The “Eastern religions” concept usually refers to the non-Abrahamic religious traditions of Indian and Chinese origin. If we leave aside far-fetched arguments, such as the idea that the term “Abraham” is a distorted variation of the words brahmin or berâhime, that the expression “flesh-soul” refers to the bodhi tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, or similarly that Hezekiel also signifi es Buddha as “of Kapila”, again in relation to his birth place Kapilavastu, there is no reference to these faiths in the Qur’an. Possibly as a consequence of this situation, Turkish sources have remained limited to the translations of the Works written in various Western languages.

Whereas, many mystical views and practices specific to Indian and Chinese religions are among the most signifi cant resources not only for Sufi practices, but also today’s new religious movements. It has been recognized that some trends which emerged and spread in the West, particularly after 1950, have started to find supporters in Türkiye in recent years. Most of the time these trends claim that they are not associated with any religious faith or cult, and that they only rely on scientific research and contemporary methods; however, there is a need to learn about the religious faiths to which these movements belong, so that their basic teachings and practices can be understood and interpreted correctly.

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