Premium Essay

Karma and Reincarnation in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism

In:

Submitted By chiefskingdom
Words 1466
Pages 6
Brock 1
PHI 210 World Religions
2 February 2016

A Deeper Look into the Similarities and Differences of the Belief in Karma and Reincarnation in Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism “All of the religions in the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth” –Mohandas Gandhi. Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism are three major world religions that differ on many different levels, but they all collectively provide hope and meaning to the lives of people all over the world. The Marriam-Webster dictionary defines karma as the force generated by a person’s actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person’s next existence. Reincarnation is defined by the Marriam-Webster dictionary as rebirth in new bodies or forms of life; especially: a rebirth of a soul in a new human body. Karma and reincarnation are core concepts in the Indian religions, although their specific views on each vary. The Hindu’s view of karma is causality in which good deeds, words, thoughts and commands lead to beneficial effects for a person, and bad deeds, words, thoughts and commands lead to harmful effects. Hinduism beliefs say that karma is the force of punitive justice that
Brock 2 encourages believers to behave according to Dharma, the moral order of the universe. Karma is an essential portion of the Hindu worldview because Hinduism governs not only individuals but society as a whole. Karma sustains active worship throughout the believers because Hindus hold that bad karma can be counteracted through ritual activity including religious outreaches, temple worship and one’s offerings to the gods. The theory of karma is also a fundamental doctrine in Buddhism. Though karma was a prevalent belief in India before the Buddha, it was the Buddha who

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Buddhism & Sikhism

...Religions of the World Lesson 4 - Buddhism & Sikhism Assignment 4 1. Write a minimum of 500 word essay concerning an overview and summary of the Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of your text. Discuss the knowledge you gained concerning the major topics and what confusion or uncertainty may have arisen through your research and studies. The first half of the paper should identify the author's main points. The second half of your paper should be your contribution.  Offer an assessment of the author's points, apply the points to examples, support all comments and information with verifiable research, and do not give opinion. 1A. Buddhism began in northeastern India and is based on the teachings of Gautama. Buddhism is different from many other faiths because it is not centered on the relationship between humanity and God. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator God. Siddhartha had found the path to Enlightenment. Siddhartha was born around the year 560 b.c.e. Nepal. He was born into a royal family and for many years lived within the palace walls away from the sufferings of life; sufferings such as sickness, age, and death and he did not know what these sufferings were. One day, after growing-up, marrying and having a child, Siddhartha went outside the royal palace and saw, each for the first time, an aged person, a sick person, a deceased body and finally a peaceful monk. He was worried by what he saw. He learned that sickness, age, and death were the inevitable fate of...

Words: 1816 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Karma

...Karma From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the Indian religious concept. For other uses, see Karma (disambiguation). "Karmic" redirects here. For Ubuntu v9.10 "Karmic Koala", see List of Ubuntu releases#Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala). For the EP by Nada Surf, see Karmic (EP). "Kharma" redirects here. For the professional wrestler, see Kia Stevens. Karma (Sanskrit: कर्म[1] IPA: [ˈkarmə] ( listen); Pali: kamma) in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect (i.e., the cycle called saṃsāra) originating in ancient India and treated in the Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh religions.[2] Contents * 1 Origins * 2 Views * 3 In the Indian religions * 3.1 Hinduism * 3.2 Sikhism * 3.3 Buddhism * 3.4 Jainism * 4 In Falun Gong * 5 Western interpretation * 6 Spiritism * 7 New Age and Theosophy * 8 Karma and emotions * 9 See also * 10 References * 11 External links | Origins A concept of karma (along with samsara and moksha) may originate in the shramana tradition of which Buddhism and Jainism are continuations. This tradition influenced the Brahmanic religion in the early Vedantic (Upanishadic) movement of the 1st millennium BC. This worldview was adopted from this religious culture by Brahmin orthodoxy, and Brahmins wrote the earliest recorded scriptures containing these ideas in the early Upanishads. Until recently, the...

Words: 3390 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Hiduism

...| Hinduism | HUM/130 – Week 3 Assignment | | Zak Werner | 9/21/2014 | | Hinduism is arguably the world’s oldest religion, and can be traced back to 5,000-10,000 B.C. With a billion followers it is also the world’s third largest religion. Hinduism is different from other religions, because it is not really a religion in the traditional sense with a uniting belief system. Hinduism is more of a way of life than it is a traditional religion when compared to the other major religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It is a set of traditions and beliefs that have evolved over a long period of time, and existing for such a long time that it’s distant past makes it difficult to find the source or single founder. Hinduism is the belief in the universal soul and the individual soul and the perpetual cycle of birth and re-birth. The status of being in each birth is determined by the principle of karma. The ultimate god of the Hindu religion is the universal soul, Brahman, and is formless and infinite. Since it is incredibly difficult to worship something formless and infinite, different gods have been personified with individual attributes and characteristics. The gods and goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands or even millions, all representing the many aspects of Brahman. Therefore, this faith is characterized by the multiplicity of deities. The most fundamental of the Hindu deities is the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - creator, preserver and destroyer...

