Religious Development in China and India

Religious Development in China and India
Religion is one of the biggest driving forces in History. Different cultures have different religions, causing differences in morals, and points of views, creating conflict. Even more important is the development of religion in different regions of the world. The development of religion means a spread of new ideas and traditions within a culture. Two Cultures that display Religious development are the Chinese and Indian cultures.
The development of Chinese religion is significant by influence from other cultures. Early in Chinese culture, around the time of the Qin, the Chinese created religions completely independent of any other religions in the world. Confucianism and Daoism are separate from other world religions popular at the time because they were more philosophical than religious. Other religions in the world at this time were mainly monotheistic, like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each of these three religions centered around the worship of one God, all influenced by each other, and are very similar. Where as the Chinese religions are more of a philosophical way of living and understanding of life, and moral values. Then later, with the arrival of the silk road, came influences from other cultures, and introductions to a new religion, Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion from India, that appealed to China probably because of its similarity to its own religions. This religion was also philosophical in that it provided a guide to living life and achieving the afterlife, but also, did not center around a God. Buddhism was brought by two missionaries to China through the silk road from India. As Buddhist teachings became more widespread in China, it became one of the three predominant religions in Chinese culture. When Chinese isolation was penetrated by other cultures through the silk road, new religions were introduced and incorporated into the unique, already existing religions and lifestyle of China.
Indian religions were founded and built upon the basis of their early religions. The early Harappan people had a polytheistic religion, and are thought to have been the inspirations for Hindu gods. With influence from the arrival of Aryans in India, around 1500 BC, came the religion Hinduism. Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, centering around the idea of reincarnation. From the existence of Hinduism, came the religion Buddhsim. Buddhism is a religion based singularly on the teachings of Buddha, and like Hinduism, reincarnation. Also, with this new religion came new practices like meditation. Meditation was a way for Buddhists to gain insight on Nirvana, and free themselves from the cycle of reincarnation. The spread of the idea to free oneself from the reincarnation cycle influenced the rise of another religion. This religion is called Jainism, and Jains believed that the way to escape reincarnation was to always be good. Jains had to be kind to people, animals, tell the truth, and never be greedy. Most Indian people were either Hindu or Buddhist, though their popularities fluctuate from time to time. Indian religion development is directly influenced, and built upon qualities of previous Indian religions.
Major Chinese and Indian religions develop as the countries they belong to mature. Both Chinese and Indian religions began in the small cultures that fueled their development into vast empires. The religions developed influenced that societies beliefs and ways of life through their religious traditions. Though the two countires religions developed differently. Chinese religion developed from its own, to being influenced from other cultures, allowing for a spread of new ideas. Indian religions developed from the building of one idea from a religion, and incorporating that idea into another religion. Indian religions seem to have more internally influenced, rather than completely new ideas approaching from different cultures. The development of a societies religion is a good indicator on the cultures political, and social development as well.