with multiple accounts). But yeah, unfortunately, I don't think y'all will be able to reclaim 'Aryan' anytime soon. :/


>
>For books, I found this one to be pretty accurate: https://www.amazon.com/What-Hinduism-Editors-Today/dp/1934145009
>
>Of course, there is probably a free version online, I just happened to turn up Amazon on the first result.

Thanks, this looks great! The publishers actually have the book for free download here if anyone else is interested.


>
>As for stories, I would probably go with the Ramayana for a good base. I tend to listen to it, and haven't exactly read it, so I won't be able to provide a source I have fully read myself, unfortunately. https://www.valmikiramayan.net/ I have partially read, but instead of telling the story as a whole, it breaks it apart verse by verse, and provides additional commentary. Still easier to read than Griffith's, and more trustworthy. If you do read an alternate version, make sure it is translated from Valmiki's version. Anything else is basically fanfiction.

Ah, I'm glad I asked — I have Griffith's and hadn't read it since there are so many issues, but I didn't know which version was good. I have some audio readings, I'll have to see if they use Valmiki's.

Thanks so much for all your help!

u/DormiensVigila108 · 2 pointsr/LucidDreaming

> I am a Vaisnava Brahmin myself, everyone in my family is religious, except they don't really know what our religion talks about.

I can identify with this to some extent. My wife's family is Brahmin Hindu (albeit more followers of Ganesh) and despite having a large shrine, gathering for pujas and bhajans, and turning their noses up on "lower" castes, they are largely ignorant of the lessons and content of the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita. I've noticed that in today's world - at least among the diaspora Indian population in the U.S. - "Hinduism" is often more of a cultural identity, tradition, and way to unite a community for events. Many know a few folkloric tales, some procedures for ceremonies, basic conceptual framework of the religion - but few actually walk the path, few practice meditation, few have studied the Upanishads or Gita and appreciated the messages of mysticism contained therein. This is even more true for second generation Indian-Americans. That said, the same could be said for almost any religious group; you can't tell me that every Methodist Protestant can recite the book of Luke or Jesus's Sermon on the Mount.

>I wish I could actually understand sanskrit(the language the scripts are written) so I could have my own perception of the scripts rather than translations.

I recommend these translations of Sankaracharya's 6th-7th century commentary of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. These do a rough breakdown of the words, gives an idea of how the Sanskrit breaks down, and gives a pretty true representation of one of the oldest translations from Sanskrit into vernacular tongues.

If interested, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda are great as well. They give the original the Sanskrit, the direct transliteration, a translation into coherent English, and then a commentary. However, this book is more an instruction manual on yoga practice (unitive and meditative exercises and broader lifestyle, not American stretch class); though still a great read for someone looking for a practical approach to mysticism.

u/JaggedOne · 2 pointsr/Psychonaut

So you would say that Zen Mind Beginners Mind offers only a "superficial understanding" of Zen? Interesting, not something I had heard before about that book.

If I were to order one of those books off your list to start with, which one would it be?

And is this the Mummonkan book you mentioned?

u/Freyas_Follower · 2 pointsr/WitchesVsPatriarchy

Allright, You sound a lot like me.

Freya helped guide me for a bit. Bast and Lilith are there as well.

I also deal with Kali. She has pushed me farther and harder than every other goddess in my repertoire. She is however, a goddess of action. She will help guide you through your issues. You may wish to approach her, or Durga. I would start reading about her. I suggest the 10 mahavidyas, if you can find a copy. I can probably help find you copy if you need me to.

u/VeryKodak · 2 pointsr/occult

Welcome to the club! People come to the occult, to mysticism, because "regular" life is insufficient. It doesn't explain what we are. It doesn't include a "why". My recommendation for your first book to read is the Tao Te Ching. I recommend this translation, by Victor Mair:
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Classic-Integrity/dp/055334935X

Here's how his translation begins:

>The person of superior integrity

>>does not insist upon his integrity;

>For this reason, he has integrity.

>The person of inferior integrity

>>never loses sight of his integrity;

>For this reason, he lacks integrity.

    

>The person of superior integrity takes no action,

>>nor has he a purpose for acting.

>The person of superior humaneness takes action,

>>but has no purpose for acting.

>The person of superior righteousness takes action,

>>and has a purpose for acting.

>The person of superior etiquette takes action,

>>but others do not respond to him;

>Whereupon he rolls up his sleeves and coerces them.

u/sovereign_self · 2 pointsr/awakened

Oh yes, 100%. Kashmir Shaivism is brilliant, and I'm so glad that it's being made more accessible by his books. I'm in the middle of The Recognition Sutras right now.

I can also recommend The Doctrine of Vibration and The Triadic Heart of Shiva. They are more academic than Christopher's books, but full of interesting tidbits.

u/irreleventuality · 2 pointsr/JUSTNOMIL

My First Book of Mormon Stories?

Bhagavad-Gita for Children and Beginners?

The Littlest Satanic Bible? Looks like the Satanic Temple has a kid's thing, but it's already been linked.

Prepare her for a world full of Fnord with The Itty Bitty Principia Discordia? Hmmm... Can't seem to find a kids version of this.

I know! I know! Teach her about the ways of Slack with The Book of the SubGenius: The Sacred Teachings of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and its companion Revelation X: The Bob Apocryphon, Hidden Teachings and Deuterocanonical Texts of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs! They don't have a kid's thing either, but such is life! (This SubGenious stuff is. a. hoot.)

u/gollumullog · 1 pointr/sex

search for tantric yoga on google.

Not a ton of complete, or how to, information on the net, but there are plenty of books in book stores, most cities have tantric yoga groups.

http://www.amazon.com/Multi-Orgasmic-Man-Sexual-Secrets-Should/dp/0062513362 <-- good somewhat western view of this

http://www.amazon.com/Jewel-Lotus-Consciousness-Complete-Systematic/dp/1887472673 <-- out of print, but good if you can find it.

u/kelukelugames · 1 pointr/asianamerican

Have you seen his cartoon book on Hindu mythology? I loved it. The art is amazing and I wish someone'd do one for Chinese.

u/Jerrod_Potsmut · 1 pointr/movies

Sanjay Patel is awesome. I'm glad this is getting recognition. He's also done some really cool books too

http://www.amazon.com/Ramayana-Divine-Loophole-Sanjay-Patel/dp/081187107X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

u/KlugerHans · 1 pointr/askphilosophy

I would recommend this one by Victor Mair, a respected Sinologist. His commentary is illuminating, and you will see how some of these apparent paradoxes are resolved.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/055334935X/centertaoorg-20

"In 1990, the noted sinologist Victor H. Mair translated the Ma-wang-tui version as he considered this earliest known version (by 500 years) to be far more authentic than the most commonly translated texts."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mawangdui_Silk_Texts

u/Bega_zeke · 1 pointr/hinduism

...or too much aham (ego) to see realities as Maya, may be!

Anyways, I liked this
https://www.amazon.com/Hindu-Buddhist-Ideas-Dialogue-Traditions/dp/140944354X book on this topic. Worth reading.

u/turiyamoore · 0 pointsr/Meditation

Give the OP a break.

By the way your explanation of meditation needs to be qualified in some way. It is totally incomplete from the standpoint of the teachings, Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, or Yogananda in Autobiography of a Yogi.