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			{{Short description\|Relationships between Hinduism and other religions}}
	] is most closely related to the subsequent Dharmic faiths of ] and ]. As such, these religions display mutual respect and have historically had few conflicts. The worldview of ], on the otherhand, has sharper differences with Hindu ideology and philosophy. These religions, seeing themselves as the exclusive paths toward God, have sometimes been pitted against Hinduism, with resulting conflicts.
			{{Lead too short\|date=June 2021}}
			{{EngvarB\|date=April 2015}}
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=April 2015}}

			{{Hinduism and other religions}}
	=== Subsequent Dharma faiths: Buddhism, and Jainism===

			In the field of ], many scholars, academics, and religious figures have looked at the relationships between '''] and ]'''.
	While scriptures or teachings of ] and ] are not actively followed by Hindus, they are respected as valid paths to God. The founders of these two faiths lived in a proto-Hindu environment and denied the ultimate authority of the Vedas. ]'s primary difference with Hindu beliefs was in the existence of ], the Ultimate Self. He believed in ], or void, and also did not endorse the ritual aspects of the Vedas. In his ], he expounds his own beliefs as they differ from Hindu thought. It is not fair, however, to say that Buddhism and Jainism completely rejected Vedic/Hindu thought, since both religions grew from Hindu understandings of ], ], ], ], liberation (]), ], meditation, and many symbols which are now common to all Dharmic faiths, such as the Lotus, the ] and even certain Hindu goddesses who were absorbed into Buddhist beliefs of ]s. Certainly Buddhists and Jains deparated in many ways from Hindu beliefs, but they were not independent growths.

	==~~=Hinduism~~ ~~and Islam=~~==		==Indian religions==

			===Ayyavazhi===
	'''Hinduism''' and ], from the arrival of the Mughals as far back as the 10 century AD, have had a long and varicolored history. It is undisputed that the invading ]s slaughtered many Hindus and razed thousands of temples, especially in Northern ]. Emperors like ] left bloody legacies behind them and scorned the vast Hindu populace and their practices as ] and the people as ] (infidels).

			] and ] are two belief systems in ]. Though Ayyavazhi continues to officially exist within Hinduism and is considered by some observers to be a ], members of the religion claim that it is independent. The most notable distinction from Hindu are the Ayyavazhi religion's concepts of good, evil and ].<ref>{{cite web\|title=Ayyavazhi Religion\|url=http://www.religious-information.com/ayyavazhi-religion.html\|work=religious-information.com\|publisher=SBI\|access-date=29 March 2012\|format=Web page\|archive-date=14 March 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314214233/http://www.religious-information.com/ayyavazhi-religion.html\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	On the other hand, there were also many Muslim kings who wished to live in harmony with the Hindus. ] and ] of ] Adil Shah dynasty are notable examples. Akbar's court was home to intellectuals and saints both Hindu and Muslim, among them the great musician ], and he even went so far as to try and create a new religion (the '']'') to promote peace between people of both creeds. <!--But in recent times, this theory was found to be a hoax and in fact Akbar was proved to be a bloody villain who butchered thousands of Hindus. ''' ], ], ], and ]'''.-->

			Hindus view ], ], and other texts from the ] as canonical scriptures, instead of the ]. The Ayyavazhi believe that the Hindu scriptures were once canonical, but now have lost their Substance because of the advent of Akilam. ] bought the Vedas as a Boon and so all the previous religious books including ] and ] lost their Substances, leaving Akilattirattu Ammanai as the only book of perfection. Several dubious claims state that the present day Vedas are not accepted by Ayyavazhi as books of Perfection, because there is a quote in Akilam about ] ''"Avan pilathaal vedamondruntakki"'' (He created a Veda of his own intention). All previous religious texts have lost their Substance in the vision of Ayyavazhi at the very moment Kaliyan came to the world.
	The great ] mov that particularly flo in thant land of Hinduisten conversing with the similarly tolerant mystic traditions of ], ], and ], added a rich history of peace and spiritual growth to many areas of India.

			Though Ayyavazhi has many differences from popular Hinduism, it has many beliefs and practices in common. As Hinduism is really a tree of many branches, Ayyavazhi is closest to ] and its ] beliefs in thought.
	] was a Sufi saint who embraced the Hindu God ] as his chosen bhakti ideal. ] wrote poetry and preached to the people, advocating a blend of philosophy and spiritual practices that was primarily based on ], ] and ], challenging the religious clergy of both Islam and Hinduism and claiming to be neither Hindu, nor Muslim.

