List of religious texts
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The following is a non-exhaustive list of links to specific
religious text Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...
s which may be used for further, more in-depth study.


Bronze Age


Ancient Egyptian religion Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture. It centered on the Egyptians' interactions with many deities believed to be present in, and in control ...

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Pyramid Texts The Pyramid Texts are the oldest ancient Egyptian funerary texts, dating to the late Old Kingdom. They are the earliest known corpus of ancient Egyptian religious texts. Written in Old Egyptian, the pyramid texts were carved onto the subterranea ...
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Coffin Texts The Coffin Texts are a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary spells written on coffins beginning in the First Intermediate Period. They are partially derived from the earlier Pyramid Texts, reserved for royal use only, but contain substantial ...
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Book of the Dead The ''Book of the Dead'' ( egy, 𓂋𓏤𓈒𓈒𓈒𓏌𓏤𓉐𓂋𓏏𓂻𓅓𓉔𓂋𓅱𓇳𓏤, ''rw n(y)w prt m hrw(w)'') is an ancient Egyptian funerary text generally written on papyrus and used from the beginning of the New Kingdom ...
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Book of Caverns The Book of Caverns is an important ancient Egyptian netherworld book of the New Kingdom.Hornung (1999) p.83 Like all other netherworld books, it is also attested on the inside of kings’ tombs for the benefit of the deceased. It describes the ...
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Book of Gates The Book of Gates is an ancient Egyptian funerary text dating from the New Kingdom. It narrates the passage of a newly deceased soul into the next world, corresponding to the journey of the sun through the underworld during the hours of the night. ...
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Amduat The Amduat ( egy, jmj dwꜣt, literally "That Which Is In the Afterworld", also translated as "Text of the Hidden Chamber Which is in the Underworld" and "Book of What is in the Underworld"; ar, كتاب الآخرة, Kitab al-Akhira) is an imp ...
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Book of the Heavenly Cow The ''Book of the Heavenly Cow'' ( ar, كتاب البقرة السماوية '), or the ''Book of the Cow of Heaven'', is an Ancient Egyptian text thought to have originated during the Amarna Period and, in part, describes the reasons for th ...
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Litany of Re The Litany of Re (or more fully "''Book of Praying to Re in the West, Praying to the United One in the West''") is an important ancient Egyptian funerary text of the New Kingdom.Hornung (1999) p.136 Like many funerary texts, it was written on the ...
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Atenism Atenism, the Aten religion, the Amarna religion, or the "Amarna heresy" was a religion and the religious changes associated with the ancient Egyptian Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh Akhenaten. The religion centered on the cult of the god Aten, depi ...
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Great Hymn to the Aten The Great Hymn to the Aten is the longest of a number of hymn-poems written to the sun-disk deity Aten. Composed in the middle of the 14th century BC, it is varyingly attributed to the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Akhenaten or his courtiers, depending ...


Sumerian religion Sumerian religion was the religion practiced by the people of Sumer, the first literate civilization of ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians regarded their divinities as responsible for all matters pertaining to the natural and social orders. Ove ...

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Hymn to Enlil The Hymn to Enlil, Enlil and the Ekur (Enlil A), Hymn to the Ekur, Hymn and incantation to Enlil, Hymn to Enlil the all beneficent or Excerpt from an exorcism is a Sumerian myth, written on clay tablets in the late third millennium BC. Compi ...
* Kesh Temple Hymn *
Song of the hoe The Song of the hoe or the Creation of the pickax is a Sumerian creation myth, written on clay tablets from the last century of the 3rd millennium BCE. Disputations Seven debate topics are known from the Sumerian literature, falling in the cate ...
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Debate between Winter and Summer Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
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Epic of Gilgamesh The ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' () is an epic poetry, epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, and is regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts. The literary history of Gilgamesh ...
* Epic of Enmerkar **
Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta ''Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta'' is a legendary Sumerian account, preserved in early post-Sumerian copies, composed in the Neo-Sumerian period (ca. 21st century BC). It is one of a series of accounts describing the conflicts between Enmerkar, ...
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Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana Enmerkar and En-suhgir-ana (also known as Enmerkar and Ensuhkeshdanna) is a text in Sumerian literature appearing as a sequel to ''Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta'', and is second in a series of four accounts describing the contests of Aratta again ...
* Epic of Lugalbanda **
Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave ''Lugalbanda in the Mountain Cave'' is a Sumerian mythological account. It is one of the four known stories that belong to the same cycle describing conflicts between Enmerkar, king of Unug (Uruk), and an unnamed king of Aratta. The story is also ...
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Lugalbanda and the Anzud Bird ''Lugalbanda and the Anzu Bird'' is a Sumerian mythological account. The story is sometimes called ''The Return of Lugalbanda'' or ''Lugalbanda II'' being the second of two stories about the hero Lugalbanda. The first story is known as ''Lugalba ...
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Angim The work known by its incipit, Angim, "The Return of Ninurta to Nippur", is a rather obsequious 210-line mythological praise poem for the ancient Mesopotamian warrior-god Ninurta, describing his return to Nippur from an expedition to the mountain ...
* Enki and the World Order *
Enlil and Ninlil Enlil and Ninlil or the Myth of Enlil and Ninlil or Enlil and Ninlil: The begetting of Nanna is a Sumerian creation myth, written on clay tablets in the mid to late 3rd millennium BC. Compilation The first lines of the myth were discovered ...
* Enlil and Namzitara * Inanna and Utu *
Inanna Prefers the Farmer Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in S ...
* Inanna and Enki * Inanna Takes Command of Heaven * Inanna and Ebih *
Inanna and Shukaletuda Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in S ...
* Inanna and Bilulu *
Inanna's Descent into the Underworld Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, divine justice, and political power. She was originally worshiped in S ...
* Ninurta's Journey to Eridu


Babylonian religion Babylonian religion is the religious practice of Babylonia. Babylonian mythology was greatly influenced by their Sumerian counterparts and was written on clay tablets inscribed with the cuneiform script derived from Sumerian cuneiform. The myt ...

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Enūma Eliš The ' (Akkadian Cuneiform: , also spelled "Enuma Elish") is the Babylonian creation myth (named after its opening words). It was recovered by English archaeologist Austen Henry Layard in 1849 (in fragmentary form) in the ruined Library of Ashur ...
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Epic of Gilgamesh The ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' () is an epic poetry, epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia, and is regarded as the earliest surviving notable literature and the second oldest religious text, after the Pyramid Texts. The literary history of Gilgamesh ...
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Agushaya Hymn The Agušaya Hymn or Song of Agušaya is an Old Babylonian literary work, a “song of praise”, written in the Akkadian language concerning the goddess Ištar, identified with the serpent deity Irnina. It may have been called “the Snake has Tu ...
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Atra-Hasis ''Atra-Hasis'' ( akk, , Atra-ḫasīs) is an 18th-century BCE Akkadian epic, recorded in various versions on clay tablets, named for its protagonist, Atrahasis ('exceedingly wise'). The ''Atra-Hasis'' tablets include both a creation myth and o ...
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Labbu myth The Labbu Myth, “The Slaying of Labbu”, or possibly: the ''Kalbu'' Myth – depending on the reading of the first character in the antagonist's name (which is always written as KAL and may be read as: ''Lab'', ''Kal'', ''Rib'' or ''Tan''); is an ...
* Nergal and Ereshkigal *
Epic of Erra Erra (sometimes called Irra) is an Akkadian plague god known from an 'epos' of the eighth century BCE. Erra is the god of mayhem and pestilence who is responsible for periods of political confusion. He was assimilated to Nergal at some point. E ...
* Enmesharra's Defeat * Anzû and the Tablet of Destinies


Canaanite religion The Canaanite religion was the group of ancient Semitic religions practiced by the Canaanites living in the ancient Levant from at least the early Bronze Age through the first centuries AD. Canaanite religion was polytheistic and, in some cases ...

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Baal Cycle The Baal Cycle is an Ugaritic cycle of stories about the Canaanite god Baʿal ( "Owner", "Lord"), a storm god associated with fertility. It is one of the Ugarit texts, dated to c. 1500-1300 BCE. The text identifies Baal as the god Hadad, t ...
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Legend of Keret The Legend of Keret, also known as the Epic of Kirta, is an ancient Ugaritic epic poem, dated to Late Bronze Age, circa 1500 – 1200 BC. It recounts the myth of King Keret of Hubur. It is one of the Ugarit texts. History The epic story ...
* Tale of Aqhat


Classical antiquity


Etruscan religion Etruscan religion comprises a set of stories, beliefs, and religious practices of the Etruscan civilization, heavily influenced by the mythology of ancient Greece, and sharing similarities with concurrent Roman mythology and Religion in ancient ...

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Liber Linteus The (Latin for "Linen Book of Zagreb", also rarely known as , "Book of Agram") is the longest Etruscan text and the only extant linen book, dated to the 3rd century BCE. (The second longest, Tabula Capuana, also seems to be a ritual calendar ...
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Pyrgi Tablets The Pyrgi Tablets (dated ) are three golden plates inscribed with a bilingual Phoenician–Etruscan dedicatory text. They are the oldest historical source documents from pre-Roman Italy and are rare examples of texts in these languages. They we ...


Ancient Greek religion Religious practices in ancient Greece encompassed a collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology, in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been ...

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Aretalogy An aretalogy ( el, Αρεταλογία), from ἀρετή (aretḗ, “virtue”) + -logy,or aretology (from ancient Greek aretê, "excellence, virtue") in the strictest sense is a narrative about a divine figure's miraculous deeds where a dei ...
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Argonautica The ''Argonautica'' ( el, Ἀργοναυτικά , translit=Argonautika) is a Greek epic poem written by Apollonius Rhodius in the 3rd century BC. The only surviving Hellenistic epic, the ''Argonautica'' tells the myth of the voyage of Jason a ...
* Bibliotheca *
Derveni papyrus The Derveni papyrus is an ancient Greek papyrus roll that was found in 1962. It is a philosophical treatise that is an allegorical commentary on an Orphic poem, a theogony concerning the birth of the gods, produced in the circle of the philosopher ...
* Ehoiai *
Homeric Hymns The ''Homeric Hymns'' () are a collection of thirty-three anonymous ancient Greek hymns celebrating individual gods. The hymns are "Homeric" in the sense that they employ the same epic meter—dactylic hexameter—as the ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey'', ...
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Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...
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Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...
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Telegony The ''Telegony'' (Greek: , ''Tēlegoneia''; la, Telegonia) is a lost ancient Greek epic poem about Telegonus, son of Odysseus by Circe. His name ("born far away") is indicative of his birth on Aeaea, far from Odysseus' home of Ithaca. It was par ...
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The golden verses of Pythagoras The ''Golden Verses'' ( grc-gre, Χρύσεα Ἔπη, ; la, Aurea Carmina) are a collection of moral exhortations comprising 71 lines written in dactylic hexameter. They are traditionally attributed to Pythagoras. Overview The exact origins o ...
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Delphic maxims The Delphic maxims are a set of maxims inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo's Oracle at Delphi, Pythia, and therefore were attributed to Apollo. Plato attributed the ...
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Theogony The ''Theogony'' (, , , i.e. "the genealogy or birth of the gods") is a poem by Hesiod (8th–7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogies of the Greek gods, composed . It is written in the Epic dialect of Ancient Greek and contains 10 ...
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Works and Days ''Works and Days'' ( grc, Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι, Érga kaì Hēmérai)The ''Works and Days'' is sometimes called by the Latin translation of the title, ''Opera et Dies''. Common abbreviations are ''WD'' and ''Op''. for ''Opera''. is a ...
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Epic Cycle The Epic Cycle ( grc, Ἐπικὸς Κύκλος, Epikòs Kýklos) was a collection of Ancient Greek epic poems, composed in dactylic hexameter and related to the story of the Trojan War, including the ''Cypria'', the '' Aethiopis'', the so-cal ...
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Theban Cycle __NOTOC__ The Theban Cycle ( el, Θηβαϊκὸς Κύκλος) is a collection of four lost epics of ancient Greek literature which tells the mythological history of the Boeotian city of Thebes.West, M.L. (2003), ''Greek Epic Fragments'', Loeb C ...


