10 Religious Scriptures Explained - The List Universe

Therehavebeenanumberoflistsonthesitethathavediscussedvariousreligions,soitseemsappropriate todiscussthereligiousliteratureofsomeofthosereligions.Therefore,hereisalistofreligiousscriptures explained.Thislistisnotexhaustivebecausesomeofthereligionsmentionedhavemorethanonescriptural text.Ihaveselectedonemaintextfromeach.

1.OTLevelsTheChurchofScientology

Scientology,thereligionfoundedbyLRonHubbard,usesaseriesofdocumentsthathewroteastheir primaryscriptures.Onecandisputethetitleof"scripture"inthattheyaremoreaseriesofdirectionsand teststohelpmembersattainthehighergoalofclearingtheirbodiesofcreaturesplacedtherebytheevil warlordXenu.Havingreachedastateofclear,membersofthechurchpaytomoveontotheOTlevels (OperatingThetan).Thesetextsareverydifficulttocomeby,butfromtimetotimetheymaketheirwayinto thepubliceye(eitherbybecomingapartofthepublicrecord,orthroughmembersreleasingthem). TheChurchofScientologyclaimsthatHubbardwrotelevelsupto15,butsofaronlythefirst8havebeen released.Theyarenumberedwithromannumeralsandarerankedinlevels:levelI,levelIIlevelVIII. Aftermovingthroughthelevels,oneeventuallyreachesthelevelofClearedThetaClearasuperhuman state.Hubbarddescribesitthus: "Athetanwhoiscompletelyrehabilitatedandcandoeverythingathetanshoulddo,suchasmoveMEST [matter,energy,space,andtime]andcontrolothersfromadistance,orcreatehisownuniverse;aperson whoisabletocreatehisownuniverseor,livingintheMESTuniverseisabletocreateillusionsperceivable byothersatwill,tohandlemestuniverseobjectswithoutmechanicalmeansandtohaveandfeelnoneedof bodiesoreventheMESTuniversetokeephimselfandhisfriendsinterestedinexistence".

2.TheBibleChristianity

TheBibleisthereligiousbookusedbyChristians.Itiscomprisedoftwobooksthefirst,theOldTestament, isalsoapartoftheJewishscriptures.TheOldTestamentismadeupof45booksorderedaccordingtothe Septuagint(theGreekversionoftheBibleusedatthetimeofChrist),thoughinthe1500'sprotestants reducedthenumberby7booksastheywerenotfoundinHebrewversionsoftheBible(Tobit,Judith, Wisdom,Sirach,Baruch,andFirstandSecondMaccabees)andpartsofbooks(Esther10:416:24,and Daniel3:2490;13:114:42).TheOldTestamentdescribesthehistoryandrulesoftheJewsbeforethetime ofChrist.ItalsoincludesthePsalmsasetofsongsthatareattributedtoKingDavid.Probablythemost famousoftheseis"TheLordismyShepherd".TherearemanyChristiansects(fundamentalists)that considertheBibletobetrueineveryrespect,butthemajorityofChristiansdonotbelievethis.Thiscan causedifficultieswhenlookingattheversesintheOldTestamentthatprescribestoningtodeathforcertain minorcrimes. 1InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod.2Thesamewasin thebeginningwithGod.3Allthingsweremadebyhim:andwithouthimwasmadenothingthatwasmade.4 Inhimwaslife,andthelifewasthelightofmen.5Andthelightshinethindarkness,andthedarknessdid notcomprehendit.StJohn1:15,NewTestament ThebooksoftheNewTestamentare27innumberandallChristianreligionshavethesamecanon.The NewTestamentincludesthelifeofChristaswellasthemovementsandteachingsoftheChurchandthe ApostlesinthefirstyearsafterthedeathofJesus.ThelifeofChristisdescribedprimarilyinthefour Gospels:Matthew,Mark,Luke,andJohn.ChristiansconsidertheBibletobetheWordofGodandbelieveit containsnoerrors. ItisworthnotingthatCatholicsandtheOrthodoxconsidertheSacredTraditions(withacapital'T')ofthe ChurchtobeofequalauthoritytotheBible;infactsomemaysayhigher,astheBibleitselfisanoutflowing ofthatTradition. ViewthecompleteBiblehere

