Religion is known as one of the determinants of culture, laws, and history that guides the human way of life and serves as a means of connection to mysteries such as divine presence, spiritual beliefs, or communal tradition through practices such as prayer, meditation, and rituals.
Based on archaeological records, suppositions, and other sources that are subject to debate, some of these ancient determinants of culture have existed as old as humanity and are still practised even in the digital era.
Here are the 5 oldest religions in the world.
Hinduism
Hinduism, known as Sanātana Dharma, or “eternal order,” has its origins in South Asian nations like India and is widely considered the world’s oldest and first religion.
This ancient religion is rooted in ancient culture dating back to around 1500 BCE but does not have a particular founder or a single religious text; rather, it combines ancient traditions and beliefs.
The oldest scripture of this religion, known as the Rig Veda, dates back to nearly 3,500 years.
The four goals of Hinduism are Dharma: living a virtuous life; Kama: the pleasure of the senses; Artha: achieving wealth and success lawfully; and Moksha: release from reincarnation. Some of the religious sites are Varanasi, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Badrinath, Mathura.
Judaism
Judaism can be traced back to the convenient God made with Abraham around 2000 BCE but was officially founded by Moses on Mount Sinai when he received the Ten Commandments.
Judaism has several sacred texts, unlike Hinduism, and the most important text is the Torah, which is part of a larger text known as the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible. Judaism is centred on the worship of one God who wants people to be just and loving. Some of the religious sites are Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism was founded by prophet and reformer Zoroaster in ancient Persia, the present Iran, in the 6th century. Christianity and Islam share many major concepts with Zoroastrianism. An example is the concept of only one God, Heaven and Hell.
Zoroastrianism has a sacred text that contains hymns and directives called Arara, and it’s attributed to Zoroaster himself. Some of the religious sites are the City of Yazd, Abarkuh, and Ahura Mazda.
Jainism
Jainism is also one of the oldest religions that was founded in the 6th century BCE and shares the same spirituality with Buddhism and Hinduism in India.
Jainism is characterized by principles of non-violence, non-possessiveness, and asceticism and was founded by Mahavira, the 24th and last prophet (Tirthankaras), whose principles and teachings are characterised by non-violence, non-possessiveness, and asceticism. Some of the religious sites are Sammed Shikharji, Girnar, Deogarh, Pawapuri, and Ranakpur.
Buddhism
Buddhism can be traced back to Siddhartha Gautama, a prince born in the modern-day Napalm 2500 years ago who left his opulent life after witnessing the suffering of a common man and transformed into Buddha sitting beneath the Bodhi tree (the tree of awakening) after gaining enlightenment after contemplating the meaning of life.
The four noble truths of Buddhist teachings that are meant to start followers on their journey to ultimate release from the endless cycle of birth and death are “Existence is suffering (dukhka); suffering has a cause, namely craving and attachment (trishna); there is a possibility of cessation of suffering, which is nirvana; there is a path to the cessation of suffering.”
The first Buddhist gathering was held shortly after the death of Buddha around 483 BCE. Some of the religious sites are Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar.
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