Similarities Between Abrahamic & Dharmic Religions?

[wizanda]

So this thread is only for posting all the similarities that we notice; since some people think they're so alien to each other, when we can find they might even stem from the same roots.

• Brahman comes from the from root bṛh-, means "to be or make firm, strong, solid, expand, promote".[22], and YHVH, means lord to be or shall be.
• Brahma/YHVH created the reality through some form of word.
• Both have concepts of Heaven & Hell.
• Both have multiple different sects, with totally different concepts.
• Both believe in a concept of doing good works (karma).
• Both have devotional worship (bhakti).
• Both have forms of meditating upon the divine.
• Both believe in giving up material desires for the divine.
• Both have sacrifices for the divine.
• Both have concepts of atonement.
• Both have a concept of salvation from this world.
• Both have similar eschatology.
• Both think the soul is a breath, as do other cultures.
• Both have concepts of an infinite soul.
• Both believe in being righteous for the divine.
• Both have tons of literature, and discussion on their different aspects.
• Both have concepts of God being 'I Am'.
• Both have concepts of reincarnation (gilgul).
• etc.....

Please add to the list, as that is only a quick look....

Obviously there are tons of differences as well; yet what can we find that unifies the two religions.

 

[Jainarayan]

Brahman comes from root to be

Nope. "I am" in Sanskrit is aham asmi. The infinitive, "to be" is as. Brahman comes from the root bṛh "to grow", "swell", "expand". There is a Mahāvākya (great saying), aham brahmāsmi ("I am Brahman") from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Grammatically there's a vague connection between Brahman the eternal, ineffable and ground of being, and Brahmā the creator deity. But neither has anything to do with the verb to be, or any conjugation of it.

 

[Jainarayan]

• Both have concepts of atonement.

• Both have a concept of salvation from this world

• Both think the soul is a breath, as do other cultures.

• Both believe in being righteous for the divine.

• Both have concepts of God being 'I Am'.

Not really. The last one is unquestionably not true.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Both believe in a concept of doing good works, devotional worship, and forms of meditating upon the divine

How many religions lack these?

Both have concepts of Heaven & Hell, concepts of atonement, similar eschatology

Not in Hinduism as I know it.

Both believe in giving up material desires for the divine and a concept of salvation from this world.

This is not much in evidence in the earliest Hindu texts. Many scholars consider rejection of the world in Hinduism as a contamination from the Jain and Buddhist faiths.

 

[LuisDantas]

• Brahman comes from root to be, and YHVH, means lord to be or shall be.
• Brahma/YHVH created the reality through some form of word.

I'm fairly certain that this is not a typical belief of Dharmic religions. It is not necessarily typical and central even for Hinduism, although I would not know for certain.

• Both have concepts of Heaven & Hell.

It is a bit misleading to say that. Even some Abrahamisms don't really have those. IIRC Seventh-Day Adventism specifically denies Hell and ancient Judaism lacks the Heaven concept.

Not sure about Taoism, but it would surprise me if it had something quite similar to Christian/Muslim conceptions of Heaven and Hell.

Buddhism has them, but their role is fairly at odds with the Abrahamic understanding.

• Both have multiple different sects, with totally different concepts.

And Abrahamics make a big deal out of it, while Dharmics tend not to.

• Both believe in a concept of doing good works (karma).

Not an universal belief in Christianity. Some groups specifically insist that it is faith and not works that are worthy.

• Both have devotional worship (bhakti).
• Both have forms of meditating upon the divine.
• Both believe in giving up material desires for the divine.
• Both have sacrifices for the divine.
• Both have concepts of atonement.
• Both have a concept of salvation from this world.

All of those are questionable at best. Salvation, particularly, is a very Christian concept with rather tentative equivalents in any other religion.

• Both have similar eschatology.

I don't think so.

• Both think the soul is a breath, as do other cultures.

We Buddhists don't have no soul, no sir! That is Anatta for you.

Hindus have Atman, but its role is not always quite comparable to that of a soul. Not sure about other faiths.

• Both have concepts of an infinite soul.
• Both believe in being righteous for the divine.
• Both have tons of literature, and discussion on their different aspects.
• Both have concepts of God being 'I Am'.
• Both have concepts of reincarnation (gilgul).
• etc.....

Again, all of these are tentative at best. Reincarnation, particularly, is specifically denied in Buddhism. And I am not even sure what you mean by "God being "I Am".

 

[Jainarayan]

Not in Hinduism as I know it.

You sir, are correcto-mundo. Heaven (Svarga) and Hell (Naraka) are temporary "waiting areas" for the next incarnation. There are myriad beliefs in Hinduism about fate of the soul. There's really no such thing as atonement. The word tapas, usually translated as penance isn't. It's more like performing austeries to obtain some favor from some deity or other power.