3.TheBookofMormonMormonism

TheBookofMormonisareligiousbookconsideredbytheChurchofJesusChristofLatterDaySaints(and itssplitoffs)tobeonanequallevelwiththeChristianBibleasGod'sword.ItwasallegedlyfoundbyJoseph Smith(founderoftheMormons)whenanangeldirectedhimtoahillinwhichtheywereburied.Smith claimedtheywerewrittenonsolidGoldtabletsandthathewasgivenspecialtoolstotranslatetheancient language.Inadditiontothisbook,Mormonsalsoconsidersomeothertextsasscriptural,suchastheBook ofAbraham(atranslationofsomeEgyptianHieroglyphics). 10Behold,I,Abinadom,amthesonofChemish.Behold,itcametopassthatIsawmuchwarand contentionbetweenmypeople,theNephites,andtheLamanites;andI,withmyownsword,havetakenthe livesofmanyoftheLamanitesinthedefenceofmybrethren.11Andbehold,thearecordofthispeopleis engravenuponplateswhichishadbythebkings,accordingtothegenerations;andIknowofnorevelation savethatwhichhasbeenwritten,neitherprophecy;wherefore,thatwhichissufficientiswritten.AndImake anend.Omni,1:1011 ThecrowninggloryoftheBookofMormonisthedescriptionofthevisitationofChristtoanancient AmericanpeoplecalledNephiteswhichitclaimsoccuredaround34AD.TherearefifteenbooksoftheBook ofMormonwhichcomprisethewritingsofvariousprophetsanddescriptionsofthehistoryoftheNephites andLamanites. ViewtheBookofMormonhere

4.TheQuranIslam

MuslimsbelievetheQur'antobethebookofdivineguidanceanddirectionformankindandconsiderthetext initsoriginalArabictobetheliteralwordof"Allah"(God),revealedtoMuhammadoveraperiodoftwenty threeyearsandviewtheQur'anasGod'sfinalrevelationtohumanity. TheQur'anconsistsof114chaptersofvaryinglengths,eachknownasasura.Eachchapterpossessesa title:usuallyawordmentionedwithinthechapteritself.Ingeneralthelongerchaptersappearearlierinthe Quran,whiletheshorteronesappearlater.Assuch,thearrangementisnotconnectedtothesequenceof revelation 38ThedaywhentheSpiritandtheangelsstandinranks;anoneshallspeakexcepthewhomtheBeneficent permitsandhespeaksaright.39ThatistheTrueDay,sowhoeverdesiresmaytakerefugewithhisLord.40 TrulyWewarnyouofachastisementnearathandathedaywhenmanwillseewhathishandshavesent before,andthedisbelieverwillsay:OwouldthatIweredust!AlNaba'3840 MuslimsregardtheQur'nastheculminationofaseriesofdivinemessagesthatstartedwiththoserevealed toAdamregarded,inIslam,asthefirstprophetandincludingtheSuhufiIbrahim(ScrollsofAbraham), theTawrat(Torah),theZabur(Psalms),andtheInjil(Gospel).Theaforementionedbooksarerecognizedin theQur'n,andtheQur'anictextassumesfamiliaritywithmanyeventsfromJewishandChristianscriptures, retellingsomeoftheseeventsindistinctiveways,andreferringobliquelytoothers. ViewtheQuranhere

5.TripiakaBuddhism

ManydifferentversionsoftheBudhistcanonhaveexistedthroughouttheBuddhistworld,containingan enormousvarietyoftexts.TheoldestandmostwidelyknownversionisthePliCanonoftheTheravda school.TheTripitakawritingsofearlyschoolsofBuddhism,whichwereoriginallymemorizedandrecited orallybydisciples,fallintothreegeneralcategoriesandaretraditionallyclassifiedinthreebaskets(tri piaka).Thecommonestorderisthefollowing:VinayaPiaka(CodeofEthics),StraPiaka(accountsof Buddha'steachings),AbhidharmaPiaka(thisdiffersfromversiontoversion).