Hermeticism Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a legendary Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). These teachings are containe ...

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Hermetica The ''Hermetica'' are texts attributed to the legendary Hellenistic figure Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. These texts may vary widely in content and purpose, but are usually subd ...
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Kybalion ''The Kybalion'' (full title: ''The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece'') is a book originally published in 1908 by "Three Initiates" (often identified as the New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson, 18 ...
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Emerald Tablet The ''Emerald Tablet'', also known as the ''Smaragdine Tablet'' or the ''Tabula Smaragdina'' (Latin, from the Arabic: , ''Lawḥ al-zumurrudh''), is a compact and cryptic Hermetic text. It was highly regarded by Islamic and European alchemists a ...
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Asclepius Asclepius (; grc-gre, Ἀσκληπιός ''Asklēpiós'' ; la, Aesculapius) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Religion in ancient Greece, Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis (lover of ...
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Mandaeism Mandaeism (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abel, S ...

;Main texts *''
Ginza Rabba The Ginza Rabba ( myz, ࡂࡉࡍࡆࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Ginzā Rbā, lit=Great Treasury), Ginza Rba, or Sidra Rabba ( myz, ࡎࡉࡃࡓࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Sidrā Rbā, lit=Great Book), and formerly the Codex Nasaraeus, is the longest ...
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Right Ginza The Right Ginza is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Left Ginza. Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (2007 ...
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Left Ginza The Left Ginza is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Right Ginza. Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (200 ...
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Mandaean Book of John The Mandaean Book of John (Mandaic language ࡃࡓࡀࡔࡀ ࡖࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ') is a Mandaean holy book in Mandaic Aramaic which is believed by Mandeans to have been written by their prophet John the Baptist. The book contains accounts of Jo ...
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Qolasta The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The p ...
'' ;Ritual texts *'' The Wedding of the Great Shishlam'' *''
Scroll of the Parwanaya The ''Scroll of the Parwanaya'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡐࡀࡓࡅࡀࡍࡀࡉࡉࡀ‎ ) is a Mandaean religious text that describes the rituals of the five-day Parwanaya festival. Excluding the colophon, the text consists of 931 lines. Manus ...
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Scroll of the Great Baptism The ''Scroll of the Great Baptism'' is a Mandaean religious text. It is a ritual scroll describing the 360 baptisms (masbutas) for a polluted priest. The scroll is also called "Fifty Baptisms" and the ''Raza Rba ḏ-Zihrun'' ( myz, ࡓࡀࡆࡀ ...
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Scroll of the Ancestors The ''Scroll of the Ancestors'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡈࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text that describes the rituals of the Ṭabahata (ancestors') masiqta, held during the 5-day Parwanaya festival. Manuscripts Copies of the ...
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Zihrun Raza Kasia The ''Šarḥ ḏ-Zihrun Raza Kasia'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡓࡀࡆࡀ ࡊࡀࡎࡉࡀ; "The Scroll of Zihrun, the Hidden Mystery") is a Mandaean religious text that describes rituals such as the masbuta, masiqta, and other ...
'' ;Esoteric texts *''
The Thousand and Twelve Questions ''The Thousand and Twelve Questions'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡐ ࡕࡓࡉࡎࡀࡓ ࡔࡅࡉࡀࡋࡉࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. The ''1012 Questions'' is one of the most detailed texts on Mandaean priestly rituals. The text contains detailed com ...
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Scroll of Exalted Kingship The ''Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡋࡊࡅࡕࡀ ࡏࡋࡀࡉࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text. Written as a large illustrated scroll, the text consists of 1,363 lines. The scroll is a commentary on ''tarmida'' ...
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The Coronation of the Great Shishlam ''The Coronation of the Great Šišlam'' (or ''The Coronation of Shishlam Rabba''; myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡕࡓࡀࡑࡀ ࡖࡕࡀࡂࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Šarḥ ḏ-Traṣa ḏ- Taga ḏ-Šišlam Rba) is a Mandaean relig ...
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Alma Rišaia Rba The '' Alma Rišaia Rba'' or ''Diwan Alma Rišaia Rabbā'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, "The Great Supreme World" or "The Great First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation cer ...
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Alma Rišaia Zuṭa The ''Alma Rišaia Zuṭa'' ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡉࡀ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, "The Smaller Supreme World" or "The Smaller First World") is a Mandaean religious text. The text is used for Mandaean priestly initiation ceremonies. It is written a ...
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The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa ''The Baptism of Hibil Ziwa'' or ''Diwan Maṣbuta ḏ-Hibil Ziwa'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, "Scroll of the Baptism of Hibil Ziwa") is a Mandaean illustrated scroll. It describes the soteriolog ...
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Scroll of Abatur The ''Diwan Abatur'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ; "Scroll of Abatur") is a Mandaean religious text. It is a large illustrated scroll that is over 20 ft. long. A similar illustrated Mandaean scroll is the '' Diwan Nahrawata'' ( ...
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Dmut Kušṭa The ''Diwan ḏ-Qadaha Rba Šuma ḏ-Mara ḏ-Rabuta u-Dmut Kušṭa'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡖࡒࡀࡃࡀࡄࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡌࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡓࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ ࡅࡃࡌࡅࡕ ࡊࡅࡔࡈࡀ; "The Scroll of the Great Prayer, the ...
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Secrets of the Ancestors The ''Diwan u-tafsir ḏ-razia ḏ-abahata'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡅࡕࡀࡐࡎࡉࡓ ࡖࡓࡀࡆࡉࡀ ࡖࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀ "Scroll and Tafsir xplanationof the Secrets of the Ancestors", or simply "The Secrets of the Ancestors") is a M ...
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Scroll of the Rivers The ''Diwan ḏ-Nahrawata'' or ''Diwan ḏ-Nahrauata'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡅࡀࡍ ࡖࡍࡀࡄࡓࡀࡅࡀࡕࡀ, lit=Scroll of the Rivers) is a Mandaean religious text. It is written as an illustrated scroll. Contents The scroll contains esoteric s ...
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Book of the Zodiac The ''Book of the Zodiac'' ( myz, ࡎࡐࡀࡓ ࡌࡀࡋࡅࡀࡔࡉࡀ, translit=Sfar Malwašia) is a Mandaean text. It covers Mandaean astrology in great detail. The book is used to obtain a Mandaean's baptismal name (''malwasha''). Manuscrip ...
'' ;Historical texts *''
Haran Gawaita The ''Haran Gawaita'' (Mandaic ࡄࡀࡓࡀࡍ ࡂࡀࡅࡀࡉࡕࡀ "Inner Harran" or "Inner Hauran") also known as the ''Scroll of Great Revelation'', is a Mandaean text which recounts the history of the Mandaeans and their arrival in Media as ...
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Incantation bowl An incantation bowl, also known as a demon bowl, devil-trap bowl, or magic bowl, is a form of early protective magic found in what is now Iraq and Iran. Produced in the Middle East during late antiquity from the sixth to eighth centuries, particu ...
s * Lead rolls


Manichaeism Manichaeism (; in New Persian ; ) is a former major religionR. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff ''Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times''SUNY Press, 1998 p. 37 founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian Empire, Parthian ...

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Gospel of Mani The ''Living Gospel'' (also ''Great Gospel'', ''Gospel of the Living'' and variants) was a 3rd-century gnostic gospel written by the Manichaean prophet Mani. It was originally written in Syriac and called the ''Evangelion'' ( syc, ܐܘܢܓܠܝܘ ...
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Treasure of Life The ''Treasure of Life'' is one of the seven treatises of the prophet Mani, written and regarded as part of the major canon of Manichaeism. The title is possibly derived from Christ's parable of the hidden treasure from , which is followed by t ...
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Pragmateia The ''Pragmateia'' ( el, Πραγματεία, lit=Treatise; zh, t=證明過去教經, s=证明过去教经, first=t, p=Zhèngmíng guòqù jiào jīng, l=Proof of the Past Teachings), is one of the seven major books of the prophet Mani, written ...
'' (Greek: πραγματεία) *''
The Book of Giants The ''Book of Giants'' is an apocryphal Jewish book which expands upon the Book of Genesis, Genesis narrative of the Hebrew Bible, in a similar manner to the Book of Enoch. Together with this latter work, the ''Book of Giants'' "stands as an atte ...
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Fundamental Epistle The Fundamental Epistle or Letter of Foundation ( la, Epistola Fundamenti) was one of the sacred writings of the Manichaean religion, written by the founder Mani (c. 210–276 CE), originally in Syriac. According to religious scholar Timothy Pet ...
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Manichaean Psalter The ''Manichaean Psalter'' is a Manichaean text written in Coptic. It is believed to have been compiled in the late 3rd century or the mid-4th century. The ''Psalter'' is believed to contain remnants of some of the earliest extant Manichaean liter ...
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Shabuhragan The ''Shabuhragan'' ( fa, شاپورگان ''Shāpuragān''), which means "dedicated to Šābuhr", also translated in Chinese as the Chronology of Ancient Nations; ed. and trans. by A. Brinkmann; Leipzig, 1895 was a sacred book of Manichaeism, w ...
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Arzhang The ''Arzhang'' ( fa, ارژنگ, translit=Aržang/; cop, Eikōn, italic=yes; xpr, dw bwngʾhyg ō bunɣāhīgitalic=yes, meaning "Worthy"), also known as the ''Book of Pictures'', was one of the holy books of Manichaeism. It was written an ...
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Kephalaia Kephalaia (Greek for "chapters" or "headings") are a genre of Manichaean literature represented mainly by two large papyrus codices containing Coptic translations from 5th-century Roman Egypt. The ''kephalaia'' are sometimes seen as the actual wor ...
'' (Greek: Κεφάλαια), found in Coptic translation.


