The Religions of India Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume 1, Edited by Morris Jastrow

"The Religions of India" by Edward Washburn Hopkins is an academic exploration of the many different religious practices that started in India. Written in the late 1800s, it presents a detailed study of Indian religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It examines the original writings about these religions, along with the historical and cultural backgrounds that helped form these belief systems. The book begins by highlighting India's importance as a birthplace of religions, following its religious history back to ancient Vedic texts and discussions from around 300 B.C. It then describes the careful methods of interpretation and organization used throughout the book, it also explains the sources, timelines, and growth of Indian religions, highlighting how they evolved from ancient Vedic beliefs to later systems and doctrines, while touching on gods, rituals, and social structures within these religions and shows the complex religious world of India.