2.Peoplewereannoyed,murmured,andbecameangry,saying,`HowcantheSakyaputtiyasamaasgoon theirtravelsalikeduringwinter,summer,andtherainyseason?Theycrushthegreenherbs,theyhurt vegetablelife,theydestroythelifeofmanysmalllivingthings.Shalltheasceticswhobelongtotitthiya schools,whoseDoctrineisillpreached,retireduringtherainyseasonandarrangeplacesforthemselvesto livein?Shallthebirdsmaketheirnestsonthesummitsofthetrees,andretireduringtherainyseason,and arrangethemselvesplacestolivein;andyettheSakyaputtiyasamaasgoontheirtravelsalikeduring winter,summer,andtherainyseason,crushingthegreenherbs,huntingvegetablelife,anddestroyingthe lifeofmanysmallthings?'ThirdKhandhaka TheChineseformofTripiaka,"Sanzang",wassometimesusedasanhonorarytitleforaBuddhistmonk whohasmasteredalltheTripiakacanons,mostnotablyinthecaseoftheTangDynastymonkXuanzang, whosepilgrimagetoIndiatostudyandbringBuddhisttextbacktoChinawasportrayedinthenovelJourney totheWestas"TangSanzang".

6.GuruGranthSahibSikhism

TheShriGuruGranthSahibisthe11thGuruofSikhism,theholybookofSikhism,whichisreveredasa livingGurubytheSikhs.TheShriGuruGranthSahibbecameGuruoftheSikhsandsuccessortoGuru GobindSinghonOctober1708,whenthe10thGuruofSikhismmadetheGuruGranthSahibthe11thand finaleternalGuruofSikhism.TheShriGuruGranthSahibwaswrittenandcompiledbytheSikhGurusand containsalltheirknowledge,wisdomandeveryknowledgeofSikhism. ONanak,ifIhadhundredsofthousandsofstacksofpaper,andifIweretoreadandreciteandembrace lovefortheLord, andifinkwerenevertofailme,andifmypenwereabletomovelikethewindevenso,Icouldnotestimate YourValue.HowcanIdescribetheGreatnessofYourName?Page15 TheGuruGranthSahibistheonlyreligiousbookintheworldwhichcontainsholyideasandthoughtsof greatsaintsfromotherreligion,castes,andethics.SomeoftheseareSaintKabir,Tulsidas,GuruRavidas (whowasconsideredtobealowcasteshudraathistimeoflivingbuthisholythoughtsandideasgotplace intheholybook).Theholytextcomprisesover5000Shabhadsorhymnswhicharepoeticallyconstructed; andsettoclassicalformofmusicrenditionRagas;canbesettopredeterminedmusicalTalas(rhythmic beats)andhaveadefinitemessageforthewholeofhumanity. ViewtheSriGuruGranthSahibhere

7.KitbiAqdasBah'Faith

TheKitbiAqdasisacentralbookoftheBah'FaithwrittenbyBah'u'llh,thefounderofthereligion.The workwaswritteninArabicundertheArabictitlealKitbalAqdas,butitiscommonlyreferredtobyits Persiantitle,KitbiAqdas,whichwasgiventotheworkbyBah'u'llhhimself.Itissometimesalsoreferred toas"theAqdas","theMostHolyBook","theBookofLaws"andoccasionally"theBookofAqdas". IthathbeenordainedthateverybelieverinGod,theLordofJudgement,shall,eachday,havingwashedhis handsandthenhisface,seathimselfand,turninguntoGod,repeat"&AllahuAbha"ninetyfivetimes.Such wasthedecreeoftheMakeroftheHeavenswhen,withmajestyandpower,HeestablishedHimselfupon thethronesofHisNames.Performye,likewise,ablutionsfortheObligatoryPrayer;thisisthecommandof God,theIncomparable,theUnrestrained.Text18 Itisusuallystatedthatthebookwascompletedaround1873,althoughthereisevidencetosuggestthatat leastsomeoftheworkwaswrittenearlier[1].Bah'u'llhhadmanuscriptcopiessenttoBah'sinIransome yearsaftertherevelationoftheKitbiAqdas,andintheyear1308A.H.(189091A.D.),hearrangedforthe publicationoftheoriginalArabictextofthebookinBombay.Itisnotjusta'bookoflaws':muchofthe contentdealswithothermatters,notablyethicalexhortationsandaddressestovariousindividuals,groups, andplaces.TheKitbiAqdasalsodiscussestheestablishmentofBah'administrativeinstitutions,Bah' religiouspractices,lawsofpersonalstatus,criminallaw,ethicalexhortations,socialprinciples, miscellaneouslawsandabrogations,andprophecies. ViewtheKitbiAqdashere

