Any search for harmony among religions has to focus on the sacred texts of the religions. Social norms, customs, rituals, modes of dress and the kinds of food eaten vary across countries and religions. These do not form the core of any religion. Each religion has many scholars and priests with different interpretations of their religion. This may be valuable but could sometimes differ from the scriptures. The various sects within any religion do not differ on the core spiritual teachings or on the sacred texts.
They all agree that the founder is the highest authority or teacher. Their differences are on theological or philosophical issues, or on the relative emphasis of one or the other aspect of practice. Sometimes, sects are formed by leaders who disagree with other leaders. Therefore, here we do not focus on later writings but on the original teachings of the founders or the most sacred texts. There is also a tendency to take a partial view of a religion or quote one or the other extract from a scripture and form conclusions about the entire religion.
For instance, some non-Hindus say that there is too much superstition or blind faith, and that some rituals are strange. They cannot relate to idol worship. Some others ask: why is there so much violence in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and why are so many gods and avatars shown killing demons and bad people? All this is true, but this is not an essential aspect of Hinduism. It was and still is a serious spiritual search for god or the ultimate truth. The rituals and stories are not the core teachings in the most sacred texts, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Similarly, quotes from other religious text apparently exhorting violence are used to denigrate the religion. This is a partial view. The entire scripture must be understood to extract the essence. Proselytising religions are criticised for “saving souls” by conversion, or for claiming superiority over other religions. However, the founder’s essential teachings are not about conversion or superiority. They are about how to lead a better life.
This type of mutual bickering or conflict arises from a focus on the social, political and external aspects of a religion. No harmony can be found here. Vivekananda says, “I am a Hindu. I am sitting in my own little well and thinking that the whole world is my little well. The Christian sits in his little well and thinks the whole world is his well. The Mohammadan sits in his little well and thinks that is the whole world.”
The greatest barrier to evolving any harmony is centuries of conflict. Vivekananda says, “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroying civilization and sent whole nations to despair.” This often makes some people atheistic and they reject religion itself.
However, the overwhelming majority around the world believe either in god or in a higher spirit. So religious differences have to be resolved not by rejecting religion, but by a better understanding of all religions. As mentioned earlier, this has to be found in the sacred scriptures, not by taking a partial view, but by grasping the core of the teachings. Sri Ramakrishna, a 19th-century Indian saint, said, “Scriptures contain sugar mixed with sand. It is very difficult to take out only the sugar. Therefore, one should hear the essence of a scripture.”
All religions that have survived for centuries or millennia have one thing in common. They all have a set of sacred texts. These texts preserve the basic tenets of the religion and ensure that it survives and grows. The different religions are so many expressions in various languages and symbols of a fundamental search for deeper meaning in life. We discuss some points of similarity, and some apparent points where they differ. We find similarity in the revelations and in the moral and ethical teachings – similarity of revelations in the sense that they are all considered to be either from god or from some other higher, deeper or inner source. They are not from the intellect, mind or the senses.
All religions stake their claim on revelation. The founder or set of founders are said to have seen or realised super sensory truths, either from god or from some other source. Jainism and Buddhism accept revelation but do not say it comes from god. Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, Mahavira, Guru Nanak and the Vedic rishis all received revelations. Based on that, they taught others.
Revelations are of various types. For instance, in the Torah, god sometimes indicates his presence by a burning bush or a voice. He gives direct commands or teachings. He either performs miracles or gives the prophet the power to perform miracles. Sometimes, the revelation is about future events. In the case of the Prophet Mohammad, his revelations or wahy came through the angel Gabriel, but directly conveyed the words of god. Mohammad merely placed these teachings before his followers. However, there are references to inner mystical experiences as well. For instance, his ascent to the highest heaven, where he comes in close proximity with Allah, is a mystical experience.
In the case of Jesus, we do not have any direct teachings that god gave him, but his teachings are considered to be of divine origin. We infer that Jesus had revelations based on the miracles he performed, the spiritual power he exhibited and his teachings. In the case of Mahavira, Buddha and Guru Nanak, the revelations are mystic experiences of god or higher truths. The same is true of the rishis of the Vedic period. The Upanishads contain several verses that are the outcome of revelation or a mystic experience. All these revelations transform the individual, who becomes wise, joyful and full of compassion. They receive an inner command or a command from god to teach.
Other than the direct commands and teachings, the inner mystical experience of the prophets can be inferred from the sacred texts or authentic biographies. In the Torah, there is an experience of seeing light, and the prophets are struck with awe and wonder whenever they receive a revelation. Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world”. Jesus also has the power to show revelations to others. For instance, he appears after his crucifixion to Peter and others. This revelation refers to light. Mohammad heard from Allah that “He (Allah) is nearer than the vein on your neck” (Quran 50:16). It also says, “We have sent down to you a clear Light.” (Quran 4:174) The word light is used several times in the Quran. All the religions that arose in India talk of light and the inner mystical experiences of the founders.
The process of gaining revelation is also interesting. All founders, without exception, had to struggle hard for illumination. Moses, Jesus and Mohammad fasted and prayed, sometimes for a month or forty days at a stretch, in isolation. Moses fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai before he got a revelation. Jesus goes into the desert and fasts for forty days and forty nights. Mohammad went into the cave of Hira and fasted for twenty days before he got his first revelation. We do not have information on what else they did during this period. All the Indian religions also talk of some austerity, either of body or mind or both. This includes fasting and controlling the unruly mind and making it calm. Thus, Guru Nanak, Mahavira, Buddha and the Vedic rishis went through long periods of struggle before they gained illumination.
Apart from fasting, controlling one’s desires is also prescribed. The need to be humble and avoid pride and arrogance is stressed in all religions. Judaism says “Kedoshim tihyu” – you shall be holy. The Quran says, “But as for him who fears to stand before his Lord, and restrains his soul from evil desires, heaven shall surely be his home.” The Guru Granth Sahib says, “Within the body reside five enemies – desire, anger, greed, attachment and ego.” The foundation of Buddhism in the Four Noble Truths is to give up clinging to the impermanent joys of this world. Jainism says that desire is the root cause of misery. Hinduism says that when the desires are loosened, the individual gains immortality. The ego is considered the final barrier to revelation and has to be done away with.
It is in the deeper mystical or spiritual practices that are said to lead to enlightenment that we find greater commonality. “Be still and know that you are god” is from the Old Testament. Hindu, Jain and Buddhist practices also aim to still the mind.
To love god with all one’s heart, soul and strength requires great mental control and focus on one idea. That itself stills the mind. Thus revelation, and the process of gaining it, are common across religions. Details do vary, based on culture, language and custom. But there are some common elements. The contents of the revelation also seem different.
Excerpted with permission from The Essentials of World Religions: An Undrlying Harmony, Trilochan Sastry, Penguin India.
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