Hinduism and Other Religions

I came across a really interesting article discussing similarities between Hinduism and other faiths throughout the world. I think this piece on comparative religion is really interesting as we study Eliot and modernism because it breaks down the barriers between traditional and Western religions. It reminds me a lot of Weston and how she pointed out similarities between primitive and modern cultures as a means of challenging the popular opinion that Western tradition was superior. 

Anyways, the article began by discussing the clear similarities between Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. As religions all founded in or around the Indian Subcontinent, they all share a common theme of asceticism or self-denial. They also all emphasize bettering the self in order to reach an eternal peace. Next, the article goes into a really interesting comparison of Hinduism and Christianity. Both religions emphasize historical events in scripture; however, Christianity places attention on the details of Jesus' life while Hinduism does not focus on a specific deity as much as it does the self. The most interesting thing I came across was the concept of "Krishnology," which is the belief that Jesus and Krishna are linked together and are possibly the same person. The concept that all gods from different religions are really one supreme being is common; however, this one stood out because it utilized specific details. For one, many records show Indian sages visiting Constantinople in ancient times. Moreover, there are clear similarities between the two religions as they both teach that actions determine one's future. 

I've always thought comparative religion was an interesting field because it breaks down the walls often created between different cultures and belief systems. I think it's extremely important to note the similarities in the message of popular religions, and I'm convinced that both Weston and Eliot juxtaposed different religions with each other in order to illustrate this point.