The religions of the world have many differences amongst them but also share similarities as well. Each religion utilizes rituals, symbols, and myths in spreading the ideas of a particular faith. Both Buddhists and Hindus share the practice of building home shrines in order to perform religious rituals. Symbols are important aspects of all faiths. The Star of David represents Judaism just as the Wheel of Dharma represents Buddhism. One of Hinduism's creation myths describes how Brahma populated the world, similar to the way in which Genesis tells the creation story of Christianity. Rituals, or "formal ceremonies...that are always performed in the same way", are present in all of the various world belief systems. Rituals are often done
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One ritual that is performed in front of family shrines includes lighting a lamp and offering food before images of the gods while prayers are said. In the mornings, women draw designs in chalk or rice flour on the floor or the doorstep of the house before the day begins. Puja is another ritual performed in front of a shrine, usually in the morning. It involves the "ringing of bells, passing of flames, presenting of offerings, and chanting of mantras to invoke the devas and Gods." It is meant to bring love and joy to the family who is worshipping the …show more content…
It is described as a chariot wheel depicted with a differing number of spokes that is usually gold and sometimes has a yin-yang symbol or another shape in the center. The wheel itself is made up of three parts: the hub, the rim, and the spokes. The shape of the wheel is meant to represent the perfection of the dharma, the rim represents meditative concentration and mindfulness, and the hub represents moral discipline. The spokes have differing meanings depending upon the number of them that are depicted in the symbol. In class, it was discussed how myths are stories used in religion to answer the seven basic questions of human existence, including explaining the creation of the universe and the meaning of life. For a majority of faiths, creation stories begin with nothing existing until a god or deity creates the universe and all life on it. Although the manner in which the world is created varies in these myths, all serve to explain how a higher power came about constructing life as people know
One ritual that is performed in front of family shrines includes lighting a lamp and offering food before images of the gods while prayers are said. In the mornings, women draw designs in chalk or rice flour on the floor or the doorstep of the house before the day begins. Puja is another ritual performed in front of a shrine, usually in the morning. It involves the "ringing of bells, passing of flames, presenting of offerings, and chanting of mantras to invoke the devas and Gods." It is meant to bring love and joy to the family who is worshipping the …show more content…
It is described as a chariot wheel depicted with a differing number of spokes that is usually gold and sometimes has a yin-yang symbol or another shape in the center. The wheel itself is made up of three parts: the hub, the rim, and the spokes. The shape of the wheel is meant to represent the perfection of the dharma, the rim represents meditative concentration and mindfulness, and the hub represents moral discipline. The spokes have differing meanings depending upon the number of them that are depicted in the symbol. In class, it was discussed how myths are stories used in religion to answer the seven basic questions of human existence, including explaining the creation of the universe and the meaning of life. For a majority of faiths, creation stories begin with nothing existing until a god or deity creates the universe and all life on it. Although the manner in which the world is created varies in these myths, all serve to explain how a higher power came about constructing life as people know