What is the Diwali festival in Hinduism?
The word diwali comes from a Sanskrit word dipavali (or deepavali), literally meaning “row of clay lamps.” Diwali is the Festival of Lights, celebrated in India, Fiji, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, and other Eastern nations. The festival is the biggest and most important festival in Hinduism, but it is also observed by Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains.…
What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe?
Buddhism is one of the leading world religions in terms of adherents, geographical distribution, and socio-cultural influence. While largely an “Eastern” religion, it is becoming increasingly popular and influential in the Western world. It is a unique world religion in its own right, though it has much in common with Hinduism in that both teach…
What is Brahmanism?
Hinduism is one of the longest-surviving religions in the world. The terms Hindu and Hinduism come from the Sanskrit term for the Indus Valley, where prior to about 500 BC the dominant religious worldview was what we now call Vedism or sometimes Brahmanism. This is the ancient form of “modern” Hinduism and the foundation for…
What is Shaivism?
One of the more well-known interpretations of Hinduism is Shaivism, a sect that considers the deity Shiva to be supreme. Hinduism is generally polytheistic, believing in a large number of gods and goddesses. The focus on a single deity is sometimes incorrectly referred to as monotheism in instances such as Shaivism. In fact, Shaivism is…
What is the difference between Judaism and Islam?
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are Abrahamic religions, as all three view Abraham as a patriarch. They are also monotheistic. In our pluralistic society, these three religions are often seen as fundamentally similar, differing only in peripheral aspects. Judaism and Islam do share some strong similarities. However, there are also significant differences between them. The first…
What is Jainism?
Jainism began in the 6th century as a reformation movement within Hinduism. It is based on the teachings of its founder, Mahavira. Believing that a life of self-denial was the way to achieve “enlightenment,” Mahavira wandered naked and mute through India for 12 years, enduring hardship and abuse. After this, he took on disciples, preaching…
What is Mahayana Buddhism?
Mahayana is one of the two major schools of Buddhism. The name comes from a Sanskrit term meaning “the Great Vehicle.” This style of Buddhism is most popular in Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia, and Tibet. As with most Eastern religions, the exact boundaries of Mahayana belief are vague. However, there are a few ideas that…
What is Shaktism?
Shaktism is one of the more commonly known sub-divisions within Hinduism. Shaktism shares the core beliefs held by all Hindus but with a notable emphasis on a feminine aspect of divinity, rather than a masculine one. This is the primary point that distinguishes Shaktism from other Hindu sects. Interestingly, while Hinduism is extraordinarily diverse, Shaktism…
What is Smartism?
Smartism is often classified as one of the major denominations of Hinduism. While this is not incorrect, the word Smartism is more accurately seen as an umbrella term covering several sects, similar to the way the word Protestant in reference to Christianity refers more to a grouping of denominations than one particular sect. Hinduism is…
I am a Buddhist. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?
Compared with Buddhism, Christianity has several distinguishing features that show that it deserves consideration. First, while both Christianity and Buddhism have an historical central figure, namely Jesus and Buddha, only Jesus is shown to have risen from the dead. Many people in history have been wise teachers. Many have started religious movements. Siddhartha Guatama, the…