Comparison of Religions

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Comparison of Religions ComparisonComparison ofof ReligionsReligions EasternEastern (Indian-Hinduism,(Indian-Hinduism, Buddhism,Buddhism, andand Jainism)Jainism) andand WesternWestern (Judaism,(Judaism, Christianity,Christianity, Islam)Islam) ReligionsReligions PravinPravin K.K. ShahShah Jain Study Center of North Carolina 401 Farmstead Drive, Cary NC 27511-5631 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.jainism.org EasternEastern (Indian)(Indian) ReligionsReligions Hinduism,Hinduism, Buddhism,Buddhism, andand JainismJainism CommonCommon Features:Features: PhilosophyPhilosophy ofof KarmaKarma ContinuityContinuity ofof LifeLife (Reincarnation)(Reincarnation) MysticalMystical (Human(Human Experience)Experience) SelfSelf RealizationRealization (Direct(Direct contactcontact withwith God/Self)God/Self) IndividualIndividual FreedomFreedom toto choosechoose God(s)/no-GodGod(s)/no-God HumanHuman SufferingSuffering -- Soul'sSoul's IgnoranceIgnorance EasternEastern (Indian)(Indian) ReligionReligion Hinduism,Hinduism, Buddhism,Buddhism, andand JainismJainism CommonCommon FeaturesFeatures (continued):(continued): NoNo JudgmentJudgment DayDay NoNo EternalEternal Hell/HeavenHell/Heaven LiberationLiberation (Moksha)-(Moksha)- EternalEternal ScriptureScripture HasHas Limited/NoLimited/No AuthorityAuthority WorshippingWorshipping -- AllAll DayDay UniverseUniverse ExistsExists inin EndlessEndless CycleCycle ReligiousReligious SymbolsSymbols (OM,(OM, Swastika,Swastika, Lotus)Lotus) CremationCremation SystemsSystems ofof PhilosophyPhilosophy DevelopedDeveloped BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) SamanaSamana SystemSystem (Jainism,(Jainism, Buddhism)Buddhism) BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) GodGod -- Creator,Creator, Preserver,Preserver, DestroyerDestroyer (Cyclic)(Cyclic) GodGod isis universeuniverse andand universeuniverse isis GodGod (synonymous)(synonymous) AtAt liberation,liberation, soulsoul mergesmerges withwith GodGod (soul(soul becomesbecomes infinity)infinity) ScripturesScriptures havehave certaincertain authorityauthority (Vedas)(Vedas) Vedas,Vedas, Upanishads,Upanishads, Geeta,Geeta, BrahmaBrahma SutraSutra ScripturesScriptures areare inin SanskritSanskrit HighlyHighly RitualisticRitualistic (elaborate(elaborate andand fancy)fancy) AnimalAnimal sacrificesacrifice inin thethe pastpast DutiesDuties ofof IndividualsIndividuals (Caste(Caste Systems)Systems) PhilosophyPhilosophy ofof BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) YogaYoga SamkhyaSamkhya NyayaNyaya VaisesikaVaisesika EarlierEarlier MimasaMimasa LaterLater MimasaMimasa (Vedanta)(Vedanta) Saivism,Saivism, Saktism,Saktism, Vaisnavism,Vaisnavism, LiberalismLiberalism BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) PrimaryPrimary Paths:Paths: PathPath ofof DevotionDevotion oror SurrenderSurrender (Bhakti(Bhakti Yoga)Yoga) EnjoymentEnjoyment ofof SupremeSupreme LoveLove andand BlissBliss PathPath ofof KnowledgeKnowledge (Jnan(Jnan Yoga)Yoga) RealizationRealization ofof uniqueunique andand supremesupreme selfself PathPath ofof ActionAction (Karma(Karma Yoga)Yoga) DedicationDedication ofof everyevery humanhuman activityactivity toto supremesupreme willwill PathPath ofof SelfSelf Control/MeditationControl/Meditation (Raj(Raj Yoga)Yoga) LiberationLiberation throughthrough thethe perfectionperfection ofof body,body, thought,thought, emotionemotion andand consciousnessconsciousness BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) CasteCaste SystemsSystems (Duties(Duties ofof Individuals)Individuals) Priests-intellectualsPriests-intellectuals (Brahmins)(Brahmins) establishestablish andand preservepreserve thethe nationalnational ideasideas andand philosophyphilosophy RulersRulers andand warriorswarriors (Kshatriyas)(Kshatriyas) toto protectprotect thethe statestate fromfrom externalexternal aggressionaggression andand establishestablish internalinternal orderorder MerchantsMerchants andand artisansartisans (Vaishyas)(Vaishyas) forfor thethe productionproduction ofof nationalnational wealthwealth SudrasSudras toto dodo thethe menialmenial workwork BrahmanaBrahmana SystemSystem (Hinduism)(Hinduism) DutiesDuties atat variousvarious stagesstages ofof Life:Life: StudentStudent lifelife preparativepreparative periodperiod HouseholderHouseholder lifelife worldlyworldly success:success: wealth,wealth, famefame andand powerpower RetirementRetirement lifelife satisfactionsatisfaction ofof serviceservice toto communitycommunity andand