comparative religion

The Major religious groups of the world. In summary, religious adherence of the world's population is as follows: "Abrahamic": 53.5%, "Indian": 19.7%, irreligious: 14.3%, "Taoic": 6.5%, tribal religions: 4.0%, new religious movements: 2.0%.

The image above is proposed for deletion. See images and media for deletion to help reach a consensus on what to do.

Comparative religion is a field of religious study that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions. Religion can be defined as "Human beings' relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual, or divine".^[1]

In the field of comparative religion, the main world religions are generally classified as either Abrahamic, Indian or Taoic. Areas of study include Origin belief and Humanism.

Abrahamic religions

Main article: Abrahamic religion

In the study of comparative religion, the category of Abrahamic religions consists of the three monotheistic religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, which claim Abraham (Hebrew Avraham אַבְרָהָם ; Arabic Ibrahim ابراهيم ) as a part of their sacred history. Other religions (such as the Baha'i faith) that fit this description are sometimes included but also often omitted.^[2]

The original belief in the One God of Abraham eventually became present-day Judaism. Christians believe that Christianity is the fulfillment and continuation of the Jewish Old Testament, with Jesus as the Son of God. Islam believes the present Christian and Jewish scriptures have been modified over time and are no longer the original divine revelations as given to Moses. For Muslims the Qur'an is the final revelation from God, with Muhammad as his messenger.

Comparing Abrahamic religions

The "Tomb of Abraham," cenotaph above the cave traditionally considered to be the burial place of Abraham in the Cave of the Patriarchs.

The historical interaction between Christianity and Islam connects fundamental ideas in Christianity with similar ones in Islam. Islam and Christianity share their origins in the Abrahamic tradition, although Christianity predates Islam by centuries. Islam accepts many aspects of Christianity as part of its faith - with some differences in interpretation - and rejects other aspects. Islam believes the Qur'an is the final revelation from God and a completion of all previous revelations, including the Bible.

Main article: Christianity and Islam

Further information: Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an, People of the Book and Tahrif

Christianity and Judaism are two closely related Abrahamic religions that in some ways parallel each other and in other ways fundamentally diverge in theology and practice. The article on Judeo-Christian tradition emphasizes continuities and convergences between the two religions. The article on Christianity and Judaism compares the different views held by both religions.

Main article: Christianity and Judaism

Further information: Judeo-Christian and Supersessionism

The historical interaction of Islam and Judaism started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam. There are many common aspects between Islam and Judaism, and as Islam developed it gradually became the major religion closest to Judaism. As opposed to Christianity which originated from interaction between ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures, Judaism is similar to Islam in its fundamental religious outlook, structure, jurisprudence and practice.^[3] There are many traditions within Islam originating from traditions within the Hebrew Bible or from postbiblical Jewish traditions. These practices are known collectively as the Isra'iliyat.^[4]

Main article: Islam and Judaism

Further information: People of the Book, Tahrif and Joint Jewish and Islamic philosophies

Indian religions

Main article: Indian religions

There are a number of religions that have originated on the Indian subcontinent. They encompass Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

The religion of the Vedic period is the historical predecessor of the Indian religions. Vedic religion gradually changed into the historical "Dharmic" religions, notably the Vedanta school which gave rise to Puranic Hinduism, and the Shramana anti-Brahmanic reform movements that gave rise to Buddhism and Jainism. Buddhism further diversified, into Chinese and Japanese schools.

Comparing "Dharmic" religions

The Rig Veda is one of the oldest Vedic texts. Shown here is a Rig Veda manuscript in Devanagari, early nineteenth century.

Main article: Buddhism and Hinduism

Further information: Buddha as an Avatar of Vishnu and God in Buddhism

Buddhism and Hinduism are both post-Vedic religions. Gautama Buddha is mentioned as an Avatar of Vishnu in the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Some Hindus believe the Buddha accepted and incorporated many tenets of Hinduism in his doctrine, however, Buddhists disagree and state there was no such thing as Hinduism at the time of Buddha and in fact, "Indeed, it absorbed so many Buddhist traits that it is virtually impossible to distinguish the latter in medieval and later Hinduism."^[5] Prominent Hindu reformers such as Gandhi^[6] and Vivekananda^[7] acknowledge Buddhist influence.

