The core teachings of the 5 major world religions

I recently visited a Buddhist temple last weekend. And while engrossing myself in the temple's beauty and sacred atmosphere, I was reminded of the diversity of faiths that we have on the world. We have faiths dating back thousands of years that we have cling into for comfort, hope, and personal peace. Both eastern and western culture had their roots in religions that shaped not only civilization but also our early understanding of the human condition. For the longest time, these religions served as our moral and spiritual guides.

Given this, I find it inviting to revisit some of these faiths; explore and wonder about their messages, appreciate their ties with our culture, and ponder on their doctrines that have captured the heart and mind of man for centuries.

Here are the core teachings of the 5 Major World Religions:

Buddhism

Let's start with Buddhism. This religion originated from India, from the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Born a prince, he chose to live a spiritual life after witnessing the suffering of people outside the comforts of his palace. He spent his life grappling with the question of why man must suffer, and hoped to find a way out of it. 

After years of solitude and inquiry, he determined that both neglecting one's needs (ascetism) and on the other hand, indulging in pleasure (hedonism) can't lead to spiritual emancipation. Rather, he found out that the best path to take is one of moderation, one the buddhists call the middle way. In this frame of mind is how Siddhartha eventually become enlightened, he has attained what buddhists call Nirvana (a state of perfect happiness and peace) while sitting in the now famous Bodhi Tree.

Siddhartha realized the core teachings of Buddhism called The four noble truths and devised the Eight-fold path, a set of actions that leads one to Enlightenment.

The Four Noble Truths are:

1. Suffering is inevitable in life.

2. The root of our suffering is our desires and attachment to impermanent things.

3. Our suffering can be ended by the cessation of these attachments.

4. In order to bring this about, we must follow the Eight-fold path.

The Eight-Fold path includes:

1. Having a right view. (Commitment to truth)

2. Having the right intentions. (Commitment to spiritual life)

3. Having right speech. (Speak no evil)

4. Having right actions. (Being ethical and non-indulgent)

5. Having a right Livelihood. (Having a respectful job; Living in moderation)

6. Having right effort. (Acting with a clear conscience)

7. Having right mindfulness. (Taking responsibility for one's thoughts)

8. Having right concentration. (A life spent in meditation)

Islam

Islam, translated in English as "submission," was founded by the Prophet Muhammad. It has Arabic roots, and its center of worship is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. For most of his Life, Muhammad was a merchant but he was also interested in the mysteries of faith. At age 40, while meditating in a cave, he saw visions given by the angel Gabriel (The same Gabriel from the Christian faith.) These revelations would be compiled and would become what we know of as the Quran. 

Islam is a monotheistic faith. Muslims call god Allah, translated in English as "the God." They consider prophets like Muhammed as messengers of God rather than people to be worshipped. Their Priests, called Imam, acts in this way by serving as leaders in interpreting the Quran. 

The core beliefs of Islam are:

1. Allah is the one true God.

2. Prophets are messengers of God, and Muhammad is the best and the last one. (Unbeknownst to many, Islam acknowledges Jesus, Moses, David and, other figures of the Christian faith as real prophets.)

3. Angels are real. Like Prophets, they act as messengers of God.

4. Angels and prophets are mediums for revelations. Through them, the word and will of Allah are brought about. These revelations can be found in the Quran, which contains the literal words of Allah.

5. There will be a day of judgment. At the end times, Allah will punish the wicked and reward the virtuous.

In living, they have the 5 core pillars of Islam as their guide:

1. Shahada: The profession of faith. (Believing that there is only one God: Allah, and Muhammad is his last prophet.)

2.  Salah: Prayer. (Praying five times a day facing Mecca.)

3. Zakat: Charity. (Helping people in need. Muslims are decreed to share 2.5% of their wealth to the poor.)

4. Sawm: Fasting. (Done during Ramadan, a month which Muslims believed Muhammad got his revelations.)

5. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca. (If able, a Muslim must visit Mecca, the center of their faith, once in their lifetime.)

Hinduism

Though still debated, Hinduism is considered the oldest of the 5 major world religions. Today, it remains to be a faith diverse in itself, symbolized by multiple gods, and multiple ways of worshipping them. Hinduism also originated in India but predates Buddhism for thousands of years. 

Hindus, like Christianity, have a trinity that they adhere to. Their main Gods are Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer.) Hindus believe that the universe is made of a single thing called Brahman-the true and eternal essence of everything. One of the main goals of the faith is to bring people back into this essence, merging into its totality and escaping the cycle of Samsara or rebirth. 

A well-known concept relating to this cycle is Karma. Hinduism preserves the idea that each of us are souls being reincarnated since the beginning of time. Having good Karma (good action) ensures one's reincarnation will be a pleasant one. Bad Karma, on the other hand, can cause one to be reincarnated in a lowly form. 

Hinduism's holy texts are called the Vedas. They are believed to be written by ancient prophets through revelations. The Vedas are composed of four main books but over time become accompanied by now more famous texts such as the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The other principles of Hinduism includes:

1. Dharma: Hindus believed that each life has their own Dharma, a duty which should be fulfilled as decreed by Brahman. A singer's dharma is to sing, a swimmer to swim, and a teacher, to teach. 

