DOCSLIB.ORG

Chapter One Ancient Religions in India

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Chapter One Ancient Religions in India Chapter One Ancient religions in India Chapter-I Ancient religions in India 1.1. Historical Approach to Hinduism 1.1.1. History of Hinduism The original religion of India is recognized as Brahmanism or Hinduism. The two terms are frequently used synonymously although they have different origins. "Brahmanism" is the religion which gets its name from itself. The term is derived from the Indian priest or Brahman caste and refers normally to those Indians who recognize the Brahmans and their teachings as their belief. The word "Hinduism" was originally a foreign term invented by the Muslims who were advancing into India. It was derived from the Indus River; it was used to designate all Indians who were not Muslims. The term "Brahmanism" has been in use since around 1000 B.C. when the Brahman priest caste first attained their prime status, while Hinduism can be traced back further to the ancient Indian autochthonous religion. Indian religion is commonly regarded as the offspring of an Aryan religion, brought into India by invaders from the north and modified by contact with Dravidian civilization. The materials at our disposal hardly permit us to take any other point of view, for the literature of the Vedic Aryans is relatively ancient and full and we have no information about the old Dravidians comparable with it. But were our knowledge less one-sided, we might see that it would be more correct to describe Indian religion as Dravidian religion stimulated and modified by the ideas of Aryan invaders. For the greatest deities of Hinduism, Shiva, Krishna, Rama, Durga and some of its most essential doctrines such as metamorphosis and divine incarnations, are either totally unknown to the Veda or obscurely adumbrated in it. The chief characteristics of mature Indian religion are characteristics of an area, not of a race, and they are not the characteristics of religion in Persia, Greece or other Aryan lands. 1.1.2. Hinduism The early Hinduism was quite different from what we came across in the late period. The reason behind this is basically the settlement and spread of the Aryans. The best way to know the development of Hinduism is to go through ancient literature. We can get a good picture of the cultural and social background of the ancient times. Hinduism is widely accepted as the oldest living religion in the world. It is not founded by any individual or by a specific text or book like most other major religions. It would be more appropriate to call it dharma. Hinduism is not a just a religion, it is a way of life, a way of light, and a way of truth....' While it has positive ideas and accepts a wide variety of beliefs and practices, it does not believe in mechanical uniformity of belief or worship. Acceptance of Vedas as source of Ultimate Knowledge, intuition and inference combines the various philosophical schools of India. 1.1.3. Rgveda We get the clearest idea of the antiquity of these hymns when we -Sir Charles Eliot, "Hinduism and Buddhism an Historical Sketch", Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt.Ltd., Vol. I, p-xv ^ - Edited by Subhash CC Kashyaji Abhaya Kashyap, "Understanding India Relevance of Hinduism", P-158 look into the geographical and cultural conditions of the time of which they speak to us. Then we see above all that Aryan Indians had not yet spread over the whole of India. We find them settled still in the region of the River Indus (Sindhu) in today's Punjab. They would have lived in the region around modem day Ambala between the rivers Saraswati and Ghuggar, at that time when most of the hymns were composed. The river of Punjab is praised in the famous "Praise of the Rivers (nadistuti)" hymn of the Rgveda.'* 1.1.4. The Aryans The Aryan clans penetrated into the land of the five rivers and in the songs of the Rgveda we still hear of the battles that the Aryans had to fight out with the Dasyu or the 'black skin', as the dark-complexioned, original inhabitants were called. Only slowly do they press forward from the west to the east up to the Ganges, all the while fighting against the detested 'Anaryas'' (Non-Aryans), against the Dasyus or Dasas who knew no gods, no laws and no sacrifices. And it is characteristic that this river the Ganges, without which we can hardly imagine ourselves the India of all later times and which till the present day plays such a prominent role in the poetry as well as in the popular belief of the Indians, is scarcely mentioned in the Rgveda.