			===Buddhism===
	Such was fruitive collaboration between certain Sufis and Bhaktas that in many regions of India it is not uncommon for Muslim and Hindu laity to worship together at a '']'' (Sufi shrine) that is attended by a ] priest. Indeed, Muslim and Hindu conflict certainly exists in India, but is often more communal than ideological in motivation.
			{{Main\|Buddhism and Hinduism}}

			] and ] have common origins in the ] culture of ] during the "]" around 500 BCE.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Samuel \|first=Geoffrey \|author-link=Geoffrey Samuel \|year=2010 \|title=The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century \|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>{{page needed\|date=June 2023}} They have shared parallel beliefs that have existed side by side, but also pronounced differences.<ref>Y. Masih in ''A Comparative Study of Religions'' (2000), Motilal Banarsidass Publishers: Delhi, {{ISBN\|81-208-0815-0}} Page 18. "There is no evidence to show that ] and Buddhism ever subscribed to vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed much to the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times."</ref>
	Mughal art forms, especially miniatures and even certain niches of ] poetry, were quick to absorb classic Hindu motifs, like the love story of ] and ]. ] is a complex and sonorous blend of ] notions of sound, ] and ] and absorbed a many instruments of either Middle Eastern origin or Indian-Muslim invention. Practically all classical musicians, including Muslim musicians, like ], in India worship the Hindu Goddess of Knowledge and the Arts, Mother ].

			Buddhism attained prominence in the ] as it was supported by royal courts, but started to decline after the ] and ] in the 11th century CE, except in some pockets. It has ] and has become the ].
	Thus, while Hinduism and Islam, on the face, have irreconcilable differences in ideology, the common ground was extensive enough to result in a large-scale blending in India. Indeed, such unity is underplayed and is often obscured by the current unrest and communal tension between the Hindu and muslim populations in the ].

			Hinduism and Buddhism originated in Northern India, but later expanded throughout Asia.
	=== Similarities between Hinduism and Judaism ===

			===Jainism===
	The ] of the second millennium BC precede the rise of Judaism, and the commonality between Hinduism and Judaism has been traced as a remembrance of the Hindu past. The ] knows ] as one name of ]. Tha ]s, a Hebraic people, spoke of 33 gods just as in the ].
			{{main\|Jainism and Hinduism}}
			Hinduism and Jainism have a rather similar view on the topic of asceticism, or, in simpler terms, abstinence. It is thought that their beliefs on the topic come from the early belief that some meditative and monastic practices cleanse the body of impurity. The Hindu theory of Karma gave Jainism a great deal of support to start promoting asceticism. Both of these traditions attribute human greed, hatred, and delusion to the presence of impure residues (samskaras or vasanas) that must be cleansed as the individual person moves towards "freedom" (death). Both of these religions believe that practicing asceticism is not only to the benefit of the individual but also to the benefit of the society as a whole. Nonviolence plays a large role in both of these religions so the concept of asceticism relies greatly on both of their beliefs.<ref>{{cite journal\|last1=Chapple\|first1=Christopher\|title=Asceticism and the environment\|journal=Cross Currents\|date=2008\|volume=57\|issue=4\|pages=514–525}}</ref>{{ course assignment \| course = Education Program:Duquesne University/UCOR 143 Global and Cultural Perspectives (Fall 2014) \| term = 2014 Q3 }}

			===Sikhism===
	Hinduism has much in common with Judaism. The two faiths' monist mystic streams, ] ] and ], have so much in common that some scholars have seen the differences as being limited to mere nomenclature; this includes perceptions of illusory superimposition upon a divine monad, ]/] and belief in knowledge of the self leading to salvation/liberation. If the broader Hindu religion, however, is taken as a faith (though impossible it is to condense its many beliefs into one system) and compared to Judaism, the primary difference can be seen in the fact that Judaism does not admit deities, even if such deities are but emanations or different aspects/forms of a singular and same source, ] (whether one God or a formless monad).
			{{Main\|Hinduism and Sikhism}}

			The historical interaction between ] and Hinduism occurred because both were founded on the ] and have the majority of their followers there.
	=== The Hindu and Christian Trinities ===

			==Abrahamic religions==
	The Christian trinity, which came into being long after the Hindu trinity, has often been cited as possible common ground. There are three forms of God in the ]: ], ] and ]. The God Brahma symbolizes the creator, Vishnu represents the maintainer or presever and Shiva represents the destroyer in the cycle of existence. This concept of an ultimate three is seen by some as evidence of distant connections with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of Christianity. Some would argue, however, that the Christian trinity sees the Father as the well-spring of the Son and the Holy Ghost, whereas the Hindu trinity sees the three as equal elements of an ultimate One: creative, preservative and destructive principles are all equal parts of a unitary existence. If anything, the parallel is tenuous, since the number three has long held symbolic importance in many cultures across the world.