Orphism

* Orphic Poems


East Asian religions


Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

The
Four Books and Five Classics The Four Books and Five Classics () are the authoritative books of Confucianism, written in China before 300 BCE. The Four Books and the Five Classics are the most important classics of Chinese Confucianism. Four Books The Four Books () are C ...
* The
Five Classics The Four Books and Five Classics () are the authoritative books of Confucianism, written in China before 300 BCE. The Four Books and the Five Classics are the most important classics of Chinese Confucianism. Four Books The Four Books () are C ...
(
I Ching The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zho ...
,
Book of Documents The ''Book of Documents'' (''Shūjīng'', earlier ''Shu King'') or ''Classic of History'', also known as the ''Shangshu'' (“Venerated Documents”), is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature. It is a collection of rhetorica ...
,
Classic of Poetry The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...
,
Book of Rites The ''Book of Rites'', also known as the ''Liji'', is a collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty as they were understood in the Warring States and the early Han periods. The ''Book o ...
,
Spring and Autumn Annals The ''Spring and Autumn Annals'' () is an ancient Chinese chronicle that has been one of the core Chinese classics since ancient times. The ''Annals'' is the official chronicle of the State of Lu, and covers a 241-year period from 722 to 481 ...
) * The
Four Books The Four Books and Five Classics () are the authoritative books of Confucianism, written in China before 300 BCE. The Four Books and the Five Classics are the most important classics of Chinese Confucianism. Four Books The Four Books () are C ...
(
Great Learning The ''Great Learning'' or ''Daxue'' was one of the "Four Books" in Confucianism attributed to one of Confucius' disciples, Zengzi. The ''Great Learning'' had come from a chapter in the ''Book of Rites'' which formed one of the Five Classics. I ...
,
Doctrine of the Mean The ''Doctrine of the Mean'' or ''Zhongyong'' is one of the Four Books of classical Chinese philosophy and a central doctrine of Confucianism. The text is attributed to Zisi (Kong Ji), the only grandson of Confucius (Kong Zi). It was originall ...
,
Analects The ''Analects'' (; ; Old Chinese: '' ŋ(r)aʔ''; meaning "Selected Sayings"), also known as the ''Analects of Confucius'', the ''Sayings of Confucius'', or the ''Lun Yu'', is an ancient Chinese book composed of a large collection of sayings a ...
,
Mencius Mencius ( ); born Mèng Kē (); or Mèngzǐ (; 372–289 BC) was a Chinese Confucianism, Confucian Chinese philosophy, philosopher who has often been described as the "second Sage", that is, second to Confucius himself. He is part of Confuc ...
) The
Thirteen Classics The Thirteen Classics () is a term for the group of thirteen classics of Confucian tradition that became the basis for the Imperial Examinations during the Song dynasty and have shaped much of East Asian culture and thought. It includes all of th ...
(
I Ching The ''I Ching'' or ''Yi Jing'' (, ), usually translated ''Book of Changes'' or ''Classic of Changes'', is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among the oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zho ...
,
Book of Documents The ''Book of Documents'' (''Shūjīng'', earlier ''Shu King'') or ''Classic of History'', also known as the ''Shangshu'' (“Venerated Documents”), is one of the Five Classics of ancient Chinese literature. It is a collection of rhetorica ...
,
Classic of Poetry The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...
,
Rites of Zhou The ''Rites of Zhou'' (), originally known as "Officers of Zhou" () is a work on bureaucracy and organizational theory. It was renamed by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the ''Book of History'' by the same name. To replace a lost ...
,
Etiquette and Ceremonial The ''Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial'' is a Chinese classic text about Zhou dynasty social behavior and ceremonial ritual as it was practiced and understood during the Spring and Autumn period. The ''Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial'', along ...
,
Book of Rites The ''Book of Rites'', also known as the ''Liji'', is a collection of texts describing the social forms, administration, and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty as they were understood in the Warring States and the early Han periods. The ''Book o ...
, The Commentary of Zuo, The Commentary of Gongyang, The Commentary of Guliang,
The Analects The ''Analects'' (; ; Old Chinese: '' ŋ(r)aʔ''; meaning "Selected Sayings"), also known as the ''Analects of Confucius'', the ''Sayings of Confucius'', or the ''Lun Yu'', is an ancient Chinese book composed of a large collection of sayings a ...
,
Classic of Filial Piety The ''Classic of Filial Piety'', also known by its Chinese name as the ''Xiaojing'', is a Confucian classic treatise giving advice on filial piety: that is, how to behave towards a senior such as a father, an elder brother, or a ruler. The tex ...
,
Erya The ''Erya'' or ''Erh-ya'' is the first surviving Chinese dictionary. Bernhard Karlgren (1931:49) concluded that "the major part of its glosses must reasonably date from the 3rd century BC." Title Chinese scholars interpret the first title chara ...
,
Mencius Mencius ( ); born Mèng Kē (); or Mèngzǐ (; 372–289 BC) was a Chinese Confucianism, Confucian Chinese philosophy, philosopher who has often been described as the "second Sage", that is, second to Confucius himself. He is part of Confuc ...
)


Taoism Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...

*
Daozang Daozang (), meaning 'Taoist Canon', consists of around 1,400 texts that were collected (after the ''Daodejing'' and ''Zhuangzi'' and Liezi which are the core Taoist texts). They were collected by Taoist monks of the period in an attempt to brin ...
, meaning "Taoist Canon", consists of around 1,400 texts that were collected to bring together all of the teachings of Taoism. *
Tao Te Ching The ''Tao Te Ching'' (, ; ) is a Chinese classic text written around 400 BC and traditionally credited to the sage Laozi, though the text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion d ...
*
Zhuangzi (book) The ''Zhuangzi'' (Chinese: , historically romanized ''Chuang Tzŭ'') is an ancient Chinese text from the late Warring States period (476221) which contains stories and anecdotes that exemplify the carefree nature of the ideal Taoist sage. Nam ...
*
Liezi The ''Liezi'' () is a Taoist text attributed to Lie Yukou, a c. 5th century BC Hundred Schools of Thought philosopher. Although there were references to Lie's ''Liezi'' from the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, a number of Chinese and Western schola ...
*
Qingjing Jing The ''Qingjing Jing'' () is an anonymous Tang Dynasty Taoist classic that combines philosophical themes from the ''Tao Te Ching'' with the logical presentation of Buddhist texts and a literary form reminiscent of the '' Heart Sutra''. It instruc ...
*
Taiping Jing ''Taipingjing'' ("Scriptures of the Great Peace") is the name of several different Taoist texts. At least two works were known by this title: :*, 12 Chapters, contents unknown, author: Gan Zhongke :*, 170 Chapters, only 57 of which survive v ...
*
Sanhuangjing The ''Sanhuangjing'' (, Book of Three Emperors), also known as the ''Sanhuang Neiwen'' () or the ''Sanhuangwen'' (), is a fundamental Daoist book which claims those who chant it can become an emperor. The Daoist master Zheng Yin reportedly trans ...
*
Huangdi Yinfujing The ''Huangdi Yinfujing'' (), or ''Yinfujing'', is a circa 8th century CE Taoist scripture associated with Chinese astrology and ''Neidan''-style Internal alchemy. In addition, ''Huangdi Yinfujing'' is also the name of a Chinese Fengshui text on ...
*
Xishengjing The ''Xishengjing'' () is a late 5th century CE Taoist text with provenance at the Louguan 樓觀 "Tiered Abbey" of The Northern Celestial Masters. According to Taoist tradition, Louguan (the eastern terminus of the ancient Silk Road, west of the ...
*
Huahujing The ''Huahujing'' (formerly written ''Hua Hu Ching'') is a Taoist work, traditionally attributed to Laozi (formerly written Lao Tzu). Two unrelated versions are claimed to exist, a partial manuscript discovered in the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, i ...
*
Baopuzi The ''Baopuzi'' () is a literary work written by Ge Hong (also transliterated as Ko Hung) (), 283–343, a scholar during the turbulent Jin dynasty. ''Baopuzi'' is divided into two main sections, the esoteric ''Neipian'' () "Inner Chapters" an ...
*
List of Lingbao texts The following list is a list of the works contained in the Lingbao Canon as listed by Lu Xiujing in his catalogue of the Lingbao School The Lingbao School (), also known as the School of the Sacred Jewel or the School of Numinous Treasure, was a ...
*
Xiang'er The ''Xiang’er'' (also ''Hsiang-erh''; Simplified Chinese: 想尔, Traditional Chinese: 想爾) is a commentary to the ''Dao De Jing'' that is best known for being one of the earliest surviving texts from the Way of the Celestial Master variant ...
*
Zuowanglun The ''Zuowanglun'' or ''Zuowang lun'' is a Taoist meditative text that was written by the Shangqing School patriarch Sima Chengzhen (647–735). Taoism incorporated many Buddhist practices during the Tang Dynasty (618–907), and the ''Zuowangl ...
*
Yunji Qiqian The ''Yunji qiqian'' is a (c. 1029) anthology of the (1016) Taoist Canon, which the Taoist scholar-official Zhang Junfang compiled for Emperor Zhenzong of Song. The ''Yunji qiqian'' records many early Taoist texts that have been lost since the 11 ...
*
Wuzhen pian The ''Wuzhen pian'' () is a 1075 Taoist classic on Neidan-style internal alchemy. Its author Zhang Boduan (張伯端; 987?–1082) was a Song dynasty scholar of the Three teachings (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism). Author Zhang Boduan, or Zha ...
*
Holy Emperor Guan's True Scripture to Awaken the World ''Holy Emperor Guan's True Scripture to Awaken the World'' (關聖帝君覺世真經) is a Taoist classic, believed to be written by Lord Guan himself during a Fuji session in 1668. Its name is usually shortened to Scripture to Awaken the Wor ...
*
Treatise On the Response of the Tao The ''Taishang Ganying Pian'' (太上感應篇), or ''Lao Tse's Treatise on the Response of the Tao'', is a Taoist scripture from the 12th century that has been very influential in China. Li Ying-Chang,Lao-tzu's treatise on the response of the Tao: ...


Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

* The
Kojiki The , also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the , and the Japanese imperia ...
* The
Rikkokushi is a general term for Japan's Six National Histories chronicling the mythology and history of Japan from the earliest times to 887. The six histories were written at the imperial court during the 8th and 9th centuries, under order of the Emperors. ...
, which includes the Nihon Shoki and the
Shoku Nihongi The is an imperially-commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the ''Six National Histories'', coming directly after the '' Nihon Shoki'' and followed by ''Nihon Kōki''. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi ...
* The
Fudoki are ancient reports on provincial culture, geography, and oral tradition presented to the reigning monarchs of Japan, also known as local gazetteers. They contain agricultural, geographical, and historical records as well as mythology and ...
* The
Jinnō Shōtōki is a Japanese historical book written by Kitabatake Chikafusa. The work sought both to clarify the genesis and potential consequences of a contemporary crisis in Japanese politics, and to dispel or at least ameliorate the prevailing disorder. ...
* The
Kujiki , or , is a historical Japanese text. It was generally believed to have been one of the earliest Japanese histories until the middle of the Edo period, when scholars such as Tokugawa Mitsukuni and Tada Yoshitoshi successfully contended that it was ...


Iranian religions


Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion and one of the world's History of religion, oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian peoples, Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a Dualism in cosmology, du ...

