An Introduction to Hinduism 1ed

This is a book that anyone interested in Hinduism should read. It should be a compulsory reading for all Hindus especially. Gavin Flood presents a very "non-enchanted" but respectful overview of Hinduism. That is, Hinduism is seen as a set of traditions that naturally arose as a result of interactions between various streams of spirituality in India. Unlike similar books written by Hindus, it doesn't see Hinduism through a supernatural, metaphysical lens. It also doesn't feel compelled to artificially find a unifying theme for Hinduism - it's perfectly at ease with stating the case as it is, with internal differences and contradictions in clear view. This is very much a "secular" story of Hinduism, but one that does not view the religion condescendingly. As a practicing Hindu, this book has helped me get a more rational idea of the overall structure of Hinduism. I especially enjoyed the chapters on Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, and was delighted to cement my understanding of their interrelatioships. I will be going through these chapters and their references in detail in the months and years to come. This book is an important supplement to any serious study of Hinduism. I wholly recommend it.

This work of Gavin Flood is all time recommended book for the students of Hinduism.

This book has very poor quality o f paper Not original copy

インドを旅する日本人は14747人（1980年）から22万人(2012年）に増えたけど、インドの深層を知る者は少ない。というのもヒンドゥー教について書かれた適当な日本語の本がないからだ。そこでもっとインド人の脳味噌（思考回路）を知ろうと思ったら、英語で書かれたこんな本がある。辞書を引き引き苦労して読むかいがある本だ。インドでもリプリントが出ているぐらい、インド人も教えられる事が多い。

I'm not a scholar, just someone who is interested in Hinduism and literature such as the Mahabarata, the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas. This is simply a wonderful book. It's clearly written and answers basic questions in detail such as 'what is Hinduism' and who were the Aryans and did they enter India from Asia or were they a group within India who became a dominant influence on Indian culture. It's very readable, really a pleasure to explore.

Good book to read MN

Complex. I'm glad I stuck with it to the end. I had to re-read many paragraphs and go backwards and forwards to get to grips with the subject. I also found myself Googling a lot based on things I could not work out from the text. But, I knew almost nothing before about Hinduism; the concepts were nearly all new to me. Well written, not for the faint hearted. It is described somewhere as 'undergraduate level' and I would say that is about right. Rewarding.

The book I was looking for. Flood has achieved a scholarly analysis of Hinduism's roots, development and dependence on ritual. To be fair, you should have some familiarity with Indian history before reading this book; I recommend John Keay's wonderful History of India for that purpose (or if you just want to learn Indian history). I am a practicing Buddhist now studying Indian history, and Flood's depiction of the interdependence and antagonism between these Hinduism and Buddhism is insightful. It is essential for a practicing Buddhist to have a reasonable grasp of Hinduism, since Buddhism evolved out of that faith. The theory of reincarnation is an important aspect of Buddhism, one with which I have long been uncomfortable. The appeal of Buddhism is that it does not require one to believe in some particular idea of what happens after death, because it focuses on what is happening here and now. However, the 12 steps of co-dependent origination are based on a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth, an idea that forms the keel of Hinduism. I found An Introduction to Hindusim a fascinating read, so much so that I found myself staying up past my bedtime to finish it.