Philosophy

Philosophy Study Guide

3.5 A Brief Survey of World Religions When we examine the history of the major religions of the world, we see that they have grown and been elaborated upon in an organic, evolutionary fashion, spreading from place to place and often changing in form and substance to accommodate their new cultural contexts. In true evolutionary fashions, diversity has arisen within each of the various religious branches, so there is no one Christian or Buddhist system, but rather important variations within each of the major religions. Hinduism: Hinduism is a term used to designate the complex mosaic of religious beliefs and practices of the vast majority of the people of India. One of the oldest living religions in the world, Hinduism is unique in that it has no single founder but evolved over a period of four thousand years, its history interwoven with religious and cultural movements. The word “Hindu” means “river”, referring to the Indus River. An alternative label preferred today is Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana means eternal religion reflecting the belief that these religious ways have always existed and Dharma embodies a holistic approach to both personal and spiritual fulfillment and social harmony. It is common for followers to believe that they are all manifestations of a single God assuming different forms. Central to the Hindu teachings are the Vedas which is a collection of ancient hymns in four parts (Ancient scriptures). The Upanishads are commentaries (the philosophical part of the ancient scriptures intended for only serious seekers) on the Vedas and include the teaching of highly realized spiritual masters, the rishis (a Hindu sage/advisor), who explain the path to spiritual transformation. The Upanishads are thought to have developed about the same time as Buddhism and the two world religions share certain common themes. There are five main themes in Hinduism: ● Contemplation of the luminous self: Spiritual enlightenment can be achieved only by turning one’s attention inward to discover a transcendent reality fromwithin. The body senses are made for looking outward and are easily enticed by sensory pleasures and worldly spectacles. But these sensations are fleeting and impermanent, passing away when one dies, and can obscure the search for infinite, everlasting reality. This unseen reality is called Brahman (the impersonal ultimate principle in Hinduism, the unknowable). From the Brahman originates the multiplicity of all forms, including humans, and thus, the Brahman can be discovered in the soul within ourselves. ● Reincarnation: Central to all forms of Sanatana Dharma (the belief that the soul leaves the dead body and enter a new one; we are born over and over in countless bodies). Whether the body is that of an animal or another life form, the self remains constant. But rebirth as a human being is a precious and rare opportunity for the soul to advance toward its ultimate goal of liberation from rebirth and merging into Brahman. ● Karma: Progress toward a merging Brahman is the result of karma, which refers to one’s actions as well as the consequences of one’s action. Every action we take, every thought we have, either good or evil, shapes our present and also our future. The ultimate goal of creating ourselves through the good choices is to escape from the karmic wheel of birth, death, and rebirth known as samsara. To escape from the samsara is to achieve moksha which means liberation from the limitations of space, time, and matter through realization of the immortal absolute. ● Yoga practices: Spiritual seekers are generally encouraged to engage in disciplines that clear the mind and support a state of balance, purity, and peacefulness of mind is described as sattvic, in contrast with active restless states or lethargic dull states. The practices for

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