
Sacred Texts of the World
S1:E7 Judaism - People of the Book
Learning about the history of the Aleppo Codex, a historically significant copy of the Tanakh; tracing the origins of the Tanakh, the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; how the Tanakh is the focus of Jewish identity.

The world's sacred texts hold profound significance for the cultures that produce them; considering five reasons for the importance of studying them, from their accessibility to the wisdom they contain.
S1:E1 • Feb 7, 2014 • 28m
Grasping the nature and roles of sacred writings within Hinduism, as contrasted with the Judeo-Christian tradition; learning about the structure of the Vedas and their function in Hindu rituals; reading excerpts from the Vedas.
S1:E2 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
The Upanishads constitute the philosophical or wisdom texts of the Hindu Vedas; studying the composition of the Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya Upanishads; the influence of the Upanishads on westerners.
S1:E3 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
A second body of Hindu sacred writings encompasses literature and explore the nature of dharma; discovering the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, two great Indian epics, about kinship and familial discord as well as bonds.
S1:E4 • Feb 7, 2014 • 33m
Learning about Hindu sutras, shastras, Puranas and Tantra; exploring the Laws of Manu, a text that outlines rules, customs and guidelines for living for the four Indian castes; the Bhagavad Gita speaks to matters of spiritual insight.
S1:E5 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
Tracing the evolution of the Sikh religion and the lineage of gurus that produced the Adi Granth, the faith's sacred text; studying the composition of the Adi Granth and its hymns, poems and prayers; how Sikhs revere the book as a living guru.
S1:E6 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
Learning about the history of the Aleppo Codex, a historically significant copy of the Tanakh; tracing the origins of the Tanakh, the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings; how the Tanakh is the focus of Jewish identity.
S1:E7 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
Studying the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; exploring the Torah from the religious perspective that regards it as a repository of eternal truths and the historical-critical perspective.
S1:E8 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
The political and religious history of ancient Israel from the perspective of the Prophets; exploring the spectrum of the Writings, containing stories, proverbs, poetry, psalms, and theological explorations; the core themes of the texts.
S1:E9 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
The stories and historical narratives of the Apocrypha; their thematic emphasis on the spiritual and political challenges faced by the Jews; insights from the Dead Sea Scrolls; the evolution of the Hebrew Bible.
S1:E10 • Feb 7, 2014 • 32m
Within Judaism, two central texts form the basis for devotion to God through study; grapsing the nature of the Mishnah, a body of legal judgments that teach students how to think critically; examining the Talmud, a commentary on Jewish life.
S1:E11 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
Zoroastrianism envisions the universe as ruled by good and evil beings of equal status; the Avesta is a text comprising books of hymns, myths, and religious regulations that promote holiness; tracing Zoroastrianism's influence on monotheistic faiths.
S1:E12 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
An introduction to the huge library of Buddhist scriptures; the origin of the Pali, Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist canons; learning about the efforts to preserve these texts and their significance to Buddhists.
S1:E13 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
Two prominent Buddhist scriptures and their applications; examining the Vinaya that comprises regulations for monks and nuns; excerpts from the Jataka, the large body of stories used for teaching Buddhist morality.
S1:E14 • Feb 7, 2014 • 32m
Among textual riches of the Theravada tradition of Buddhism is the Buddha's teaching on the origins of suffering; the Therigatha contains poems of women's enlightenment; the Dhammapada comprises verses of advice and inspiration.
S1:E15 • Feb 7, 2014 • 28m
Studying the Mahayana conceptions of the perfection of wisdom and the nature of emptiness and non-duality; these notions are expressed through the renowned Lotus Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Heart Sutra; how the texts are venerated as sacred objects.
S1:E16 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
The two distinctive forms of Buddhism in Japan; learning about the Pure Land School where seekers can learn the dharma; contemplating the traditions experiential approach to enlightenment through Zen scriptures and koans.
S1:E17 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
How Vajrayana Buddhism combines the Mahayana philosophy of the perfection of wisdom with Tantra, secret rituals and practices; examining the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a treatise on rebirth.