^ The Aryans reached the region of the Ganges but after a long time probably after the composition of the Rgveda. There is no mention of the Ganges in the Rgveda. Similarly, the lotus flower is also not mentioned in "^ -Rgveda, X. 75 ^ -Maurice Wintemitz, "A History of Indian Literature", Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1981, P-57 the Rgveda. The lotus flower later became an integral part of Indian poetry and culture. The flora and fauna of Rgveda are totally different than those of later times. The Indian fig tree, Nyagrodha, which became as famous later on, is also not mentioned in the Rgveda. Even the tiger, which received an important status as the vehicle of the goddess of war, was also not known to the Aryans. This is because the Aryans had not reached Bengal where the tigers were found. The Aryans did not know rice which is till now the main food of India, when the hymns of the Rgveda were composed. At that time, only barley was grown. Agriculture was a minor occupation of the early Aryans; their main occupation was cattle breeding and the ox was the main breeding animal. The horse was a valuable animal for the Aryans, because they could go to the battle fields in horse chariots and they also held races. The horse races brought fame and prize to the winner. The Aryan fought with the Dasyus for cattle also as well as for land. They prayed for cattle and horses to the gods. Milk was the main article of food and milk and butter were essential constituents of the offerings to gods. 1.1.5. Vamas "In fact, the Varna system is based not on birth but on quality and action. The Vamas were well established at the time of the Rgveda; therefore, the theory of Varna was based on guna and karma, (quality and action)."^ Hindu society has traditionally been divided into four classes, called Vamas (Skt. "colour, form, appearance"). ^ - Edited by Subhash C Kashyap Abhaya Kashyap, "Understanding India Relevance of Hinduism",P-472 The first reference to the four Vamas appears in a hymn from Rgveda which is of a late origin. At the time of its composition, it was believed that the four Vamas were produced from the body of Prajapati who sacrificed his body for the benefit of all creatures. "The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made. His thighs became the Vaisya; from his feet the Siidra was produced''"; a) The Brahmins: teachers and priests; b) The Kshatriyas: warriors, nobles, and Kings; c) The Vaisyas: farmers, merchants, and businessmen; and d) The Shudras: servants and laborers. It was undoubtedly the sharp antithesis in colour, race and religion—especially colour —between Aryan and Dasyu that led to the extreme rigidity of the Hindu caste system. In this way the Aryan sought to guard the purity of his blood. The movement in the direction of caste rigidity began during the Rgvedic period, for in one of the latest hymns (X. 90, 12) the four fundamental orders are mentioned. Caste forms the very warp and woof of Hindu society down to the present time, and more than anything else marks off Hindu social organization from that other nations.^ Varna defines the individual's obligations and responsibilities within the nation, society, community, class, occupational subgroup and family. ^ -Rg.X-90-12 Q -The name for caste is vama 'colour'. ^ - H.D. Griswold, "The Religion of the Rgveda", Printed in India, Pp-335-336 Within Varna, there are many religious and ethical principles which defined human virtue. 1.1.6. Brhamanism The most fundamental of the philosophical concepts of India are Brahman, atman, maya, Karman andpunarjanma. Brahman occurs often in the Rigveda in the sense of 'sacred formula', 'prayer', and 'spell'. It was the inherent potency of the sacred formula, due to a magical conception thereof, which led finally to supreme conception of Brahman as identical with atman, the 'soul' of the universe.'^ Maya often occurs in the sense of 'mysterious power', the source of the magic transformations that take place in nature. The transition to the later philosophical meaning of 'magic power', 'illusion', 'non-reality', was easy. Karman (karma), the later meaning is fruit of work, recompense, was not difficult. It is the result of our own past actions. The Vedas, Hinduism's revered scripture, tells us if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Punarjanman, 'transmigration' does not occur in the Rg., but the participles punah punarjayamana 'being bom again, again', as applied to Usas (I. 92,10), navonavo Jayamanah 'being bom anew, anew', as applied to the Moon (X. 85, 19) point in the direction of the later technical tenn. The most pregnant conceptions of Rg. are impersonal, rlta 'order', karman 'work', brahman 'word' and maya 'power'. 1.1.7. Scriptures of Hindus Veda signifies that which means wisdom or knowledge; or it can be termed as a sacred knowledge, holy learning, and the scriptures of Hindus.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 5 Facts About Religion in India | Pew Research Center
