India culture – Religion and beliefs
It is impossible to know India culture without some understanding its religious beliefs and practices. India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with one of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion permeates every aspect of life, from daily chores to education and politics.
India culture has the distinction of being the birthplace of two great world religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. It is also the birthplace of one of the oldest religions Zoroastrianism and home to the ancient religion, Jainism.
India history records Hinduism is the oldest living religion today. The Hindu religion has its origin in the concepts of the early Aryans who came to India more than 4,000 years ago. It is not merely a religion but also a philosophy and a way of life. It does not originate in the teachings of any one prophet or holy book. It respects other religions and does not attempt to seek converts.
It has absorbed a pantheon of deities and these come together in the trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver a nd Shiva the Destroyer, the three physical manifestations of the Supreme Being. The gods are approachable, even full of fun and mischief. They can be found on any street and in little corners of the household from where they keep a watchful eye.
The deities are identified with the cyclical forces of nature, as is common in agricultural societies - birth, death, planting; and with the fertility of the land, herds, and human beings. The physical world is seen as the dream of Brahma; it comes into existence, ends, and is reborn. The actions of the individual in this life accumulate as karma, which affects the status one will achieve in the next life.
India history shows that Buddhism and Jainism are beliefs that emerged as a reaction to the increasingly rigid stratification of society that was being justified by the priests in the 6th century. Both extoll non-violence and equality based on respect for all life forms.
Jainism traces its roots to a succession of 24 Tirthankaras in ancient East India. The twenty-fourth and the last was Mahavir, born in 599 BC he was the founder of the Jain community.
According to Jain philosophy a state of perfection or enlightenment is achieved through meditation and self-realization. The core of Jainism is non-violence (ahimsa) and therefore killing is strongly forbidden. Conforming to this faith, most Jains are vegetarians.
Jainism is rigorous and preaches self-control and asceticism. In India culture Jains form only 0.4% (around 4.2 million) of India's total population, but they hold power and wealth disproportionate to their small population. According to the India Census 2001, Jains have the highest literacy rate (religion-wise) of 94.1% compared to the national average of 64.8%.
Buddhism first arose in India in the sixth century B.C, with the enlightenment of Siddartha Gautama. India history records him as a prince of a small northern kingdom, who renounced the world in search of nirvana and salvation.
Central to the Buddha’s teaching are the Four Noble Truths: Suffering, is something all living beings experience in various forms; it is caused by craving or selfish desire; the state of nirvana transcends desire; nirvana can be attained by following the Noble Eightfold Path the Buddha teaches.
Ancient India history records that Islam came to the country around the eighth century with traders from the Arab world, but it was not until the 13th century when the Afghans and the Moghuls, swept into northern India that it really took hold and flourished.
The most enlightened of these Mogul rulers was the Emperor Akbar who almost succeeded in founding a new combined religion Din-e-Elahi, based on both Hinduism and Islam. Islam’s interaction with Indian culture gave rise to magnificent architecture, music, painting, costumes and cuisine.
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