LibGuides: Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Getting Started

Buddha

[Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the “Big Buddha”, at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. source: https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha_lantau.jpg]

Hinduism

[Ganesha, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hindu_God,Ganpathy.jpg]

Encyclopedias - Start here

Companion Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy by Brian Carr (Editor); Indira Mahalingam (Editor)
Call Number: Online ebook [click on title above]
ISBN: 9780415240383
Publication Date: 2000-10-17

The entries in these specialized encyclopedias will give you a good place to start. This will help you understand the basics about philosophical concepts like metaphysics and the fundamentals of religious and historical traditions.

Gale Virtual Reference Library -- This reference database includes numerous specialized encyclopedias. Here are some sample entries:

Fohr, Sherry. "Jainism." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. Ed. Thomas Riggs. Vol. 1: Religions and Denominations. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 399-421. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
West, Cornel. "Metaphysics." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 9. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 5989-5992. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

Conee, Earl, and Richard Feldman. "Epistemology." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 270-277. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
Young, Serinity. "Buddhism." Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Ed. Fedwa Malti-Douglas. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 189-194. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.

Gale Virtual Reference Religion Collection - Includes the Encyclopedia of Buddhism and Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy.

Credo Reference -- also has a lot of basic information.

Background Research

CQ Researcher
There are tons of excellent overviews and reports here on issues relating to social movements, immigrant groups and histories. Annotated bibliographies and links are provides so this is a good starting point and a way to familiarize yourself with a topic.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Online reference e-books that provide excellent brief overviews on issues (such as immigration law) and histories of different parts of the world, notable people, etc. Another good first place to start familiarizing yourself with the issues.
Opposing Viewpoints
Provides some great overviews on controversial issues (similar to CQ Researcher); lots of pro/con essays to help get a sense of these debates.
New York Times archive (1851-2009)
Full-text access to New York Times articles back the very beginning.