| Hindus have an interest in theology and often a | | | | can be recognized at once. But it is so vast and |
| passion for it. Few works of art or literature are | | | | multitudinous that only an encyclopedia could describe |
| purely secular: the intellectual and aesthetic efforts of | | | | it and no formula can summarize it. Essayists flounder |
| India, long, continuous and distinguished as they are, | | | | among conflicting propositions such as that |
| are monotonous inasmuch as they are almost all the | | | | sectarianism is the essence of Hinduism or that no |
| expression of some religious phase. But the religion | | | | educated Hindu belongs to a sect. Either can easily be |
| itself is extraordinarily full and varied. The love of | | | | proved, for it may be said of Hinduism, as it has |
| discussion and speculation creates considerable | | | | been said of zoology, that you can prove anything if |
| variety in practice and almost unlimited variety in | | | | you merely collect facts which support your theory |
| creed and theory. There are few dogmas known to | | | | and not those which conflict with it. Hence many |
| the theologies of the world which are not held by | | | | distinguished writers err by overestimating the phase |
| some of India's multitudinous sects, and it is perhaps | | | | which specially interests them. |
| impossible to make a single general statement about | | | | All these views are tenable because though Hindu life |
| Hinduism, to which some sects would not prove an | | | | may be cut up into castes and sects, Hindu creeds |
| exception. | | | | are not mutually exclusive and repellent. They attract |
| As a form of life and thought Hinduism is definite and | | | | and colour one another. |
| unmistakable. In whatever shape it presents itself it | | | | |