Inclusiveness Of Religions-A Ramzan Thought. Poem by Narayanan Nair. P Perunthanam

Inclusiveness Of Religions-A Ramzan Thought.



INCLUSIVENESS OF RELIGIONS
The world is under the grip of religions. Webster's New World College Dictionary defines the term "religion" as " any specific system of belief and worship. Often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy" or" any system of beliefs, practices, ethical values etc. resembling, suggestive of, or likened to such a system". Judaism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Persian Mazdayasna, Buddhism, Christianity, Muhammadanism (Islam) , Sikhism etc, are in a sense culturally overlapping groups in this system.Hinduis is a composite one of all these. As Guruji Golwalkar in an interview with Dr, Saifuddin Gilani, a journalist in Culcutta, in 1971 said that when Hindus study their religion well, they will be able to understand other better and vice versa. Inclusiveness of religion is an area of comparative study on religions.
In Hindu philosophy there are two branches: idolatry and negation of it. In idol worship different forms of assumed shapes of gods are made and temples are made for their worship. In Hinduism' Bhagavt Gita' tells that those who see Me in idol- forms of human are belittling Me because I am God of gods having no birth or death.(Ch.9: 11) .In certain groups in Christianity and Islam idol worship is prohibited. Witnesses of Jehovah and Pentecost groups in Christianity negates idolatry while Roman Catholics groups do use symbols (idols) to worship. The Bible advises not to make images and worship. The Qur'an also tells not to make idols and worship and follow the path of Ibrahim(R) who logically proved that idols cannot do any thing to themselves or others. But in course of time people deviate from the religious directions originally prescribed. So prophets or religious reformers will emerge to clear the ugly paths in religions. Radical thoughts cause new ramifications of the orthodoxy religions. Thus we have religions extant in this world.
For all religions in truth there is only One God. According to language differences and geographical variations the word used for God may differ or their pronunciations may differ. The sense is the same. So, we call the Almighty: Creator, Protector, and Destroyer Allah. Brahma, Jehovah, Ahura Mazda(Fire) etc.
"(God) I am the Seed of all seeds and radiance of all illuminating objects(Bhagavat Gita,7: 10) The Vedic Books are the proof of it. According to holy Qur'an, Allah is One, He has not born of any one. He is not father of any one. He is unique and incomparable.(Ch.112: 1-4) .He is Omnipresent.(Ch,58: 2: 7) . "Tell, It is He who created all and gave sight and hearing to you"."It is He who multiplied you on this earth and at the end you all be gathered to Him'.(Ch.63: 23-24) .Kenopanishad, Slokas 7 and 8 reveal this same idea."One cannot see Him but, because of Him one sees things. And, one cannot hear of Him but one hears by Him.(With out God one cannot hear or see; but He is intangible or abstract. Kenopanishad, Sloka one clears this.'By whose presence the sensory organs ears, eyes, function tongue talk, mind functions, oxygen moves in, "that is Atma". In Mechanical Engineering Force is defined as "that which moves an object from one point to the other "."Atma hi Brahama" This Atma is Brama. This vital force is the Universal Force(Almighty) Poet William Wordsworth of Pantheistic Philosophy calls it "Universal Soul". American poet and thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson calls it Being(Brahma)
"All the things on earth will die except the Face of your Lord."(The creatures will have an end while only the Creator will remain for ever.) -Ch.55: 26-27) You are created by Him and unto Him you shall return(Ch.23: 79) .Swethaswatharopanishad, (Ch, I Sloka10) tells, "Ksharam pradhana amruthaksharam Hara"(Pkruti(Nature created) will dies and Hara(God) alone will remain. Mandukyopanishad teaches, "Esha sarvewswara esha sarvgna/ eshayantharyamye yoni; sarvasya/prabha vapyau hi bhoothanam."(He is the Iswara-Protector- of all. He is Knower of all. He is the root Cause of all and to Him all returns.(sloka,6) .In Islam He is Rub in this sense. He is the Jehovah.
The Bible, Deuteronomy,5: 6 points out that There is only one God."I am the Lord your God….You shall have no other gods before me….You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them…'
Now it is very clear that all are created by the Same God whom we call by thousand names in innumerable languages. As we are all from the same source we are One. "Viswa roopa Darshan"(Every thing emerge from Him and everything submerge in Him") of Lord Rama depicted in Ramayana, and Lord Krishana, (in Bhagavat Gita) there is no need of fighting. As Qur'an tells all groupisms and conflicts are out of personal competitive interests(rivalry) (2: 213) . An the institutionalization of religion and using it for grabbing power. As the whole water particles are made of Hydrogen and Oxygen: the souls one and the Souls is One. Every thing is inclusive. As Lord Buddha said "Whatsoever is originated will be dissolve again "Let is take a middle path keeping aloof from both extremes."Thathagath has found this Middle Path "The wise exhibit neither elation nor depression"Buddha said.So all religions tell us to control our lust, passion or desire that lead us to evils and sorrows.Bhagavat Gita tells, " Sama dukha sugha sam kshami"(Only the man of patience to take sorrow and delight equally will get a peaceful life. God is pleased with such dedicate ones. (Ch.12; 13-14)
You will be rewarded by your actions. You will not be asked of others actions and they will have their reward for their actions.(Qur'an,2: 134,2: 139 and 141) . Bhagavat Gita speaks of Karma Yoga in detail and need to psychological refinement.Actions are to be guided by virtuous(certain good) thoughts. The ten Commandments of the Bible, the Eight fold Path of Lord Buddha and the Precepts of Islam are the more or less the same. The eight Fold Paths are: 1.Right Understanding(free from Superstitions) ,2.Right thought (intelligent critical thinking) 3.Right Speech(open, kindly, truthful) ,4.Right Action: honest an pure, peaceful) ,5.Right livelihood(not hurting or endangering others) ,6.Right Effort(self restrained effort) 7.Right Mindfulness(active observing, watchful mind) ,8.Right Concentration deep meditation on realities of life) And the Five Percepts of Buddhism are: 1 Abstain from killing, stealing, adultery, lying, and using liquor. In Qur'an it is referred as Halal(allowed) habits. In Mazdyasna(Persian religion on the three Ethics are: HU'MATA=Righteous thoughts, HU ‘UKTA=Righteous words, HUWARSHTA= Righteous deeds. These Three are the "Tri Ratnas" of Jainism too. These are the right path that the prayer "Fathiha"(Ch.1-7) . of Qur'an pleads from Allah To Guru Nanak, "God is One, God is Love, God is unity."….Devotion to God and service to mankind irrespective of caste creed or colour are the duty of every one"(Thus Spake Guru Nanak. Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, p.9.) . Love. Forgiveness, compassion, unity as human beings as intelligent ones are the basic concepts all religious suggest for liberation of our souls from evils and the consequent sorrows. The theme is the same but approaches are different so one can reckon all others naturally.(Ref. Thus Spake Books of Ramakrishan Math, Chennai and the Vedic Books.)
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