    5 facts about religion in India | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/29/5-facts-about-re... MAIN MORE NEWS IN THE NUMBERS JUNE 29, 2018 5 facts about religion in India BY SAMIRAH MAJUMDAR Graffiti on a Mumbai wall. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images) India is home to 1.4 billion people – almost one-sixth of the world’s population – who belong to a variety of ethnicities and religions. While 94% of the world’s Hindus live in India, there also are substantial populations of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of folk religions. For most Indians, faith is important: In a 2015 Pew Research Center survey, eight-in-ten Indians said religion is very important in their lives. Here are five facts about religion in India: 1 1 of 7 11/4/20, 2:51 PM 5 facts about religion in India | Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/29/5-facts-about-re... India’s massive population includes not only the vast majority of the world’s Hindus, but also the second-largest group of Muslims within a single country, behind only Indonesia. By 2050, India’s Muslim population will grow to 311 million, making it the largest Muslim population in the world, according to Pew Research Center projections. Still, Indian Muslims are projected to remain a minority in their country, making up about 18% of the total population at midcentury, while Hindus figure to remain a majority (about 77%). India is a religiously pluralistic and multiethnic democracy – the largest 2 in the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion in Modern India • Rel 3336 • Spring 2020
    RELIGION IN MODERN INDIA • REL 3336 • SPRING 2020 PROFESSOR INFORMATION Jonathan Edelmann, Ph.D., University of Florida, Department of Religion, Anderson Hall [email protected]; (352) 392-1625 Office Hours: M,W,F • 9:30-10:30 AM or by appointment COURSE INFORMATION Course Meeting Time: Spring 2020 • M,W,F • Period 5, 11:45 AM - 12:35 PM • Matherly 119 Course Qualifications: 3 Credit Hours • Humanities (H), International (N), Writing (WR) 4000 Course Description: The modern period typically covers the years 1550 to 1850 AD. This course covers religion in India since the beginning of the Mughal empire in the mid-sixteenth century, to the formation of the independent and democratic Indian nation in 1947. The concentration of this course is on aesthetics and poetics, and their intersection with religion; philosophies about the nature of god and self in metaphysics or ontology; doctrines about non-dualism and the nature of religious experience; theories of interpretation and religious pluralism; and concepts of science and politics, and their intersection with religion. The modern period in India is defined by a diversity of religious thinkers. This course examines thinkers who represent the native traditions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, as well as the ancient and classical traditions in philosophy and literature that influenced native religions in the modern period. Islam and Christianity began to interact with native Indian religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism during the modern period. Furthermore, Western philosophies, political theories, and sciences were also introduced during India’s modern period. The readings in this course focus on primary texts and secondary sources that critically portray and engage this complex and rich history of India’s modern period.
    [Show full text]
  • Conflict Between Freedom of Expression and Religion in India—A Case Study
    Article Conflict between Freedom of Expression and Religion in India—A Case Study Amit Singh Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Colégio de S. Jerónimo Apartado 3087, 3000-995 Coimbra, Portugal; [email protected] Received: 24 March 2018; Accepted: 27 June 2018; Published: 29 June 2018 Abstract: The tussle between freedom of expression and religious intolerance is intensely manifested in Indian society where the State, through censoring of books, movies and other forms of critical expression, victimizes writers, film directors, and academics in order to appease Hindu religious-nationalist and Muslim fundamentalist groups. Against this background, this study explores some of the perceptions of Hindu and Muslim graduate students on the conflict between freedom of expression and religious intolerance in India. Conceptually, the author approaches the tussle between freedom of expression and religion by applying a contextual approach of secular- multiculturalism. This study applies qualitative research methods; specifically in-depth interviews, desk research, and narrative analysis. The findings of this study help demonstrate how to manage conflict between freedom of expression and religion in Indian society, while exploring concepts of Western secularism and the need to contextualize the right to freedom of expression. Keywords: freedom of expression; Hindu-Muslim; religious-intolerance; secularism; India 1. Background Ancient India is known for its skepticism towards religion and its toleration to opposing views (Sen 2005; Upadhyaya 2009), However, the alarming rise of Hindu religious nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism, and consequently, increasing conflict between freedom of expression and religion, have been well noted by both academic (Thapar 2015) and public intellectuals (Sorabjee 2018; Dhavan 2008).
