Buddha, His Life and Teachings
AB Theology III
October 2013
Comparative Religion and Cults
The Concept of Salvation in Hinduism
Essay
The concept of salvation is present in almost all religions in its own distinct way. The primary purpose of all religions is to provide salvation to their followers and the existence of many different religions indicates that there is a great variety of opinion about what constitutes salvation and the means of achieving it.
The term salvation can be meaningfully used in connection with so many religions, however, shows that it distinguishes a notion common to men and women of a wide range of cultural traditions. The monotheistic religions state that barrier between human and God is a sin.
The monotheistic religions define salvation as entering a state of eternal communion with God, which means that personhood will not be abolished but perfected. However, they differ greatly on the way one can be saved and on the role Jesus Christ has in it. According to Judaism and Islam, salvation is attained by performing good deeds and following the moral law. According to Christianity this is not enough and the role of Jesus Christ as Savior is essential.
Hindus view salvation differently to Christians. For Hindus the problem is attachment to the material aspects of this world. Within Hinduism, a person aims to be relieved of the endless cycle of reincarnations and be released into the great One, Brahman, to become synonymous with this ultimate being. The body reincarnates from body to body until it achieves this final release which “is achieved when it is believed that no self exists in the body apart from the one universal self”
--Salvation, for the Hindu, can be achieved in one of three ways:
The Way of Works, The Way of Knowledge, or The Way of Devotion.
The Way of Works- karma marga, is the path to salvation through religious duty. The Way of Knowledge- another way of achieving salvation in the
October 2013
Comparative Religion and Cults
The Concept of Salvation in Hinduism
Essay
The concept of salvation is present in almost all religions in its own distinct way. The primary purpose of all religions is to provide salvation to their followers and the existence of many different religions indicates that there is a great variety of opinion about what constitutes salvation and the means of achieving it.
The term salvation can be meaningfully used in connection with so many religions, however, shows that it distinguishes a notion common to men and women of a wide range of cultural traditions. The monotheistic religions state that barrier between human and God is a sin.
The monotheistic religions define salvation as entering a state of eternal communion with God, which means that personhood will not be abolished but perfected. However, they differ greatly on the way one can be saved and on the role Jesus Christ has in it. According to Judaism and Islam, salvation is attained by performing good deeds and following the moral law. According to Christianity this is not enough and the role of Jesus Christ as Savior is essential.
Hindus view salvation differently to Christians. For Hindus the problem is attachment to the material aspects of this world. Within Hinduism, a person aims to be relieved of the endless cycle of reincarnations and be released into the great One, Brahman, to become synonymous with this ultimate being. The body reincarnates from body to body until it achieves this final release which “is achieved when it is believed that no self exists in the body apart from the one universal self”
--Salvation, for the Hindu, can be achieved in one of three ways:
The Way of Works, The Way of Knowledge, or The Way of Devotion.
The Way of Works- karma marga, is the path to salvation through religious duty. The Way of Knowledge- another way of achieving salvation in the