Are all religions one or same?
Many people, now a days, generalize and say that all religions are one or almost same, they might be thinking just the ways of Upasana in them differ from each other, they all lead to same truth or goal, etc. However, is it really true? Some basic understanding of the natures of various religions would suffice the answer for it.
Some basic fundamental natures of various religions -
Some basic fundamental natures of different major religions :—
• Enquiry into the Truth (Athato Brahm Jijnasa. Pursue the knowledge and understanding of Truth or reality of the universe, self and Transcendent Supreme.)
• One all pervading unchanging immutable eternal transcendental Supreme Being or Brahman (the Absolute Truth), kind benign, equal towards all, though manifests himself with many names and forms to play. Brahman has two aspects : one formless and another formed.
• Eternal Aatmaa. (All living beings have aatmaa (real-self) inside. Aatmaa is eternal in nature, it is neither born, It can not be dead or killed or harmed or breathed. Aatmaa is immortal.)
• The Supreme Being or Brahman is the highest object to be sought, knowing whom one gets liberation (freedom), immortality, perfection, and the highest felicity i.e. eternal bliss (in him or with him in the Supreme Abode). Realization of Brahman or the highest person is the supreme aim (or endeavor or duty) of the human birth.
• To reach to the ultimate truth, there are many ways (like Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Sharanagati Yoga) as told in various Vaidic Scriptures.
• A spiritual master (Guru) who has experienced the Truth is must to reach the ultimate Truth. He has supreme importance for Spiritual life and to achieve the Brahman or the Supreme Being.
• Karma (Based upon thoughts, words and deeds, one gets the fruits or the destiny or the future lives-births etc.)
• Rebirths (Until liberation is achieved from the endless cycles of rebirths. Thus everyone gets infinite endless opportunities to do ultimate good to self.)
• Endless cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution of the Universe.
• Human birth is most precious for achieving liberation from the endless cycles of rebirths and sufferings in the world.
• Universal in nature, may all be happy, may all be free from illness, may all see what is auspicious, may none suffer, May peace prevail in all spheres. Whole earth is our one family (~ Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam).
• Veda is divine, authorless and eternal, all other Vaidic scriptures, words of sages are authority as long they conform with Veda.
• Four Noble Truths (The core teachings of Buddha : 1. There are sufferings and unsatisfaction [called dukkha] in the world. 2. There are reasons behind sufferings and unsatisfaction [Desire of and attachment clinging to impermanent temporary things which keep us in endless cycles of births and deaths i.e. Samsara]. 3. There is an end to sufferings. 4. There is the path to lead from dukkha i.e. to achieve the liberation - the end of all sufferings [through the Noble Eightfold path].
• Liberation is from Middle Path - the Noble Eightfold path :- Right View, Right Resolve, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Samadhi.
• No self, No Aatma, no essence inside. (Buddhism negates the concept of Vedas of the eternal aatma inside. It says there is nothing like permanent or eternal self inside any living being.)
• There is nothing either inside this world or any other world which is eternal and unchanging. Anything considered permanent is a wrong understanding, only emptiness is the final Truth.
• Rebirths (It happens because of attachments at mind and chitta. Endless rebirths ceases once one destroys the sense and concepts of all kinds of “I am” or “I am this or that” in practice, which results into Nirvana - the state of being non-self in Buddhism, different from Nirvana in Hinduism.)
• Karmas (Actions and Consequences. It brings moral responsibility to a person for his deeds. It gives fruits or future births etc. Right thoughts, right words, selfless or right deeds are must for elevations to Buddha state [of great-self] and ultimately liberation called Nirvana state [of non-self or emptiness in Buddhism philosophy, different from Nirvana in Hinduism].)
• Human life is most precious to go beyond all sufferings and endless cycles of rebirths.
• Heaven or hell or this world - all are temporary only. (One gets them as per ones Karma, and attachments to desires etc. There are three fortunate godly realms in which one born as god enjoys heavenly fruits, yet gods have jealousy and envy. there are three unfortunate realms called hell in which ghosts, demons etc suffer greatly. Human world has a far less suffering than hells, yet lesser enjoyments than heavens.)