Words: 707 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Religion in India

...Religion in India is characterized by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. India is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions; namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture. Religious diversity and religious tolerance are both established in the country by the law and custom. According to the 2001 census,[1] 80.5% of the population of India practice Hinduism. Islam (13.8%), Christianity (2.4%), Sikhism (1.9%), Buddhism (1.5%) and Jainism (0.4%) are the other major religions followed by the people of India. There are also numerous minor tribal traditions, though these have been affected by major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. The amount of diversity in the religious belief systems of India today, is a result of both the existence of many native religions and also, the assimilation and social integration of religions brought to the region by travellers, immigrants, traders, and even invaders and conquerors such as the Mughals. Zoroastrianism and Judaism also have an ancient history in India, and each has several thousands of Indian adherents. India has the largest population of people adhering to Zoroastrianism (i.e. Parsis and Iranis) and Bahá'í Faith in the world,[2][3] even though these religions are not native to India. Many other world religions also have a relationship with Indian spirituality, such as the Baha'i faith which...

Words: 487 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Hinduism

...Hinduism APRIL RODGERS HUM/130 November 04,2011 MARC RHOADES Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent that is the third largest religion in the world. Hinduism lacks the uniting belief system because of variety religious paths with no founder, teacher, or prophet. There are cultural and societal influences that have made Hinduism vital to the religion in which it originated from such as practices and beliefs that has started over a thousand years age. The desire for liberation and earthly existence is an important part of the Hinduism religion. According to Mary Pat Fisher, "Some of these are relatively unified religious systems, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism" and because of the wide variety in the Hindu religion it is often referred to as Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana means "eternal" or "ageless" and Dharma means "religion." Hinduism is said to be more than 3000 years old and its fundamentals of faith are even older. Sanatana Dharma is the traditional religion for most of India and is also practiced around the world.   Hinduism religion comes in many different religion beliefs that have built-up over thousands of years (Fisher, 2005).     Many of the threads of Sanatana Dharma may have existed in the religions practiced by the aboriginal Dravidian peoples of India (Fisher, 2005). The spiritual expressions of Sanatana Dharma range from extreme asceticism to extreme sensuality, from the heights of personal devotion to a deity to...

Words: 762 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Re: Week 6 Discussion

...Assignment 1: World View Chart Writing Assignment Tanisha Hayden Professor Sean-David McGoran World Religions 212 December 14, 2015 In the course of recent weeks there has been a lot of information about how diverse religions handle numerous themes, for example, human instinct, if there is a God or divine beings, great and detestable, and different ceremonies that are imperative to perform. This paper will take a gander at all the distinctive religions that we have concentrated on and directed through the semester, yet we will be looking at one particular classification and that is of the Afterlife in these religions. The one point that I discovered the most fascinating and illuminating is the way diverse religions handle the considered passing and if there is life after death. Religion all through history has tried to lighten this worry by clarifying what happens after death while also working it into the teachings of good, malevolence, mortality, and salvation. In spite of the fact that there is a wide assortment of convictions they can be contracted down to two focal conviction designs, the thought of resurrection or the thought of the individual heading off to an alternate other worldly plane, for example, the thought of Heaven and Hell. select one (1) category from the completed World View Chart. Provide a rationale for choosing this category. The category that I thought was most intriguing was the views of the afterlife. The reason this subject was selected was to better...

Words: 1091 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hinduism

...Religions of the World Hinduism Tammy Beaker University of Phoenix May 8, 2012 Instructor: Ryan Shockey Hinduism Hinduism known as the Sanatana Dharma or eternal truth having many uniting belief systems is a way of life rather than a religion. Hinduism originated in India and today, is one of the oldest practices having over a billion participants with most living in India. Over many years the religion of Hinduism has developed a wide variety of scriptures, for spiritual guidance and insight. Hinduism was originated from ancient traditions and other indigenous beliefs created over a period of time. In a normal sense Hinduism is not a religion it is a set of beliefs and traditions that evolved over time. These traditions take on many means for enlightenment viewing things a little different. There are many sects of Hinduism that admire the scriptures they call Vedas. Hinduism is Unique and one of the oldest practiced religions in the world. Hinduism is an extremely logical and inspirational religious system offering experiential results to anyone who practices its various forms. Hinduism has not one founder but many over the 4,000 years of syncretism with cultural and religious movements of India’s subcontinent. The concept in the Hindus beliefs is the identification with the individual soul called the Aatman meaning...

