A Wisdom Archive on Sacred Text

What makes the Good Book so good?
Article explores how the Bible has impacted the authorÕs life, including how what it taught her about God's goodness helped her when she faced financial struggles.
 
What makes the Good Book so good? Elements of adventure, history, biography, and poetry fill its pages. But that's true of countless books whose impact has faded over time. To me, the Bible isn't just a good book - it's a book about goodness. A record and celebration of how God makes His good nature known and felt in ordinary and extraordinary situations.
 

Read more here: » Christian Science: What makes the Good Book so good?

Raghunath ki Kahani - Epic for All Time
The Ramayana is one of the most popular epics of India. Ramayana-lovers are to be found all over the world. All are not necessarily followers of Hinduism. With its engaging storyline, it holds readers of all denominations and backgrounds spellbound. Narrated in an engaging fashion, the story of Rama entertains as well as informs, while presenting to us the model of an ideal human being.
 

Read more here: » Ramayana: Raghunath ki Kahani - Epic for All Time

Islam: The Four Phases of Islamic Thought
Islamic thought, Shariah and Fiqh as it exists today has metamorphosed through various processes and stages before reaching us. Basically all the religions have two stages. The initial phase is the foundation, the period of the founder of the religion.
 

Read more here: » Islam: The Four Phases of Islamic Thought

Jaina Kalpasutra - A Visual Treat
The Kalpasutra is held in great honour especially by the Svetambara sect of Jainism. A work in Prakrit, its composition is originally attributed to the celebrated author Bhadrabahu (BC 433 to 357).
 
The Kalpasutra shows the early stage of the development of Jainism, the succession of pontiffs and the rules for Jaina monks during the four months of monsoon or chaturmasa when the monks are not on the move. The text records the five auspicious events - the descent from heaven, birth, initiation, obtaining of omniscience, and death - and many legends of the last three Pathfinders or Tirthankaras: Aristanemi, Parsvanatha, and Mahavira, and those of Rishabhanatha, the first of the 24 Tirthankaras. The arrangement of Bhadrabahu's book moves back in time.
 

Read more here: » Jaina Kalpasutra: Jaina Kalpasutra - A Visual Treat

grantha: (Sanskrit) Literally, "knot," a common name for book.
 
A term thought to refer to the knot on the cord that bound ancient palm-leaf or birch-bark manuscripts. Books are afforded deep respect in Hinduism, always carefully treated, never placed directly on the floor.
 
Special books are not uncommonly objects of worship. Grantha also names an ancient literary script developed in South India.
See: olai.

(See also: Grantha, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul )

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

Hinduism - The Bhakti schools. Main article: Bhakti The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming devotion of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to relate to the personal form of God. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to interlink the self with God, since consciousness of the body and limited mind as self is ...

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Alternative cultures of worship

Hinduism is criticized based on current or past regressive social customs such as Dowry, Sati and casteism. Many also criticize it by linking it with Hindutva (the theory of Hindu nationalism). From the worldview of the three other Abrahamic religions, Hinduism is criticized as being polytheistic and for promoting idolatry - both of which they consider evil. The Hindu counter-argument is that Hinduism is not polytheistic (monism or monistic theism is more apt), though it may present an appearance of polytheism to external obser ...

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Criticism

Hinduism - Tilaka symbol on forehead or between eyebrows. Main article: Tilaka The tilaka (or tilak) is a mark worn on the forehead and other parts of the body for spiritual reasons. It is believed to symbolize the need to cultivate supramental consciousness, which is achieved by opening the mystic "third eye." It is most commonly seen as a dot (or Bindu) worn by women, especially ...

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism

Natib Qadish is a modern polytheistic religion based upon the religious practices of ancient Canaan and the veneration of the Canaanite Deities. This religion is often included under the “umbrella” category of modern Paganism, Neopaganism, or Reconstructionism. To the ancient Canaanites, religion was inherently a part of life such that they did not have a separate word that means “religion.” “Natib” in the ancient language of Ugaritic means “path,” while “qadish” means “sacred,” thus the name means “sacred path.” This phrase is a mo ...

Read more here: » Natib Qadish: Encyclopedia II - Natib Qadish - Definition

The overwhelming majority of Hindu sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language. Indeed, much of the morphology and linguistic philosophy inherent in the learning of Sanskrit is sometimes claimed to be inextricably linked to study of the Vedas and relevant Hindu scriptures. Hinduism - Shruti. Main article: Shruti The Vedas (वेद, literally, "Knowledge") are considered as Shruti by the Hindus. They are said to have been revealed by the Brahman to the rishis while the la ...

Read more here: » Hinduism: Encyclopedia II - Hinduism - Hindu sacred texts

Devi Mahatmyam
Otherwise known as the Durgasaptasati or the Candi, this is a sacred text to the Divine Mother used for chanting.

 
(See also: Devi Mahatmyam, Hinduism, Vedic Scriptures, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul )

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

Gita:
Gita: song; conventionally refers to the  renowned sacred text "Bhagavad Gita"; a philosophical  text.

 
(See also: Gita, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul )

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

Granth Saheb:
Granth Saheb (Saaheb). Sacred scriptural text of the Sikhs.

 
(See also: Granth Saheb , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)
 

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

Bhagavad Gita: "The Song of God." The sacred philosophical text often called "the Hindu Bible," part of the epic Mahabharata by Vyasa; the most popular sacred text in Hinduism.

 
(See also: Bhagavad Gita, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul )

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

Yajur-veda:
Yajur-veda (-vedha). Second Veda, consisting of a collection of sacred texts relating to sacrifices.

 
(See also: Yajur-veda , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)
 

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary

sastra:
sastra (shaasthra). Holy scripture; sacred text; that which commands, orders, directs with authority.

 
(See also: sastra , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)
 

For more dictionary entries, see » Sacred Text Dictionary