The religious life of Hindus can be focused on devotion to God. Others try to achieve liberation through intense meditation. Traditional Hindus are expected to pass through the four stages known as ashramas. During these stages many Hindus perform rituals to achieve feeling of devotion, and closeness to God. The rituals can go anywhere from reciting mantras to doing charitable work. A devout Hindu is expected to perform prayer every single day.
Many rituals in Hinduism revolve around sacrifice to please the gods; this can be traced all the way back to the Vedic period. The concept of sacrifice has changed dramatically. Many modern sacrifices do not involve blood, but many have involved blood during the Vedic period. Many sacrifices involve strict governing rules such as purification, and preparation of offerings. Many people bring fruits, rice, and other fluids (mainly milk) as offering for God. Ghee also known as butter is the most used offering for the Gods.
Not all Hindu rites and ceremonies take place in temples; many pujas take place in individual homes. After performing pujas at home, fasting gets performed to appease the Gods. All 100 percent of my family consider themselves to be Hindus. We usually fast on Fridays; during fasting we do not eat any meat or food that contains salt. Fasting is very popular because it shows devotion to God, and lets us feel the pains of hunger which will ultimately make us more understanding of poor people. There are also health benefits that come along with fasting such as digestion of unprocessed foods.
Death is a very vital part of life to Hindus, and many do not fear death. Hindus understand that death is a transition of stage from one life to another life. The shraddha or known as fun...
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...nges from family to family. Usually neighbors or other relatives bring food to relieve the mourning family of some burden. Mourning for the dead is never denied, but excessive mourning is looked down upon. The soul gets a chance to move on with life, and excessive mourning can delay its transitioning into another life.
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Kinnard, Jacob N. "Hinduism." Rites and Ceremonies. Patheos Library, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.
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The ceremonies are very sacred and are done by a shaman. A shaman in our culture is someone who can speak to spirits like a witch doctor. A pig or chicken is sacrificed depending on whether the ceremony performed is large or small.
However, this is where one major difference regarding Buddhism and Christianity is, it is their overall way to conduct ritual practices. Buddhism uses a variety of rituals and practices in order to aid their parishioners on the path to enlightenment while helping others along the way. They do this through practice of mediation, bowling, chanting, lighting incense at various celebrations and holy days, and they also use altar offerings as worshippers come to temples to pay homage. On the other hand, Christianity practices vary due to different denominations but there are various common elements used such as Sunday masses, private and group prayer, reading of Scriptures and religious
There is much to be said of the Hindu insights on death, and only a fraction of it fit into the four pages you will find at the center of this issue. We intend to do more in the future and welcome readers' contributions. Our objective is to share the message of the awakened ones who conquered death and knew the body's dissolution as freedom from bondage, as liberation into the Light, as a flowing of the finite into the Infinite. They asked us to think fearlessly about death, to fathom its meaning. They urged us in exiting life to let go of the ego and be the immortal Self which time and again shrugs off the shackles of sorrow.
The temple puja is identified as a public and formal form of worship and devotion undertaken by adherents of Buddhism. Within puja each of the steps of the Eightfold path can be approached and there is the opportunity for one to reach Nirvana with puja alone. The last step of the Eightfold Path, right concentration is the end point for the chanting and the meditation. Adherents enter the temple in a physical and mental state of reverence or Puja, and inside they primarily recognise the importance of the Three Refuges. Additionally, temple puja has great significance for the community as it intrinsically reflects on the significance of the community as part of the Sangha, and strengthens relationship and devotion within the community. The temple itself is often in the centre of a Buddhist town or village, symbolising that is the heart and the central point of the Sangha, and acts as a daily reminder for the community to remain devoted. Thus reinforcing a quote written by Buddhaghosa in 5th century India, “[Nirvana] can only be reached, not produced, by the Path . . . it transcends the intrinsic nature of matter . . . being attainable through special insight affected by strong effort” (Stimulus). The quote is explaining that by remaining devoted, one can reach Nirvana through total enlightenment. Temple Puja provides social cohesion in that the role and function of participants demonstrate the social status of the individuals and their connection with each other, for example, the role of members of the Sangha lead the participants in prayer and reflection. Overall, temple puja has a profound impact on the individual and the greater community as it allows them to reach
While a person is on their deathbed, the pastor will prepare them for death. This is done through prayer and reconciliation. After the person has passed the pastor may visit the bereaved family to offer comfort and or assistance. He will help them cope with the death and if needed will also help in organizing the funeral. Also, friends will often send their sympathies in the form of cards and/or flowers to the deceased’s family.