* Primary religious texts, that is, the
Avesta The Avesta () is the primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The Avesta texts fall into several different categories, arranged either by dialect, or by usage. The principal text in the litu ...
collection: ** The ''
Yasna Yasna (;"Yasna"
''
Gathas The Gathas ()"Gatha"
''
Visperad Visperad or Visprad is either a particular Zoroastrianism, Zoroastrian religious ceremony or the name given to a passage collection within the greater Avesta compendium of texts. Overview The Visperad ceremony "consists of the rituals of the Yasna ...
'', a collection of supplements to the ''Yasna''. ** The ''
Yasht The Yashts are a collection of twenty-one hymns in the Younger Avestan language. Each of these hymns invokes a specific Zoroastrian divinity or concept. ''Yasht'' chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated as ''Yt.'' Overview The wo ...
s'', hymns in honor of the divinities. ** The ''
Vendidad The Vendidad /ˈvendi'dæd/ or Videvdat or Videvdad is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the ''Vendidad'' is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual. Name ...
'', describes the various forms of evil spirits and ways to confound them. ** shorter texts and prayers, the
Yashts The Yashts are a collection of twenty-one hymns in the Younger Avestan language. Each of these hymns invokes a specific Zoroastrian divinity or concept. ''Yasht'' chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated as ''Yt.'' Overview The wor ...
the five '' Nyaishes'' ("worship, praise"), the '' Sirozeh'' and the '' Afringans'' (blessings). * There are some 60 secondary religious texts, none of which are considered scripture. The most important of these are: ** The ''
Denkard The ''Dēnkard'' or ''Dēnkart'' (Middle Persian: 𐭣𐭩𐭭𐭪𐭠𐭫𐭲 "Acts of Religion") is a 10th-century compendium of Zoroastrian beliefs and customs during the time. The Denkard is to a great extent considered an "Encyclopedia of Ma ...
'' (middle Persian, 'Acts of Religion'), ** The ''
Bundahishn ''Bundahishn'' (Avestan: , "Primal Creation") is the name traditionally given to an encyclopedic collection of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in Book Pahlavi. The original name of the work is not known. Although the ''Bundahishn'' d ...
'', (middle Persian, 'Primordial Creation') ** The ''
Menog-i Khrad The ''Mēnōg-ī Khrad'' () or ''Spirit of Wisdom'' is one of the most important secondary texts in Zoroastrianism written in Middle Persian. Also transcribed in Pazend as Minuy-e X(e/a)rad and New Persian ''Minu-ye Xeræd'', the text is a Zoroastr ...
'', (middle Persian, 'Spirit of Wisdom') ** The '' Arda Viraf Namak'' (middle Persian, 'The Book of Arda Viraf') ** The ''
Sad-dar The ''Sad-dar'' or ''Saddar'', literally "Hundred Doors", is a Persian book about Zoroastrianism. The hundred chapters are guidelines that Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, ba ...
'' (modern Persian, 'Hundred Doors', or 'Hundred Chapters') ** The '' Rivayats'', 15th-18th century correspondence on religious issues * For general use by the laity: ** The ''
Zend Zend or Zand ( pal, 𐭦𐭭𐭣) is a Zoroastrian technical term for exegetical glosses, paraphrases, commentaries and translations of the Avesta's texts. The term ''zand'' is a contraction of the Avestan language word ' (, meaning "interpretat ...
'' (lit. commentaries), various commentaries on and translations of the Avesta. ** The ''
Khordeh Avesta Khordeh Avesta, meaning 'little, or lesser, or small Avesta', is the name given to two different collections of Zoroastrian religious texts. One of the two collections includes the other and takes its name from it. * In a narrow sense, the term ...
'', Zoroastrian prayer book for lay people from the Avesta.


Yarsanism Yarsanism, Ahl-e Haqq or Kaka'i ( ku, یارسان, translit=Yarsan or ; fa, اهل حق, ar, كاكائي), is a syncretic religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of followers of Yarsanism i ...

*
Kalâm-e Saranjâm Kalâm-e Saranjâm or simply Saranjâm ( ku, سەرەنجام یا کەڵام) is the central religious book in Yarsanism written in Gorani and Kurdish and contains old texts from the time of Sultan Sahak. Besides this book, other books can be cons ...


Yazidi Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group who are indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. The majo ...

* The true core texts of the Yazidi religion that exist today are the hymns, known as ''qawls.'' Spurious examples of so-called "Yazidi religious texts" include the
Yazidi Black Book The ''Yazidi Black Book'' ( ku, Mishefa Reş) is one of two books written in the style of a holy book of the Yazidis in their native Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish) tongue, the other being the ''Yazidi Book of Revelation'' (). The authenticity of th ...
and the
Yazidi Book of Revelation The ''Yazidi Book of Revelation'' ( ku, Kitêba Cilwe, lit=The Book of Revelation) is the title of a Kurdish book which is assumed to be one of two sacred books of Yazidis, the other being the Yazidi Black Book. However, the authenticity of ...
, which were forged in the early 20th century


Indian religions


Ayyavazhi Ayyavazhi ( ta, அய்யாவழி, ml, അയ്യാവഴി ''Ayyāvaḻi'' , ) is a henotheistic belief that originated in South India.Tha. Krishna Nathan, ''Ayyaa vaikuNdarin vaazvum sinthanaiyum'', p. 62: "" (The day at which Vaik ...

; Akilattirattu Ammanai *
Akilam one Akilathirattu Ammanai ( ta, அகிலத்திரட்டு அம்மானை; ''akilam'' ("world"), ''thirattu'' ("collection"), ''ammanai'' ("ballad")), also called Thiru Edu ("venerable book"), is the main religious text of the T ...
*
Akilam two Akilam Two is the second among the seventeen parts of Akilathirattu Ammanai, the holy scripture of Ayyavazhi. This parts includes the whole of the Thretha Yukam and a few events of the Dwapara Yukam, such as creation of bodies of the god-heads an ...
* Akilam three * Akilam four * Akilam five * Akilam fifteen *
Akilam seventeen Seventeen or 17 may refer to: *17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18 * The years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, or 2017 Science * Chlorine, a halogen in the periodic table * 17 Thetis, an asteroid in the asteroid belt Literature ...
* Akilam sixteen *
Akilam six Akilam six is the sixth section of Akilam, the primary holy scripture of Ayyavazhi. This section describes the transformation of the ruling authority of the universe from Sivan to Thirumal. It also narrates the preparational events of the Avata ...
* Akilam seven *
Akilam eight 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. Etymology English ''eight'', from Old English '', æhta'', Proto-Germanic ''*ahto'' is a direct continuation of Proto-Indo-European '' *oḱtṓ(w)-'', and as such cognate with ...
* Akilam nine * Akilam ten * Akilam eleven * Akilam twelve * Akilam thirteen * Akilam fourteen * Akilam fifteen * Akilam sixteen *
Akilam seventeen Seventeen or 17 may refer to: *17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18 * The years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, or 2017 Science * Chlorine, a halogen in the periodic table * 17 Thetis, an asteroid in the asteroid belt Literature ...
; Arul Nool * Ukappadippu * Pothippu * Ucchippadippu * Saattu Neettolai * Nadutheervai Ula * Panchadevar Urppatthi * Patthiram * Sivakanta Athikarappatthiram *
Thingal patham The Thingal patham is one of the sub-sections of Arul Nool which was the secondary scripture of Ayyavazhi. The author of the content is unknown. This contains the events and reason for the Avatar of Vaikundar Ayya Vaikundar (c.1833 &nd ...
*
Saptha Kannimar Padal The Saptha Kannimar Padal is one of the sub-sections of Arul Nool which was the secondary scripture of Ayyavazhi. This follows the concept of Saptha Kanya.The author of the content is unknown. This contains the event's background and reason for t ...
* Kalyana Vazhthu


Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

;
Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
* The '' Tipitaka'' or
Pāli Canon The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the most complete extant early Buddhist canon. It derives mainly from the Tamrashatiya school. During th ...
**
Vinaya Pitaka The Vinaya (Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon (''Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (Buddhism), Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinay ...
***
Suttavibhaṅga Suttavibhanga (, Pali for "rule analysis") is the first book of the Theravadin Vinaya Pitaka. It is a commentary on the community rules ( Patimokkha). The general form of the commentary is that each rule is preceded by a story telling how the ...
:
Pāṭimokkha In Theravada Buddhism, the Pāṭimokkha is the basic code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227 rules for fully ordained monks (bhikkhus) and 311 for nuns ( bhikkhuṇīs). It is contained in the Suttavibhaṅga, a division of the Vinaya P ...
and commentary **** Mahāvibhaṅga: rules for monks **** Bhikkhunīvibhaṅga: rules for nuns ***
Khandhaka Khandhaka is the second book of the Theravadin ''Vinaya Pitaka'' and includes the following two volumes: * Mahāvagga: includes accounts of Gautama Buddha's and the ten principal disciples' awakenings, as well as rules for uposatha days and monast ...
: 22 chapters on various topics ***
Parivāra Parivāra (Pāli for "accessory") is the third and last book of the Theravādin Vinaya Pitaka. It includes a summary and multiple analyses of the various rules identified in the Vinaya Pitaka's first two books, the Suttavibhanga and the Khandhaka ...
: analyses of rules from various points of view **
Sutta Pitaka Sutta may refer to: *Sutta Nipata, is a Buddhist scripture *Sutta Piṭaka, The second of the three divisions of the Tripitaka or Pali Canon *Sutta Pazham, is a 2008 Indian Tamil language adult comedy thriller film *Sutta Kadhai, 2013 Indian Tamil ...
***
Digha Nikaya Digha is a seaside resort town in the state of West Bengal, India. It lies in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal. It has a low gradient with a shallow sand beach. It is a popular sea resort in West Bengal. Hi ...
, the "long" discourses (including
Brahmajāla Sutta The Brahmajāla Sutta is the first of 34 suttas in the Dīgha Nikāya (the Long Discourses of the Buddha). The name means Net (jāla - net, netting, entanglement) of Brahmā. The sutta is also called 'Atthajala' (Net of Essence), Dhammajala, ( ...
,
Samaññaphala Sutta The Samaññaphala Sutta, "The Fruit of Contemplative Life," is the second discourse (Pali, ''sutta''; Skt., ''sutra'') of the Digha Nikaya. In terms of narrative, this discourse tells the story of King Ajātasattu, son and successor of King Bi ...
,
Sigālovāda Sutta Sigalovada Sutta is the 31st Sutta described in the Digha Nikaya ("Long Discourses of Buddha"). It is also known as the Sīgāla Sutta, the Sīgālaka Sutta, the Sigālovāda Sutta, and the Sigālovāda Suttanta ("The Sigāla Homily"). Buddhagh ...
&
Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta The ''Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta'' is Sutta 16 in the ''Digha Nikaya'', a scripture belonging to the Sutta Pitaka of Theravada Buddhism. It concerns the end of Gautama Buddha's life - his parinibbana - and is the longest sutta of the Pāli Ca ...
) *** Majjhima Nikaya, the "middle-length" discourses (including
Ānāpānasati Sutta The ''Ānāpānasati Sutta'' (Pāli) or ''Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra'' (Sanskrit), "Breath-Mindfulness Discourse," Majjhima Nikaya 118, is a discourse that details the Buddha's instruction on using awareness of the breath (''anapana'') as an initial ...
&
Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta The ' (Pali for "Right View Discourse") is the 9th discourse in Majjhima Nikaya of Pāli Canon that provides an elaboration on the Buddhist notion of "right view" by the Buddha's chief disciple, Ven. Sariputta. The Chinese canon contains two co ...
) *** Samyutta Nikaya, the "connected" discourses (including
Ādittapariyāya Sutta The ''Ādittapariyāya Sutta'' (Pali, "Fire Sermon Discourse"), is a discourse from the Pali Canon, popularly known as the Fire Sermon. In this discourse, the Buddha preaches about achieving liberation from suffering through detachment from the ...
,
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta The ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' (Pali; Sanskrit: ''Dharmacakrapravartana Sūtra''; English: ''The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dharma Sutta'' or ''Promulgation of the Law Sutta'') is a Buddhist text that is considered by Buddhists t ...
&
Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta The '' Sutta'' (Pali) or ' (Sanskrit), is traditionally recorded as the second discourse delivered by Gautama Buddha. The title translates to the "Not-Self Characteristic Discourse", but is also known as the ''Pañcavaggiya Sutta'' (Pali) or ' ...
) *** Anguttara Nikaya, the "numerical" discourses (including
Dīghajāṇu Sutta The Dighajanu Sutta (Pali ), also known as the Byagghapajja Sutta or Vyagghapajja Sutta, is part of the Anguttara Nikaya (AN 8.54). For Theravadin scholars, this discourse of the Pāli Canon is one of several considered key to understanding Budd ...
) *** Khuddaka Nikaya, the "minor collection" (including
Dhammapada The Dhammapada (Pāli; sa, धर्मपद, Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka ...
,
Udāna The ''Udāna'' is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka Nikaya. The title might be translated "inspired utterances". The book comprises 80 such utterances, most i ...
,
Itivuttaka The Itivuttaka (Pali for "as it was said") is a Buddhism, Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism and is attributed to Khujjuttara's recollection of Buddha's discourses. It is included there in the Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka ...
,
Sutta Nipāta The ' () is a Buddhist scripture, a sutta collection in the Khuddaka Nikaya, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. Sections The ''Sutta Nipāta'' is divided into five sections: Uraga Vagga ("The Chapter on the Serpent") Cūla Vagg ...
,
Theragatha The ''Theragatha'' (''Verses of the Elder Monks'') is a Buddhist text, a collection of short poems in Pali attributed to members of the early Buddhist sangha. It is classified as part of the Khuddaka Nikaya, the collection of minor books in the ...
&
Therīgāthā The ''Therīgāthā'', often translated as ''Verses of the Elder Nuns'' (Pāli: ''therī'' elder (feminine) + ''gāthā'' verses), is a Buddhist texts, Buddhist text, a collection of short poems of early enlightened women who were thero, elder nun ...
) ** Abhidhamma Pitaka *** Dhammasaṅganī ( or ) ***
Vibhaṅga The is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. One known English translation is contained in ''The Book of Analysis'', first published in 1969.tr U Thittila, 1969/1988, ...
() *** Dhātukathā (dhātukathā) *** Puggalapaññatti (-paññatti) ***
Kathāvatthu Kathāvatthu (Pāli) (abbreviated Kv, Kvu; ) is a Buddhist scripture, one of the seven books in the Theravada Abhidhamma Pitaka. The text contrasts the orthodox Theravada position on a range of issues to the heterodox views of various interlocuto ...
(kathā-) ***
Yamaka The Yamaka (; Pali for "pairs") is a text of the Pali Canon, the scriptures of a Buddhist monk laws. It is a text on applied logic and analysis included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Description The ''Yamaka'' consists of ten chapters, each dealin ...
***
Paṭṭhāna The Paṭṭhāna (Pali: , Sanskrit : , my, ပဋ္ဌာန်း, ''pa htan:'') is a Buddhist scripture, part of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism, where it is included in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. This book is a detailed examination of ca ...
(paţţhāna) ; East Asian
Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...
* The Chinese Buddhist
Mahayana sutras The Mahāyāna sūtras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (''sūtra'') that are accepted as canonical and as ''buddhavacana'' ("Buddha word") in Mahāyāna Buddhism. They are largely preserved in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the Tibetan B ...
, including ** Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra ** Shurangama Sutra and its
Shurangama Mantra The Shurangama or Śūraṅgama mantra is a dhāraṇī or long mantra of Buddhist practice in East Asia. Although relatively unknown in modern Tibet, there are several Śūraṅgama Mantra texts in the Tibetan Buddhist canon. It has strong as ...
**
Great Compassion Mantra Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...
**
Pure Land Buddhism Pure Land Buddhism (; ja, 浄土仏教, translit=Jōdo bukkyō; , also referred to as Amidism in English,) is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism focused on achieving rebirth in a Buddha's Buddha-field or Pure Land. It is one of the most wid ...
***
Infinite Life Sutra Infinite may refer to: Mathematics *Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set *Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit Music * Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band *''Infinite'' (EP), debut EP of American m ...
*** Amitabha Sutra ***
Contemplation Sutra The ''Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra'' (Sanskrit; , ''Guan-wuliangshou-jing;'' Vietnamese: Phật Thuyết Kinh Quán Vô Lượng Thọ Phật; English: ''Sutra on the Visualization of he BuddhaImmeasurable Life'') is a Mahayana sutra in Pure Land Bu ...
*** other Pure Land Sutras **
Tiantai Tiantai or T'ien-t'ai () is an East Asian Buddhist school of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed in 6th-century China. The school emphasizes the ''Lotus Sutra's'' doctrine of the "One Vehicle" (''Ekayāna'') as well as Mādhyamaka philosophy, ...
,
Tendai , also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
, and
Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...
***
Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
**
Shingon file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
***
Mahavairocana Sutra Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the ''Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In East ...
***
Vajrasekhara Sutra The ''Vajraśekhara Sūtra'' is an important Buddhist tantra used in the Vajrayāna schools of Buddhism, but can refer to a number of different works. In particular a cycle of 18 texts studied by Amoghavajra, which included both '' Tattvasaṃgra ...
;
Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
* Tibetan
Kangyur The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined collection of sacred texts recognized by various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, comprising the Kangyur or Kanjur ('Translation of the Word') and the Tengyur or Tanjur (Tengyur) ('Translation of Treat ...
and
Tengyur The Tengyur or Tanjur or Bstan-’gyur (Tibetan: "Translation of Teachings") is the Tibetan collection of commentaries to the Buddhist teachings, or "Translated Treatises". The Buddhist Canon To the Tengyur were assigned commentaries to b ...


Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

;
Śruti ''Shruti'' ( sa, श्रुति, , ) in Sanskrit means "that which is heard" and refers to the body of most authoritative, ancient religious texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism. Manusmriti states: ''Śrutistu vedo vijñeyaḥ'' ( ...
* The Four Vedas **
Rig Veda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' ( ', from ' "praise" and ' "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the Vedas. Only one Sh ...
**
Sama Veda The Samaveda (, from ' "song" and ' "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, and part of the scriptures of Hinduism. One of the four Vedas, it is a liturgical text which consists of 1,875 verses. A ...
**
Yajur Veda The ''Yajurveda'' ( sa, यजुर्वेद, ', from ' meaning "worship", and ''veda'' meaning "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell C ...
**
Atharva Veda The Atharva Veda (, ' from ' and ''veda'', meaning "knowledge") is the "knowledge storehouse of ''atharvāṇas'', the procedures for everyday life".Laurie Patton (2004), Veda and Upanishad, in ''The Hindu World'' (Editors: Sushil Mittal and G ...
*
Samhitas Saṃhitā literally means "put together, joined, union", a "collection", and "a methodically, rule-based combination of text or verses".Brahmanas The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas. They are a secondary layer or classification of Sanskrit texts embedded within ea ...
(Commentaries, Instructions) *
Aranyakas The Aranyakas (; sa, आरण्यक; IAST: ' ) are the part of the ancient Indian Vedas concerned with the meaning of ritual sacrifice. They typically represent the later sections of the Vedas, and are one of many layers of the Vedic texts. ...
(Meditation, Rituals) *
Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...
(Essence, Wisdom) ;
Smriti ''Smriti'' ( sa, स्मृति, IAST: '), literally "that which is remembered" are a body of Hindu texts usually attributed to an author, traditionally written down, in contrast to Śrutis (the Vedic literature) considered authorless, that ...
* Itihāsas **
Mahābhārata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
(including the
Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
) ***
Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
**
Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
*
Puranas Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
(
List A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
) **
Bhagavata Purana The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in Sa ...
*
Tantras Tantras ("''doctrine''" or "''framework''" or "''system''" ) refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially ...
*
Sutra ''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aph ...
s (
List A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
) *
Stotras ''Stotra'' (Sanskrit: स्तोत्र) is a Sanskrit word that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise."Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'Stotra'' It is a literary genre of In ...
*
Ashtavakra Gita The Ashtavakra Gita (Sanskrit: अष्टावक्रगीता; IAST: aṣṭāvakragītā) or Song of Ashtavakra is a classical text in the Advaita Vedanta tradition in the form of a dialogue between the sage Ashtavakra and Janaka, king ...
*
Gherand Samhita ''Gheranda Samhita'' ( IAST: gheraṇḍasaṁhitā, घेरंडसंहिता, meaning “Gheranda's collection”) is a Sanskrit text of Yoga in Hinduism. It is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga (the other two being the '' ...
*
Gita Govinda The ''Gita Govinda'' ( sa, गीत गोविन्दम्; ) is a work composed by the 12th-century Hindu poet, Jayadeva. It describes the relationship between Krishna, Radha and ''gopis'' (female cow herders) of Vrindavan. The ''Gita G ...
*
Hatha Yoga Pradipika The ''Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā'' ( or Light on Hatha Yoga) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on haṭha yoga, written by Svātmārāma, who connects the teaching's lineage to Matsyendranath of the Nathas. It is among the most inf ...
* Yoga Vasistha ; In
Purva Mimamsa The Fourteen Purva translated as ancient or prior knowledge, are a large body of Jain scriptures that was preached by all Tirthankaras (omniscient teachers) of Jainism encompassing the entire gamut of knowledge available in this universe. The pers ...
*
Purva Mimamsa Sutras The Mimamsa Sutra ( sa, मीमांसा सूत्र, ) or the Purva Mimamsa Sutras (ca. 300–200 BCE), written by Rishi Jaimini is one of the most important ancient Hindu philosophical texts. It forms the basis of Mimamsa, the earlies ...
; In
Vedanta ''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...
(Uttar Mimamsa) *
Brahma Sutras The ''Brahma Sūtras'' ( sa, ब्रह्मसूत्राणि) is a Sanskrit text, attributed to the sage bādarāyaṇa or sage Vyāsa, estimated to have been completed in its surviving form in approx. 400–450 CE,, Quote: "...we can ...
of
Vyasa Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
; In
Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
*
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' is a collection of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sutras (according to others, including BKS Iyengar). The ' ...
; In
Samkhya ''Samkhya'' or ''Sankya'' (; Sanskrit सांख्य), IAST: ') is a Dualism (Indian philosophy), dualistic Āstika and nāstika, school of Indian philosophy. It views reality as composed of two independent principles, ''purusha, puruṣa' ...
* Samkhya Sutras of Kapila ; In
Nyaya (Sanskrit: न्याय, ''nyā-yá''), literally meaning "justice", "rules", "method" or "judgment",Nyāya Sūtras The ''Nyāya Sūtras'' is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text composed by , and the foundational text of the Nyaya school of Hindu philosophy. The date when the text was composed, and the biography of its author is unknown, but variously esti ...
of Gautama ; In
Vaisheshika Vaisheshika or Vaiśeṣika ( sa, वैशेषिक) is one of the six schools of Indian philosophy (Vedic systems) from ancient India. In its early stages, the Vaiśeṣika was an independent philosophy with its own metaphysics, epistemolog ...
* Vaisheshika Sutras of Kanada ; In
Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
* Vaikhanasa Samhitas * Pancaratra Samhitas * Divyaprabandha ; In
Saktism Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti (Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, all ...
* Sakta
Tantras Tantras ("''doctrine''" or "''framework''" or "''system''" ) refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially ...
; In
Kashmir Saivism Kashmir Shaivism or Trika Shaivism, is a nondualist tradition of Shaivism, Shaiva-Shaktism, Shakta Tantra which originated sometime after 850 CE. Since this tradition originated in Kashmir it is often called "Kashmiri Shaivism". It later went ...
* 64 Bhairavagamas * 28 Shaiva
Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...
*
Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta Shiva Sutras are a collection of seventy seven aphorisms that form the foundation of the tradition of spiritual mysticism known as Kashmir Shaivism. They are attributed to the sage Vasugupta of the 9th century C.E. Vasugupta is said to have l ...
* Vijnana Bhairava Tantra ; In
Pashupata Shaivism Pashupata Shaivism (, sa, पाशुपत) is the oldest of the major Shaivite Hindu schools. The mainstream which follows Vedic Pasupata penance are 'Maha Pasupatas' and the schism of 'Lakula Pasupata' of Lakulisa. There is a debate about p ...
* ''
Pashupata-sutra ''Pashupata-sutra'' (IAST: Pāśupatasūtra) is a Sanskrit-language text regarded as revelation by the Pashupata Shaivite sect of ancient India. Dated between 400 and 550 CE, it is the earliest surviving text of the Pashupatas. Kauṇḍinya wrote ...
'' of
Lakulisha Lakulisha ( sa, लकुलीश ) (Etymology: लगुड (staff) or लकुट (mace) + ईश (lord) = meaning, the lord with a staff or mace or club or stick) was a prominent Shaivite revivalist, reformist and preceptor of the doctrine ...
* Panchartha-bhashya of
Kaundinya Kaundinya (Sanskrit कौण्डिन्य), also known as ''Ājñātakauṇḍinya'', Pali: ''Añña Koṇḍañña''),who was one of the first five Buddhist monks ( Pancavaggiya), follower of Gautama Buddha and the first to become an arha ...
(a commentary on the Pashupata Sutras) * Ganakarika * Ratnatika of Bhasarvajna ; In
Shaiva Siddhanta Shaiva Siddhanta () (Tamil: சைவ சித்தாந்தம் "Caiva cittāntam") is a form of Shaivism that propounds a dualistic philosophy where the ultimate and ideal goal of a being is to become an enlightened soul through Shiv ...
* 28 Saiva
Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...
*
Tirumurai ''Thirumurai'' (Tamil: திருமுறை, meaning holy division) is a twelve-volume compendium of songs or hymns in praise of Shiva in the Tamil language from the 6th to the 11th century CE by various poets in Tamil Nadu. Nambiyand ...
(canon of 12 works) * Meykandar Shastras (canon of 14 works) ; In
Gaudiya Vaishnavism Gaudiya Vaishnavism (), also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, is a Vaishnava Hindu religious movement inspired by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) in India. "Gaudiya" refers to the Gaura or Gauḍa region of Bengal, with Vaishnavism meanin ...
*
Brahma Samhita The ''Brahma Samhita'' () is a Sanskrit ''Pancharatra'' text, composed of verses of prayer spoken by Brahma glorifying the Lord Vishnu, as well as his avatars such as Krishna, at the beginning of creation. It is revered within Gaudiya Vaishnavism ...
*
Jayadeva Jayadeva (; born ), also spelt Jaideva, was a Sanskrit poet during the 12th century. He is most known for his epic poem ''Gita Govinda'' which concentrates on Krishna's love with the '' gopi'', Radha, in a rite of spring. This poem, which presen ...
's
Gita Govinda The ''Gita Govinda'' ( sa, गीत गोविन्दम्; ) is a work composed by the 12th-century Hindu poet, Jayadeva. It describes the relationship between Krishna, Radha and ''gopis'' (female cow herders) of Vrindavan. The ''Gita G ...
; Krishna-karnamrita *
Chaitanya Bhagavata Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata ( bn, চৈতন্য ভাগবত) is a hagiography of Caitanya Mahāprabhu written by Vrindavana Dasa Thakura (1507-1589 CE). It was the first full-length work regarding Chaitanya Mahaprabhu written in Bengali l ...
*
Chaitanya Charitamrita The ''Chaitanya Charitamrita'' (; bn, চৈতন্যচরিতামৃত, Côitônyôcôritamṛtô), composed by Krishnadasa Kaviraja in 1557, is written in Bengali with a great number of Sanskrit verses in its devotional, poetic const ...
* Prema-bhakti-candrika * Hari-bhakti-vilasa ; In
Lingayatism Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as ''Veerashaivas'', since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as ''Lingayats''. The terms ''Lingayatism'' and '' Veerashaivism'' have been ...
*
Siddhanta Shikhamani Siddhantha Shikhamani is a religious scripture of the Panchacharyas tradition of Veerashaivas .Traditionally it is attributed to Shri Shivayogi Shivacharya. It is regarded as ''Dharmagrantha'' ("sacred scripture") of Veerashaivism. The work is ...
*
Vachana sahitya Vachana sahitya is a form of rhythmic writing in Kannada (see also Kannada poetry) that evolved in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th century, as a part of the Sharana movement. Madara Chennaiah, an 11th-century cobbler-saint who lived ...
*
Mantra Gopya Mantra Gopya is a Kannada language text written by Veerashaiva saint and mystic Allama Prabhu. It forms an important part of Veerashaiva Veerashaivism is a sect within the Shaivism fold of Hinduism. According to tradition, it was transmitted ...
* Shoonya Sampadane * 28
Agamas Religion *Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts *Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects *Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism Other uses * ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...
*
Karana Hasuge Karana Hasuge by Channabasavanna is one of the most important works in the Kannada language with regard to the Lingayat faith. Channabasavanna was a contemporary of Basavanna, the founder of Lingayat Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu d ...
* Basava purana ; In
Kabir Panth Kabir Panth (Path of Kabir) is a Sant Mat denomination and philosophy based on the teachings of Kabir. It is based on devotion to him as one guru as a means to salvation. Its adherents are from many religious backgrounds as Kabir never advocated ...
* poems of
Kabir Kabir Das (1398–1518) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das, ...
; In Dadu Panth * poems of Dadu


Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...

; Svetambara * 11 Angas ** Secondary *** 12 Upangas, 4 Mula-sutras, 6 Cheda-sutras, 2 Culika-sutras, 10 Prakirnakas ;
Digambar ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being ''Śvētāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing n ...
a * Samaysara *
Pravachanasara ''Pravachanasara'', is a text composed by Jain monk, Kundakunda, in the second century CE or later. The title means "Essence of the Doctrine" or "Essence of the Scripture", and it largely deals with the correct ascetic and spiritual behavior ...
*
Niyamsara Niyamasara is a Jain text authored by ''Acharya Kundakunda'', a Digambara Jain acharya. It is described by its commentators as the Bhagavat Shastra. It expounds the path to liberation. Subject matter ''Niyamasara'' deals with the three ethico ...
*
Pancastikayasara ''Pañcastikayasara'' (en: the essence of reality), is an ancient Jain text authored by Acharya Kundakunda. Kundakunda explains the Jain concepts of ''dravya'' (substance) and Ethics. The work serves as a brief version of the Jaina philosophy. ...
* Karmaprabhrita, also called
Satkhandagama The (Sanskrit: "Scripture in Six Parts") is the foremost and oldest Digambara Jain sacred text. According to Digambara tradition, the original canonical scriptures of the Jains were totally lost within a few centuries of ''Nirvana'' of Mah ...
* Kashayaprabhrita ; Nonsectarian/Nonspecific * Jina Vijaya *
Tattvartha Sutra ''Tattvārthasūtra'', meaning "On the Nature 'artha''of Reality 'tattva'' (also known as ''Tattvarth-adhigama-sutra'' or ''Moksha-shastra'') is an ancient Jain text written by ''Acharya (Jainism), Acharya'' Umaswami in Sanskrit, somet ...
* GandhaHasti Mahabhashya (authoritative and oldest commentary on the Tattvartha Sutra) * Four Anuyogas (they call them, the four vedas of jainism)


Ravidassia Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru. Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting the ...

Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji, the holy book contains the following hymns: Raga – Siri (1), Gauri (5), Asa (6), Gujari (1), Sorath (7), Dhanasari (3), Jaitsari (1), Suhi (3), Bilaval (2), Gaund (2), Ramkali (1), Maru (2), Kedara (1), Bhairau (1), Basant (1), and Malhar (3). The book contains 140 shabads, 40 pade, and 231 salok. There are 177 pages in all of the book. Amrit Bani containing 240 hymns of Guru Ravidas


Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

* The
Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib ( pa, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and Guru Maneyo Granth, eternal Guru following the lineage of the Sikh gur ...
* The
Dasam Granth The ''Dasam Granth'' (Gurmukhi: ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ''dasama gratha'') is a collection of various manuscripts in Sikhism containing compositions attributed to Guru Gobind Singh.


Satpanth Satpanth is a Sanskrit term used initially by Nizari Isma'ilis and Ismaili Sufis to identify their faith formed over 700 years ago by Pir Sadardin (1290-1367 CE). Although the term is today used mainly by its subgroup formed in the 15th century b ...

*
Ginans Ginans ( ur, گنان, gu, ગિનાન; derived from sa, ज्ञान ''jñana,'' meaning "knowledge") are devotional hymns or poems recited by Shia Ismaili Muslims. Literally meaning gnosis, ginans are the devotional literature of the ...
(the scriptures which contains the inner knowledge of Quran and Atharva veda which had lost in the original form of the two scriptures which had been corrupted too) * Dua (prayers)


Abrahamic religions


Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

* Writings of
the Báb ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
**
Persian Bayán The ''Persian Bayán'' ( fa, بیان - "expression") is one of the principal scriptural writings of the Báb, the founder of Bábi religion, written in Persian. The Báb also wrote a shorter book in Arabic, known as the Arabic Bayán. Conte ...
** Arabic Bayán ** Writings of the Báb * Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, **
Kitáb-i-Aqdas The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Arabic: The Most Holy Book) is the central religious text of the Baháʼí Faith, written by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháʼí laws and practices, much of the con ...
– The Most Holy Book **
Kitáb-i-Íqán The ''Kitáb al-Íqán or Kitáb-i-Íqán'' ( fa, كتاب ايقان, ar, كتاب الإيقان "Book of Certitude") is one of many books held sacred by followers of the Baháʼí Faith; it is their primary theological work. One Baháʼí sch ...
– The Book of Certitude ** The Hidden Words **
Days of Remembrance ''Days of Remembrance'' is a book containing authorized English translations of writings of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith related to nine Baháʼí Holy Days, namely Naw-Rúz, Ridván, Declaration of the Báb, Ascension of Bah ...
**
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf The ''Epistle to the Son of the Wolf'' is the last major work of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, written in 1891 just before his death in 1892. It is a letter written to "the son of the Wolf," Shaykh Muhammad Taqi known as Áqá N ...
** The Four Valleys **
Gems of Divine Mysteries ''Gems of Divine Mysteries'' (''Jawáhiru'l-Asrár'', ar, ) is a lengthy Arabic epistle by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. The tablet (as Baháʼu'lláh's works are often called) was written during his time in Baghdad (185 ...
** Gleanings **
Kitáb-i-Badíʻ The ''Kitáb-i-Badíʻ'' (English: The Wondrous or Unique Book; Persian: كتاب بديع; Arabic: الكتاب البديع) is a book composed by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, in 1867-68 in Adrianople. Twice the size of ...
**
The Seven Valleys ''The Seven Valleys'' ( fa, ''Haft-Vádí'') is a book written in Persian by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. ''The Seven Valleys'' follows the structure of the Persian poem ''The Conference of the Birds''. ''The Seven Valle ...
**
Summons of the Lord of Hosts The ''Summons of the Lord of Hosts'' is a collection of the tablets of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Faith, that were written to the kings and rulers of the world during his exile in Adrianople and in the early years of his exile ...
** Tabernacle of Unity **
Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh Tablet may refer to: Medicine * Tablet (pharmacy), a mixture of pharmacological substances pressed into a small cake or bar, colloquially called a "pill" Computing * Tablet computer, a mobile computer that is primarily operated by touching the s ...
* Writings and Talks of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá **
Some Answered Questions ''Some Answered Questions'' (abbreviated SAQ; Persian language, Persian version: ''Mufáviḍát-i-‘Abdu'l-Bahá'') is a compilation of table talks of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá that were collected by Laura Clifford Barney between 1904 and 1906 across seve ...
**
Tablets of the Divine Plan The ''Tablets of the Divine Plan'' collectively refers to 14 letters ( tablets) written between March 1916 and March 1917 by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to Baháʼís in the United States and Canada. Included in multiple books, the first five tablets were pr ...
**
The Secret of Divine Civilization ''The Secret of Divine Civilization'' is a book written anonymously by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in 1875, addressed to the rulers and the people of Persia, but can be applied to developmental reform in any society. It is considered to be part of the authori ...
**
Paris Talks ''Paris Talks'' is a book transcribed from talks given by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá while in Paris in the first stages of his journeys to the West. It was originally published as ''Talks by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá Given in Paris'' in 1912. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá did not rea ...
**
Will and Testament A will or testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property ( estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person ( executor) is to manage the property until its final distributi ...
* Writings of
Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; 1 March 1897 – 4 November 1957) was the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, appointed to the role of Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. He created a series of teaching plans that over ...
**
Advent of Divine Justice The Advent of Divine Justice' is a letter written December 25, 1938, to the Baháʼís of the United States and Canada, by Shoghi Effendi, describing the role of America in establishing the Most Great Peace. While technically a long-form lette ...
**
Baháʼí Administration The Baháʼí administration or Baháʼí administrative order is the administrative system of the Baháʼí Faith. It has two arms, the #Elected institutions, elected and the #Appointed institutions, appointed. The supreme governing institutio ...
**
God Passes By ''God Passes By'', written by Shoghi Effendi, head of the Baháʼí Faith in the first half of the 20th century, is a book which provides a historical summary of the first century of the Baháʼí Faith, from 1844 to 1944. While historical episod ...
**
World Order of Baháʼu'lláh Shoghí Effendi (; 1 March 1897 – 4 November 1957) was the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, appointed to the role of Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957. He created a series of teaching plans that over ...
* Messages and writings of the
Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice ( fa, بیت‌العدل اعظم) is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate o ...
* The
scripture Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...
of previous world religions


Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...


