Let us try to Understand what Religion is

D

drrajpalsingh

New member
Let us understand what 'religion' is:

According to online Etymology Dictionary : Link : http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=religion

religion (n.) c.1200, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power," from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion "piety, devotion; religious community," and directly from Latin religionem (nominative religio) "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods; divine service, religious observance; a religion, a faith, a mode of worship, cult; sanctity, holiness," in Late Latin "monastic life" (5c.).

According to Cicero derived from relegere "go through again" (in reading or in thought), from re- "again" (see re-) + legere "read" (see lecture (n.)). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (Servius, Lactantius, Augustine) and the interpretation of many modern writers connects it with religare "to bind fast" (see rely), via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." In that case, the re- would be intensive. Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. In English, meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c.1300; sense of "recognition of and allegiance in manner of life (perceived as justly due) to a higher, unseen power or powers" is from 1530s.

To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name. [Pope Leo XIII, Immortale Dei, 1885]

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Another definitions of the religion are :
Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or divinity. A given religion is defined by specific elements of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription, interdicts, organization. The majority of religions have developed starting from a revelation based on the exemplary history of a nation, of a prophet or a wise man who taught an ideal of life.

A religion may be defined with its three great characteristics:
  • Believes and religious practices
  • The religious feeling i.e. faith
  • Unity in a community of those who share the same faith: the Church. It is what differentiates religion from magic.
The study of disappeared or existing religions shows the universal character of this phenomenon and a very large variety in the ritual doctrines and practices.
One generally distinguishes the religions called primitive or animists, the Oriental religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism...) and the religions monotheists derived from the Bible (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Christianity has itself given birth to several religions or Christian Churches (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelic...)

Source :http://atheisme.free.fr/Religion/What-is-religion-1.htm
 
Coming to Indian situation word Dharma is used to denote what western definitions ascribe to word 'religion'. Hence a new meaning is provided to it.

See dictionary meaning of the word Dharma : source - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dharma
dhar·ma

(dar′mə, dur′-)n.1. Hinduism & Buddhisma. The principle or law that orders the universe.
b. Individual conduct in conformity with this principle.
c. The essential function or nature of a thing.

2. Hinduism Individual obligation with respect to caste, social custom, civil law, and sacred law.
3. Buddhisma. The body of teachings expounded by the Buddha.
b. Knowledge of or duty to undertake conduct set forth by the Buddha as a way to enlightenment.
c. One of the basic, minute elements from which all things are made.

[h=2]dhar•ma[/h] (ˈdɑr mə, ˈdʌr-)

n.1. (in Hinduism and Buddhism)a. conformity to religious law, custom, duty, or to one's own character.
b. the essential nature of the universe or one's own character.

2. the doctrine or teaching of the Buddha.
[1790–1800; < Skt: custom, duty, akin to dhārayati holds, maintains]


 
These are illustrative definitions of Dharma or/and Religion. There are many others too. Therefore, who are interested to discuss issues related to these type of threads must make up their minds to visit various sites/sources before they start preaching for and against any religious/dharmic issue as presently being done by means of many a thread on various sub-forums of the site. Perhaps, this would help in conducting the discussion in better coordinated manner and move towards smooth as well as meaningful conclusion.

Your meaningful contribution in the form of further insights on the issue is solicited.
 
Let us understand the Hinduism in the words of Swami Shiva Nand :
Silent adorations to Satchidananda Para-Brahman,
Who is the silent Witness of all minds,
Who is the Indweller in all beings,
Who has projected this world for His own Lila or sport,
Who is the support for this world, body and mind and all movements, and
Who is the foundation for all societies and their activities.

For full text source log :
[h=3]All About Hinduism.pdf - The Divine Life Society[/h]www.dlshq.org/download/hinduismbk.pdf
 
Here I produce some extracts from Chapter 14 of the book of Swami Shivanand so that those who are interested to learn the beauty of Hindusism could enjoy learning.