2. Atman: Hindus call people's soul Atman. It is immortal and is the one subjected to karma and rebirth.

4. Caste: A social order decreed by the Vedas stating the way society must be structured. The are 5 main castes: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriya (Warriors), Vaishya (merchants), and Sudras (peasants).

3. Moksha: Hindus' ideal of spiritual release. An individual who has attained moksha is now at one with Brahman. 

In order to attain spiritual liberation, Hindus practice:

1.Fulfilling their Dharma.

2. Gaining Artha. (Economic and Material stability)

3. Kama (Desire for love and emotional well-being)

4. Moksha (The culmination of the other virtues and the goal of the religion itself.)

Christianity

Christians comprises 33.11% of the present world population. It is the most widespread and accepted religion in many parts of the world. The Christian faith is founded upon the teaching of Jesus Christ, a spiritual teacher from Nazareth, Israel. Christians consider Jesus as the Messiah-their savior from sins. During his time, Jesus performed miracles and preached spiritual lessons to people around Israel. The greatest miracle of them all being his supposed resurrection after his death. His resurrection is the basis for another core principle called the good news, declaring all people to rejoice because Jesus proved that there's life beyond death.

Jesus's works was chronicled in four books called the Gospels, which comprises the majority of the whole Christian texts called The New Testament. Christian belief is structured into classifying God as a Trinity. They maintain that God has three personas: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

Other pillars of the Christian Faith includes:

1. The Pope: The present leader of the Church, ruling in succession starting from Peter, one of Jesus' Twelve Disciples.

2. The virgin Mary: Mother of Jesus Christ, whom in turn became known as the mother of the church.

3. Christmas day: Celebrated in December 25 of each year. A day spent in honor Jesus Christ's birth.

4. Holy week: A week spent remembering the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

To live by their faith, Christians practice the 7 Sacraments:

1. Baptism: A rite of washing away sins and welcoming a person to the Christian faith.

2. Eucharist: Also called communion. A ceremony during mass where Christians remember Christ sacrifice by eating a bread (symbolizing Jesus's body) and drinking wine (symbolizing Jesus's blood.)

3. Confirmation: An affirmation of one's faith, often performed when one is matured enough to understand and commit to the Christian way of life.

4. Confession: Absolving of one's sins by confessing to a priest and asking for God's forgiveness. 

5. Anointing of the sick: A blessing done to those who are in old age or to those who are nearing death because of sickness.

6. Marriage: The blessed union of a man and a woman becoming husband and wife.

7. The Holy Order: The profession of becoming a priest.

Judaism

Judaism is a monotheistic religion that also originated in the middle east. It is the religion of the Jewish people of present day Israel. According to Jewish lore, the faith started when a man named Abraham entered a covenant with a God called Yahweh, promising Abraham of a pleasant future along with his descendants. Abraham was then commanded to take his family into the promised land (Israel) to live there and prosper.

The holy scriptures of Judaism are called the Tanakh and it is comprised of 3 main texts: the Ketuvim, Nevi'im, and the most widely known, the Torah. The Torah is composed of 5 books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) chronicling the history, journey, and relationship of the Jews with Yahweh. Other prominent figures in Jewish faith includes Moses, King David, King Solomon, and  Jacob.

Jews consider God as a a single entity, all powerful, all knowing, and ever present. A benevolent law giver akin to a father, forever caring for the welfare of his people. Jewish practices are often convergent with their history. They perform rituals and acts in remembrance of their ancestors. Some notable examples are the Feast of Passover (commemorating Jew's freedom from Egyptian enslavement), the Hanukkah (a festival for the recovery of Jerusalem, Jew's holy city) and Sabbath (Resting on the 7th day of the week just like Yahweh in the story of creation.)

Other components of Jewish faith includes:

1. Rabbis: Their master of ceremonies and spiritual leaders. They help interpret and preach the message of the Tanakh.

2. Synagogue: Jews' place of worship.

3. Menorah: A seven branched candle used during rituals and festivities.

4. The Star of David: A hexagram symbol for Jewish Identity and faith.

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Conclusion

These religions continue to be subjects of curiosity, study, and worship today. The literatures, practices and customs that have sprung up from them remains embedded and ingrained in mankind's collective psyche. They are undeniable parts of our history, culture, and identity. Most importantly, they are reminders for us to seek our spiritual-wellbeing, no matter what practice or faith we are drawn to find it.

References:

Videos

The School of Life, History of Ideas: Religion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge071m9bGeY 

Ted-Ed, The 5 major world religions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6dCxo7t_aE Ted-Ed

I am your target demographic, Buddhism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjtWtakwsjw&t=295s

I am your Target demographic, Islam - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lH2C63CFKY&t=511s

I am your target demographic, Judaism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErYW9dhylb8&t=516s

Cogito, Hinduism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBEEuYIWwY&t=569s

Cogito, Judaism - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VAylWxDQfk&t=85s

Articles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_David

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevi%27im

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_and_Judaism

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/articles/the-8-oldest-religions-in-the-world/

https://www.britannica.com/story/which-religion-is-the-oldest