Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism - Essay Example

Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism are religions practiced in different parts of the world. Hinduism is a religion predominantly practiced in India which emphasizes dharma with different rituals and traditions. Buddhism is a tradition that teaches the adherents on their personal spiritual development and not to worship deities or gods. Sikhism on the other hand is the religion that has simple and practical guidelines that are set by the Gurus to outline the way Sikhs should live. These religions can be compared and contrasted as outlined by Ninian Smart in his seven dimensions of religion.These are;practical or ritual,experiential or emotional,narrative or mythical,doctrinal or philosophical, legal or ethical,social or institutional and the material/artistic dimensions. Practical/ritual dimension In Hinduism, offerings and petitions are practices which enable them to connect to divine powers so as to solve their problems at the same time fulfilling their desires. Similarly, the Buddhist engage in detailed prayers which are intimate to show dedication to God. The Sikhs engage in a disciplined way of life of Naam Simran which is a way to meditate on God’s name. Hindus of all levels in society perform artistic dance, drama, music, poetry and representational arts and also practice cylindrical festivals which are sacred. Buddhas evoke Sangha to spread Buddha teachings after which the dharma students perform three bows or the three gates (body, tongue and mind). The palms of their hands, knees and forehead should touch the ground to signify earth, water, fire, air and space. The Buddha students bow during prayers with folded hands to signify Buddha of the past present and the future. The Sikhs live a disciplined life and no benefits are gained no matter where one is born since they all have to meditate (by reciting Gurbani and Kurtan which are music hymns) and give selfless service (by doing manual work at the Gurdwara e.g. cleaning dishes and floors) and wear Kesh, Kanga, Kaccha, Kara and Kirpan (Llewellyn 6-18). Experiential or emotional dimension This refers to feelings and experience of various religions which incorporate stories of how their leaders experienced contact with either divine beings or energies. In Hinduism, Hindus assume to be concerned with spiritual enlightenment or the ultimate act of liberation (moksha). The urban elite and the rural Hindus dedicate their time and energy to obtain prosperity. In Buddhism, the most important emotional experience is meditation that enables emotional awareness and enlightenment. For instance, the Buddha connecting with the universe after meditating and all temptations and fears melted away from his mind. Satori experiences are examples of emotional experiences by Zen Buddhist. In Sikhism, their experiential dimension is unification with God and liberation from samsara. They unify with God through meditation on God’s name by living a disciplined life (Williams 16-81). Narrative/mythic dimension These are the sacred stories of different religions where adherents derive truth and an understanding of their lives. Hindus interact with countless deities gods and goddesses and incarnations that are defined in sacred texts. In Buddhism, they don’t worship any deities and gods but there is a similarity between nirvana and ‘godhead’. In Sikhism, gurus lay out guidelines which enable practice of Sikh way of life. They emphasize practice of kindness, truth and satisfaction as an excellent way of living (Singh’s 26). Doctrinal/philosophical dimension This refers to the beliefs and essential questions of different religions. In Hinduism, the sankhya teaches it is human nature to forget. It is their divine role to remind and also proving, realizing and teaching that the truth has remained the same. Monks commit themselves to telling the truth, never commit murder, refrain from drug abuse, and celibacy. According to Smith, Buddha is represented as living in the world and motivates followers to adhere to the religious practices (184). Buddha teaches the three marks of existence and the four noble truths. Sikhism incorporates the theology of mool mantra which implicates political, eternal, and religious concepts for human existence of a power that is supreme for all to appreciate and understand. It also teaches concepts of God, permanent connection with God, rejection of self infliction of pain to attain God and that all that happens is the will of God (Van Voorst 224-226). Legal/ethical dimension These are the rules that religious groups set to guide them in their daily religious lives. Hindus legal dimension incorporates dharma tradition which is the same as Hindu laws i.e. inheritance adoption and marriage. Buddha teaches his followers to avoid greediness, hatred and all causes of suffering so that man can attain enlightenment. Sikhism ethically teaches their adherents to perform their duties to both God and man (Llewellyn 37). Social/institutional dimension This stipulates organization and bonding of family and friends in religious communities and order. In Hindu, most of their religious lives is based on hereditary caste organized in a hierarchy form, believing that your conduct in earlier life determines the caste you are born in(e.g. untouchable, sundra, vaishya, kshatriya and Brahmin). Buddhists examine social, political and economic environments and the gradual fall of gana-sanghas of monarchical formations. Sikhism adapts realistic subordination of economic and religious values and believes worldly goods are gifts from God and should be earned through honest means but excessive accumulation of wealth is viewed as unnecessary. A Sikh should not be greedy or thirsty for power and should neither overlook religious moral and spiritual values in search of wealth (Singh 82). Materiality/artistic dimension This may mean the situation where people connect themselves divinely through creative words at the same time considering objects as sacred. Hindus consider cows as sacred because it provides milk just as a mother does .They view river Ganges as sacred because it is a gift from a god and it purifies their soul. The Buddhists worship the bodhi tree because it is natural and hence a devotional symbol and they also believe Buddha achieves enlightenment from the tree. The Sikhs consider personal regulation to be wearing kesh, kanga, kaccha, kirpan and Kara, and also doing manual work at the Gadara e.g. washing dishes and floors (Williams 63-75). It can therefore be deduced that Hindus and Sikhs believe in God but the Buddhists consider rituals as very important for salvation (moksh).The Buddha’s believe in individual soul and no need for a God because dharma will make people behave righteously. They believe in re-incarnation just as Hindus and Sikhs do. Works Cited Llewellyn, J.E. Defining Hinduism: A reader, critical categories in the study of religion. London: Routeledge.Chapman& Hall, 2005. Print. Singh, Sardar. Faith and Philosophy of Sikhism, Vol. 4 Of Indian Religions Series. India: Gyan Publishing House, 2009. Print. Voorst.Robert E Van. Anthology of World Scriptures.Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Williams, Paul.The Doctrinal Foundations: The Library Of Religious and Beliefs and Practices.Revised.London:Routeledge, Jul 11,2008. 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