	=== Hinduism~~'s general view of~~ ~~non-Hindu~~ ~~religions~~===		===Christianity{{anchor\|Hinduism and Christianity}}===
			{{see also\|Christianity and other religions#Relationship with Hinduism}}
			{{original research section\|date=September 2013}}
			{{more citations needed section\|date=June 2015}}

			====History====
	Hinduism has always regarded all religions with respect. It believes that all religions are valid paths to God if they are followed with sufficient devotion and good moral life. '''Sarva dharma samabhāva''' (all religions must be viewed with equal respect) is an essential motto of Hinduism. The Hindus (like the Jews) feel that the Hindu way of life is neither required nor expected from the non-Hindu people. That is why Hinduism does not encourage ], unlike Christianity. However, it encourages non-Hindus to think about and understand the idylls of their sublime Hindu philosophy, and so if non-Hindu individuals insist, some Hindu ]s may grant them initiation (dīkshā) into the Hindu way of life.
			There has been some debate on historical connections between Christianity and Indian religion, it has focused on both ] (via ]) as well as Hinduism. While it is evident that a number of Indian sages visited ] in Classical Antiquity, claims of significant influence in either direction have failed to gain wide acceptance. Christianity revolves heavily around the life of ] as detailed in the Bible, whereas Hinduism is not based on any one personality or one book, but rather on the philosophy that there is a God, or no God and just self, etc. Nevertheless, some scholars have studied whether there are links between the story of Jesus and that of Krishna; "Krishnology" is a term coined to express these claimed theological parallels between ] and the ] dogmas of Christianity.{{Citation needed\|date=June 2023}}

			Although little is known of the immediate growth of the church, ] (154–223 CE) reports that in his time there were Christian tribes in North India which claimed to have been converted by Thomas and to have books and relics to prove it.<ref name="AFM">A. E. Medlycott, ''India and The Apostle Thomas'', pp.18–71;
	As such, all ] spiritual teachers like Mahavira, and ] are highly revered by many Hindus, who often in turn may revere Hindu deities and temples. Even ], ] and ] are respectfully treated as valid paths to God. Hindus may even pray at Muslim ]s and Christian churches. However, they do get deeply offended when the chauvinists of these religions call them as atheists, polytheists, animists, idolators, Kafir (unbeliever), etc or try to convert Hindus by what they allege as "unfair means". <!--very subjective. needs to be differently worded or removed-->
			M. R. James, ''Apocryphal New Testament'', pp.364–436;
			A. E. Medlycott, ''India and The Apostle Thomas'', pp.1–17, 213–97;
			Eusebius, ''History'', chapter 4:30;
			], ''The Apostle Thomas in North India'', chapter 4:30;
			V. A. Smith, ''Early History of India'', p.235;
			L. W. Brown, ''The Indian Christians of St. Thomas'', p.49-59.</ref>

			Contemporary Christian-Hindu relations are a mixed affair. Hinduism's historical tendency has been to recognize the divine basis of various other religions, and to revere their founders and saintly practitioners; this continues today. The declaration '']'' by the ] officially established inter-religious dialogue between Catholics and Hindus, promoting common values between the two religions (among others). There are over 17.3 million Catholics in India, which represents less than 2% of the total population, still making it the largest Christian church in India.
	== Further reading ==
			(See also: ]).
	*]: '']'' (2001) ISBN 81-85990-74-4

	==~~External link~~==		====Doctrine====
			Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity differ on fundamental beliefs on heaven, hell and reincarnation, to name a few. From the Hindu perspective, heaven (Sanskrit: ''swarga'') and hell (''naraka'') are temporary places, where every soul has to live, either for the good deeds done or for their sins committed. After a soul suffers its due punishment in hell, or after a soul has enjoyed enough in heaven, it again enters the life-death cycle. There is no concept in Hinduism of a permanent hell like that in Christianity; rather, the cycle of "karma" takes over. Permanent heaven or bliss is "moksha".

			Indian philosopher ], wrote: {{blockquote\|Unfortunately Christian religion inherited the Semitic creed of the ‘jealous God’ in the view of Christ as ‘the only begotten son of God’ so could not brook any rival near the throne. When Europe accepted the Christian religion, in spite of its own broad humanism, it accepted the fierce intolerance which is the natural result of belief in 'the truth once for all delivered to the saints.'<ref>'''', by Paul Arthur Schilpp, page = 641</ref>}}

			The Holy ] of Christianity, consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is sometimes seen as roughly analogous to the ] of Hinduism, whose members—], ], and ]—are seen as the three principal manifestations of ], or Godhead. The specific formulation of this trinitarian relationship is not identical between the two religions; for example, in Hinduism there is a Parabrahma, or an ultimate creator who created the Trimurti, for which there exists no parallel in Christianity. Some consider Brahma to be more similar to the demiurge of Christian gnosticism, in that he (at least initially) wrongly thought himself as the "Creator" and also as the highest or even the only god. In this case, the Hindu version of the Trinity could be seen as Brahma (Father), Sankarshan or Vishnu (Holy spirit), and Mahesh or Shiva (Son; analogous to Christ).