This is not much in evidence in the earliest Hindu texts. Many scholars consider rejection of the world in Hinduism as a contamination from the Jain and Buddhist faiths.

Yep, Hinduism is actually world-affirming. There are the four puruṣārthas, goals of life:
Dharma - your values and life's path, righteousness.
Artha - working for a living, prosperity.
Kāma - pleasure, love, desire. Note that these are not seen as bad or to be rejected.
Mokṣa - liberation, spiritual values.

 

[wizanda]

Maybe i shouldn't have posted it in the debate section, was expecting to come back with other similarities as asking, and only got arguments.

Shows how little anyone pays attention....Can you please move this to comparative religions, since people can't be trusted to follow the OP instructions.

Hindus have Atman, but its role is not always quite comparable to that of a soul

Nephesh comes from nâphash - A primitive root; to breathe + Atman is related to etmen a root meaning "breath"....As saying same applies in Greek and many cultures.

 

[LuisDantas]

Maybe i shouldn't have posted it in the debate section, was expecting to come back with other similarities as asking, and only got arguments.

Shows how little anyone pays attention....Can you please move this to comparative religions, since people can't be trusted to follow the OP instructions.

You want to evidence the existence of agreement by silencing disagreements? Are you sure that can work?

Nephesh comes from nâphash - A primitive root; to breathe + Atman is related to etmen a root meaning "breath"....As saying same applies in Greek and many cultures.

So?

 

[wizanda]

You want to evidence the existence of agreement by silencing disagreements? Are you sure that can work?

Nope it wouldn't work, was looking for ideas of similarities; as people are so quick to show how they hate, and sick of it.

Don't mind discussing relative ideas, yet if all people have is why stuff is wrong, without being able to give; then think I'd rather not bother.

Peace

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Nope it wouldn't work, was looking for ideas of similarities; as people are so quick to show how they hate, and sick of it.

Don't mind discussing relative ideas, yet if all people have is why stuff is wrong, without being able to give; then think I'd rather not bother.

Peace

Namaste,

Look, maybe you are taking this the wrong way, what many on this post and as from our previous discussion (on Kalki Avatar) have actually tried to explain and get across is that coincidences are not necessarily similarities, No one (at-least in this thread) has said a word of hate, just because we don't agree with the similarities does not mean we are wrong or we propagate hate or we don't want some sort of unity, at least i don't think this way.

Why cant we have unity with diversity? Why cant we actually appreciate our distinctness and plurality? why not celebrate our difference? why does emphasizing differences cause conflict? why cant we treat each other with respect without having to be the same in all regards?

Why do we need similarities to have Oneness?

Anyways, just saying

 

[Rajina]

So this thread is only for posting all the similarities that we notice; since some people think they're so alien to each other, when we can find they might even stem from the same roots.

• Brahman comes from root to be, and YHVH, means lord to be or shall be.
• Brahma/YHVH created the reality through some form of word.
• Both have concepts of Heaven & Hell.
• Both have multiple different sects, with totally different concepts.
• Both believe in a concept of doing good works (karma).
• Both have devotional worship (bhakti).
• Both have forms of meditating upon the divine.
• Both believe in giving up material desires for the divine.
• Both have sacrifices for the divine.
• Both have concepts of atonement.
• Both have a concept of salvation from this world.
• Both have similar eschatology.
• Both think the soul is a breath, as do other cultures.
• Both have concepts of an infinite soul.
• Both believe in being righteous for the divine.
• Both have tons of literature, and discussion on their different aspects.
• Both have concepts of God being 'I Am'.
• Both have concepts of reincarnation (gilgul).
• etc.....

Please add to the list, as that is only a quick look....

Obviously there are tons of differences as well; yet what can we find that unifies the two religions.

Both considers idol worship as an act of ignorance.

Hindus might not agree with this, but their scriptures and their great scholars who lived in the past agree with this.

Bhagavat Gita 7-24: "The ignorant believe that un-manifest Para Brahma (One God) incarnates or takes manifestations, because they do not completely understand My highest, immutable, incomparable, and transcendental existence."

Bhagavat Gita 7:19-21: "All those who do idol worship, All those who worship demigods are materialistic people."

Yajur Veda 40:8: "All those who worship the uncreated things, they are in darkness, and you'll enter more into darkness if you worship the created things."

Rig Veda, Vol.6,45:16: "There is only One God, worship Him."

 

[Rick O'Shez]

yet what can we find that unifies the two religions.

Why would we want to unify them? Is it not better to understand and respect the differences?

