a person. In other words, if you like a pastor, priest, rabbi, or imam, you will listen to the holy scripture through him in his church. But if not for any reason, you will look for another one. As French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) mentioned, the reason that humans seek religion is due to a ‘sense of belonging’. More specifically, when you go to church, your business will be able to take advantage of the same belief system. It will be one of the reasons Christianity has become the most common religion in the world.
Consequently, Judaism considered Jesus as one of the great rabbis, and Islam as one of the great prophets, while Christianity regarded him as the Son of God or the Messiah. And they have a common belief that if you believe in God, you will be saved. The faith has brought about both conflicts as well as grace in our lives for over 2000 years. This is the history of religion created by the Bible.
Vedas
Another form of religion is representatively Hinduism and Buddhism originated in India. The knowledge in Sanskrit by the Aryans who invaded India is called Vedas, the oldest sacred text. Vedas are śruti (what is heard), that is, revelations of sacred sounds and texts heard by ancient sages after intense meditation. It consists of Samhitas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda), Brahmana, Aranyaka, Upanishad.
Aryans who monopolized the knowledge and language of rituals were treated as representatives of God. Since then, Brahman had come to mean the supreme god of the universe. Therefore, they believe that humans created by Brahman were also needed to be ordered, which is called the caste system. It describes society as divided into four categories: Brahmins (scholars and priests), Kshatriyas (leaders and warriors), Vaishyas (agriculturists and merchants), and Shudras (manual workers and servants).
As Vedic priests emerged as a new social class called Brahman, it became Brahmanism. They were making more sophisticated social regulations and laws. After that, it has embraced all of the traditions, meditations, and dharmas and became Hinduism. Because it is closely linked to social, religious, and ritual norms in India, its adherents could not abandon their old tradition with ease. Hence, Hinduism has educated the people of a solid social class order based on the Vedic scriptures. In this way, it is like religion, politics, and culture, forming the spiritual and emotional basis of the public.
At the same time, Sramana, the indigenous people, also had a religious tradition. They joined the Sangha, leaving home; stayed in the forest; had one meal a day with religious mendicancy; tried to achieve liberation (vimokkha) with yoga and asceticism. By the 6th century BCE, Sramana’s practice encouraged Jainism and Buddhism to be formed. The fundamental doctrine included reincarnation and karma. Reincarnation is a central tenet of Indian religions and signifies that life and death are continuously repeated by the spirit. Karma explains the present circumstances of an individual regarding his or her actions in the former life.
Influenced by Vedic culture and the practice of Sramana tradition, Buddhism presented practical theories and methodologies. Siddhartha Gautama found the dharma to accomplish Nirvana with four noble truths, insisting that rebirth and suffering would be annihilated. Buddha was not a god or a prophet but taught the right path for the development of consciousness to be free from ignorance. Unlike the above-mentioned religions that believe in God, Buddhism seems to explain how to practice for inner growth. After he died in 483 BCE, the disciples began to gather to make the scriptures. Then, Buddhism was divided into Theravada and Mahayana due to issues of its interpretation as well.
Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, which bloomed in the Vedic culture, have the concept of transmigration and karma in common. And, despite acknowledging the existence of gods, they want to find a way of liberation through inner reflection and development of consciousness. It is because they believe that gods can also be born as humans or animals by reincarnating based on their karma.
In conclusion, religion began with the words of God and many sects emerged through various interpretations. As a result, people have established orders to control a community like precepts or commandments to protect them from wrongdoings or sins. What is peculiar is that in some religious people no longer relied on God and were trying to develop themselves at the same time. It does not mean to deny the existence of gods, but to believe that gods exist like us. If so, then what should we do next?
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