Asian Religions

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Reference Databases

Use reference databases to find statistics,
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Britannica Online
Cambridge Companions
Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
Oxford Reference Online
World Christian Database

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Internet Sources

American Academy of Religion
Asian Classics Input Project
Association for Asian Studies
Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library
Directory of Open Access Journals
Gateway to Sikhism...a complete sikhism resource site
Jainism: Jain Principles, Tradition, and Practices
Religion Depot
Resources for the Study of East Asian Language and Thought
Taoism Information Page

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Books

BOOK CATEGORIES

eBooks | specialized reference works | encyclopedias | dictionaries
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eBooks

ACLS Humanities E-Book
Brittanica Online

Cambridge Companions
Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
Oxford Reference Online
Oxford Scholarship Online eBooks

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specialized reference works

Bulletin Signalétique 527: histoire et sciences des religieuses
1970-1994
Mugar Reference X Z7751 .F70
This resource indexes and abstracts most major religion journals, both in English and other languages. All abstracts are in French.

Keyguide to Information Sources on World Religion
Jean Holm. 1992
Mugar Reference X Z7833 .H66
This guide provides an overview of the study of world religions and their literature, an annotated bibliographic listing of sources, and a list of national information clearinghouses on world religions. Most entries are for English-language books and articles while a few entries are for items in other Western European languages. An index is provided at the end of the work.

Reader's Guide to the Great Religions
Charles J. Adams, editor. 1977
Mugar Reference X Z7833 .A35
This guide provides brief essays on world religions. Annotated lists of sources on each topic follow each essay. It is primarily focused on English-language texts. Author and subject indexes are included.

Research Guide to Religious Studies
John F. Wilson & Thomas P. Slavens. 1982 
Mugar Reference X BL41 .W5
A two-part work providing an introduction to religious scholarship in part one and an overview of reference works on Buddhism, Hinduism, and Shintoism in part two. Part one includes brief bibliographies after each essay while the second part is an annotated list of reference works. An author/title index and a subject index can be found at the end of the volume. All entries are for English-language works.

Science of Religion: abstracts and index of recent articles
1976-
Mugar Reference X Z7753 .S53M
This is a bibliography of articles contributing to the academic study of religion, excluding Biblical studies. Abstracts are in English although titles are in the original language of the work. Each volume contains author and subject indexes.

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encyclopedias

Brittanica Online
Oxford Reference Online

The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion
Ingrid Fischer-Schreiber. 1989
Mugar Reference X BL1005 .L4813
The focus is on the basic terminology and doctrines of Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Zen. It includes a lengthy bibliography of primary and secondary sources but no index. There is also a Ch'an/Zen lineage chart at the beginning of the work.

The Encyclopedia of Religion
16 vols. Mircea Eliade. 1987
Mugar Reference X BL31 .E46
This source provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of religion. It covers religion from the Paleolithic era to the present. Entries are signed and are followed by short bibliographies. The index volume, volume 16, provides an alphabetical list of entries, directory of contributors, an outline of the contents of the set, and an extensive general index.

Encyclopaedia of Sikh Religion and Culture.
Ramesh Chander Dogra. 1995
Mugar Reference XBL2017.3 .D64
Information on all major and minor aspects of Sikhism is provided. It includes a bibliography and an index.

Great Thinkers of the Eastern World
Ian P. McGreal. 1995
Mugar Reference X B5005 .G74
Introductory information on the major thinkers and the philosophical and religious classics of China, India, Japan, Korea, and the world of Islam is provided. Entries are followed by bibliographies for further reading. Entries are signed.

Guide to the Gods
Marjorie Leach. 1992
Mugar Reference XBL473 .L43
This guide provides a worldwide overview of deities, evaluated in terms of function and attribute, and covers all times and places. References following each entry refer to the bibliography. It includes an extensive bibliography and a detailed name index.

Japanese Religion: a survey
Agency for Cultural Affairs. 1981
Mugar Reference X BL2202 .J36
This guide describes religions of Japan and major religious organizations. It includes statistical information, a chronology, and a general index. There are several plates in the center of the guide.

Sacred Texts of the World: a universal anthology
Ninian Smart & Richard D. Hecht. 1982
Mugar Reference X BL70 .S247
This is a collection of sacred narratives from extinct religious traditions as well as those currently practiced. Some secular ideological material is included.The anthology includes brief bibliographic entries for each sacred text and an index at the end of the volume.

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dictionaries

Oxford Dictionary of World Religions

Dictionary of Philosophy and Religion: eastern and western thought
William L. Reese. 1999
Mugar Reference X B41 .R43 / Theology Reference B41 .R43
This is primarily a dictionary of terms but it includes longer articles on the thought of major philosophers and religious leaders.

Harper Collins Dictionary of Religion
Jonathan Z. Smith, editor. 1995
Theology Reference X BL31 .H37
This dictionary includes entries that are clear and accurate, and also include references for further study.

