A Wisdom Archive on Traditions

Sruti (Sanskrit). Sacred tradition received by revelation; the Vedas are such a tradition as distinguished from " Smriti " (q.v.).

 
(See also: Sruti, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,  )

For more dictionary entries, see » Traditions Dictionary

Batria (Egypt, Egyptian). According to tradition, the wife of the Pharaoh and the teacher of Moses.

 
(See also: Batria, Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,  )

For more dictionary entries, see » Traditions Dictionary

Adi Sankaracharya and Ramanujacharya were great philosophers. Their road maps to the Absolute reflect the essence of Indian spiritual thought and tradition, although they held divergent views - while Sankara advocated monism or advaita, Ramanuja believed in vishishtadvaita, that contains elements of both advaita and dvaita philosophy.

 
(See also: Sankara and Ramanuja, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Sankara and Ramanuja: Double Celebration - Sankara & Ramanuja  

The elephant captured in Chhattisgarh was a victim, not just of an over-eager, insensitive agency that was ironically set up for the specific purpose of protecting endangered pachyderms. The poor animal was first forced to leave the forests of neighbouring states frightened by miners and rendered homeless by human-induced forest degradation. And then, when it tried to survive, looking for food, it was chased, caught, and made to die a slow death. Whatever happened to our tradition of respecting all life forms?

 
(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Life and Death: Kaliyug Death of A Vishnu-bhakt

The tradition of sanctifying various trees and plants dates back to the Vedic period. Though wood as a fuel was a basic need and trees in general were treated with care and respect, some trees such as the Peepal, Banyan and Neem, commanded more respect than others.
 
The Tulsi (Basil) plant was grown in every household in the centre of the courtyard and ritually watered. The rituals served an important purpose - they made people aware of the environment and its importance and so indirectly helped preserve and nurture it.

 
(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Man and Environment: A Symbiotic Bond

In literature, art and cinema, death has been almost always depicted as a terrible thing, the final end, although in reality it is merely a release from the burden of the physical body.
 
Every religious tradition recognises that to reach the final truth, one must pass through death. This is the meaning behind Aanea's descent to the underworld in Virgil, of Dante's descent into hell in the Divine Comedy and the Christian baptism: “You were baptised into the death of Christ”.

 
(See also: Life and Death, Life and Beyond, Death and Dying, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Life and Death: Finality of Death Is a Myth

In the 60s, a communal riot shook a certain town. I was surprised, for it was a new settlement grown around a huge industry. The population was largely labourers and officials from all over India. There was no tradition of animosity between communities; they were united by a common existential necessity.
 
One winter evening, on a visit to the town, I asked my friends, "Where did so many violent people come from, all of a sudden?"

 
(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Individual Will No Match for Mad Mobs

There are four T's that need periodic revival. They are: Truth, Tradition, Trade and Technology. Time has a seeming effect on truth. Though truth is beyond time, it gets covered by maya or illusion. This is called avarana. Down the ages different schools of thought have tried to uncover the truth. Though the goal is common to all, the journey itself has to be undertaken individually. If you do not re-examine what you have learnt and believe to be the truth, you become fanatical and your intellectual growth stagnates.

 
(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Peace on Earth: Revival and Revolution Ucover the Truth

Mahavira, a great prophet and teacher, systematised the Jain doctrines and embodied them in a comprehensive constitution of the faith. He built the edifice of Jainism by renovation, modification and extension. Most of all, he infused new life and vitality into Arhata tradition.
 
In his own time, he was referred to in Buddhist literature as "Niggantha Naatputte "and his teachings were described as "Nirgrantha Dharma ", a way of life that found its truth in the universe and not in a single scripture.
 
 

 
(See also: Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Mahavira: Non-Violent Search For Supreme Truth

Indologist and scholar of Hindu jurisprudence, Gunther Dietz Sontheimer focused on living folk cultures and traditions. He created his own delicately balanced working model for the study of what the world identifies as 'Hindu’ civilisation.
 
His sophisticated approach avoided reductionist 'fundamentalism’ and positivistic 'simplification’ and was open to new findings and novel interpretations. His views are relevant not merely for their academic import; they are equally important in the context of the rise of Hindu fundamentalism and revivalism.

 
(See also: Hinduism, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )

Read more here: » Hinduism: Retelling Hinduism In Six Chapters