    [Show full text]
  • State and Religion in India: the Indian Secular Model1
    Erik Reenberg Sand STATE AND RELIGION IN INDIA: THE INDIAN SECULAR MODEL1 Abstract This article attempts to characterize the so-called Indian secular model by examining the relation- ship between the state and religion as ratified by the Indian Constitution of 1950. It is shown how, in spite of the ideal of separating state and religion, the state in several cases was allowed to inter- vene in the affairs of religion. Thus, although the constitution allows individuals free choice of religion and religious denominations the right to establish and administer religious and educa- tional institutions, it also allows the state various means of interfering in religious matters. A major reason for this is the responsibility of the state to protect the rights of the various under- privileged groups in Indian society. The last part of the paper deals briefly with the growing cri- tique of the secular system and ideology from the side of Hindu nationalists and Indian intellec- tuals, a critique which is largely based on misuses of the system by the Indian political elites. Key words: India, religion, state, constitutionalism The overall aim of the present article is to offer a brief characterization of the so-called Indian secular model by examining the relationship between the state and religion as ratified by the Indian Constitution of 1950. In addition to this, the paper will deal briefly with an area where religious group practices still seem to resist secularization, namely the practice of personal laws, as well as with the growing critique of the secular system and ideology from the side of Hindu nationalists and Indian intellectuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Dynamics
    Cultural Dynamics http://cdy.sagepub.com/ Authoring (in)Authenticity, Regulating Religious Tolerance: The Implications of Anti-Conversion Legislation for Indian Secularism Jennifer Coleman Cultural Dynamics 2008 20: 245 DOI: 10.1177/0921374008096311 The online version of this article can be found at: http://cdy.sagepub.com/content/20/3/245 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com Additional services and information for Cultural Dynamics can be found at: Email Alerts: http://cdy.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://cdy.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://cdy.sagepub.com/content/20/3/245.refs.html >> Version of Record - Oct 21, 2008 What is This? Downloaded from cdy.sagepub.com at The University of Melbourne Libraries on April 11, 2014 AUTHORING (IN)AUTHENTICITY, REGULATING RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE The Implications of Anti-Conversion Legislation for Indian Secularism JENNIFER COLEMAN University of Pennsylvania ABSTRACT This article explores the politicization of ‘conversion’ discourses in contemporary India, focusing on the rising popularity of anti-conversion legislation at the individual state level. While ‘Freedom of Religion’ bills contend to represent the power of the Hindu nationalist cause, these pieces of legislation refl ect both the political mobility of Hindutva as a symbolic discourse and the prac- tical limits of its enforcement value within Indian law. This resurgence, how- ever, highlights the enduring nature of questions regarding the quality of ‘conversion’ as a ‘right’ of individuals and communities, as well as reigniting the ongoing battle over the line between ‘conversion’ and ‘propagation’. Ul- timately, I argue that, while the politics of conversion continue to represent a decisive point of reference in debates over the quality and substance of reli- gious freedom as a discernible right of Indian democracy and citizenship, the widespread negative consequences of this legislation’s enforcement remain to be seen.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia Jump To: Navigation, Search
    Buddhism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search A statue of Gautama Buddha in Bodhgaya, India. Bodhgaya is traditionally considered the place of his awakening[1] Part of a series on Buddhism Outline · Portal History Timeline · Councils Gautama Buddha Disciples Later Buddhists Dharma or Concepts Four Noble Truths Dependent Origination Impermanence Suffering · Middle Way Non-self · Emptiness Five Aggregates Karma · Rebirth Samsara · Cosmology Practices Three Jewels Precepts · Perfections Meditation · Wisdom Noble Eightfold Path Wings to Awakening Monasticism · Laity Nirvāṇa Four Stages · Arhat Buddha · Bodhisattva Schools · Canons Theravāda · Pali Mahāyāna · Chinese Vajrayāna · Tibetan Countries and Regions Related topics Comparative studies Cultural elements Criticism v • d • e Buddhism (Pali/Sanskrit: बौद धमर Buddh Dharma) is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha (Pāli/Sanskrit "the awakened one"). The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[2] He is recognized by adherents as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering (or dukkha), achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth. Two major branches of Buddhism are recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada—the oldest surviving branch—has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and Mahayana is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai and Shinnyo-en. In some classifications Vajrayana, a subcategory of Mahayana, is recognized as a third branch.
    [Show full text]
  • Freedom of Religion and the Indian Supreme Court: The
    FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THE INDIAN SUPREME COURT: THE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATION AND ESSENTIAL PRACTICES TESTS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN RELIGION MAY 2019 By Coleman D. Williams Thesis Committee: Ramdas Lamb, Chairperson Helen Baroni Ned Bertz Abstract As a religiously diverse society and self-proclaimed secular state, India is an ideal setting to explore the complex and often controversial intersections between religion and law. The religious freedom clauses of the Indian Constitution allow for the state to regulate and restrict certain activities associated with religious practice. By interpreting the constitutional provisions for religious freedom, the judiciary plays an important role in determining the extent to which the state can lawfully regulate religious affairs. This thesis seeks to historicize the related development of two jurisprudential tests employed by the Supreme Court of India: the religious denomination test and the essential practices test. The religious denomination test gives the Court the authority to determine which groups constitute religious denominations, and therefore, qualify for legal protection. The essential practices test limits the constitutional protection of religious practices to those that are deemed ‘essential’ to the respective faith. From their origins in the 1950s up to their application in contemporary cases on religious freedom, these two tests have served to limit the scope of legal protection under the Constitution and legitimize the interventionist tendencies of the Indian state. Additionally, this thesis will discuss the principles behind the operation of the two tests, their most prominent criticisms, and the potential implications of the Court’s approach.