''Man has forgotten his true divine nature. He has degraded himself through selfishness, passion and greed. He is swayed by the two currents of love and hatred. This is a world of struggle and strife. This is a relative plane of three Gunas. There is ceaseless fight between good and evil, Devas and Asuras, Sattva and Tamas. Therefore, consolidation of people is an imperative need of the hour. In union lies our strength. People should abandon all petty differences and unite their minds, hearts and souls for the solidarity and the well-being of the nation and the world.''
 
O my friends! You are weak. You have neither unity nor organisation among you. You are scattered like pebbles on the bank of a river. The sub-castes are countless. Sects, cults and creeds are numberless. Their large number in the population will not in any way help you. Most of the people are selfish. They have not got the spirit of self-sacrifice and service. This is a most deplorable state. If there is organisation, then only there will be strength and security for you or for any nation.
O my friends! You are all scattered like particles of sand or mercury. When you are all united only, you will have proper strength to defend yourself and do good to the country. United you will stand; divided you will fall.
Open your eyes now. Shake off your lethargy, inertia and indifferent nature. There is the clarion call for united action. Do not wait even for a single second. Be up and doing. Stand on your own legs.

Become true Hindus, true Christians and true Muslims. Let the flame of true love fire your soul. Stand up. Gird up your loins. Strengthen yourself. Unite. Become an indivisible Body. Do you remember the story of an old man, his sons and the bundle of sticks? The sons were not able to break the whole bundle, but they broke each stick very easily to pieces. Even so, if you are united, you can become very strong. You will be invincible. You can work wonders.
Be prepared to sacrifice everything. Be of one mind. Speak with one voice. Have common aspiration. Act in perfect union. Cultivate immense love for your religion. The flame of love must burn in your hearts steadily. Love one and all. There is no religion greater than love.

Those who want to serve their religion should possess virtuous qualities such as courage, mercy, simplicity, broad tolerance, adaptability, self-restraint, cosmic love, equal vision, humility, equanimity of mind, truthfulness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and honesty. They will have to cultivate these virtues.
 
The Swamiji continues to write in his book ALL ABOUT HINDUISM, page 166 on the issue :

''CALL FOR CONSOLIDATION OF THE NATION
O my beloved Sikh brothers! You are chivalrous and bold. The blood of Guru Govind Singh runs through your veins. You are all endowed with a strong physique and sinewy frame. This is due to the grace of the Lord. You are the Kshatriyas of our nation.
O Hindus, O Sikhs, O Maharathas, O Rajputs! Just as the dark unfathomed ocean contains many precious pearls and gems, so also there are many jewels amongst you all; there are many Ranjit Singhs, Shivajis and Rana Prataps. Awaken the dormant faculties. Remember the glory and power of your ancestors. Come forward now. Show your chivalrous nature and undaunted spirit. Work for the consolidation of the nation as a whole.''
 
About Hinduism read this extract from http://www.patheos.com/Library/Hinduism.html :

Hinduism is a collective term applied to the many philosophical and religious traditions native to India. Hinduism has neither a specific moment of origin nor a specific founder. Rather, the tradition understands itself to be timeless, having always existed. Indeed, its collection of sacred texts is known, as a whole, as Sanatana Dharma, "The Eternal Teaching." It is thus a complex tradition that encompasses numerous interrelated religious doctrines and practices that have some common characteristics but which lack any unified system of beliefs and practices. Hinduism encompasses a number of major sects, as well as countless subsects with local or regional variations. On one level, it is possible to view these sects as distinct religious traditions, with often very specific theologies and ritual traditions; on another level, however, they often understand themselves to be different means to reach a common end. The Hindu worldview is grounded in the doctrines of samsara (the cycle of rebirth) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect), and fundamentally holds that one's actions (including one's thoughts) directly determine one's life, both one's current life and one's future lives. Many, but not all, Hindus hold that the cosmos is populated by numerous deities and spiritual beings — gods and goddesses, or devas — who actively influence the world and who interact with humans. The tradition is typically divided into four major sects: Shaiva (devotees of the god Shiva), Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu), Shakta (devotees of the goddess), and Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all encompassing, Brahman).
 
