Religious Scriptures Online

The following sites and documents offer online editions of the religious works of the world's major religions.

Zarathustrianism (Zoroastrianism, Mazdayazna)

• The doctrine has three tenets: righteousness of thought (Humata), righteousness of speech (Hukhta), and righteousness of action Huvarshta. The central concept, Ahura Mazda, is not a "god" but an abstract principle. Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and then all beneficial rewards will come to you.
• Gathas — Hymns of Zarathushtra, composed before 1200 BC, the core of the Avesta, used in devotional services, usually in the presence of a flame. Many later religions derived from it.
• Cyrus Charter of Rights for the Persian Empire, including Babylon, in which he recognized rights that are affirmed to this day in constitutions and bills of rights.
• People of the Flame — Documentary by David Adams on the Zarathustrians.
• Understanding Zarathustra  Also spelled Zardasht
• On Wings of Fire
• Zoroastrianism explained — Professor Kaikhosrov D. Irani
• Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America
• Zoroastrian Community of Metropolitan Washington
• Avesta — The supposed language of Zarathustra
• Kurds return to Zoroastrianism?
  

Judaism

• Torah — Searchable online Jewish scripture in Hebrew and English.
• Noachian (Noahide) Laws — Seven laws, given to the sons of Noah, and applicable to all persons, not just Jews.
  
• Torah And Then Some — B'Nei Shaare Zion Hebrew and English sites.
• Middle Eastern and Jewish Studies — From Columbia University.
• Dead Sea Scrolls — Analysis and translations so far.
  • Online Hebrew Transcription of Dead Sea Scroll 1QS (The "Manual of Discipline") — In Hebrew Serekh ha-Yahad. A kind of constitution for the Essene community.
  • Manual of Discipline — English translation.
• Deuteronomy as Israel's Ancient Constitution: Some Preliminary Reflections, Daniel J. Elazar, 1991 — Analysis of one book of the Torah that contains rules of a constitutional character, that influenced later work on constitutions of government.

Christianity

• Online Parallel Bible — Verses from different translations presented side-by-side.
• Bible Research — Internet Resources for Students of Scripture.
• Bible Gateway — Excellent searchable online Bible from the Gospel Communications Network.
• Virtual Christianity pages — MIT links to online bibles.
• John Wycliffe Translation Online (1395) — First English translation, from Latin sources, for which Wycliffe was burned at the stake.
• William Tyndale Translation Online (1534) — First English translation from original Hebrew and Greek sources, for which Wycliffe was executed.
• Geneva Version Online — Favored by the Puritans.
• King James Version Online — Commissioned to provide a compromise for contending protestants.
• Sovereign Grace Publishers — Offer Interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible and an Online Bible on CD-ROM containing many translations.
• Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels, compiled by Thomas Jefferson, edited by Eyler Robert Coates, Sr. . See also Text Version.
• Charta Caritatis, Stephen Harding, beginning in 1108, moderately revised later — Constitution of the Cistercian Order of the Catholic Church, served as a model for later constitutions of governance.
• Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin, Geneva, 1536 — Part IV on the Church and church governance laid the basis for the presbyterian polity that developed in Scotland.
• The Form of Presbyterial Church-Government, Assembly at Edinburgh, February 10, 1645, Sess. 16. — Constitution of the Scottish Presbyterian Church, provided a model for later constitutions of civil government.

Gnosticism

• Book of Enoch — Non-canonical apocryphal work, which probably had an influence on early Christian, particularly Gnostic, beliefs.
• The Nag Hammadi Library — Scriptures found in Egypt of an offshoot of Christianity.
• The Gospel of Judas — Gnostic gospel discovered in 1978.

Islam

• Quran — Translations into many languages.
• Multilingual Al-Quran — Side-by-side comparisons of various translations.

Buddhism

• Buddhism Online — From New York University.
• Zen Buddhism WWW Virtual Library — From Dr T.Matthew Ciolek.

Hinduism

• The Mahabharata, translation by Kisan Mohan Ganguli — Epic religious journey of the seeker.
• Bhagvad-Gita: Treatise of self-help (sans 110 interpolations), part of the Mahabharata, translation into contemporary verse by BS Murthy* — Dialog between Arjuna and Sri Krishna on the moral dilemmas of life.
• Bhagavad-Gita translation and commentary by B. Srinivasa Murthy* and foreword by Christopher Chapple.
• The Ramayana, translation by Ralph T. H. Griffith — Epic poem, a love story between Rama, an ancient King, and Sita, who is captured by Ravan, the King of Lanka (Ceylon). Rama lays siege and wins back Sita.
• Sundara Kanda: Hanuman's Odyssey into Lanka in search of Sita, part of the Ramayana, translation into contemporary verse by BS Murthy* — Guide to spiritual solace.

*[BS Murthy and B. Srinivasa Murthy are different men.]

Sikhism

• Sikhism is a religion of recent origin, founded in the 15th Century AD by its founder Sri Guru Nanak. Although like Islam it believes in the oneness of God and is opposed to idol worship.
• Guru Granth Sahib, The Holy Book Of Sikhs

Taoism and Confucianism

• China the Beautiful — Much material on Chinese religion, philosophy, and culture.
• Tao De Ying of Lao Tze — Main work of Taoism.
• Analects (LunYu) of Confucius (Kung Tze) — Main work of Confucianism.
• Art of War of Sun Tzu — First military treatise, with lessons for other fields of human life.

Others and General

• Resources in Religion — Links to the documents of the major world religions from Hillsdale College.
• Constitutions of the Free-Masons, ed. James Anderson 1723, reprinted by Benjamin Franklin 1724 — Contains many ideas that later found their way into the U.S. Constitution.