Thinking Out Loud: Religious Scriptures

Recently, I came across several social media posts saying that religion is the root cause of violence in the society. I do not agree.

Everyone who is following religion is not supporting violence. For most people, prayer acts as a coping mechanism, a means for finding peace and spiritual growth.

While researching for my novel “The Timingila”, I did a comparative study of many scriptures. It was fascinating. I came across several beautiful and enlightening thoughts, some of which appear at the end of this post.

However, I would not accept any of these scriptures as a divine guidebook for my existence. This is because some of the scriptures which talk about humanity and peace in one part, also justify violence and war in the name of religion in another part.

Instead, I think that religion is like a box filled with different sort of things. The box has flowers and love, kept alongside weapons and hate. What we take from that box, and how we use it is our responsibility. We can’t blame the box for picking a weapon instead of a flower.

What we pick is our own personal choice, and we should not try to force it on others — but by blindly discarding religion as evil, we are losing the opportunity to understand ourselves.

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Some verses picked from scriptures of different religions.

Hinduism:

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ (Pavamana Mantra, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28))

Lead us from the unreal to the real, lead us from darkness to light, lead us from death to immortality. Peace, peace, peace!

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः । सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

May all be happy, may all be free from illness, may all see what is auspicious, may no one suffer. Peace, Peace, Peace.

— -

Christanity:

For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (Bible, John 3:17)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (Bible, Corinthians 13:4–8)

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Islam:

The true servants of the Gracious One are those who walk upon the earth with humility and when they are addressed by the ignorant ones, their response is, Peace. (Quran, 25:63)

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Jainism:

Do not injure, abuse, oppress, enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature or living being. (Mahavira, Twenty-fourth Tirthankara)

Miccha me dukkadam (Airyapathiki Sutra, verses 3.124)

I ask pardon of all living beings, may all of them pardon me, may I have friendship with all beings and enmity with none.

— —

Buddhism:

Daḷhaṃ sikkhatha santiyā. (Buddha, Utthana Sutta of the Sutta Nipata.)

Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law. (Dhammapada)