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Customs / Traditons of India
Vedic Tradition :- |
The Vedic background of India's religious
traditions is a source of lively scholarly discussion. Neither the dating of
the earliest practices nor the ethnic character of the earliest
practitioners is certain. However, the prestige and influence of Vedic
tradition is generally agreed.
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| Hinduism :- |
The mega-tradition of India (or, some would say,
the artificial construct created by Western scholars to interpret religion
in India). No founder or single, central authoritative institutions.
Possibly the most ancient of human traditions. Requires a fairly steep
learning curve to gain competence in understanding Hinduism due to the
complexity, multiple classical languages, and mass of information that
resists simple classification -- but is fascinating and well worth studying.
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| Jainism :- |
Like Buddhism, an ancient ascetical tradition.
The last great master was Vardhamana, who was iven the title 'Mahavira"
(Great Hero) and was believed to be the last of the Tirthankaras (those who
had crossed-over or "forded" the ocean of earthly existence and had reached
the ultimate realm of eternal bliss). Again like Buddhism, Jainism split
into subtraditions, and gained many non-monastic followers. Unlike Buddhism,
Jains generally did not travel outside India until recent times. Currently
there are probably about four million Jains worldwide, all but about 200,000
in India.
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| Buddhism :- |
Established in northern India about 2500 years
ago in response to the life and teachings of Gautama Siddhartha who was
given the title 'Buddha' or awakened-one, the tradition has spread
throughout the world and has subdivided into numerous distinct groups.
Although monasticism was a major aspect of early Buddhism, the tradition has
both monastic and non-monastic followers.
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| Islam :- |
The youngest of the Abrahamic traditions, it
dates from the seventh century of the CE calendar, and closely identifies
itself with the prophetic strands of Biblical tradition. However, it has
highly developed legal and mystical traditions of its own as well. And it is
a dramatic example of a "religion of the book" in which the Qur'an is widely
regarded as the full, final revelation of the One Creator of the universe to
his last and final prophet, Muhammad. The second (perhaps even first) most
populous religious tradition in the world.
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| Sikhism :- |
The tradition that developed from the teachings
of Guru Nanak and his nine successors. The lineage of human spiritual
masters ended with Guru Gobind Singh and subsequently the teaching authority
passed to the Guru Granth Sahib -- a highly honored scripture -- and the
collective membership of the baptisted order within Sikh tradition that was
established by the last of the human masters -- the Khalsa Panth. There are
about fourteen million Sikhs worldwide, most of them still living in or near
the Punjab state of northern India.
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| Zoroastrianism :- |
| In the last millennium BCE, this tradition
probably was at the peak of its influence as a major religion of the Persian
Empire. It was overcome by the rise of Islam, and has been preserved mainly
through immigrants to India known as Parsi (= Persian) and more recently
through their small number of descendants who live not only in India but
also in other countries worldwide. |
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