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Chapter - 2
VARIOUS RELIGIONS AND SYĀDVĀDA
POSITION OF VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
Presently there are roughly three thousand different religions and sects in the world. The number of their sub-sects and branches goes in thousands. The African continent alone has more than fifteen thousand different religious sects. However, basically religion (dharma) is just one. Dharma is not confined to human beings alone. It covers every living being, the whole sentient and non-sentient universe. Dharma is, in fact, the intrinsic nature of a substance. To attain its pure natural form is the drarma of a thing. In terms of intelligence and prudence the humane race is the most evolved or developed among species. As compared to other beings, man has greater capacity to understand what is good and what is bad for him. With the wealth of his wisdom man uses nature's resources and other beings for his benefit. Man also has means of knowledge and education at his command. It is man only who has the ability to analyze his gains and losses. The surfeit of schools of thought, religions, and sects has evolved only in the name of welfare of the humanity. Every new sect has been formed on the pretext of human welfare and as reform in some already existing religion or sect. It starts as a revolution for reform and is given the glorified name of the lofty ideal of beneficent assimilation of ancient schools of thought and traditions. In due course that revolution for assimilation and reform takes the shape of a new sect and than it is claimed to be ancient by declaring that it is not reform but the reclaiming of the original idea of the propagator. This has been the common history of all sects and subsects. Place, time, and circumstances play the most important role in establishment of sects. It is ironical that a sect having its origin in specific place, time, and circumstances, which is mostly based on the theories and beliefs of a particular person; is declared to be all pervading and eternal truth. A religious scripture written by a particular individual is claimed as written by God.
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