fellowfellow manman RenunciationRenunciation lifelife renunciationrenunciation ofof possessionspossessions andand familyfamily forfor realizationrealization ofof truetrue selfself ShramanaShramana SystemSystem (Buddhism(Buddhism andand Jainism)Jainism) God - Not a Creator Humans are capable to achieve the highest spiritual state Human experience or self realization is the ultimate authority Scriptures have no authority (guide) Primary Path Path of Knowledge (Jnan Yoga) Realization of unique and supreme self through knowledge Self control, nonviolence, penance, and meditation Revolt against Hindu caste distinction, fancy rituals, and animal sacrifice Buddhism:Buddhism: The Supreme is completely transcendent and can be described as: Sunya (zero), a void, an emptiness, state of non-being At nirvana, Being turns into a state of non-being, emptiness void, or Sunya Being looses its identity and becomes nothing The future vanishes, the past vanishes, and one lives at the present moment In Samsar (world) a being is a combination of physical and mental forces/energies Desire "thirst" to be and to become is the root cause of suffering and rebirth Life's aim is to end suffering through Nirvana, which is passionless peace, perfect insight, enlightenment, perfect knowledge, immortality Buddhism:Buddhism: (continued)(continued) Man'sMan's truetrue naturenature isis divinedivine andand eternaleternal PreachingPreaching -- TheThe greatnessgreatness ofof selfself givinggiving lovelove andand compassioncompassion towardstowards allall creaturescreatures MiddleMiddle pathpath consistconsist ofof livingliving moderatelymoderately andand avoidingavoiding extremesextremes ScripturesScriptures -- TripitikaTripitika forfor TheravadTheravad sect,sect, SutrasSutras forfor MahayanMahayan sectsect WrittenWritten inin PaliPali languagelanguage (vernacular)(vernacular) Jainism:Jainism: GodGod isis aa purepure consciousnessconsciousness oror perfectedperfected soulsoul withoutwithout anyany karmakarma attachedattached toto itit TheThe primaryprimary goalgoal isis toto becomebecome aa perfectedperfected (liberated)(liberated) soul,soul, knownknown asas SiddhaSiddha oror GodGod AtAt liberationliberation thethe soulsoul remainsremains finite,finite, liveslives inin MokshaMoksha forever,forever, andand nevernever losesloses itsits identityidentity EveryEvery livingliving beingbeing isis eternal,eternal, individual,individual, andand capablecapable ofof becomingbecoming perfectperfect TheThe pathpath ofof liberationliberation isis toto follow:follow: rightright perception,perception, rightright knowledge,knowledge, andand rightright conductconduct OneOne mustmust conquerconquer one'sone's desiredesire byby one'sone's ownown efforteffort toto attainattain liberationliberation Jainism:Jainism: (continued)(continued) OurOur intentionintention behindbehind ourour actionsactions ofof body,body, mind,mind, andand speechspeech bindbind karmakarma particlesparticles toto usus inin thisthis worldworld NonviolenceNonviolence followedfollowed inin action,action, thought,thought, andand speechspeech isis thethe highesthighest religionreligion SelfSelf purification,purification, penance,penance, austerity,austerity, andand meditationmeditation areare essentialessential forfor liberationliberation ScripturesScriptures -- AgamAgam SutrasSutras writtenwritten inin Ardha-magdhiArdha-magdhi languagelanguage (vernacular)(vernacular) ScripturesScriptures guideguide moralmoral andand spiritualspiritual lifelife toto ultimatelyultimately attainattain liberationliberation WesternWestern ReligionsReligions (Judaism,(Judaism, Christianity,Christianity, andand Islam)Islam) CommonCommon FeaturesFeatures OneOne LifeLife andand EternalEternal JudgmentJudgment JudgmentJudgment DayDay EternalEternal Hell/HeavenHell/Heaven OneOne GodGod God'sGod's MessageMessage RevealedRevealed ThroughThrough ProphetProphet Non-mysticalNon-mystical (God(God chooseschooses Prophet)Prophet) CongregationalCongregational (Society(Society isis Essential)Essential) WesternWestern ReligionReligion (Judaism,(Judaism, Christianity,Christianity, Islam)Islam) CommonCommon FeaturesFeatures (Continued)(Continued) ScriptureScripture hashas UltimateUltimate AuthorityAuthority HumanHuman SufferingSuffering -- DisobedienceDisobedience ofof God'sGod's WillWill WorshippingWorshipping -- SabbathSabbath DayDay UniverseUniverse waswas CreatedCreated ByBy GodGod SystemsSystems ofof PhilosophyPhilosophy Judaism,Judaism, Christianity,Christianity, andand IslamIslam.
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