Words: 711 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Hinduism

...Hinduism India is a land rich in many religions such as Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, with the majority of the other religions in India categorized as Hinduism (Fisher, 2005, p.69). Hinduism is commonly referred to as Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana means eternal, ageless, and reflects the belief that they have always been in existence (Fisher, 2005, p.69). Dharma has been defined as meaning religion. Sanatana Dharma has been thought to exist in the villages as far back as 1500 BEC. Early Hindu happenings were told by word of mouth by vyasas who were known as collectors that would record the events that took place (Fisher, 2005, p.72). Hinduism can be described as when an individual discovers their inner self. When the inner self reaches its transcendent source individuals will feel indescribable peace and bliss (Fisher, 2005, p.73). Hindus believe that after one dies their soul leaves their physical body and takes on the physical body of another. This process is referred to as reincarnation (Fisher, 2005, p.73). The rebirth can take place in another human or animal, however the human body is the most prestigious physical body. Karma is another important belief of the Hindu. Karma is the belief that one’s actions and thoughts in life define our future. Every action affects the future of an individual’s life (Fisher, 2005, p.73). In the Hindu religion the goal is to overcome the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, this is known as samsara. Overcoming samsara is referred...

Words: 736 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Religion in Indian Politics

...presence and influence of religion. Over ninety percent of the Indian population state that religion plays an extremely important role in their lives. India is the founding place of four major religions; which are Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism, and the country has remained religious even during and following modernization. The religions practiced may have shifted a bit, nevertheless, the country remains deeply religious. Among all aspects of Indian life, religion also plays an important role in the politics of India. A political party’s support greatly depends upon the religion the group acknowledges. The two main religions practiced in India are Hinduism and Islam and each religion has parties from whom support is given. Often political support rallies can become so animated that the participants have the need to take action against other religious and political groups. The purpose of this paper is to highlight religion and the caste system of India and explain its impact on Indian political structure and lifestyles. Of the two religions, Hinduism is overwhelmingly more popular. Eighty-two percent of the Indian population practices it. (asianinfo.org) The Hindu lifestyle and belief system focus mainly on the concept of karma and reincarnation. Samsara is a continued cycle of ongoing rebirths. One’s ultimate goal throughout each life is to attain the state of Moksha, which is achieved when one realizes the true nature of surrounding life. This belief...

Words: 256 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

World Religion Chart

...WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions | WEEK 1INDIGENOUS | The term indigenous is a generalized reference to the thousands of small scale societies who have distinct languages, kinship systems, mythologies, ancestral memories and homelands. These societies comprise more than 200 million people throughout the planet today. | Origin of All Things | Most indigenous peoples have creation stories where they believe the Creator or Great Father in the Sky made the earth, the animals and all humans. | Nature of God/Creator | Many believe that they have lost touch or even forgotten about a Creator that their ancestors knew, but disobeyed. They believe the dark gods of the spirit world are the ones to be afraid of or to placate. Thus they believe that the Creator God, if there is one, is distant, removed and angry with them. | View of Human Nature | Humans are often seen as lost or wandering from a true path that was lost to the ancestors long ago. Humans are seen as capable of good or bad and under the influence of curses, vows, incantations, or evil spirits. In this sense, they may be animistic. Many have a special shaman or witch doctor who is supposed to help them connect to the spirit world. | View of Good & Evil | Good and evil are seen as forces that compete for dominance in a person and in the world. Sometimes there is an ethnocentric idea that ‘our’ group is the good one and all outsiders are ‘bad’. This idea can lead to wars and conflicts. | View of...

Words: 4041 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Buddhism and Hunduism

...BUDDHISM AND HUNDUISM REL 212 WORLD RELIGIONS PROFESSOR EUGENE MUHAMMAD OCTOBER 4, 2013 In this paper I will attempt to shed a better understanding about the religious background surrounding Buddhism and Hinduism. This paper will briefly describe how the two religions got its start, how the two has spread itself throughout the world. Buddhism is a religion to about 300 million people around the world….. The word comes from “budhi”, to awaken. It’s has origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha. At the age of 35 he himself was awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35. Buddhism is not just a religion it goes beyond that, to so many it is more of a philosophy in other words the “way of life”. To so many Buddhism explains a purpose to life, and it explains injustice and the inequality around the world. But it also provides a code of practice as well as a way of life that leads all too true happiness. Buddhism has become very important to the western countries because he has the answers to many of the problems that are a part of the modern materialistic societies. Buddha teaches many things in summing it up by the four Nobles truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a royal family in Lumbini in 583 BCE, what is known today as Nepal. His father was a king and a leader of a Shakya...

