Page Developed by: Vivian Lee, 2007

Background
Religion was, and still is, India's central driving force. India has always been known as a very spiritual and religious nation. In this part of the world, religion is not only a practice but a way of life. There have been several religions in ancient India, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Buddhism

A statue of Buddha.

In the beginning of the Gupta Era, Buddhism, also known as Buddha Dharma, was the most prevalent faith. Gautama Buddha, born in 560 BCE, was the founder of this dharmic, non-theistic religion. Buddhism is often referred to as a philosophy, and even a system of psychology. The legends of Buddha inspired countless sculptures, literatures, and art in India.

Hinduism

 A religious drawing of Gsarawt.

Hinduism is a religious, philosophical, and cultural system that originated and flourished in India. The Hindu religion believes in the Divine Spirit, Brahma, which is the ultimate soul with no form. Brahma is manifested in a pantheon of gods and goddesses; there are ten in total including Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, and Mahavira. Hinduism is a religion of total non-violence and the conservation of all lifeforms.

Jainism

Religous carvings.

Jainism is the third largest religion in Ancient India – a religion that stresses the spiritual independence and equality of all life. It particularly emphasizes non-violence, and insists that we live, think, and act respectfully. Jains believe in Moksha, and that all living things have a jiva.

Sikhism

An illustration of Guru Nanak Patshah

Sikhism promotes the search of salvation through disciplined and personal meditation on the name and message of God. The followers of this religion follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus and the Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib. The Sikh’s traditions and teachings are evidently associated with the history, society and culture of Punjab.

Other Religions
Other religions existed in Ancient India including Islam, Ayyavazhi, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Judaism, and Bahá'í Faith.

Many of the religions that exist in India

Historical Significance

The historical significance of religion to India is its importance to the civilization. India’s culture, art, history and tradition are completely enveloped around faith and religion. For the majority of those who lived in Ancient India, religion pervaded every aspect of life, from daily chores to education to politics. Religion is India’s most influential and infamous aspect and it is what helps define the nation. Hinduism originated from India, and today it is a faith that is practiced and studied all over the world, making up for one third of the world’s religion.

Interesting Facts
Hindu's believed in a deified form of an actual historical hero by the name of Krishna. Legend told that Krishna was a young cowherd, and one day she took her cattle to drink from the lake. A fearsome serpent by the name of Kaliya suddenly pulled the cattle underneath the lake, but Krishna was brave and dived in to save them. She killed Kaliya after a long battle and saved the cattle.

Krishna was also stated to be in a love affair with Radha, Krishna's consort. This love affair touched Indian culture and sparked many plays, art, and literature.

Terms and Definitions

Moksha: liberation and bliss (nirvana) from the cycle of rebirth; freedom from the differentiated, temporal, and mortal world of ordinary experience.

Jiva: the individual soul or life monad, compared to a transparent crystal stained by karmic matter with colors, or lesyas, of varying hues; all such monads collectively, regarded as the animating principle of the universe.

Dharmic: the essential function or nature of a thing.

Non-theistic: a range of concepts regarding spirituality and religion which do not include the idea of a deity.

Deity: divine character or nature, esp. that of the Supreme Being; divinity.

Salvation: deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.

Guru: a preceptor giving personal religious instruction.

Guru Granth Sahib: the holy text of Sikhism

Punjab: a historical region on northwestern India and northern Pakistan.

A cultural map of Ancient India

 Related Links
•Crysalinks: Religion In Ancient India
•Religions of India
•India: Religions and Philosophy

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