Historical Dictionary of Sikhism.
W. H. Mcleod. 1995
Mugar Reference X BL2018 .M38
Brief definitions cover Sikh religion, principles, practices, history, and culture. The introduction provides an overview of Sikhism. A chart illustrating the descendants of Guru Amar Das and Guru Ram Das and a chronology of Sikh history precede the dictionary entry section of the work. A lengthy bibliography is included.

Historical Dictionary of Taoism
Julian F. Pas with Man Kam Leung. 1998
Mugar Reference X BL1923 .P37
This comprehensive introduction to the historical developments and current research in the field of Taoism is arranged alphabetically by the traditional Wade-Giles romanization, followed immediately by the pinyin version (e.g., "Tao-te ching/Daodejing"). A chronology and bibliography are included. Cross references are provided as needed. A list of abbreviations precedes the introduction.

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bibliographies

Bibliographie du Shinto et des Sectes Shintoistes
Jean Herbert. 1968
Mugar Circulation Z7835 .S5 F68
This unannotated list of books and articles in Japanese and Western languages is somewhat dated but remains useful.

Chinese Religion in Western Languages: a comprehensive and classified bibliography of publications in English, French, and German through 1980
Laurence G. Thompson. 1985
Mugar Reference X Z7757 .C6 T55
Unannotated list of monographs and serials covering Buddhism and non-Buddhist Chinese religions. A list of abbreviations (general and publication-related) and details regarding the serial sources precede the bibliographic section of the work. There is an author index. This title is supplemented by Chinese Religion: Publications in Western Languages, 1981 through 1990 (Mugar Reference XZ7757.C6 T556 1993).

Guide to Chinese Religion
David C. Yu. 1985
Mugar Reference X Z7757 .C6 Y8
This is an annotated bibliography of primarily English-language journal articles and books on indigenous Chinese religion, excluding Chinese Buddhism. Its coverage ends in 1977. There are author/title and subject indices.

Religion in Postwar China: a critical analysis and annotated bibliography
David C. Yu. 1994
Mugar Reference X Z7757 .C6 Y83
This work lists selected works on Chinese religion published from World War II - 1990. It includes both literature from within China and Western scholarship. A list of abbreviations and a chronology of dynasties and periods can be found at the beginning of the work. There are author, title, and subject indices.

Science of Religion: abstracts and index of recent articles
1976- .
Mugar Reference X Z7753 .S53M
This is a bibliography of articles contributing to the academic study of religion, excluding Biblical studies. Abstracts are in English although many titles are in the original language of the work being discussed. Each volume contains author and subject indexes.

Shinto Bibliography in Western Languages: bibliography on Shinto and religious sects, intellectual schools and movements influenced by Shintoism
Arcadio Schwade. 1986
Mugar Reference X Z7835 .S5 S3
This bibliography contains listings for monographs, essays, and magazine articles dealing with Shinto, Shinto-derived new religions, intellectual schools, and nationalistic movements influenced by Shinto. Most works are in English, German, or French. Items are listed alphabetically by the author's last name or by title when no primary author is noted; Japanese names are treated in accordance with the Western bibliographical method. The volume concludes with an appendix of works not covered in the general bibliography and a topical index.

Sikhism and the Sikhs: An Annotated Bibliography.
Priya Muhar Rai. 1989
Mugar Circulation Z7835 .S64 R34
This resource is divided into seven chapters. Individual entries are listed alphabetically by author within each chapter. English-language books and journals written between 1965-1988 are covered. Title, author, and subject indexes are included.

A Survey of Taoist Literature: tenth to seventeenth centuries
Judith M. Boltz. 1987
Mugar Circulation Z7835 .T2 B64
This introductory survey of the literature in the Taoist canon includes illustrations, bibliography, name and general indexes.  The literature studied is primarily in Chinese but some entries are in Western European languages.

Westliche Taoismus-Bibliographie (WTB) = Western Bibliography of Taoism
Knut Walf. 2003
Mugar Reference X Z7835 .T2 W3
The sources listed are primarily monographs in Western languages. Periodical information is provided in bibliographies at the end of the volume.

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searching the catalog

Search in the library catalog under the following subject headings or with appropriate keywords. You can limit your results by date if you wish.

  • Asia - religion
  • China - religion
  • Sikhs
  • Taoism
  • etc.

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Journals

Did you know you can search thousands of journals at the same time? Just use the appropriate database.
To browse a journal, search for its title in our eJournal Locator.

Contemporary Chinese Thought
History of Religions
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
Journal of Asian Studies
Journal of Chinese Philosophy
Journal of Indian Philosophy
Journal of Religion
Journal of the American Academy of Religion
Philosophy East and West
Religious Studies
Social Compass

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Related Guides

Asian Art and Archaeology
Asian-American Studies
Buddism
Christianity
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
Mythology
Philosophy
Religion

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