    [Show full text]
  • Muslim Shrines and Multi-Religious Visitations in Hindus' City Of
    Singh, Rana P.B. 2013. Muslim shrines & Multi-Religious in Banaras. Pilgrims & Pilgrimages , 121 Updated: 01 July 2013. 11,530 words; 8 Tables, 4 Figs. IV Revised/Final Draft…© the author> [396.13]. Singh, Rana P.B. 2013, ‘Muslim Shrines and Multi-Religious visitations in Hindus’ city of Banaras, India: Co-existential Scenario’; in, Pazos, Antón M. (ed.) Pilgrims and Pilgrimages as Peacemakers in Christianity, Judaism and Islam . Compostela International Studies in Pilgrimage History and Culture, vol. 4. [Proceedings of the Colloquium: 13-15 October 2010, sponsored by the Spanish National Research Council]. Ashgate Publ. Ltd., Farnham, Surrey UK: <chapter 7>, pp. 121 - 147. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTER 7 Muslim Shrines and Multi-Religious Visitations in Hindus’ city of Banaras, India: Co-existential Scenario Prof. Dr. Rana P.B. Singh [Professor of Cultural Geography & Heritage Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; & Head, Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University]. # Post at : New F - 7, Jodhpur Colony; Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP 221005. INDIA. Cell: +091-9838 119474. Email: [email protected] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the loving wisdom doth the soul know life. What has it got to do with senseless strife of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Arab, Turk? … Jalalludin Rumi (1207-1273) 1 Abstract . Banaras, known as cultural capital of India and Hindus’ sacred city, records about one-fourth of its total population (1.65 millions in 2010) as Muslims. The importance of Muslims in Banaras is noticed by existence of their 1388 shrines and sacred sites, in contrast to Hindus’ recording over 3300 shrines and sacred sites. Since the beginning of the CE 11th century Muslims started settled down here, with a predominance of the Sunni sect (90 per cent).
    [Show full text]
  • Wheel-Weapon Mind Training
    Wheel-Weapon Mind Training by Dharmarakshita Translation Geshe Lhundub Sopa with Michael Sweet & Leonard Zwilling excerpt from Peacock in the Poison Grove Two Buddhist Texts on Training the Mind © Wisdom Publications All rights reserved Permission granted for use in the FPMT Basic Program by Wisdom Publications. The Wheel-Weapon Mind Training Homage to the Three Jewels. The Wheel-Weapon That Strikes at the Enemy’s Vital Spot I bow down to the Great wrathful One, Yamantaka. 1 When the peacocks roam the jungle of virulent poison, the flocks take no delight in gardens of medicinal plants, no matter how beautiful they may be, for peacocks thrive on the essence of virulent poison. 2 Similarly, when the heroes roam the jungle of cyclic existence, they do not become attached to the garden of happiness and prosperity, no matter how beautiful it may be, for heroes thrive in the jungle of suffering. 3 Therefore, it is due to cowardice that persons avidly pursue their own happiness and so come to suffer; and it is due to heroism that bodhisattvas, willingly taking the suffering of others onto themselves, are always happy. 4 Now here, desire is like a jungle of virulent poison: the hero, like the peacock, masters it; the coward, like the crow, perishes. 5 How can persons concerned only with their own desires master this poison? If they involve themselves in the other afflictions as well, it will cost them their chance for emancipation, just like the crow. 6 Thus the bodhisattva roams like the peacock in the forest of cyclic existence, converting the afflictions, which are like a jungle of virulent poisons, into an elixir.
