From Gautama Buddha to the Triumph of Christianity, Vol. 2 » (Reprint)

In volume 2 of this monumental work, Mircea Eliade continues his magisterial progress through the history of religious ideas. The religions of ancient China, Brahmanism and Hinduism, Buddha and his contemporaries, Roman religion, Celtic and German religions, Judaism, the Hellenistic period, the Iranian syntheses, and the birth of Christianity—all are encompassed in this volume.

Library Journal

This third volume by the preeminent historian of religions, who died in April 1986, concludes his masterly survey of the field. The arrangement of the volumes is roughly chronological. This volume examines the later developments of Jewish thought, the spread of Christianity, and the rise and diffusion of Islam. Like the other two volumes, it reflects the author's interest in folk beliefs, heresies, and cults of secret wisdom. It concludes with a long and extremely useful bibliographical analysis, ``Present Position of Studies.'' As the crowning achievement to an unparalleled scholarly career this series of books represents a valuable synthesis for specialists and generalists alike. Paul E. Muller-Ortega, Religious Studies Dept., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing

Preface
16. The Religions of Ancient China
17. Brahmanism and Hinduism: The First Philosophies and Techniques of Salvation
18. The Buddha and His Contemporaries
19. The Message of the Buddha: From the Terror of the Eternal Return to the Bliss of the Inexpressible
20. Roman Religion: From Its Origin to the Prosecution of the Bacchanals (ca. 186)
21. Celts, Germans, Thracians, and Getae
22. Orpheus, Pythagoras, and the New Eschatology
23. The History of Buddhism from Mahakasyapa to Nagarjuna. Jainism after Mahavira
24. The Hindu Synthesis: The Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita
25. The Ordeals of Judaism: From Apocalypse to Exaltation of the Torah
26. Syncretism and Creativity in the Hellenistic Period: The Promise of Salvation
27. New Iranian Syntheses
28. The Birth of Christianity
29. Paganism, Christianity, and Gnosis in the Imperial Period
30. The Twilight of the Gods List of Abbreviations Present Position of Studies: Problems and Progress. Critical Bibliographies Index