			There have been Christian writers such as the 17th century mystic Jane Leade and the 19th-20th century theologian Sergei Bulgakov, who have described the feminine Sophia (wisdom) as an aspect of the Godhead. This may serve as a rough analogue to Hinduism's description of Sita in the Ramayana, who is saved by Hanuman (an incarnation of Shiva) from the demon king Ravana to be reunited with her husband Rama, representing God. Nevertheless, although the concept that we can come to know God through ''sophia'' has played a role in Christian thought, no major Christian denominations profess Sophia as an independent aspect of God.

			In Hinduism (also in ] and ]), the concept of ] is akin to that of Buddhism's ], but some scholars further claim that it is akin as well to Christianity's doctrine of ]. Hindu sannyasi Swami Tripurari states:<blockquote>... in theory the sinners of the world are the beneficiaries of Christ’s sacrifice, but it is God the father for whose pleasure Christ underwent the crucifixion, even when the father’s joy in this scenario lies in the salvation of sinners. Christ represents the intermediary between God and humanity, and his life aptly illustrates the fact that it is sacrifice by which we come to meet our maker. Thus in Christ the Divine teaches us “the way” more than he does the goal. The Christ conception represents “the way” in the sense that the way is sacrifice, out of which love arises. The ] conception represents that for which we not only should, but must sacrifice, compelled by the Godhead’s irresistible attributes, etc. depicted therein.<ref>Tripurari, Swami, '' {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609123303/http://harmonist.us/2009/05/christ-krishna-caitanya/ \|date=9 June 2009 }}'', {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003170725/http://harmonist.us/ \|date=3 October 2016 }}, May 31, 2009.{{better source needed\|date=June 2015}}</ref>{{better source needed\|date=June 2015}}</blockquote>

			The ], a movement within ] in ], embraces ] and the teachings of the East, attempting to combine the Christian faith with the Hindu ] model, and ] with the Hindu '']'' tradition. In Western countries, Vedanta has influenced some Christian thinkers (see also: ], ], ]), while others in the anti-cult movement have reacted against the activities of immigrant gurus and their followers.{{citation needed\|date=April 2014}}

			===Islam===
			{{main\|Hindu–Islamic relations}}

			Hindu–Islamic relations began when Islamic influence first came to be found in the ] during the early 7th century. ] and ] are two of the world's four largest religions. Hinduism is the socio-religious way of life of the Hindu people of the ], their diaspora, and some other regions which had Hindu influence in the ancient and medieval times. Islam is a ] ] religion in which the supreme deity is ] ({{langx\|ar\|الله}} {{transliteration\|ar\|"the God"}}: see ]), the ] being ], whom Muslims believe delivered the Islamic scripture, the ]. Hinduism mostly shares common terms with the other ], including ], ] and ]. Islam shares common characteristics with ]–those religions claiming descent from the ] ]–being, from oldest to youngest, ], Christianity, Islam.

			The ] is the primary Islamic scripture. Muslims believe it to be the verbatim, uncreated word of Allah. Second to this in religious authority, and whence many practices of Islam derive, especially for ]s, are the ] ] of ], which are traditional records of the ] of ]. The scriptures of Hinduism are the ''Shrutis'' (the four '']s'', which comprise the original Vedic Hymns, or Samhitas, and three tiers of commentaries upon the Samhitas, namely the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads<ref>{{cite book\|last=Klostermaier\|first=Klaus K.\|author-link=Klaus Klostermaier\|title=A Survey of Hinduism.\|year=2007\|publisher=State University of New York Press\|location=Albany, N.Y.\|isbn=978-0-7914-7082-4\|pages=46–49\|edition=3.}}</ref>); Furthermore, Hinduism is also based on the '']'' (including the '']'', the '']'' ] cycle], and the '']''), which are considered to be of secondary authority and of human creation of sages but the 18 Puranas.

			===Judaism===
			{{Main\|Hinduism and Judaism}}

			Hinduism and Judaism are amongst the oldest existing religions in the world. They have shared a notable relationship throughout historical and modern times.

