Every world religion is based upon a particular divine notion that predetermines its direction and establishes its functioning principles. This work analyzes seven crucial concepts that represent the leading theological beliefs. Moreover, the striking facts about every religious idol are presented in the coursework.
Krishna is a divine creature that is often regarded as the eighth incarnation of Vishnu. It is a powerful deity that possesses the peculiarities of a great teacher, a wise philosopher and a strong warrior. Krishna is a highly revered idol in Hindu religion since Lord Vishnu represents the highest theological avatar. According to Goswami, the early Indian deity became deeply worshiped in the USA in 1960, when the Hare Krishna society was established (13). Interestingly, Krishna created a powerful impact on the development of Indian theatre. Moreover, the traditional Indian dances rely on the story about this figure.
Vedas are the ancient Indian texts that were composed in Vedic Sanskrit. The concept is recognized in Hindu religion. There are four core Vedas that describe the major Indian Gods and Goddesses (“Hinduism – Gods and Goddesses in the Vedas” par. 1). Despite the Vedas have a material nature, they are treated as supernatural creatures.
Kami is a natural phenomenon that is deeply worshipped by the representatives of Shinto. This religion has functioned in Japan since ancient times. Today, however, Shinto is said to become an ideological agenda with no meaning. Thus, Kami are mentioned at various festivals and celebrations, though modern Japanese do not regard them as religious concepts anymore (Breen and Teeuwen 3).
Laozi deity is correlated with a real historical personage who is central to Chinese Daoism. The legendary figure is claimed to be a leading philosopher of the 6th century BC. Laozi is highly appreciated by both Chinese government and ordinary people. Due to Feldt, this figure turned Daoism into an anarchic religion (324). A curious peculiarity of Laozi worshipping is the tendency to consider all Li surname citizens to be the direct descendants of the philosopher.
The Confucian Virtues represent the central concepts of Confucianism and include such characters as Jen, Li, Yi, Hsiao, Chih, Chun-Tzu, and Te. The figures embody certain human features. For instance, Jen denotes heartedness while Li is a depiction of profit and gain.
The Zhuangzi’s dream is a religious dogma of Daoism that refers to the real and non-real revelations of life. The concept has great significance in the Chinese religion and the philosopher, who introduced it, is considered to be a follower of Laozi. Today, however, the Zhuangzi’s dream is called a philosophical whimsy that questions human existence (Tallis par. 1).
Noh theatre serves as a traditional Japanese form of performance. Its religious roots date back to the 14th century. The concept is a central issue within Buddhism since it shows its theological principles through highly aesthetic activities such as dances, poetry, etc. Interestingly, the actors of the Noh theatre do not use any makeup, for specially carved masks are worn by all the characters. It is typical for such performances to depict various emotions through the appliance of the expressive masks (“Noh and Kutiyattam – Treasures of World Cultural Heritage” par. 9).
A complex study of religious beliefs helped me to master the art of analyzing the underlying principles of theological directions. For instance, through the examination of Buddhism dogmas, I learned the basics of personal deeds’ analysis and explored the links between self-awareness and external events. Moreover, I gained some constructive knowledge about such major spiritual practices as fasting, ritual praying, and Shabbat observation, which demonstrate the religious traditions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism respectively. Finally, the course helped me to find a reflection of religion in the various daily activities.
Works Cited
Breen, John, and Mark Teeuwen. Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami, London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
Feldt, Alex. “Governing Through the Dao: A Non-Anarchistic Interpretation of the Laozi.” Dao 9.3 (2010): 323-337. Print.
Goswami, Tamal. A Living Theology of Krishna Bhakti: Essential Teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.
Hinduism – Gods and Goddesses in the Vedas 2011. Web.
Noh and Kutiyattam – Treasures of World Cultural Heritage 2004. Web.
Tallis, Raymond. Zhuangzi and That Bloody Butterfly. 2009. Web.