Bible

The contents of
Christian Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
s differ by denomination. * The
Canon of Trent The Canon of Trent is the list of books officially considered canonical at the Roman Catholic Council of Trent. A decree, the ''De Canonicis Scripturis'', from the Council's fourth session (of 8 April 1546), issued an anathema on dissenters of ...
defines a canonical list of books of the
Catholic Bible The term ''Catholic Bible'' often refers to a Christian Bible that includes the whole 73-book canon recognized by the Catholic Church, including some of the deuterocanonical books (and parts of books): those of the Old Testament which are in the ...
that includes the whole 73-book canon recognized by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, including the
deuterocanonical books The deuterocanonical books (from the Greek meaning "belonging to the second canon") are books and passages considered by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East to be ...
. (In versions of the
Latin Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels us ...
,
3 Esdras 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
,
4 Esdras 2 Esdras (also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra) is an apocalyptic book in some English versions of the Bible. Tradition ascribes it to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the , but scholarship places its composition between 70 and . It ...
, and the
Prayer of Manasseh The Prayer of Manasses, also known as the Prayer of Manasseh is a short work of 15 verses recording a penitential prayer attributed to king Manasseh of Judah. Its canonicity is disputed. The majority of scholars believe that the Prayer of Manasse ...
are included in an appendix, but considered non-canonical, and are not included in modern Catholic Bibles). * Most
Protestant Bible A Protestant Bible is a Christian Bible whose translation or revision was produced by Protestants. Such Bibles comprise 39 books of the Old Testament (according to the Hebrew Bible canon, known especially to non-Protestants as the protocanonica ...
s include the
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
Hebrew: ''Tān ...
's 24 books (the
protocanonical books The protocanonical books are those books of the Old Testament that are also included in the Hebrew Bible (the Tanakh) and that came to be considered canonical during the formational period of orthodox Christianity. The Old Testament is entirely r ...
) divided differently (into 39 books) and the 27-book
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
for a total of 66 books. Some denominations (e.g.
Anglicanism Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
) also include the 14 books of the
biblical apocrypha The biblical apocrypha (from the grc, ἀπόκρυφος, translit=apókruphos, lit=hidden) denotes the collection of apocryphal ancient books thought to have been written some time between 200 BC and AD 400. The Roman Catholic, Eastern Ort ...
between the Old Testament and the New Testament, for a total of 80 books. * Greek and Eastern Orthodox Bibles include the ''
anagignoskomena The deuterocanonical books (from the Greek meaning "belonging to the second canon") are books and passages considered by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East to be ...
'', which consist of the Catholic deuterocanon, plus
3 Maccabees 3 Maccabees, el, Μακκαβαίων Γ´, translit=Makkabaíōn 3 also called the Third Book of Maccabees, is a book written in Koine Greek, likely in the 1st century BC in Roman Egypt. Despite the title, the book has nothing to do with the Ma ...
,
Psalm 151 Psalm 151 is a short psalm found in most copies of the Septuagint (LXX), but not in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible. The title given to this psalm in the Septuagint indicates that it is supernumerary, as no number is affixed to it. The psal ...
, the
Prayer of Manasseh The Prayer of Manasses, also known as the Prayer of Manasseh is a short work of 15 verses recording a penitential prayer attributed to king Manasseh of Judah. Its canonicity is disputed. The majority of scholars believe that the Prayer of Manasse ...
, and
3 Esdras 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
; The Fourth Book of Maccabees is considered to be canonical by the
Georgian Orthodox Church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...
. The
Septuagint The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond th ...
, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, is authoritative. * The
Church of the East The Church of the East ( syc, ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, ''ʿĒḏtā d-Maḏenḥā'') or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church or the Nestorian C ...
includes most of the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament which are found in the
Peshitta The Peshitta ( syc, ܦܫܺܝܛܬܳܐ ''or'' ') is the standard version of the Bible for churches in the Syriac tradition, including the Maronite Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the ...
(The Syriac Version of the Bible). The New Testament in modern versions contains the 5 disputed books (2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation) that were originally excluded. * In
Oriental Orthodoxy The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent ...
, the
biblical canon A biblical canon is a set of texts (also called "books") which a particular Jewish or Christian religious community regards as part of the Bible. The English word ''canon'' comes from the Greek , meaning " rule" or "measuring stick". The use ...
differs in each
Patriarchate Patriarchate ( grc, πατριαρχεῖον, ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, designating the office and jurisdiction of an ecclesiastical patriarch. According to Christian tradition three patriarchates were esta ...
. ** The
Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...
has at various times included a variety of books in the New Testament which are not included in the canons of other traditions. ** The
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( am, የኢትዮጵያ ኦርቶዶክስ ተዋሕዶ ቤተ ክርስቲያን, ''Yäityop'ya ortodoks täwahedo bétäkrestyan'') is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. One of the few Chris ...
(and its daughter, the
Eritrean Orthodox Church The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church ( ti, ቤተ ክርስትያን ተዋህዶ ኤርትራ) is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches with its headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea. Its autocephaly was recognised by Pope Shenouda III of Alexandri ...
) accept various books according to either of the Narrower or the Broader Canons but always include the entire Catholic deuterocanon, the
Prayer of Manasseh The Prayer of Manasses, also known as the Prayer of Manasseh is a short work of 15 verses recording a penitential prayer attributed to king Manasseh of Judah. Its canonicity is disputed. The majority of scholars believe that the Prayer of Manasse ...
,
3 Ezra 1 Esdras ( grc-gre, Ἔσδρας Αʹ), also Esdras A, Greek Esdras, Greek Ezra, or 3 Esdras, is the ancient Greek Septuagint version of the biblical Book of Ezra in use within the Early Christianity, early church, and among many modern Christia ...
,
4 Ezra 2 Esdras (also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra) is an apocalyptic book in some English versions of the Bible. Tradition ascribes it to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the , but scholarship places its composition between 70 and . It ...
, and The Book of Josippon. They may also include the
Book of Jubilees The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called Lesser Genesis (Leptogenesis), is an ancient Jewish religious work of 50 chapters (1,341 verses), considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews), where it is ...
, Book of Enoch,
1 Baruch The Book of Baruch is a deuterocanonical book of the Bible, used in most Christian traditions, such as Catholic and Orthodox churches. In Judaism and Protestant Christianity, it is considered not to be part of the canon, with the Protestant Bibl ...
,
4 Baruch Fourth Baruch is a pseudepigraphical text of the Old Testament. Paralipomena of Jeremiah appears as the title in several Ancient Greek manuscripts of the work, meaning "things left out of (the Book of) Jeremiah." It is part of the Ethiopian Ortho ...
, as well as 1, 2, and 3 Meqabyan (no relation to the Books of Maccabees). The New Testament contains the
Sinodos The Orthodox Tewahedo biblical canon is a version of the Christian Bible used in the two Oriental Orthodox churches of the Ethiopian and Eritrean traditions: the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. At 81 ...
, the Books of the Covenant,
Clement Clement or Clément may refer to: People * Clement (name), a given name and surname * Saint Clement (disambiguation)#People Places * Clément, French Guiana, a town * Clement, Missouri, U.S. * Clement Township, Michigan, U.S. Other uses * ...
, and the Didascalia. * Some Syriac Christianity, Syrian Churches, regardless of whether they are Eastern Catholic, Nestorian, Oriental or Eastern Orthodox, accept the Letter of Baruch as scripture. * Some early Religious Society of Friends, Quakers also included the Epistle to the Laodiceans.


Additional and alternative scriptures

Some Christian denominations have additional or alternate holy scriptures, some with authoritativeness similar to the Old Testament and New Testament. * The Unification Church includes the ''Divine Principle'' in its holy scriptures. * Gnostic Christianity rejected the narrative in Pauline Christianity that the arrival of Jesus had to do with the forgiveness of sins, and instead were concerned with illusion and enlightenment. Gnostic texts include Gnostic gospels about the life of Jesus, books attributed to various apostles, apocalyptic writings, and philosophical works. Though there is some overlap with some New Testament works, the rest were eventually considered heretical by Christian orthodoxy. Gnostics generally did not include the Old Testament as canon. They believed in two gods, one of which was Yahweh (generally considered evil), the author of the Hebrew Bible and god of the Jews, separate from a Supreme God who sent Jesus. ** Marcion's canon included only the Gospel of Marcion and a set of Pauline epistles which overlap with the canon of orthodox Pauline Christianity. His gospel was a version of the Gospel of Luke that did not contain any references to the Old Testament. ** The Cainites apparently used the Gospel of Judas.


=Latter Day Saint movement

= * The
Protestant Bible A Protestant Bible is a Christian Bible whose translation or revision was produced by Protestants. Such Bibles comprise 39 books of the Old Testament (according to the Hebrew Bible canon, known especially to non-Protestants as the protocanonica ...
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) uses the LDS edition of the Bible, LDS edition of the King James Bible for English-speaking members; other versions are used in non-English speaking countries. The Community of Christ (RLDS) uses the Joseph Smith Translation, which it calls the ''Inspired Version'', as well as updated modern translations, mainly the NRSV. * The Book of Mormon * The Doctrine and Covenants. There are significant differences in content and section numbering between the Doctrine and Covenants#Community of Christ editions, Doctrine and Covenants used by the Community of Christ (RLDS) and the LDS Church. * The Pearl of Great Price (Mormonism), Pearl of Great Price is authoritative in the LDS Church, rejected by Community of Christ. * Other, smaller branches of Latter Day Saints include other scriptures such as: ** The Book of the Law of the Lord used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite). This sect likewise holds as scriptural several prophecies, visions, revelations, and translations printed by James Strang, and published in the ''Revelations of James J. Strang''. ** The Word of the Lord and The Word of the Lord Brought to Mankind by an Angel used by Church of Christ (Fettingite), Fettingite branches.