			==Other religions==

			Many theologians interpret Hinduism to teach that since all souls will eventually arrive at salvation, every religion can lead to it.<ref name="Ellens 2013 p. 1-PA234">{{cite book \| last=Ellens \| first=J.H. \| title=Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife: Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam : Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam \| publisher=ABC-CLIO \| series=Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality \| year=2013 \| isbn=978-1-4408-0184-6 \| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9frXAQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA234 \| access-date=2023-04-05 \| page=1-PA234 \| archive-date=5 April 2023 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405210050/https://books.google.com/books?id=9frXAQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA234 \| url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MacNair 2015 p. ">{{cite book \| last=MacNair \| first=R.M. \| title=Religions and Nonviolence: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace \| publisher=ABC-CLIO \| year=2015 \| isbn=978-1-4408-3539-1 \| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KvL3CQAAQBAJ \| access-date=2023-04-05 \| page= \| archive-date=12 April 2023 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412224307/https://books.google.com/books?id=KvL3CQAAQBAJ \| url-status=live }}</ref>

			===Baháʼí Faith===
			{{Main\|Baháʼí Faith and Hinduism}}
			Hinduism is recognized in the ] as one of four known religions and its scriptures are regarded as predicting the coming of ] (]). ] is included in the succession of ]. The authenticity of the ] is seen as uncertain.<ref name="smith-indian-religions">{{cite encyclopedia \|last= Smith \|first= Peter \|encyclopedia= A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith \|title= Indian religions \|year= 2000 \|publisher= Oneworld Publications \|location= Oxford \|isbn= 1-85168-184-1 \|pages= \|url= https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/195 }}</ref>

			===Zoroastrianism===
			{{See also\|Zoroastrianism in India}}

			Hinduism and Zoroastrianism share a common root in ]. Zoroastrianism in India shares more than a thousand years of history with the culture and people of India. The Zoroastrians of India are known as ]s.

			The "Council of Dharmic Faiths" (UK) regards ], whilst not originating in the Indian subcontinent, also as a Dharmic religion.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://councilofdharmicfaithsuk.com/the-dharmic-faiths.php\|title=Council of Dharmic Faiths UK\|website=councilofdharmicfaithsuk.com\|access-date=27 May 2017\|archive-date=13 July 2017\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713113751/http://councilofdharmicfaithsuk.com/the-dharmic-faiths.php\|url-status=live}}</ref>

			=== Yezidism ===
			Recently, some people have found similarities between the customs of Hindus and ], suggesting that in ancient times they may have even been one people.<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Yezidis and Hindus: Re-Uniting as One People\|url=http://www.yeziditruth.org/yezidis-and-hindus-re-uniting-as-one-people\|website=yeziditruth.org\|access-date=23 February 2020\|archive-date=7 November 2019\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107015205/http://www.yeziditruth.org/yezidis-and-hindus-re-uniting-as-one-people\|url-status=live}}</ref> Recent comparisons and historical research between the two people have revealed many links that now thousands of Hindus and Yezidis believe that they are part of the same family.{{citation needed\|date=December 2020}}

			==Further reading==
			* Musch, S. (2024). Christianity and Hinduism: German Views in the Long 19th Century." The Routledge Handbook of Christianity and Culture. Edited by Yaakov Ariel, Gregor Thuswaldner, and Jens Zimmermann. Routledge, 415-427.
			*Panikkar, K. M. (1965). Asia and Western dominance. Millswood, S. Aust: Braille Writing Association of South Australia.
			*] (1995). Hindu view of Christianity and Islam. Hinduism vis-à-vis Christianity and Islam (Indonesian: Pandangan Hindu atas Kristen dan Islam, French: : un regard hindou sur le christianisme et l'Islam)
			*Swarup, Ram (2015). Hinduism and monotheistic religions.
			*Swarup, Ram (1995). Pope John Paul II on Eastern religions and yoga: A Hindu-Buddhist rejoinder.
			*Jain, S. (2010). Evangelical intrusions: . New Delhi: Rupa & Co.
			*Elst, Koenraad. (2002). Who is a Hindu?: Hindu revivalist views of Animism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other offshoots of Hinduism.
			*Goel, S. R. (2009). Catholic ashrams: Sannyasins or swindlers, with new appendices. New Delhi: Voice of India.
			*Goel, S. R. (2016). History of Hindu-Christian encounters, AD 304 to 1996.
			*] (2006). Harvesting our souls: Missionaries, their design, their claims. New Delhi: Rupa.
			*Shourie, Arun (2006). Missionaries in India: Continuities, changes, dilemmas. New Delhi: Rupa.
			*Narain, Harsh (1997). Myths of composite culture and equality of religions.

			==See also==
			{{Portal\|Hinduism\|Religion
			}}
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]

			==References==
			{{reflist}}

			==External links==
	*		*
			*
	{{Hinduism}}
			{{Hindudharma}}
	]

	]
			{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinduism And Other Religions}}
			]

Latest revision as of 12:51, 12 November 2024

Relationships between Hinduism and other religions

This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (June 2021)

Hinduism and other religions

Indian religions
Buddhism Jainism Sikhism
Abrahamic religions
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In the field of comparative religion, many scholars, academics, and religious figures have looked at the relationships between Hinduism and other religions.