Words: 1206 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

World View Chart Assignment

...WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions      HINDUISM & JAINISM  WEEK 2      Cosmogony ­ Origin of the  Universe  Hinduism and Jainism cosmogony­ origin of the universe is that there isn’t no specific origin or  founder.   Nature of God/Creator  The Gods are in male and female form and represent many different things.  View of Human Nature  Hinduism and Jainism: Karma is what comes around goes around.  View of Good & Evil  Hinduism and Jainism: Good actions have a good effect and bad actions have a bad effect. “Karma”.  View of Salvation   Hinduism and Jainism salvation is called Moksha. It’s when an enlightened human being is freed from  the cycle of life­and­death and comes into a state of completeness. And the Jainism salvation is achieved  through three cycles right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct.  Hinduism and Jainism: Samsara reincarnation is taught that the soul leaves the dead body and enters a  new body. They believe in the rebirth and reincarnation of the souls. Jainism following liberation one’s  jiva ascends to the apex of the universe to join the other siddhas. One can ascend to a heavenly realm due  too good karmas accrued but must return to a human incarnation in order to achieve final liberation.  Hinduism and Jainism: Practices (both): Praising the Cow called “The Cow is our Mother, for she gives  us her milk.”  Worship with fire, yoga, sacred chants, verbal formulas, and sacred actions. Worship deity  images, pictures and sculptures...

Words: 2787 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

World View Chart

...| View of “Salvation” | View of After Life | Practices and Rituals | Celebrations and Festivals | Week 2Hinduism and Jainism | The history of Hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it has no founder or date of origin. According to historians, the origin of Hinduism dates back to 5,000 or more years. Jainism dates to the 6th century B.C.E. in India. | The nature of God according to Jainism is state of perfect being. Jainism believes in God not as a creator but as a perfect being. They believe that when the jiva or the soul becomes liberated it lives in a blissful state. God is considered to be Omnipotent and Omnipresent by Hindus. There are more than 200,000 gods and goddesses in the Hindu religion. Some are major deities with major duties such as Shiva, others are of lesser import and are more directly connected with specific duties such as the house or ancestors | In Hinduism, the soul, or atman, is an eternally existing spiritual substance or being and the abiding self that moves from one body to the next at rebirth. In Jainism, the soul is uncreated, eternal and has infinite power and knowledge. It therefore has the inherent potential of divinity (that is, perfectly omnipotent, omniscient and free; not a god). By ridding oneself of the karma that obstructs the soul, one can achieve this liberation (moksa). | Karma is the basic principle within an overarching psycho-cosmology in Jainism. Human moral actions form the basis of the transmigration of the soul (jīva)...

Words: 5473 - Pages: 22

Premium Essay

Religion in Indian Politics

...the presence and influence of religion. Over ninety percent of the Indian population state that religion plays an extremely important role in their lives. India is the founding place of four major religions; which are Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Hinduism, and the country has remained religious even during and following modernization. The religions practiced may have shifted a bit, nevertheless, the country remains deeply religious. Among all aspects of Indian life, religion also plays an important role in the politics of India. A political party’s support greatly depends upon the religion the group acknowledges. The two main religions practiced in India are Hinduism and Islam and each religion has parties from whom support is given. Often political support rallies can become so animated that the participants have the need to take action against other religious and political groups. The purpose of this paper is to highlight religion and the caste system of India and explain its impact on Indian political structure and lifestyles. Of the two religions, Hinduism is overwhelmingly more popular. Eighty-two percent of the Indian population practices it. (asianinfo.org) The Hindu lifestyle and belief system focus mainly on the concept of karma and reincarnation. Samsara is a continued cycle of ongoing rebirths. One’s ultimate goal throughout each life is to attain the state of Moksha, which is achieved when one realizes the true nature of surrounding life. This belief of...

Words: 2126 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

World View

...Nature | View of Good and Evil | View of “Salvation” | View of After Life | Practices and Rituals | Celebrations and Festivals | Week 2 Hinduism and Jainism | Ohm – an inert void of being and non being. From this void a desire was born to create beings. | God perceived in three ways. Brahman (residing everywhere) Antaryami (residing within) and Bhagavan (residing outside, beyond) | Karma – the moral law in which the cycle of birth-death-rebirth (reincarnation) takes place, giving opportunities to escape the limitations of life and death. | Doesn't recognize “sin” , views good and evil from the principle of karma. | Moksha – when an enlightened person is freed from the reincarnation cycle and comes into a state of completeness. | Doesn't punish or reward the souls, but reminds them of the true purpose of their existance before returning to earth to continue living. | Many practices center on fulfilling the duties associated with social position: brahmacharga (learning), grastha (worldy pursuits) vanaprastha (focus on spirithood) and sanngasu (contemplation) | Montly celbrations include: Saravati Puja, Maha Shiva Ratri, Holi, Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, RathaYatra, Raksha Bandhana, Janmashtami, Ganesha Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali | Week 3 Buddhism | Doesn't believe in a beginning, says the origin of all things is inconceivable since we have no beginning or end. | Doesn't believe in God, or other...

Words: 1085 - Pages: 5