The Core Text Of Hinduism - 3124 Words

The core text of Hinduism is nestled into a larger work. The Mahabarata is a lengthy tale embedded with the basic principles of Hinduism. Within this work lies the Bhagavad Gita, a story surrounding the ups and downs of a family war involving Prince Arjuna. In the work, Arjuna has trouble coming to terms with the fact that he must battle against his relatives in order to solve the issue of which cousin is next in line to rule. The theme of war is extremely prevalent, and violence must be addressed by the main protagonists. Similarly, the core of Daoism lies within the Tao Te Ching, a book with eighty-one chapters discussing the philosophies of the Daoist sages. The idea of fighting according to Daoist sages and masters is despicable; it must be the absolute last resort if one cannot find a solution to any conflict. Within the Bhagavad Gita, war and fighting are expressed in a number of different ways, but Krishna explains to Arjuna that it is his dharma, or duty, to fight in t his war against his family members. However, the opinion of war and fighting within the Tao Te Ching greatly differs from that of the Bhagavad Gita, as Daoist masters taught that fighting with force should be used only out of absolute necessity; it should not be something that one jumps to whenever conflict arises. War within the Bhagavad Gita plays a very important role: it assists the main character Arjuna in fulfilling his destiny and overcoming the most extreme family tension of war. TheShow MoreRelatedHinduism And Buddhism : Buddhism942 Words   |  4 Pages Hinduism and Buddhism Park University Desmond Hutchinson RE307 â€Æ' Abstract Both Hinduism and Buddhism originated in India a very different world and origin than the other main religions. What is now called Hinduism began in India around 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Minorities in religion Hinduism and Buddhism are still well known and are growing in its followers from all over the world not just limited to the traditional geographical locations. Hinduism and Buddhism areRead MoreThe Kama Sutra and Class Correlation1458 Words   |  6 Pagespopulation, is there any valuable content for the middle and lower class? How much of the Hinduism principles did he retain so that the lower/middle class can learn from the text as well? What is Vatsyayana’s targeted demographic of readers when he wrote the Kama Sutra? Was it exclusive to the leisure class of the Indian society? Or did it also include the lower class? There is evidence that suggests that the text is biased for the aristocrats, as the practices described require time and money thatRead MoreDifferences Between Hinduism And Islam925 Words   |  4 Pagesthis essay. 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This paper will demonstrate the primary shifts of its central beliefs, practices, and goals between periods of Early Vedic, Late Vedic, and Classical Hinduism. Many of the core beliefs ofRead MoreHinduism and Budhism: Two of the World ´s Largest Religions1201 Words   |  5 Pagesmain religions that are recognized as having the largest population of followers.(Major) Of these, there are some that are not recognized as or do not fall under the definition of religion in their countries of origin. Two of these Religions are Hinduism and Buddhism. While some do not see these as extremely prominent, they are pinocle belief systems in the Asian continent, with over 1 billion followers all together. (Feldhaus) These two religions along with few other traditional Asian belief systemsRead MoreThe Kama Sutra Essay examples1421 Words   |  6 Pagesthat the text is biased for the aristocrats, as the practices described require time and money that the peasants don’t have. 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The word Buddhism is derived from the word â€Å"budhi†, to awaken, so it makes senseRead MoreEssay on The Unique Hindu Gods876 Words   |  4 PagesHinduism is a very old and traditional Indian religion that dates back to sacred texts written between 900 and 400 BCE. The book, Upanishads, which literally means to sit beneath, reflects the deeper meanings of Hinduisms and are reflections of early information found in Vedic writings. From the outside, Hinduism is not only very unique and different, but also can be very confusing and complex. Individuals not familiar with polytheism or who have practiced monotheism may have a hard time understandRead MoreAnalysis Of Gandhi s Reclaiming A Tradition And Making It Your Own 1246 Words   |  5 Pagesto describe the viewpoint that Gandhi has on some of the traditions that are present in the Indian culture. The title of his piece ‘Reclaiming a Tradition and Making It Your Own’ is exactly what he writes about, beca use Gandhi takes his form of Hinduism and he molds the traditions to be more flexible to his own ideas and interests. The reason for this article is to describe how Gandhi and his fellow Indians took parts of their own religion and reformed some of the original traditions which theyRead MoreUnderstanding the Practices of Hinduism Essay1501 Words   |  7 Pagesperson’s own beliefs and practices would be Hinduism. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions that exist in our world today. It is widely practiced all over the world, especially in the west. Sometimes Hinduism can be misunderstood, as some people don’t really know how to interpret Hinduism. What exactly is Hinduism? Exploring the many themes of this particular religion helps answer the many questions that are raised by others. As mentioned earlier, Hinduism is one of the oldest religions that still