Liturgical books

Liturgical books are used to guide or script worship, and many are specific to a denomination. * Catholic liturgical books ** Books of the clergy *** The Roman Missal (The pope, archbishops, bishops, priests and deacons editions) *** The Book of the Gospels (evangeliary/evangelion) *** The Lectionary *** Sacramentary (for bishops and priests) *** Pontifical (for bishops) *** Cæremoniale Episcoporum (for bishops) *** Breviary (Hours/Divine Office) *** Gradual (Roman gradual, antiphonal, cantatory) *** Liber Usualis (Book of Common Use/Gregorian chants) *** Roman Ritual (baptism, benedictions, blessings, burials, exorcisms, etc.) *** Roman Martyrology (saints/The blessed) ** Books of church attendants: *** Missal (pew cyclical editions) *** Missalette (pew seasonal editions) *** Hymnal (pew hymnbook editions) * Protestant liturgical books **
Anglicanism Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
*** Book of Common Prayer (BCP) 1549 ** Lutheranism *** Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (ELHB) 1912 *** The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) 1941 *** Lutheran Book of Prayer (LBP) 1941 *** Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal (SBH) 1958 *** Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) 1978 *** Lutheran Worship (LW) 1982 *** Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) 2006 *** Lutheran Service Book (LSB) 2006 *** Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church) ** Methodism *** The Sunday Service of the Methodists *** Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965) *** The Book of Hymns *** The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Church) *** The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992) (United Methodist Church) *** Book of Discipline (United Methodist) (John Wesley-1784, United Methodist Church-2016) *** Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church) ** Southern Baptists *** Baptist Hymnal *** Numerous hymn, service and guide books (varies by church)


Doctrines and laws

Various Christian denominations have texts which define the doctrines of the group or set out laws which are considered binding. The groups consider these to range in permanence from unquestionable interpretations of divine revelations to human decisions made for convenience or elucidation which are subject to reconsideration. * Doctrines such as the Trinity, the Virgin Birth (Christian doctrine), virgin birth and atonement in Christianity, atonement * The Ten Commandments (Hebrew: עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, ''Aseret ha'Dibrot''), also known in Christianity as the Decalogue, are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship. * The distinctive Calvinist doctrine of Predestination (Calvinism), "double" predestination. * In Catholicism, the concept of Magisterium reserves matters of religious interpretation to the church, with various Magisterium#Levels, levels of infallibility expressed in various documents. ** Infallibility of the Church is applied to: *** In the Catholic Church, Papal infallibility of a very small number of papal decrees. Most documents produced by the Pope, including the Catechism of the Catholic Church are considered subject to revision. ** To the decisions of ecumenical councils in Catholic, some Orthodox, and some Protestant denominations, though the non-Catholic denominations only accept certain councils as genuinely ecumenical. ** The Salvation Army ''Handbook of Doctrine'' ** Transubstantiation and Mariology of the Catholic Church, Marian teachings in Roman Catholic theology. The department of the Roman Curia which deals with questions of doctrine is called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. * The Christian Science textbook ''Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures'' by Mary Baker Eddy, along with the Bible, serves as the permanent "impersonal pastor" of the Church of Christ, Scientist. * The Methodist Church of Great Britain refers to the "doctrines to which the preachers of the Methodist Church are pledged" as ''doctrinal standards''. * Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh-day Adventists hold the List of Ellen White writings, writings of Ellen White are held to an elevated status, though not equal with the Bible, as she is considered to have been an Inspiration of Ellen White, inspired prophetess. * Swedenborgianism is defined by the Biblical interpretations of Emanuel Swedenborg starting with Arcana Cœlestia. * H. Emilie Cady's 1896 ''Lessons in Truth, A Course of Twelve Lessons in Practical Christianity'' is considered a core text of the Unity Church.


Druze

* Quran * ''Rasa'il al-hikmah'' (Epistles of Wisdom)


Islam

Five universally acknowledged messengers (''Prophets and messengers in Islam, rasul'') are Abraham#Islam, Abraham, Moses#Islam, Moses, David#Islam, David, Jesus#Islamic, Jesus and Muhammad, each believed to have been sent with a
scripture Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...
. Muslims believe David (''Dāwūd'') received Psalms (cf. Q38:28); Jesus (''Īsā'') the Gospel in Islam, Gospel; Muhammad received the Qur'an; Abraham (''Abraham in Islam, Ibrahim'') the Scrolls of Abraham; and Moses (''Mūsā'') the Torah. Torah in Islam, Tawrat (revealed to Moses in Islam, Musa), the Zabur (revealed to David in Islam, Dawud) and the Gospel in Islam, Injil (revealed to Jesus in Islam, Isa)


Sunni Islam

* Quran * Hadith books (Kutub al-Sittah): * Other Hadith books


Shia Islam

* Quran * Nahj al Balagha * Al Sahiyfa al Sajadiyya * Hadith books (The Four Books): Kitab al-Kafi, Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih Tahdhib al-Ahkam, Al-Istibsar. * Other Hadith books (discourses of Prophet Muhammad and his household), like ''Bihar al-Anwar'', ''Awalim al-Ulum''; and Tafsirs, such as ''Tafsir al-Burhan'' and there is more than a fifty large and small Hadith books ** Prayer books and Ziyarat such as Mafateh al Jinan and Kamel al Ziyarat. * Books on biography of Prophet Muhammad. There are thousands of biographies written, though unlike the Hadith collections, they are usually not accepted as canonical religious texts. Some of the more authentic and famous of them are:


Alawites

* Quran * Kitab al Majmu * Other 114 canonical scriptures such as (Kitab ul Asus by an ancient prophet) and the other 113 scriptures were authored by imam Ali, imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, the 11th Bab Ibn Nusayr and the medieval sages of the sect such as Al-Khasibi.


Ahmadiyya

* Quran * Hadith (Sunni corpus) * Mirza Ghulam Ahmad bibliography, ''Rūhānī Khazā᾽in'', collected writings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (23 volumes) * ''Malfūzāt'', the Discourses of Ghulam Ahmad (10 volumes) * Tafseer-e-Kabeer, ''Tafsīr-e-Kabīr'', 10-volume Quranic commentary by Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, Mirza Bashir al-Din Mahmud Ahmad


Alevism

* Quran * Nahj al-Balagha * Buyruks * :tr:Makalat, Makalat * Vilayetname * Akhiratnama


Mevlevi Order

* Quran * Masnavi * Fihi Ma Fihi * Diwan-e Shams-e Tabrizi


Judaism


Rabbinic Judaism

* Sifrei Kodesh ** The Tanakh i.e.
Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''.
Hebrew: ''Tān ...
*** Torah (teachings) *** Nevi'im (prophets) *** Ketuvim (writings) ** The Talmud *** Mishnah *** Tosefta *** Gemara ** The Midrash


= Haymanot

= * The Tanakh with several Jewish apocrypha


= Kabbalism

= * Kabbalah: Primary texts * Zohar


Non-rabbinic Judaism


= Karaite Judaism

= * The Tanakh


= Jewish Science

= * The Tanakh * ''Jewish Science: Divine Healing in Judaism''


Rastafari movement

* The Bible (Ethiopian Biblical canon, Ethiopian Orthodox canon) * the Holy Piby * the Kebra Nagast * The speeches and writings of Haile Selassie I (including his autobiography ''My Life and Ethiopia's Progress'') * ''Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy''


Samaritanism

* Samaritan Torah


Pre-Columbian Americas


Aztec religion

* The Borgia Group codices


Maya religion

* The Popol Vuh * the Dresden Codex * the Madrid Codex (Maya), Madrid Codex * the Paris Codex


Ethnic religions


Bon (autochthonous religious tradition of Tibet)

* Bön Kangyur and Tengyur


Old Norse religion

* Poetic Edda * Prose Edda


Kirat Mundhum, Kiratism

* The Mundhum of the Limbu ethnic group


Shabakism

* Buyruk (Shabak)


Qizilbash

* Buyruks of Qizilbash * Fetevatnameh


Yoruba religion, Yorùbá

* Ifá#Odù Ifá, Odù Ifá * Jaap Verduijn's Odu Ifa Collection


New religious movements


Ayyavazhi Ayyavazhi ( ta, அய்யாவழி, ml, അയ്യാവഴി ''Ayyāvaḻi'' , ) is a henotheistic belief that originated in South India.Tha. Krishna Nathan, ''Ayyaa vaikuNdarin vaazvum sinthanaiyum'', p. 62: "" (The day at which Vaik ...

* The Akilathirattu Ammanai * The Arul Nool


A Course in Miracles, The ACIM Movement

* ''A Course in Miracles''


The writings of Franklin Albert Jones a.k.a. Adi Da Love-Ananda Samraj

* ''Aletheon'' * ''The Companions of the True Dawn Horse'' * ''The Dawn Horse Testament'' * ''Gnosticon'' * ''The Heart of the Adi Dam Revelation'' * ''Not-Two IS Peace'' * ''Pneumaton'' * ''Transcendental Realism''


Aetherius Society

* ''The Nine Freedoms''


Caodaism

* Kinh Thiên Đạo Và Thế Đạo (Prayers of the Heavenly and the Earthly Way) * Pháp Chánh Truyền (The Religious Constitution of Caodaism) * Tân Luật (The Canonical Codes) * Thánh Ngôn Hiệp Tuyển (Compilation of Divine Messages)


Cheondoism

* The Donghak Scripture * The Songs of Yongdam * The Sermons of Master Haeweol * The Sermons of Revered Teacher Euiam


white supremacy (religion), Creativity Movement

The writings of Ben Klassen: * ''Nature's racistly crackerish Religion'' * ''racist stuff'' * ''cracker Living''


Discordianism

* The ''Principia Discordia''


Druidry (modern), Druidry

* The ''Mabinogion'' * ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' * ''Barddas''


Dudeism

* ''The Dude De Ching'' * ''Duderonomy''


Heathenry (new religious movement), Heathenry

* Edda


Jediism

* Aionomica * Rammahgon


Konkokyo

* Oshirase-Goto Obobe-Chō * Konko Daijin Oboegaki * Gorikai I * Gorikai II * Gorikai III


Meher Baba

* ''God Speaks'' * ''Discourses (Meher Baba), Discourses''


Meivazhi

* The four vedas of Meivazhi ** Āti mey utaya pūrana veētāntam ** Āntavarkal mānmiyam ** Eman pātar atipatu tiru meyññanak koral ** Eman pātar atipatu kotāyūtak kūr


Oahspe: A New Bible, Oahspe Faithism

* ''Oahspe: A New Bible''


Pastafarianism

* The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster


Raëlism

The writings of Raël aka Claude Vorilhon: * ''Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers'' * ''Sensual Meditation'' * ''Yes to Human Cloning''


Ravidassia Ravidassia or the Ravidas Panth is an Indian religion based on the teachings of Ravidass, who is revered as a satguru. Historically, Ravidassia represented a range of beliefs in the Indian subcontinent, with some devotees of Ravidass counting the ...

* The Amritbani Guru Ravidass Ji


Religious Science

* ''The Science of Mind'' by Ernest Holmes


Satanism

* ''The Satanic Bible'' * ''The Satanic Rituals'' * ''The Satanic Scriptures''


Scientology

* ''Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health'' * Scientology bibliography, List of Scientology texts


Spiritism

* The Spirits Book * The Book on Mediums * The Gospel According to Spiritism * Heaven and Hell (Allan Kardec), Heaven and Hell * The Genesis According to Spiritism


Tenrikyo

* The Ofudesaki (Tenrikyo), Ofudesaki * The Mikagura-uta * The Osashizu


Thelema

* The Holy Books of Thelema, especially The Book of the Law


Unarius Academy of Science

* The Pulse of Creation Series * The Infinite Concept of Cosmic Creation


Urantianism

* ''The Urantia Book''


Wicca

* Book of Shadows * Charge of the Goddess * Threefold Law * Wiccan Rede


See also

* List of religions and spiritual traditions


External links


Religious full text online library


References

{{reflist Religious texts, Religion-related lists, Text Religious bibliographies, Text