CONTENTS Prefatory Note v PART ONE-THE HINDU SOCIAL SYSTEM I. India and Hinduism 3 1. The General Place of Hinduism, 3. 2. Diffusion Patterns of Hinduism, 9. 3. Hindu Doctrine and Ritual, 21. 4. The Place of the Vedas, 25. 5. The Brahmans and the Castes, 29. 6. Caste and Tribe, 30. 7. Caste and Guild, 33. 8. Caste and Status group, 39. 9. The Social Rank Order of the Castes, 44. 10. Caste and Sib, 49. II. The Main Grouping of the Castes 55 1. The Brahmans, 57. 2. The Kshatriyas, 63. 3. The Vaish-yas, 77. 4. The Shudras, 93. III. Caste Forms and Schisms 101 1. Caste Criteria, 101. 2. Caste Schism, 102. 3. Caste Discipline, 108. 4. Caste and Traditionalism, 111. 5. The Religious Promise of the Caste System, 117. 6. The Developmental Conditions of the Caste System, 123. PART TWO-ORTHODOX AND HETERODOX HOLY TEACHING OF THE INDIAN INTELLECTUALS IV. Anti-Orgiastic and Ritualistic Character of Brahmanical Religiositij 137 1. Brahmanical, Hellenistic, and Confucian Intellectual Strata, 137. 2. Dharma and the Absence of the Concept of Natural Law, 143. 3. Knowledge, Asceticism, and Mysticism in India, 146. 4. Sramana and Brahmanical Asceticism, 154. 5. Brahmanical Writings and Science, 158. V. Orthodox Hinduism 163 1. Holy Technique (Yoga) and the Development of Religious Philosophy, 163. 2. Orthodox Salvation Doctrines, 166. 3. Holy Teaching and the Professional Ethic of the Bhagavadgita,.! 80. VI.The Heterodox Soteriologies of the Cultured Professional Monks 192 1. The Two Great Heterodoxies, 192. 2. Jainism, 193. 3. Ancient Buddhism, 204. PART THREE-THE ASIATIC SECTS AND THE REDEMPTION RELIGIONS VII. The Transformation of Ancient Buddhism 233 1. General Reasons for the Transformation of Ancient Buddhism, 233 2. King Ashoka,.235. 3. Mahayana Buddhism, 244. VIII The Missions 257 1. Ceylon and Outlying Indian Territories, 257. 2. China, 264. 3. Korea, 269. 4. Japan, 270. 5. Inner Asia: Lamaism, 282. IX. The Orthodox Restoration in India 291 1. General Character, 291. 2. Shivaism and the Lingam Cult, 298. 3 Vishnuism and Bhakti Piety, 306. 4. The Sects and The Gurus, 318. X. The General Character of Asiatic Religion 329 Notes 344 Index 389