What is Religion?
1. The word " religion " is an indefinite word with no fixed meaning.
2. It is one word with many meanings.
3. This is because religion has passed through many stages. The concept at each stage is called Religion though the concept at one stage has not had the same meaning which it had at the preceding stage or is likely to have at the succeeding stage.
4. The conception of religion was never fixed.
5. It has varied from time to time.
6. Because most of the phenomena such as lightning, rain and floods, the occurrence of which the primitive man could not explain, any weird performance done to control the phenomenon was called magic. Religion therefore came to be identified with magic.
7. Then came the second stage in the evolution of religion. In this stage religion came to be identified with beliefs, rituals, ceremonies, prayers and sacrifices.
8. But this conception of religion is derivative.
9. The pivotal point in religion starts with the belief that there exists some power which causes these phenomena which primitive man did not know and could not understand. Magic lost its place at this stage.
10. This power was originally malevolent. But later it was felt that it could also be benevolent.
11. Beliefs, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices were necessary both to propitiate a benevolent power and also to conciliate an angry power.
12. Later that power was called God or the Creator.
13. Then came the third stage that it is this God who created this world and also man.
14. This was followed by the belief that man has a soul and the soul is eternal and is answerable to God for man's actions in the world.
15. This is, in short, the evolution.
Meaning of "manussa"
The Pali and Sanskrit languages use the word "manussa" or "manusya" when referring to humans. It is a very meaningful word. Incidentally, the English word "Man" is derived from the Sanskrit word "manu" meaning "to think".
Humans are the only living beings who can cultivate and develop the mind to its maximum level. Such a living being is called manussa (human). The word "man" is also derived from the word mana meaning mind. Thus one who has a mind to think is called man.
With his superior intelligence, man has only to direct and channel his desires and he can make his life to be what he chooses. (Of course when we refer to "man", here we are thinking of all humans, men and women. There is no need to think that women are in any way inferior to men either intellectually or spiritually or morally).
The Chinese definition of human is "one with a heart disposed to kindness". In the human heart, there must be sympathy and honesty. If these two qualities are absent, then one is not regarded as a real human being.
Western philosophers define "humans" as those who can use their sense of reasoning. Humans are the only beings who are rational in their behaviour. Other living beings use only their instinct to ensure their survival, pleasure and protection. When the mind is cultivated by abstaining from evil thoughts and developing the great virtues, one can gain this tranquillity which leads to the purity of the mind.
What is Religion?
1. The word " religion " is an indefinite word with no fixed meaning.
2. It is one word with many meanings.
3. This is because religion has passed through many stages. The concept at each stage is called Religion though the concept at one stage has not had the same meaning which it had at the preceding stage or is likely to have at the succeeding stage.
4. The conception of religion was never fixed.
5. It has varied from time to time.
6. Because most of the phenomena such as lightning, rain and floods, the occurrence of which the primitive man could not explain, any weird performance done to control the phenomenon was called magic. Religion therefore came to be identified with magic.
7. Then came the second stage in the evolution of religion. In this stage religion came to be identified with beliefs, rituals, ceremonies, prayers and sacrifices.
8. But this conception of religion is derivative.
9. The pivotal point in religion starts with the belief that there exists some power which causes these phenomena which primitive man did not know and could not understand. Magic lost its place at this stage.
10. This power was originally malevolent. But later it was felt that it could also be benevolent.
11. Beliefs, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices were necessary both to propitiate a benevolent power and also to conciliate an angry power.
12. Later that power was called God or the Creator.
13. Then came the third stage that it is this God who created this world and also man.
14. This was followed by the belief that man has a soul and the soul is eternal and is answerable to God for man's actions in the world.
15. This is, in short, the evolution.
POWER OF SHARING
A true master is not the one with the most students, but one who creates the
most masters.
A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but one who creates the
most leaders.
A true king is not the one with the most subjects, but the one who leads the most
to royalty.
— Neale Donald Walsch
When one person teaches another there are two who learn. The master also
learns.
— Zen saying
It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you
have lived.
— Helen Walton
If you want happiness for an hour – take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day – go fishing.
If you want happiness for a month – get married.
If you want happiness for a year – inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime – help others.
— Chinese proverb
Once in a while, for good reason, you have the right to be angry, but you don’t
have the right to be cruel.
— Mahatma Gandhi
Prayer is not an old woman’s idle amusement. Properly understood and applied,
it is the most potent instrument of action.
— Mahatma Gandhi
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