Indian religions

Ayyavazhi

Ayyavazhi and Hinduism are two belief systems in India. Though Ayyavazhi continues to officially exist within Hinduism and is considered by some observers to be a Hindu denomination, members of the religion claim that it is independent. The most notable distinction from Hindu are the Ayyavazhi religion's concepts of good, evil and dharma.

Hindus view Vedas, Gita, and other texts from the Shastra as canonical scriptures, instead of the Akilam. The Ayyavazhi believe that the Hindu scriptures were once canonical, but now have lost their Substance because of the advent of Akilam. Kaliyan bought the Vedas as a Boon and so all the previous religious books including Agamas and Puranas lost their Substances, leaving Akilattirattu Ammanai as the only book of perfection. Several dubious claims state that the present day Vedas are not accepted by Ayyavazhi as books of Perfection, because there is a quote in Akilam about Venneesan "Avan pilathaal vedamondruntakki" (He created a Veda of his own intention). All previous religious texts have lost their Substance in the vision of Ayyavazhi at the very moment Kaliyan came to the world.

Though Ayyavazhi has many differences from popular Hinduism, it has many beliefs and practices in common. As Hinduism is really a tree of many branches, Ayyavazhi is closest to Smartism and its Advaita beliefs in thought.

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhism and Hinduism

Buddhism and Hinduism have common origins in the Ganges culture of northern India during the "second urbanisation" around 500 BCE. They have shared parallel beliefs that have existed side by side, but also pronounced differences.

Buddhism attained prominence in the Indian subcontinent as it was supported by royal courts, but started to decline after the Gupta era and virtually disappeared from India in the 11th century CE, except in some pockets. It has continued to exist outside of India and has become the major religion in several Asian countries.

Hinduism and Buddhism originated in Northern India, but later expanded throughout Asia.

Jainism

Main article: Jainism and Hinduism

Hinduism and Jainism have a rather similar view on the topic of asceticism, or, in simpler terms, abstinence. It is thought that their beliefs on the topic come from the early belief that some meditative and monastic practices cleanse the body of impurity. The Hindu theory of Karma gave Jainism a great deal of support to start promoting asceticism. Both of these traditions attribute human greed, hatred, and delusion to the presence of impure residues (samskaras or vasanas) that must be cleansed as the individual person moves towards "freedom" (death). Both of these religions believe that practicing asceticism is not only to the benefit of the individual but also to the benefit of the society as a whole. Nonviolence plays a large role in both of these religions so the concept of asceticism relies greatly on both of their beliefs.

Sikhism

Main article: Hinduism and Sikhism

The historical interaction between Sikhism and Hinduism occurred because both were founded on the Indian subcontinent and have the majority of their followers there.

Abrahamic religions

Christianity

This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (September 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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History

There has been some debate on historical connections between Christianity and Indian religion, it has focused on both Buddhism (via Greco-Buddhism) as well as Hinduism. While it is evident that a number of Indian sages visited Constantinople in Classical Antiquity, claims of significant influence in either direction have failed to gain wide acceptance. Christianity revolves heavily around the life of Jesus Christ as detailed in the Bible, whereas Hinduism is not based on any one personality or one book, but rather on the philosophy that there is a God, or no God and just self, etc. Nevertheless, some scholars have studied whether there are links between the story of Jesus and that of Krishna; "Krishnology" is a term coined to express these claimed theological parallels between Krishnaism and the Christological dogmas of Christianity.

Although little is known of the immediate growth of the church, Bar-Daisan (154–223 CE) reports that in his time there were Christian tribes in North India which claimed to have been converted by Thomas and to have books and relics to prove it.

Contemporary Christian-Hindu relations are a mixed affair. Hinduism's historical tendency has been to recognize the divine basis of various other religions, and to revere their founders and saintly practitioners; this continues today. The declaration Nostra aetate by the Second Vatican Council officially established inter-religious dialogue between Catholics and Hindus, promoting common values between the two religions (among others). There are over 17.3 million Catholics in India, which represents less than 2% of the total population, still making it the largest Christian church in India. (See also: Dalit theology).

Doctrine

Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity differ on fundamental beliefs on heaven, hell and reincarnation, to name a few. From the Hindu perspective, heaven (Sanskrit: swarga) and hell (naraka) are temporary places, where every soul has to live, either for the good deeds done or for their sins committed. After a soul suffers its due punishment in hell, or after a soul has enjoyed enough in heaven, it again enters the life-death cycle. There is no concept in Hinduism of a permanent hell like that in Christianity; rather, the cycle of "karma" takes over. Permanent heaven or bliss is "moksha".

