Hinduism: A Short Introduction does not presuppose any knowledge of the subject, nor does it aim to exhaust it. It is written for the interested general reader and hopes to generate further interest in this rich and vast culture. What it attempts to do is to highlight important expressions of the Hindu tradition in such a way that Hindus can recognize it as their own, and non-Hindus can understand some of the aspects of living Hinduism. The emphasis will be on the 'ideal' that Hinduism aims at, not on the empirical and historical 'facts'. Coverage is centered around the Vedic tradition, the different Hindu religions, the Hindu philosophical quest, and the encounter between Hinduism and other religious traditions.