आदरणीय डाक्टर साहब

Religion के बारे मे बहुत कुछ अच्छा, भला लिखा गया लेकिन उसमे तुकबंदी व बेतुकी बाते ज्यादा देखी गयी | विषय का चुनाव तय करता है कि चर्चा किस दिशा मे जानी चाहिए | किसने कौनसा धर्म अपनाया कौनसा छोड़ा क्या मायने रखता है | जिज्ञाशा का विषय है कि धर्म/ Religion है क्य ! ओर इसे कैसे समझा व महसूस किया जा सकता है | आपके द्वारा विषय का चुनाव बिलकुल सही किया गया है | इसपर माननीय सदस्यों को अपने विचार विवेक और संयम के साथ सभ्य व मर्यादीत तरीके से व्यक्त करने चाहिये |
कृपया बोद्ध काल से पहले प्रचलित धर्म या आस्था एवं आज के हिन्दुओ का आदिकाल के धर्म/आस्था पर प्रकाश डालने का कष्ट करें |

धन्यवाद |
 
RKhatkar said:
आदरणीय डाक्टर साहब

Religion के बारे मे बहुत कुछ अच्छा, भला लिखा गया लेकिन उसमे तुकबंदी व बेतुकी बाते ज्यादा देखी गयी | विषय का चुनाव तय करता है कि चर्चा किस दिशा मे जानी चाहिए | किसने कौनसा धर्म अपनाया कौनसा छोड़ा क्या मायने रखता है | जिज्ञाशा का विषय है कि धर्म/ Religion है क्य ! ओर इसे कैसे समझा व महसूस किया जा सकता है | आपके द्वारा विषय का चुनाव बिलकुल सही किया गया है | इसपर माननीय सदस्यों को अपने विचार विवेक और संयम के साथ सभ्य व मर्यादीत तरीके से व्यक्त करने चाहिये |
कृपया बोद्ध काल से पहले प्रचलित धर्म या आस्था एवं आज के हिन्दुओ का आदिकाल के धर्म/आस्था पर प्रकाश डालने का कष्ट करें |

धन्यवाद |
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Thanks Friend. Members are requested to join discussion first about the meaning of the word Dharma/religion and simultaneously contribute to find out historic journey of development and growth of religion through the ages.
 
[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]We thankfully acknowledge the linkhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_theory1.htm to produce below an extract to know how the religions evolved right from proto-historic times; the copy right of the extract is reserved with the site link given above.

...."Nobody knows with accuracy how the first religions evolved. By the time that writing had developed, many religions had been in place for many millennia and the details of their origins had been forgotten. However, there is speculation that the first religions were a response to human fear. They were created to give people a feeling of security in an insecure world, and a feeling of control over the environment where there was little control.
The developing abilities of proto-humans were a double-edge sword:
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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]On the one hand, they aided their chances of surviving in a cruel and unpredictable world. They helped each successive generation of proto-humans to build upon the knowledge base of their ancestors.

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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]This increased mental ability led to a terrifying piece of knowledge: personal mortality. For the first time, individual proto-humans on earth became aware that their life was transient; they would die at some point in their future. This knowledge can produce an intolerable emotional drain.[/FONT][/TD]
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[FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]During their evolution from proto-human to full human, they developed questions about themselves and their environment:
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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]What controlled the seasonal cycles of nature -- the daily motion of the sun; the motion of the stars, the passing of the seasons, etc.

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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]What controlled their environment -- what or who caused floods, rains, dry spells, storms, etc?

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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]What controls fertility -- of the tribe, its domesticated animals, and its crops.

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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]What system of morality is needed to best promote the stability of the tribe?

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[TD="width: 100%"][FONT=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]And above all: what happens to a person after they die?[/FONT][/TD]
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to be continued....next post
 
Living in a pre-scientific society, people had no way to resolve these questions. Even today, with all of our scientific advances, we still debate about the second last question, and still have no way of reaching an consensus on the last. But the need for answers (particularly to the last question) were so important that some response was required, even if they were merely based on hunches. Some people within the tribe started to invent answers based on their personal guesses. Thus developed:
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[TD="width: 100%"]The first religious belief system,

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[TD="width: 100%"]The first priesthood,

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[TD="width: 100%"]The first set of rituals to appease the Goddess,

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[TD="width: 100%"]Other rituals to control fertility and other aspects of the environment,