Indian philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, wrote:

Unfortunately Christian religion inherited the Semitic creed of the ‘jealous God’ in the view of Christ as ‘the only begotten son of God’ so could not brook any rival near the throne. When Europe accepted the Christian religion, in spite of its own broad humanism, it accepted the fierce intolerance which is the natural result of belief in 'the truth once for all delivered to the saints.'

The Holy Trinity of Christianity, consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is sometimes seen as roughly analogous to the Trimurti of Hinduism, whose members—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—are seen as the three principal manifestations of Brahman, or Godhead. The specific formulation of this trinitarian relationship is not identical between the two religions; for example, in Hinduism there is a Parabrahma, or an ultimate creator who created the Trimurti, for which there exists no parallel in Christianity. Some consider Brahma to be more similar to the demiurge of Christian gnosticism, in that he (at least initially) wrongly thought himself as the "Creator" and also as the highest or even the only god. In this case, the Hindu version of the Trinity could be seen as Brahma (Father), Sankarshan or Vishnu (Holy spirit), and Mahesh or Shiva (Son; analogous to Christ).

There have been Christian writers such as the 17th century mystic Jane Leade and the 19th-20th century theologian Sergei Bulgakov, who have described the feminine Sophia (wisdom) as an aspect of the Godhead. This may serve as a rough analogue to Hinduism's description of Sita in the Ramayana, who is saved by Hanuman (an incarnation of Shiva) from the demon king Ravana to be reunited with her husband Rama, representing God. Nevertheless, although the concept that we can come to know God through sophia has played a role in Christian thought, no major Christian denominations profess Sophia as an independent aspect of God.

In Hinduism (also in Jainism and Sikhism), the concept of moksha is akin to that of Buddhism's nirvana, but some scholars further claim that it is akin as well to Christianity's doctrine of salvation. Hindu sannyasi Swami Tripurari states:

... in theory the sinners of the world are the beneficiaries of Christ’s sacrifice, but it is God the father for whose pleasure Christ underwent the crucifixion, even when the father’s joy in this scenario lies in the salvation of sinners. Christ represents the intermediary between God and humanity, and his life aptly illustrates the fact that it is sacrifice by which we come to meet our maker. Thus in Christ the Divine teaches us “the way” more than he does the goal. The Christ conception represents “the way” in the sense that the way is sacrifice, out of which love arises. The Krishna conception represents that for which we not only should, but must sacrifice, compelled by the Godhead’s irresistible attributes, etc. depicted therein.

The Christian Ashram Movement, a movement within Christianity in India, embraces Vedanta and the teachings of the East, attempting to combine the Christian faith with the Hindu ashram model, and Christian monasticism with the Hindu sannyasa tradition. In Western countries, Vedanta has influenced some Christian thinkers (see also: Pierre Johanns, Abhishiktananda, Bede Griffiths), while others in the anti-cult movement have reacted against the activities of immigrant gurus and their followers.

Islam

Main article: Hindu–Islamic relations

Hindu–Islamic relations began when Islamic influence first came to be found in the Indian subcontinent during the early 7th century. Hinduism and Islam are two of the world's four largest religions. Hinduism is the socio-religious way of life of the Hindu people of the Indian subcontinent, their diaspora, and some other regions which had Hindu influence in the ancient and medieval times. Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion in which the supreme deity is Allah (Arabic: الله "the God": see God in Islam), the last Islamic prophet being Muhammad ibn Abdullah, whom Muslims believe delivered the Islamic scripture, the Quran. Hinduism mostly shares common terms with the other Indian religions, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Islam shares common characteristics with Abrahamic religions–those religions claiming descent from the prophet Abraham–being, from oldest to youngest, Judaism, Christianity, Islam.

The Qur'an is the primary Islamic scripture. Muslims believe it to be the verbatim, uncreated word of Allah. Second to this in religious authority, and whence many practices of Islam derive, especially for Sunnis, are the Sunni six major collections of hadīth, which are traditional records of the sayings and acts of Muhammad. The scriptures of Hinduism are the Shrutis (the four Vedas, which comprise the original Vedic Hymns, or Samhitas, and three tiers of commentaries upon the Samhitas, namely the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads); Furthermore, Hinduism is also based on the Smritis (including the Rāmāyana, the Bhagavad Gītā , and the Purānas), which are considered to be of secondary authority and of human creation of sages but the 18 Puranas.

Judaism

Main article: Hinduism and Judaism

Hinduism and Judaism are amongst the oldest existing religions in the world. They have shared a notable relationship throughout historical and modern times.

