Eastern Religions, Influences of

Abstract

Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and to some extent Taoist traditions have helped to shape vegetarian thinking and practices in the West and have broadened their cultural base. As historical events have brought diverse peoples into contact, and as literacy, international commerce and travel, immigration, and other trends have accelerated over the past two centuries, strong interest has developed in other cultures, customs, languages, and cuisines, as well as in alternative lifestyles, conceptions of health, and dietary regimes.