Every religion embodies a plethora of recognized rituals that are significant to its teachings. Customs exclusive to each religion can include acts such as: attending a weekly mass, praying five times a day at specified hours, celebrating the transition from childhood to manhood, along with endless others. The similarity shared amongst all religious rituals is that the follower of faith must believe whole-heartedly in what he/she is doing or saying. Dhikr, or the remembrance of God, is a ritual based in Islam that does not receive the attention it deserves from mainstream Muslims, and is highly under appreciated for its value (Robson 238). Its myriad versions allow it to be very personal, whereas other rituals are more structured, which is
I decided to visit a Hindu temple because the Hindu religion was the religion that I knew the least about and was interested in. This assignment gave me an opportunity to learn more about this religion and what their worship services and rituals were like. The temple that I went to was called BAPS Shri Swaminaryan Mandir and it was located in Lilburn. As soon as I walked in, I was amazed by the beautiful architectural design of this Temple. It seemed like it took a lot of hard work and dedication to make the place what it is now. While I was at the temple, I watched the Hindus perform an ancient Vedic ritual called the Abhishek, a ritual bathing to honor the murti of their God.
While the end of life experience is universal, the behaviors associated with expressing grief are very much culturally bound. Death and grief being normal life events, all cultures have developed ways to cope with death in a respectful manner, and interfering with these practices can disrupt people’s ability to cope during the grieving
Death and what happens after one dies has been questioned since life began. While what happens after death has key importance in most religions, what happens between life and death can sometimes play a larger role in how death is treated. Liminality, or the period of transition between life and death, influences the steps taken after a person has died. Usually, death is viewed as a journey, one which no one can know what exactly lies ahead; because of this certain rituals and customs have been created to ensure the deceased a peaceful transition from life on earth to the next stage. The religion of Hinduism, especially, stresses the importance of extensive
Before I really get into my personal experience at the Durga temple, I would like to begin my experience paper by throwing a light on my religion. I personally belong to a Muslim family and have practiced Islam throughout my life. Islam is one of the monotheistic religions, which means people only believe in one God usually referred as Allah. All the individuals, including me, believe that everything in this world has been created by all mighty Allah. He has the power and authority of diminishing and raising thing. Islam is based on its five pillars; Namaz (prayer), Roza (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage), Zakat (Give away), and Jahad (struggle in way of Islam). In contrast Hinduism has many different deities and all of them have a specific purpose. For example Shiva is widely known as the destroyer while the Vishnu presides over the maintenance of the living being. The reason I decided to go to the Hindu religious practice is because I have heard many different stories about the conflict between Hindus and Muslims. Furthermore, I also wanted to see the temples because I have never seen one, I have been to a lot of churches, mosques, and synagogue, but never got the change to visit a temple. Both Islam and Hinduism are the most popular religions in the world and they have millions of followers. However, there is a day and night difference between both of them.
Now that we have covered the social classes what are the main point of the belief system, well they have several principals that almost all Hindus believe in The three-in-one god known as "Brahman," which is composed of: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). The Caste System. Karma. The law that good begets good, and bad begets bad. Every action, thought, or decision one makes has consequences good or bad that will return to each person in the present life, or in one yet to come. Reincarnation. ls also known as "transmigration of souls," or "samsara." This is a journey on the "circle of life," where each person experiences as series of physical births, deaths, and rebirths. With good karma, a person can be reborn into a higher caste, or even to godhood. Bad karma can relegate one to a lower caste, or even to life as an animal in their next life. Nirvana. This is the goal of the Hindu. Nirvana is the release of the soul from the seemingly endless cycle of rebirths (Beliefs). These five central beliefs are what makes up the Hindu religion.
Most people in the world derive their religious beliefs and traditions from their parents and peer influences. From a religious point of view, “There are many definitions for the term ‘religion’ in common usage. [Broadly defined], in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: ‘Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life’” (Robinson, 1996). However, in examining Hinduism, it is difficult to label the practices as a religion. This paper will expound upon the Hindu traditions, taking into account the characteristics of sacred elements, their meaning, and significance.
While most traditional religions are easy to define and comprehend, Hinduism is not. It cannot be spoken about as one single entity but rather a label for many different traditions within itself that originated in India. It is the world’s third largest religion with a following of a billion people. Hinduism, at its most basic definition, is the belief in either several gods or goddess, or the belief in one God with many faces. It is a way of life that relies heavily on the ideas of cause and effect. They believe in reincarnation with a desire to be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. They believe it is the key to a lifetime of happiness, prosperity and love. While it is considered to be the oldest
Rites form and essential part of social life. Rites invoke ancestors and the dead. The whole person, body, and soul are totally involved in worship. There are many rites of purification of individuals and communities. Religious sacredness is preserved in ritual, in dress and the arrangements of the places of worship. The sick are healed in rites, which involve their families and the community. Some of the traditional blessings are rich and very meaningful. In worship and sacrifice there is co-responsibility each person contributes his share in a spirit of participation. Symbols bridge the spheres of the sacred and secular and so make possible a balanced and unified view of reality.
One thing that I have learned is that Hindus do not worship cows. Hinduism has no founder or date of origin. Hindus believe in one supreme God who created the universe. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be his helpers. Many Hindus are devoted followers of Shiva or Vishnu, whom they regard as the only true God, while others look inward to the divine Self, meaning meditation. Whomever they decide to worship, it all points to the same deity.