 

[wizanda]

Actually I'm glad this is in debate.... Gives us a chance to debate people's ignorance of the topic.

Why do we need similarities

Is it not better to understand and respect the differences?

Because the thread is only about similarities, and if people are ignorant to recognize that; then clearly it says a lot about how they're so quick to hate (intense dislike); before even recognizing the context of something, they go to debunk it.

What is amazing is respect to all the Muslims, who have all posted inline with the topic.

We Buddhists

Really Sorry, didn't take into account Buddhism...

Can you do a list of Buddhist similarities with Abrahmic?...

I will at some point, yet might start it in the right section, since people are incapable of sharing, before taking first.

 

[LuisDantas]

Actually I'm glad this is in debate.... Gives us a chance to debate people's ignorance of the topic.

Having just recently created a thread with much the opposite goal, I don't particularly agree that ignorance of similarities is a problem.

Now, undue territorialism over minor doctrinary variations (e.g., the insistence that Trinitarianism and Henotheism are doctrinarily very different from Monotheism), that is a significant hurdle worth dissolving.

But ultimately I feel that you are inviting us to throw out the baby, the bathtube and the water in order to keep the dust.

Because the thread is only about similarities, and if people are ignorant to recognize that; then clearly is says a lot about how they're so quick to hate (intense dislike); before even recognizing the context of something, they go to debunk it.

I don't think so, Wizanda. May I suggest you take a look at the "What is Sampradaya" thread in the Hinduism DIR?

There is very significant harm in attempting to gloss over the actual doctrinary differences. Many teachings can be and are in fact destructive when taken without the due environment and corrective measures to prevent misuse. Among those, Heaven and Hell, Monotheism and Reincarnation. Even Karma, really.

What is amazing is respect to all the Muslims, who have all posted inline with the topic.

Yeah. That was expected, and very worrisome.

Really Sorry, didn't take into account Buddhism...

Can you do a list of Buddhist similarities with Abrahmic?...

Both were created by people and were spurred by attempts at dealing with human anxieties.

Really, that is it, AFAIK.

I will at some point, yet might start it in the right section, since people are incapable of sharing, before taking first.

Accuracy is worthy.

 

[wizanda]

Why would we want to unify them?

Because it is the topic of the thread.

I don't particularly agree that ignorance of similarities is a problem.

The topic is clearly identified by the OP, not on about in general; specifically asked for only similarities, and not to post differences, to see if people are just rude, and don't pay attention....Thus people are ignorant of what is being asked.

Oneness?

The thread isn't about Oneness; it is clearly just about similarities between Abrahamic and Dharmic traditions, to see if we can find common ground.

But ultimately I feel that you are inviting us to throw out the baby, the bathtube and the water in order to keep the dust.

The are a million and one differences said that at the end of the OP, and am respectful they're totally different concepts in many ways.

 

[LuisDantas]

Another way of putting it, @wizanda , is that specific doctrines (or Sampradayas, or schools) are somewhat similar to languages, in that it is often necessary to have a degree of fluency on the basics before constructive use of the specifics can be attained.

 

[LuisDantas]

Oh, one thing that IMO all religions have in common is that they benefit from the wisdom of their adherents who reinterpret and furtther the doctrine to the best of their abilities, except that they don't always know how to welcome that change.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

why not celebrate our difference?

I rather like the diversity, it means there is something to suit every taste.

 

[Desert Snake]

Krishna, Christ
trimurti, trinity

 

[Jainarayan]

Both considers idol worship as an act of ignorance.

Hindus might not agree with this, but their scriptures and their great scholars who lived in the past agree with this.

Bhagavat Gita 7-24: "The ignorant believe that un-manifest Para Brahma (One God) incarnates or takes manifestations, because they do not completely understand My highest, immutable, incomparable, and transcendental existence."

Bhagavat Gita 7:19-21: "All those who do idol worship, All those who worship demigods are materialistic people."

Yajur Veda 40:8: "All those who worship the uncreated things, they are in darkness, and you'll enter more into darkness if you worship the created things."

Rig Veda, Vol.6,45:16: "There is only One God, worship Him."

Hindus do agree that idol worship is ignorant. But Hindus do not worship idols. We worship the god/dess within the idol. The god/dess takes up residence in the idol, but only if the idol has been properly "energized". You've taken those verses completely out of context, and only at face value, without benefit of explanation by a qualified spiritual master.

Read the commentaries:
http://asitis.com/7/24.html
http://asitis.com/7/19.html
http://asitis.com/7/20.html
http://asitis.com/7/21.html

Also consider 12.5 http://asitis.com/12/5.html

https://sanatansinhnaad.wordpress.c...alf-quoted-verses-of-yajurveda-by-zakir-naik/