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[TD="width: 100%"]A set of behavioral expectations for members of the tribe, and

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[TD="width: 100%"]A set of moral truths to govern human behavior.[/TD]
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These formed an oral tradition which was disseminated among the members of the tribe and was taught to each new generation. Much later, after writing was developed, the beliefs were generally recorded in written form. A major loss of flexibility resulted. Oral traditions can evolve over time; written documents tend to be more permanent.
Unfortunately, because these belief systems were based on hunches, the various religions that developed in different areas of the world were, and remain, all different. Their teachings were in conflict with each other. Because the followers of most religions considered their beliefs to be derived directly from God, they cannot be easily changed. Thus, inter-religious compromise is difficult or impossible. Also, because religious texts are often ambiguous, divisions developed within religions. Different denominations, schools, or traditions have derived different meanings from the same religious texts. Thus were laid the foundations for millennia of inter-religious and intra-religious conflict.

Source :http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_theory1.htm
 
DrRajpalSingh said:
Living in a pre-scientific society, people had no way to resolve these questions. Even today, with all of our scientific advances, we still debate about the second last question, and still have no way of reaching an consensus on the last. But the need for answers (particularly to the last question) were so important that some response was required, even if they were merely based on hunches. Some people within the tribe started to invent answers based on their personal guesses. Thus developed:
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]The first religious belief system,

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]The first priesthood,

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]The first set of rituals to appease the Goddess,

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]Other rituals to control fertility and other aspects of the environment,

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]A set of behavioral expectations for members of the tribe, and

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 42"]
topbul1d.gif
[/TD]
[TD="width: 100%"]A set of moral truths to govern human behavior.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
These formed an oral tradition which was disseminated among the members of the tribe and was taught to each new generation. Much later, after writing was developed, the beliefs were generally recorded in written form. A major loss of flexibility resulted. Oral traditions can evolve over time; written documents tend to be more permanent.
Unfortunately, because these belief systems were based on hunches, the various religions that developed in different areas of the world were, and remain, all different. Their teachings were in conflict with each other. Because the followers of most religions considered their beliefs to be derived directly from God, they cannot be easily changed. Thus, inter-religious compromise is difficult or impossible. Also, because religious texts are often ambiguous, divisions developed within religions. Different denominations, schools, or traditions have derived different meanings from the same religious texts. Thus were laid the foundations for millennia of inter-religious and intra-religious conflict.

Source :http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_theory1.htm
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Friends,

If the above quoted theory of development is accepted, let us try to understand the history of evolution of the Indian religious scenario as it stands today. This will facilitate removal of much prevalent misunderstandings about our religions --their teachings and the ups and downs faced by them through the ages.

If this theory is not acceptable, kindly suggest alternates as the topic of the thread is meant to facilitate better understanding of the issues involved irrespective of this or that point of view/theory involved.

We must remember here that none of us must put unsupported by reference posts on theoretical aspects.

Yes candid comments are always welcome.

Thanks
 
Since several members are joining issues on various facets of Indian religions by means of starting thread after thread on various sub forums of the site, which shows that curiosity to know all about the religion has assumed significant dimensions.

Therefore , all the members in general and contributors to religion based other threads in particular are requested kindly to contribute their learned views under this thread and thus cooperate to make this effort a success in making us more knowledgeable on, after all, how different religions evolved and what is the history of evolution of religion/s in India is !
 
According to me, there are two parts of any religion. One is philosophy and second is Culture. The philosophical parts of most of the religions is compared are invariably the same in deeper sense. The difference is in the rituals which are culture specific. The culture relates to a particular geography and civilization. The rituals have even changed according to growth of particular civilizations. Almost all the religion talk about the one god theory. If the God is there then which language the god uses to talk to its devotees. The language is made by humans. If there is Ram, then he is for all for even englishment, arabs or indians. If there is christ, then he could not limit himself to british and americans. If the God is so selective, that he chooses its devotees by language, clothes, method of prayer, then he is no GOD. The God takes care of all living and non living beings. However the fundamentalists who do know nothing about the religion fight on rituals. Religion is a kind of constitution that contains the rules to live human life properly.
 
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