• In some forms of Buddhism, Guru has supreme importance
(Thus, Buddhism is philosophically opposite to Sanatan Vaidic dharma. It is atheistic religion, does not believe in aatmaa (real-self) or Supreme Being, Yet follows the righteousness in thoughts, words, and deeds. It tries to see the things without any permanence attributed to anything. As per Buddhism, there is nothing permaenet, there is emptiness or void, but then who would be there in emptiness to say (give evidence) there is nothing? If someone says in empty room, there is nothing, it means there is someone inside the room. Nothing comes from nothing.
Although Buddha preached non-violence and compassion, and righteousness in thoughts, words and deeds which are already present in Sanatan Vaidic Dharma, yet some of his teachings are completely opposite to Vedas, Those atheistic teachings were for bringing Karmic moral responsibility among atheists and demonic people to make them morally good at least. Thus, His teachings which go against Vedas are not for theistic people, for theistic people it is a spiritual suicide. If a blind man does not see the world, it does not mean there is no world. Therefore, the atheistic teachings of Buddha had (have) different audience who used to reject Vedas and believe in there is no God, no Karma, no duty, no rebirth, no fruits or merits, no sin, etc, just eat, drink and merry even from taking debts.)
• One eternal sovereign creator god or three in one god (father, son and holy ghost), God is omnipotent. God tells do not bow to other god, because I am Jealous, a Jealous-god.
• No eternal soul. God breathes life (gives) spirit in the souls and creates living beings, and they will rest in grave till eternal heaven or hell is allotted until god again gives life in souls (a resurrection of life.)
• Whole humanity carry the 'original sin' because Adam and Eve disobeyed god and ate the forbidden fruit, and humans are born from them (Adam and Eve).
• God sent his son Jesus as Messiah or the savior of humanity.
• Final Judgement day (Judgement by God based upon only one life given by him)
• Eternal hell for they who did not believe in god and Jesus as savior of humanity (Jevoh witnesses tell wicked souls would cease to exist instead of suffering in eternal hell.)
• Eternal life in heaven for they who believed Jesus as their savior, they will be raised from dead (resurrected)
• Jesus died as substitute of all the sins of human-kind.
• Bible is the word of god.
• Holiness of Church consecrated by god, and necessity of the communion of saints.
(Belief in - some 'original sin' being carried by innocent people even they themselves never committed it, Jesus as the savior and the son of god, religion and church for the immortal life hereafter, etc - all these have no sound basis and philosophy. Christianity lacks Enquiry into the truth. Sound philosophy, Karma, Rebirth etc are missing. Eternal hell based upon only one birth makes god heartless for billions of humans who remained ignorant of Jesus or god etc.)
• One sovereign omniscient creator eternal God called Allah in Arabic, has no shape or form, has no duality or trinity - not three in one as like in Christianity. He lives in heaven, his power is present everywhere, he himself is not present in everything. He does not have any son or spouse.
• Faith in prophets and angels and revealed books, Fear from God.
• Utmost faith in only one true god, the last prophet and the last book sent by god. (God sent many prophets [his messengers] and books to people in different times, He finally sent the last prophet and the last book to people as old books like Torah, Bible etc are believed to be corrupted to some extent in Islam.)
• Believing in the last prophet and the last book sent by god, as it is believed to be free from all errors.
• No eternal soul. God gives life to the souls. When souls are dead, they are lifeless and unconscious till Final Judgement day - they are raised from dead by god.
• Final Judgement day (based upon one birth)
• Those who rejected or disbelieved in God and the last prophet and the last book, they will be given eternal hell
• Those who believed in God and the last prophet and the last book, they will be rewarded eternal heaven on Judgment day
• Jihad [militia] for establishing the Islamic rule or sharia - the laws of Islamic god everywhere in the world.
• Dislike for Polytheists and idol worshippers and the people who do not believe in Islam.
• Dislike for Polytheists and idol worshippers and the people who do not believe in Islam.
(Belief is mostly based upon fear from God, fear of eternal hell, and greed for eternal heaven, fear of only one opportunity in the form of one birth to get heaven.)
How and why is Sanatan Vaidic Dharma is one and only dharma as well as religion for one and all? Read here more.