'I think this is an excellent book. There is nothing really like it in scope or presentation, a panoramic view of Indian religion which meets the highest scholarly standards while preserving a distinctive personal tone throughout. It is likely to appeal to virtually anyone who is interested in Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism at any academic level. It will greatly enrich popular perceptions of the variety of Indian religion, but it manages, I think, not to bewilder the reader with that variety. I commend it with enthusiasm.' Richard Gombrich, University of Oxford