Other religions

Many theologians interpret Hinduism to teach that since all souls will eventually arrive at salvation, every religion can lead to it.

Baháʼí Faith

Main article: Baháʼí Faith and Hinduism

Hinduism is recognized in the Baháʼí Faith as one of four known religions and its scriptures are regarded as predicting the coming of Baháʼu'lláh (Kalki avatar). Krishna is included in the succession of Manifestations of God. The authenticity of the Hindu scriptures is seen as uncertain.

Zoroastrianism

Yezidism

Recently, some people have found similarities between the customs of Hindus and Yezidis, suggesting that in ancient times they may have even been one people. Recent comparisons and historical research between the two people have revealed many links that now thousands of Hindus and Yezidis believe that they are part of the same family.

References

"Ayyavazhi Religion" (Web page). religious-information.com. SBI. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
Samuel, Geoffrey (2010), The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century, Cambridge University Press
Y. Masih in A Comparative Study of Religions (2000), Motilal Banarsidass Publishers: Delhi, ISBN 81-208-0815-0 Page 18. "There is no evidence to show that Jainism and Buddhism ever subscribed to vedic sacrifices, vedic deities or caste. They are parallel or native religions of India and have contributed much to the growth of even classical Hinduism of the present times."
Chapple, Christopher (2008). "Asceticism and the environment". Cross Currents. 57 (4): 514–525.
A. E. Medlycott, India and The Apostle Thomas, pp.18–71; M. R. James, Apocryphal New Testament, pp.364–436; A. E. Medlycott, India and The Apostle Thomas, pp.1–17, 213–97; Eusebius, History, chapter 4:30; J. N. Farquhar, The Apostle Thomas in North India, chapter 4:30; V. A. Smith, Early History of India, p.235; L. W. Brown, The Indian Christians of St. Thomas, p.49-59.
The Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, by Paul Arthur Schilpp, page = 641
Tripurari, Swami, Christ, Krishna, Caitanya Archived 9 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, The Harmonist Archived 3 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, May 31, 2009.
Klostermaier, Klaus K. (2007). A Survey of Hinduism (3. ed.). Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press. pp. 46–49. ISBN 978-0-7914-7082-4.
Ellens, J.H. (2013). Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife: Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam [3 volumes]: Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. ABC-CLIO. p. 1-PA234. ISBN 978-1-4408-0184-6. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
MacNair, R.M. (2015). Religions and Nonviolence: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace: The Rise of Effective Advocacy for Peace. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-4408-3539-1. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
Smith, Peter (2000). "Indian religions". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 195. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
"Council of Dharmic Faiths UK". councilofdharmicfaithsuk.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
"Yezidis and Hindus: Re-Uniting as One People". yeziditruth.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2020.

External links

Hinduism

topics

Philosophy

Concepts

Puruṣārthas
- Dharma
- Artha
- Kama
- Moksha

Niti
- Ahimsa
- Asteya
- Aparigraha
- Brahmacharya
- Satya
- Dāna
- Damah
- Dayā
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Schools

Āstika: Samkhya
Yoga
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Vedanta
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Nāstika: Charvaka

Texts

Classification

Vedas

Rigveda Yajurveda Samaveda Atharvaveda
Divisions	Samhita Brahmana Aranyaka
Upanishads	Aitareya Kaushitaki Brihadaranyaka Isha Taittiriya Katha Maitrayaniya Shvetashvatara Chandogya Kena Mundaka Mandukya Prashna

Gods	Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Agni Dattatreya Ganesha Hanuman Indra Kartikeya Krishna Rama Surya Varuna Vayu more
Goddesses	Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Bhumi Durga Kali Mahavidya Matrika Radha Rukmini Sati Shakti Shashthi Sita more

Practices

Worship	Temple Murti Puja Bhakti Japa Bhajan Naivedhya Yajna Homa Tapas Dhyāna Tirthatana
Sanskaras	Garbhadhana Pumsavana Simantonayana Jatakarma Namakarana Nishkramana Annaprashana Chudakarana Karnavedha Vidyarambha Upanayana Keshanta Ritushuddhi Samavartanam Vivaha Antyeshti
Varnashrama	Varna Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra Ashrama Brahmacharya Grihastha Vanaprastha Sannyasa
Festivals	Diwali Holi Shivaratri Raksha Bandhan Navaratri Durga Puja Ramlila Vijayadashami Ganesh Chaturthi Rama Navami Janmashtami Onam Pongal Makar Sankranti New Year Bihu Gudi Padwa Pahela Baishakh Puthandu Vaisakhi Vishu Ugadi Kumbh Mela Haridwar Nashik Prayag Ujjain Ratha Yatra Teej Vasant Panchami Others
Other	Svādhyāya Namaste Bindi Tilaka