The Encyclopedia Of WORLD RELIGIONS

The Encyclopedia ofWORLD RELIGIONSRevised Edition

This book was developed and written by DWJ BOOKS LLC.General Editor:Robert S. EllwoodUniversity of Southern CaliforniaAssociate Editor:Gregory D. AllesMcDaniel CollegeAdvisers and Consultants:Dr. Robert T. AndersonDepartment of Religious Studies, Michigan State UniversityDr. Frida Kerner FurmanDepartment of Religious Studies, DePaul UniversityDr. Azim A. NanjiDirector, Institutes of Ismaili Studies

The Encyclopedia ofWORLD RELIGIONSRevised EditionROBERT S. ELLWOODDistinguished Professor of Religion EmeritusUniversity of Southern CaliforniaGeneral EditorGREGORY D. ALLESProfessor and Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religious StudiesMcDaniel CollegeAssociate Editor

For my family and the future—Robert S. Ellwood, General EditorSTo my children—Gregory D. Alles, Associate EditorThe Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised EditionCopyright 2007, 1998 by DWJ BOOKS LLCAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form orby any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by anyinformation storage or retrieval systems, withoutpermission in writing from the publisher. For information contact:Facts On File, Inc.An imprint of Infobase Publishing132 West 31st StreetNew York NY 10001ISBN-10: 0-8160-6141-6ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-6141-9Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataThe encyclopedia of world religions / Robert S. Ellwood, general editor; Gregory D.Alles, associate editor. — Rev. ed.p. cm.Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 0-8160-6141-6 (alk. paper)1. Religions—Encyclopedias. I. Ellwood, Robert S., 1933– II. Alles, Gregory D.BL80.3.E54 2006200.3—dc222005056750Facts On File books are available at special discounts whenpurchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions,or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Departmentin New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755.You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web athttp://www.factsonfile.comText design by Erika K. ArroyoCover design by Ana PlePrinted in the United States of AmericaVB SG 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2This book is printed on acid-free paper.

. CONTENTS ,List of IllustrationsviList of Maps and TablesviiPreface to the Revised EditionviiiPreface to the Original EditionixIntroduction: What Is This Encyclopedia About?xENTRIES A to Z1Topical Outline491Selected Bibliography496Index499

LISTOF. I LLUSTRATIONS ,John Chilembwe performing abaptism ceremony Bronze vessel used by Shang rulersto feast the ancestors Botticelli’s The Annunciation Sacred cow Zodiac Wooden bodhisattva Sitting Golden Buddha statue John Calvin, portrait Canterbury pilgrims in 15th-centurymanuscript The Cathedral of Notre-Dame Celtic goddess Epona Confucius, engraving Sphinxes lining avenue of Temple ofAmon at Karnak Charles Darwin Noah’s ark Saint Francis of Assisi Mohandas Gandhi Statue of Ganesa A procession of believers sacrificesto Demeter Menorah Indian dancers practice for Navratri Ancient Greek cup Isis nursing the child Horus Jainism symbol The execution of Joan of Arc Carl Gustav Jung portrait Martin Luther King Jr. giving speech Krishna and Radha S viSakyamuni preaching the Lotus Sutraon the Vulture Peak Portrait of Martin Luther The birth of Mahavira Prajnaparamita Engraving of Karl Marx Mayan pyramid Kaaba crowded with pilgrims Gilgamesh Hebrew tablets Dome of the Rock Shaman Passover Haggadah George Fox Page from the Qur’an Muslim women praying Altar dedicated to Jupiter Exterior of the tomb of Jalalad-Din ar-Rumi Ceremony for the full moon Guru Nanak Statue of Siva The Great Stupa Star of David Ashkenazim synagogue interior Mahakala Torah scroll Vishnu statue Voodoo scene Execution of an arsonist witchby burning at the stake Yin/Yang symbol Portrait of Bodhidharma (Daruma) 469477481486

LISTOF. MAPS AND TABLES ,The Jewish scriptures, consisting of theTorah, the Prophets and the Writings Christianity at the time of the Schism,1054 Sites of divinities worshipped by theancient Greeks Population of Jews in Europe beforeand after the Holocaust The peoples of Islam Religious sites in Japan 5186206222233186vii S

PREFACE TO THE. REVISED EDITION ,Gratified by the response to the initial publication of The Encyclopedia of World Religions,the editors have prepared a revised and muchenhanced edition of this work. The new editioncontains 100 new articles on as many fresh topics,from ACTS OF THE APOSTLES to VIETNAMESE RELIGIONS.Numerous suggestions for further reading havebeen added throughout. Many articles have alsobeen updated and expanded. The entire encyclopedia has been carefully scrutinized to ensure accuracy, to include the latest scholarship and information, and to adequately represent recent worldevents involving religion.The early years of the 21st century haveturned out to be a time in which religion is muchS viiiin the news, often in very controversial ways. Onceagain, faith has shown itself to be a major forcebehind political and international events, as wellas within the hearts of individuals. Regardless ofhow one feels about religion’s role in society, nowmore than ever, reliable and in-depth informationabout the world’s religions—an understandingof its role both today and throughout history—isessential to responsible modern citizenship. It ishoped that this encyclopedia will contribute to thatvital understanding.—Robert S. EllwoodGeneral Editor