S1:E18 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
Jainism, a sister religion to Buddhism, maintains an unusual relationship to scripture; exploring the principles and ascetic customs of the faith's two groups, the Shvetambara and Digambara; excerpts from sacred texts.
S1:E19 • Feb 7, 2014 • 32m
Confucianism and the debate about its status as a religion or philosophy; learning about the Confucian canon and how it became the foundation of Chinese state ideology; why the texts are referred to as classics rather than scripture.
S1:E20 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
Investigating the Yijing and how its system of divination has actual practical applications; exploring Neo-Confucianism, its principles of self-cultivation and harmony with humanity; the texts of the Analects, the Mencius and the Constant Mean.
S1:E21 • Feb 7, 2014 • 33m
The foundational text of Daoism, the Daodejing, discusses the transcendent order underlying all phenomena; Daodejing's compelling expression of harmonious duality; exploring the Zhuangzi, a masterpiece of literature and philosophy.
S1:E22 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
Studying scriptures such as the Neiye, the Huainanzi, the Scripture on Great Peace, and the Declarations of the Perfected; how the Daozang, or complete canon, is organized into three divisions that reflect the major schools of Daoism.
S1:E23 • Feb 7, 2014 • 32m
Exploring the customs and rituals of the Japanese Shinto religion; studying excerpts from its revered texts, comprising histories of Japan and ritual prayers; its integral role in Japanese life; the Tenrikyo faith and its three books of scripture.
S1:E24 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
Tracing the complex origins of the New Testament, beginning with the letters of Paul and the Gospels; the proliferation and categorization of later Christian texts; the composition of the Christian Bibles and their translations.
S1:E25 • Feb 7, 2014 • 32m
The New Testament Gospels present four distinct accounts of the life of Jesus of equal authority; comparing the differences between the four Gospels and the key theological motivations underlying them; the Acts of the Apostles.
S1:E26 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
Letters are an important means of instruction in the early church; studying seven key letters written by Paul, speaking to theological understanding; the Revelation and its dramatic vision of the coming kingdom of God.
S1:E27 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
Exploring the apocryphal accounts of the life of Jesus; discovering the Gospel of Peter, which directly portrays the Resurrection; the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which recounts events of Jesus's childhood; Gnostic Christianity.
S1:E28 • Feb 7, 2014 • 29m
The unique scriptures of the Mormon religion; learning about the Book of Mormon, an epic religious-historical narrative; Mormonism's oral temple ceremony; how they are used as expressions of the faith.
S1:E29 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
The remarkable oral tradition in Islam mandates that the Quran be recited and regards memorization as an act of devotion; delving into the origins of the Quran; the conception of its text as direct revelation; its recitation as an esteemed art form.
S1:E30 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
The Quran's structure and contents; how the message of faith is spread through suras; exploring the Quran's major themes; comparing its stories to those in the Old Testament of the Bible.
S1:E31 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
The actions and sayings of Muhammad; the sources and composition of the Islamic Hadith; how they provide guidance on essential matters of Muslim life; the superlative poetry of Sufism, Islam's mystical tradition.
S1:E32 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m
The emergence of Bahá'í, a distinctive faith with origins in Iran; the tenets of the religion and its huge canon of scriptures; how the religion believes in oneness of humanity and the unity of religions.
S1:E33 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
Exploring the sacred texts of traditions that have not survived; striking excerpts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a compendium of spells guiding the deceased in the afterlife; the Popol Vuh, a text containing mythological stories of the Maya.
S1:E34 • Feb 7, 2014 • 33m
The thought-provoking parallels between religious texts and certain secular ones; applications of scriptures within religious faiths; how the founding documents of the United States have come to function as sacred texts.
S1:E35 • Feb 7, 2014 • 30m
Professor Hardy's recommendations from each of the major religious traditions; how the comparative study of sacred texts makes a difference in one's life after reading them with empathy and understanding.
S1:E36 • Feb 7, 2014 • 31m