Sacred texts · 4 min read
Bhagavad Gita 2.47 explained: action, results and attachment
Read Bhagavad Gita 2.47 in context: what it says about action and its fruits, why it rejects inaction, and how translations frame the teaching.
Sacred texts
Find your way into the world’s sacred literature. Reading routes, translation choices and practical guides to the collections behind the names.
16 articles
Our approach to sources ↗
Sacred texts · 4 min read
How to read the Psalms: a beginner’s guide to prayer and poetry
Start reading the Psalms with lament, trust, thanksgiving and praise. Learn about poetic images, numbering differences and a simple four-psalm reading route.
Sacred texts · 4 min read
Lectio Divina: Four Movements of Prayer with Scripture
A practical introduction to lectio divina: reading, reflection, prayer, contemplation, and a considerate approach to group practice.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
Septuagint vs Hebrew Bible: Language, Books, and Textual Differences
Understand the Septuagint’s Jewish origins, its varied Greek texts, and differences of wording, contents, and order from the Hebrew Bible.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
The Dead Sea Scrolls Explained: Languages, Contents, and Discovery
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? Learn about the Qumran manuscripts, their languages, biblical and other writings, and why they matter.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
The Nag Hammadi Library: Coptic Books, Thomas, and the 1945 Find
Explore the Nag Hammadi manuscripts, their Coptic texts and publication history, and which details of their discovery remain uncertain.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
What Does Om Mean? Aum, the Upanishads, and Sacred Sound
Explore Om and Aum, the Mandukya Upanishad’s interpretation, and distinct Hindu and Buddhist uses of the sacred syllable.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
What is the Guru Granth Sahib? Scripture, music and Sikh authority
Understand the Guru Granth Sahib as Sikh scripture and living Guru, its compilation, its poetry and music, and its central place in gurdwara worship.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How many books are in the Bible? Why counts differ
Compare Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish collections, and understand why 66, 73 and 24 describe different canons or counting conventions.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How the Quran is organized: surahs, ayahs and juz
Understand the Quran’s 114 surahs, verse references, 30 juz divisions and why its standard order is not a chronological narrative.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How to cite sacred texts: editions, verses and style rules
Record the exact translation and canonical locator, then apply APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago rules without confusing scripture with commentary.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How to read the Bhagavad Gita: a beginner’s route
Start the Bhagavad Gita with its dramatic setting, follow action, knowledge and devotion, and keep translation and commentary distinct.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How to read the Dhammapada: themes and first passages
A beginner’s route through the Dhammapada’s 26 chapters, with attention to intention, hatred, practice and the context of its verses.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How to read the Tao Te Ching: a beginner’s guide
Read the Tao Te Ching through imagery, context and translation comparison, while avoiding the idea that wu-wei simply means doing nothing.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
How to read the Upanishads: texts, themes and context
Begin the Upanishads with a named text and translation, explore self and ultimate reality, and distinguish the texts from later philosophical interpretations.
Sacred texts · 3 min read
Which Bhagavad Gita translation should you read?
Choose a Bhagavad Gita translation by purpose, commentary, readability and transparent edition details, without pretending one version suits every reader.