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Shortest and Longest Religious Texts?

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  • 25-08-2014 11:55am
    #1
    LiveIsLife
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭


    Hey all, I've said to myself I'll casually read the main scripture of some of the major religions over the next few years. Am particularly interested in the Quran, as although I've zero motivation of converting I'd like to see what the actual scripture says. Currently reading the Bible which is a slog, and got me wondering, what are the longest and shortest sacred texts of the major religions?

    So far I've got the Bible at around 770,000 words and the Quran at around 165,000.


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    #2
    SebBerkovich
    Registered Users Posts: 1,624 ✭✭✭SebBerkovich


    Book of Mormon is apparently 270,745 words - i can think of infinitely better uses for that number of words.

    I wonder how many words in the collected works of L. Ron Hubbard...


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    #3
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,721 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    This translation of the Tao te ching comes in at a modest 9583 words, though it wouldn't be my first choice of translation.


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    #4
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,465 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    In relation to Hubbard, The Mission Earth series comes in around 1.2 million words, summary of it is:
    Summary: Mission Earth has an entire galaxy for its backdrop, though the main action occurs on Earth and the planet Voltar. The Voltarian Grand Council has become convinced that it must send a mission to prevent Earth from destroying itself–thus allowing the Voltar Confederacy to proceed on its long-standing invasion plan and timetable to conquer a planet they regard as an important future way-stop on the main invasion route toward the center of the galaxy. The mission is assigned to a clandestine agent, Fleet Combat Engineer Jettero Heller. Soon after arriving on Earth, he heads to New York City where he is determined to get to the bottom of what is causing Earth to self-destruct, unaware that his every move is being tracked and that powerful forces on Voltar want his mission to fail.

    Suppose you could class it as very loosely religious texts considering they were written by the founder of an entire religion. In fairness not even the Bible can claim it was written entirely by one person!
    :p


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    #5
    Autonomous Cowherd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,100 ✭✭✭Autonomous Cowherd


    The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest Upanishad. The version in this link rocks in at 355 words, though I prefer Juan Mascaro's translation (if you can find it). 300-ish words that tell it all really :)
    http://www.san.beck.org/Upan6-Mandukya.html


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    #6
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    LiveIsLife wrote: »
    Hey all, I've said to myself I'll casually read the main scripture of some of the major religions over the next few years. Am particularly interested in the Quran, as although I've zero motivation of converting I'd like to see what the actual scripture says. Currently reading the Bible which is a slog, and got me wondering, what are the longest and shortest sacred texts of the major religions?

    So far I've got the Bible at around 770,000 words and the Quran at around 165,000.

    Let me guess: you ran out of steam at about Numbers?

    Suppose you considered the Bible as a library of books rather than a novel - you might avoid slog.


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