FREE ESSAY ON DISTUINGUISHING BETWEEN CHRISTAINITY, JAINISM, AND TAOISM AND THEIR EMINENT TEXTS AND PHILOSOPHIES

DISTUINGUISHING BETWEEN CHRISTAINITY, JAINISM, AND TAOISM AND THEIR EMINENT TEXTS AND PHILOSOPHIES

Every religion, based on a specific or obscure faith, has somewhat of an honored text.
Famous books offer significance to beliefs of that religion. These particular religions
are very
diversed in their philosophies, but have corresponding reference works. The Bible, the
famous
text of Christianity, consisting of sixty-six books basically explains how we should live
our lives
through the eyes of God. Additionally, this book informs of Jesus Christ's (son of God)
birth, life, 
and resurrection which all are important aspects of the religion. Jainism, whose book
consists of
forth-five texts, has principles based upon one's soul and karma. Finally, Taoism,
consisting of
written doctrines defines human nature as a mixture of good and evil. Moral behaviors
predominantly unite these texts.
The Bible is an anthology, a collection of many different books. Divided into to two
parts,
the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The Old Testament being applied to all those
scriptures on the basis of Paul's writings and early Christians who wrote about the "Old
Covenant," promises God made to Israel. 1 The Old Testament contains archives, 
lyric works, oracular works, laws, or divine inspirations. The first book of the Bible,
Genesis,
written by Moses is an extremely vital book. Genesis is a Greek word meaning
"beginning,"
"origin," "source," or "generations."2 This book explains the history of creation. It
clarifies how
and when (what days of which) God created the earth, heavens, and man. It also includes
the
temptation and fall of man. Adam and Eve (first man and woman of God's creation) after
deceiving God was cursed, giving them knowledge to know good and evil. The Ten
Commandments, found in the 5th chapter of Deuteronomy are crucial laws of the Old
Testament.
The Ten Commandments are statues and judgements by God that all people should live by.
These
Commandments of God embodies the prologue, prohibition of any other god and idolatry, the
use
of the mane of God in vain, observance of the Sabbath, honoring father and mother,
prohibition of
murder, adultery, stealing, giving false testimony, and coveting the property or wife of
one's
neighbor.3 The New Testament written between AD 50 to 150 concerns the focus and
doctrines
of Christianity. Christianity is chiefly centered around Jesus Christ whose history is
told in the
Gospels of the New Testament. Jesus Christ, son of God, ministered about love and
fellowship for
three years. At the conclusion of his ministry, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, where he was
crucified.
After Jesus dies on the cross, and buried in a tomb, he rose from the dead three days
later. His
crucifixion and resurrection is the primary focus of Christianity. Revelation the last
book of the
Bible, unveils the character and program of God. It explains the time in which Christ
returns to
earth to battle Satan. After which, Jesus will call all his saints up to a New Jerusalem
(Heaven).
The Bible is read in private devotion and study, and form the element of instruction.4
Interpretation of the Bible is an immense aspect of the Christian religion. The important
principles
in interpreting the Bible include, remembering God has informed us of everything we need
to
know, interpreting in the light of its historical background, according to the purpose of
each
book, according to the context of verse, according to the convert meaning of words, and
along
with parallel phrases within the Bible.5
Jainism if the name given to the followers of Jina and the religious movement of the
Jains.
Even though the is no document concerning the beginnings of Jainism. Hinduism and
Buddhism
gave rise to Jainism thought. Tirthankaras, the prophets of Jainism offering freedom from
the
ocean of uncommon survival and the cycle of rebirths. Three pioneers of Jaina philosophy
include
Kundakuunda, Umasuati, and Siddhasena Divakara.6 Kundakumda, also named Padamanandi and
Grdhapiccha belonged to the second or third century AD. He wrote a total of eighty-four
works
all in the Prakit language, but 15 are still existing. His most important work, the
Samayasara,
deals with the nature of the soul and its contamination by matter. It deals on the
transcendental
and secular standpoints. His other works, Pancastikayasara, Pravacanasara7 deal with the
fundamental truths, and karma. Karma is the sum total of one's actions, good or bad.
Umasuati,
dates approximately to the fifth centuries AD. He is famous for Tattuarthasuthra, a work
dealing
with the meanings of the fundamental principles. In the distinguished work, he discusses
the
substances of dharma and adharma.8 These formless portions support movement and rest.
They
offer the condition for the possibility of movement or rest to souls and matter. His
other popular
work included the Prasamaratprakarana. This composition dealt with Ethical issues within
Indian
tradition. Siddhasera Divakara, the "widely lingual" philosopher lived in the fifth
century AD. His
work called Sammaisutta deals with the seven Jaina standpoints. These standpoints are
soul,
non-soul, yoga (soul and non-soul conversion of karma), bondage of consciousness stoppage
of
new karma, nirjara- burning up extensive karma, and finally liberation. Other notable
theorists are
Hemacandra (1089-1172), Abhayadeva (11th century), Vadidevasuri (17th century), and
Yasovijaya (1624-1688). The philosophers of Jainism all formed a systematic viewpoint of
Indian
traditions.9
Taoism traditions treat life as an art rather than a science.10 Taoism represents
everything
which is spontaneous, imaginative, private, unconventional.11 This religion adopts an
application
of a yin-yang like concept. Taoism is an influence to Confucianism but differs by
defining
self-cultivation in purely human terms. Taoist reject the notion that the process of
existence can
be reduced to human purposes. They also concern themselves with natural balance of goof
and
evil. Taoist text was written by monks and were kept in the canon. Taoist believe in an
initiate
known as Tao. Tao, as defined by Taoist, is the "Supreme State of Being." As Lao Tzu
says,
whatever goes against the Tao comes to an early end. The Tao-tsung is the most
comprehensive
collection of Taoist literature. It transmits divine scriptures and instructions on
meditative
practices. It teaches its readers the acts and principles of love and justice. It
explains that when
one gains the potential of love he understands wisdom. It gives the message that you can
become
a "Superior Man," though love. Being a "Superior Man," he is in harmony with heaven,
earth, his
parents, children, and his fellow men.12One of his larger works called the
San-tungchu-hang deals
with various aspects of conduct. The second corpus, Shang-ch'ing tao-lei'shin-stang, to
the
citations dealing with sacred quarters and cosmic chambers of revealed literature.
Taoists
distinguish between philosophical and religious Taoism. Religious Taoists rituals are
directed to
the Tao as absolute divinity.. They also study the "inner self" through meditation.
Philosophical
Taoists study the words Lao-tzu, author of Taoist philosophies and they study these books
for
moral or mystical inspiration.
One obvious similarity between all these religions is that they have reverent texts.
Written
philosophy of a religion is better than oracular for it offers significance and
unaltering meanings.
Another huge similarity between these religions is that they all teach people how to live
they lives
better. Religion is an extreme aspect of socialization. It teaches people how they should
act in all
situations, what is morally right or wrong. These texts are just reference of their
philosophy. One
parallelism is between Christianity and Taoism both teaching devotion. Jesus Christ, in
the Bible,
John 13:3413 gave his people a new commandment "to love one another." Jesus says that by
this
people will know that you his disciple. Taoists also say its through love one matures
into a
"Superior man" in harmony with their surroundings. There is also a comparison between
Jainism
and Taoism and their highly transcendalistic thoughts. That all should have a
relationship to the
nature around us.
These texts offer an insight into a religion's philosophies and faiths. Their eminent
texts teach
people how to act. They give not only its followers but the whole a role in which to live
by for the
inner self. Its our own responsibilities to live by these behaviors.