Main article: Buddhism and Jainism

Further information: Shramana

Buddhism and Jainism are the two branches of the Shramana tradition that still exist today. Until recently Jainism was largely confined to India, while Buddhism has largely flourished outside of India. However the two traditions share remarkable similarities. In his life, the Buddha undertook many fasts, penances and austerities, the descriptions of which are elsewhere found only in the Jain tradition. Ultimately Buddha abandoned these methods on his discovery of the Middle Way or Magga. To this day, many Buddhist teachings, principles, and terms used in Buddhism are identical to those of Jainism, but they may hold very different meanings for each.

Hinduism and Sikhism have had a long and complex relationship. Views range from Sikhism being a distinct faith in itself to Sikhism being a sect of Hinduism. A vast majority of Sikhs oppose the notion that Sikhism is a sect of Hinduism, while others stress the similarities, but recognise that the religions are distinct.

Main article: Hinduism and Sikh Panth

Jainism and Sikhism have both originated in South Asia and are Eastern philosophical faiths. Jainism, like Buddhism, rejected the authority (but not the values) of the Vedas and created independent textual traditions based on the words and examples of their early teachers.

Taoic religions

Main article: Taoic religion

Further information: Tao and De

The Chinese character depicting Tao, the central concept in Taoism.

A Taoic religion is a religion, or religious philosophy, that focuses on the East Asian concept of Tao ("The Way"). This forms a large group of religions including Taoism, Confucianism, Jeung San Do, Shinto, Yiguandao, Chondogyo, Chen Tao and Caodaism. In large parts of East Asia, Buddhism has taken on some taoic features.

Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. It is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered and is associated with nature, due to a belief that nature demonstrates the Tao. The flow of Chi, as the essential energy of action and existence, is compared to the universal order of Tao. Following the Tao is also associated with a "proper" attitude, morality and lifestyle. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of De, or literally "virtue". De is the active expression of Tao.

Taoism and Ch'an Buddhism during centuries had mutal influence to each other in China, Korea and Vietnam. These influence was inherited by Zen-Budhism when Ch'an Buddhism arrived to Japan and adopted as Zen-Budhism.

Comparing Taoic religions

Taoism and other religions

Comparing between traditions

Main article: Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions

Further information: prehistoric religion, religions of the Ancient Near East, Proto-Indo-Iranian religion and Proto-Indo-European religion

Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions is closely related to the comparison of, and distinction between, Eastern and Western philosophy. Western tradition refers to prominent faiths in Europe and the Anglosphere, generally focusing on Abrahamic faiths. Eastern tradition refers to important faiths in the Sinosphere and Indosphere, usually focused on Dharmic and Taoic faiths.

Buddhism

Buddhism and Taoic religions
Buddhism and Christianity

Christianity

Christianity and other religions
Buddhism and Christianity

Confucianism

Confucianism and Hinduism

Hinduism

Hinduism and other religions
Hinduism and Confucianism

Islam

Jainism

Jainism and Islam

Taoism

Taoism and other religions

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism and other religions

Mysticism and Esotericism

Kabbala (Judaism)
Gnosticism (Christianity)
Sufism (Islam)
Magi (Zoroastrianism)
Yoga, Chakra (Hinduism)
Vajrayana (Buddhism)
Tantra (Hinduism, Buddhism)
Ideal perfection: "Baqa" (Sufism), 'Najat' (Islam), 'Nirvana' (Buddhism), 'Salvation' (Christianity), and 'Mukti' (Hinduism).

References

^ What is Religion? Definitions and Quotes.
^ Why Abrahamic? Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions at the University of Wisconsin
^ [1]
^ [2]
^ MLA style: "monasticism." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-38700>.
^ “owes on eternal debt of gratitude to that great teacher,”Mahatma Gandhi and Buddhism Y.P. Anand An Encounter with Buddhism http://www.iop.or.jp/0414/anand.pdf
^ He is the ideal Karma-Yogi, acting entirely without motive, and the history of humanity shows him to have been the greatest man ever born; beyond compare the greatest combination of heart and brain that ever existed, the greatest soul-power that has ever been manifested. Essay, Ideal Karma Yogi http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/5208/karmayoga/ideal.html

External links

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Donate to Wikimedia

	Which universities in the US give need-based financial aid to international students?
	Who are some Filipino scientists that have contributed to the field of chemistry?
	What can you learn about the Romantic period from the novel 'Pride and Prejudice'?
	Which reptiles live in the desert?
	How do you install red rosin paper?