    [Show full text]
  • Changing Views at Banaras Hindu University on the Academic Study of Religion: a First Report from an On‑Going­ Research Project
    Vol. 6 (1/2016) pp. 107–142 e­­‑ISSN 2084–1043 p ‑ISSN 2083–6635 Changing views at Banaras Hindu University on the Academic Study of Religion: A first report from an on‑going research project * Åke SANDER ** Clemens CAVALLIN *** Sushil KUMAR ABSTRACT Given India’s vibrant religious landscape, there is a somewhat surprising paucity of depart‑ ments, centres or even programs for the academic study of religion. This article discusses this issue based on the preliminary results of an interview study conducted at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India, in 2014 and 2015. Its focus is on the views of university teachers and researchers concerning the place, role and function of religion and religious stud‑ ies at BHU. Twenty ‑eight semi ‑structured interviews were conducted. In the course of their analysis, six themes emerged: 1) the place and role of religion in society; 2) religion as ‘religi‑ osity/spirituality’ or sanatana dharma vs. political ideology/communitarianism; 3) religion vs. dharma; 4) secularization; 5) religion in education in general; and, 6) religion in the education at BHU. The informants agreed on the increasing importance of religion in India, and most of them viewed the meaning of secularization as being ‘equal respect for all religions’. Moreover, a majority distinguished between ‘religion’, in the Western sense, and the Indian conception of dharma, considering it regrettable that the latter, described as the common ground of all reli‑ gions, is not taught more extensively at BHU. They also considered the original ideal of BHU’s founder, Madan Mohan Malaviya, to be of significant importance.
    [Show full text]
  • Paper: Geoc-201(Social and Cultural Geography) Topics: Major Religious Group: World and India; Nature of Agricultural and Urban - Industrial Society
    SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY SEMESTER: UG 2nd (H) PAPER: GEOC-201(SOCIAL AND CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY) TOPICS: MAJOR RELIGIOUS GROUP: WORLD AND INDIA; NATURE OF AGRICULTURAL AND URBAN - INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY MAJOR RELIGIOUS GROUPS OF INDIA Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. India is officially a secular state and has no state religion. The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions; namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India practices Hinduism, 14.2% adheres to Islam, 2.3% adheres to Christianity, 1.7% adheres to Sikhism, and 0.7% adheres to Buddhism. Zoroastrianism, Sanamahism and Judaism also have an ancient history in India, and each has several thousands of Indian adherents. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture. Religious diversity and religious tolerance are both established in the country by the law and custom; the Constitution of India has declared the right to freedom of religion to be a fundamental right. Today, India is home to around 94% of the global population of Hindus. Most Hindu shrines and temples are located in India, as are the birthplaces of most Hindu saints. Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad) hosts the world's largest religious pilgrimage, Prayag Kumbh Mela, where Hindus from across the world come together to bath in the confluence of three sacred rivers of India: the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. The Indian diaspora in the West has popularized many aspects of Hindu philosophy such as yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic medicine, divination, karma, and reincarnation.The influence of Indian religions has been significant all over the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Observations on the Reform of Buddhism in Nepal 3
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Universität München: Elektronischen Publikationen JNRC JOURNAL OF THE NEPAL RESEARCH CENTRE Edited by A. WEZLER In Collaboration with W.HAFFNER, A. HÖFER,B. KÖLVER, S. MISHRA, M.R. PANT andO. SCHUH VOL. VIH 1988 Including the Nepalese National Bibliography for 1983 Franz Steiner Verlag GmbH Wiesbaden TABLE OF CONTENTS Heinz Bechert, Observations on the Reform of Jens-Uwe Hartmann Buddhism in Nepal .................. 1 Roland Bielmeier A Preliminary Survey of the Dialect of Mus»tang ................. 31 Susanne von der Heide Thakali Field Studies .............. 39 Siegfried Lienhard The Monastery and the World: An Interim Report ................. 55 Perdita Pohle The adaptation of house and settlement to high mountain environment: A study of the Manang District in the Nepal Himalaya ........................... 67 Graham Clarke, A Malla Copper-Plate from Thakurlal Manandhar Sindhu-Palchok ...................... lo5 Part B NEPALESE NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR 1983 141 Introduction ....................... 1 Classified Subject Catalogue ........ 3 Author Index ....................... 38 Title Index ........................ 49 Subject Index ....................... 63 ADDENDA 1982 Classified Subject Catalogue ........ 69 Author Index ....................... 89 Subject Index ...................... 95 Title Index ........................ 99 Contributors I Heinz Bechert Jens-Uwe Hartmann Observations on the Reform of Buddhism in Nepal : 1. Introduction In November 1986 the general meeting of the "World Fellowship of Bud­ dhists" (W.F.B), i.e. one of the conferences of the Buddhist world commun­ ity to take place in intervals of two to three years, has taken place for the second time in Kathmandu. Heretofore these conferences have been or­ ganized in countries with a majority Buddhist population, if one disregards India and Nepal.
    [Show full text]