PREFACE TO THE. ORIGINAL EDITION ,Religion is one of the most important areas ofhuman life. It has caused wars, inspired greatacts of compassion, and produced some of themost exalted literature and philosophy known tohumanity. Yet it is often difficult to get information on the world’s religious traditions, information that is not only simple and interesting to readbut also objective, not partial to the point of viewof one religious tradition or another. The purposeof The Encyclopedia of World Religions is to helpyou find this kind of information.We need always to recognize that religioncan be looked at in two ways, from outside andinside. The “outside” point of view means identifying some basic facts—for example, the history,teachings, practices, and organization of a religion,facts that can be called out during research. The“inside” point of view means taking a close look atthe people who live and worship in that tradition.To truly understand a religion as it exists for realpeople, then, you need to be able to get inside—tobegin to understand the feelings of a religion’sbelievers, their ways of looking at the world, andthe things that are most important in their religiouslives. Gaining inside understanding does not meanyou have to agree with believers or even acceptthe representations of their beliefs; it just gives youthe ability to empathize with, or have a feeling for,other peoples’ values.Although an encyclopedia like this one caneasily provide material for the outside point ofview, it is hoped it will make you interestedenough to want to also gather some inside perspectives through further reading, especially inthe sacred songs and scriptures of religions, andabove all by meeting and talking with peopleof various religious backgrounds. In the UnitedStates today, people of almost all backgroundsare accessible because temples of nearly all theworld’s religions can be found in most large cities. The religious world, in other words, not onlyis found in books but is also a living reality allaround us.As you use The Encyclopedia of World Religions, you will find that you often need to go fromone entry to another to find certain new words orideas explained. To assist you in locating information on topics related to the entry in which youbegin to read, you will notice that some wordswithin an article serve as cross-references andappear in SMALL CAPITAL LETTERS. A word in SMALLCAPITAL LETTERS indicates that there is an entrywithin the encyclopedia for that word, an entry towhich you can refer for additional information. Besure to look up any other words you do not understand in a dictionary or other reference book. Bestwishes, and welcome to the wonderful and fascinating realm of the world’s religions.—Robert S. EllwoodGeneral EditorEditor’s Note: In this encyclopedia, Japanese namesare written in the Japanese manner, with the surname first; the surname is also in small-capitalletters in cross-references. Terms derived from theChinese language are transliterated according tothe Wade-Giles system; when they appear as headwords in an entry, the Pinyin is also given.ix S

. INTRODUCTION ,What Is This Encyclopedia About ?Adolescence is a time of curiosity—about oneself, one’s friends, one’s world. The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, aims tohelp young people satisfy their curiosity about avery important aspect of their world: religions.Today more than ever young people in NorthAmerica encounter a variety of religions. Becauseof changes to immigration laws made in 1965, it isnow possible for people from what had previouslybeen “barred zones” to settle in the United States.This includes a large number of people from placeswhere religions such as BUDDHISM, CONFUCIANISM,HINDUISM, ISLAM, JAINISM, Parsiism, SIKHISM, SHINTO,and TAOISM are practiced. Students today are muchmore likely to have friends who practice these religions or even to practice them themselves thanAmerican students would have been in their parents’ and grandparents’ days.In addition, and significantly, after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagonon September 11, 2001, the religions of the worldhave received a great deal of public attention. It iscrucial for students to learn about these religions ifthey are to become responsible citizens. For example, a couple of years ago, at a Sikh gurdwara, Imet a priest who was run off an interstate highwayafter 9/11 by a truck driver who thought he lookedlike Osama bin Laden. Ignorance about religionsand the people who practice them is somethingthat the United States can no longer afford.Unfortunately, opportunities for young peopleto learn about religions are limited. Much education in the United States does not include religiousS xstudies. (On the difference between religious studies and theology, see THEOLOGY and RELIGION, STUDYOF.) Fortunately, though, educators have begun tosee the need for such education. For example, theAmerican Academy of Religion now has a specialcommittee devoted to teaching about religionsin secondary schools, and first-rate publishershave begun to publish books in religious studiesdesigned to meet the needs of secondary schoolstudents. In this climate, it seemed only fitting toupdate this encyclopedia.The aims of The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Revised Edition, remain unchanged. It aimsto address students directly. It provides them withaccurate information about religions that they arelikely to encounter. It also provides them withinformation that they can use and understand.Generally speaking, it contains three kinds ofentries: historical entries, comparative entries, andtheoretical entries.Historical entries discuss features of specificreligions. The most basic historical entries are thoseon the major religions: BUDDHISM, Chinese religions(see CHINA, RELIGIONS OF), CHRISTIANITY, HINDUISM,ISLAM, JUDAISM. Where appropriate, the editorshave also included major entries on the personswho started or “founded” the religions: the BUDDHA, JESUS, MUHAMMAD. Many other religions havetheir own entries, too; for example, AZTEC RELIGION, CELTIC RELIGION, GREEK RELIGION, MANICHAEISM,NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS, and PACIFIC OCEAN RELIGIONS. In addition, more specific entries generallysupplement the broader ones. Thus, in addition to