8.gamsJainism

Inmostofthereligions,thereisonemainscripturebook.HinduismhasGitaand4Vedas,Christianshave theBible,MuslimshaveKoran,PersianshaveAvesta,andSikhshaveGuruGranthSahib,andBuddhists have3Pitiks.Likewise,Jainsalsohavetheirownscripturescalledgams,alsocalledtheJainShrut.Jains arepeopleofbooks,theydonothaveonemainscripturebookbuttheyhavemany.Theteachingsof Tirthankartohisenlightenprincipaldisciples,calledGanadharswasfirstcomposedinfourteenPurvasand thenintwelveAngPravishthagams(an`Ang'beinga`limb')byGanadharsthemselves.AllPurvasare includedinonepartofthetwelfthAng,calledDrastivd. 10.Inthehellsthemeretouchofthegroundcausessomuchofpainaswouldnothavebeencausedeven bythestingofathousandofscorpions.Thereflowtheriversofthepusandblood,fullofswampofworms, andtheyburnthebody(oftheinhabitantsofthehells).11.There(inthehells)areSemaratreestheedgesof whoseleavesare(assharp)asthebladeofthesword,andtheytearthelimbs(oftheinhabitants)likea sword.Inthehellstheclimateisso(intensely)coldandhotthatalumpofiron,asbigasthemountainMeru, maygetmelted.ChhahdhalaDhala1:1011 Thecompositionofscripturehasaspecificpurposeofshowingthelistenerthepathofeverlastinghappiness andliberation.ThegamSutrasteachtheeternaltruthaboutconduct,equanimity,universalaffectionand friendship,andtheeternaltruthsonthinking,namely,theprincipleofrelativity,principleofnononesided nessandmanyspiritualthingsincludinggreatreverenceforallformsoflife,soul,karma,universe,strict codesofasceticism,rulesforhouseholders,compassion,nonviolence,nonpossessiveness.Inadditionto thetwelveAngpravishthaworkscomposedbytheGanadhars,othercanonicalliterature(Angbhya gams)whichcomposedbyStathvirasoreldermonksarealsoincludedaspartoftheJaingams. Jainsbelievethat'AngPravishthaAgams'wereatalltimesinthepast,areinthepresent,andwillbeatall timesinthefuture.Theyareeternal,firm,permanent,nondestructive,nondecayingandeverlasting. Viewthegamshere

9.BhagavadGitaHinduism

TheBhagavadGita("SongofGod")isaSanskrittextfromtheBhishmaParvaoftheMahabharataepic.Due todifferencesinrecensionstheymaybenumberedinthefulltextoftheMahabharataaschapters6.2542 oraschapters6.2340.AccordingtotherecensionoftheGitacommentedonbyShankaracharya,the numberofversesis700,butthereisevidencetoshowthatsomeoldmanuscriptshad745verses.Krishna, asthespeakeroftheBhagavadGita,isreferredtowithinasBhagavan(thedivineone),andtheverses themselves,usingtherangeandstyleofSanskritmeter(chandas)withsimilesandmetaphors,arewrittenin apoeticformthatistraditionallychanted;hencethetitle,whichtranslatesto"theSongoftheDivineOne". TheBhagavadGitaisreveredassacredbythemajorityofHindutraditions,andespeciallysobyfollowersof Krishna.ItiscommonlyreferredtoasTheGita. 'Theyogiissuperiortotheascetics,isalsothoughttobesuperiortotheknowledgeable,andtheyogiis superiortotheactive.Therefore,beayogi,Arjuna.Ofalltheseyogis,theonegoingtomewithinnersoulfull offaith,wholovesme,thisoneisthoughtbymetobemostunited.' ThecontentofthetextisaconversationbetweenKrishnaandArjunatakingplaceonthebattlefieldof Kurukshetrajustpriortothestartofaclimacticwar.RespondingtoArjuna'sconfusionandmoraldilemma, KrishnaexplainstoArjunahisdutiesasawarriorandPrinceandelaboratesonanumberofdifferentYogic andVedanticphilosophies,withexamplesandanalogies.ThishasledtotheGitaoftenbeingdescribedasa conciseguidetoHinduphilosophyandalsoasapractical,selfcontainedguidetolife.Duringthediscourse, KrishnarevealshisidentityastheSupremeBeingHimself(Bhagavan),blessingArjunawithanaweinspiring glimpseofHisdivineabsoluteform. ViewtheBhagavadGitahere

10.TheTalmudJudaism

InadditiontotheOldTestament,JewsconsidertheTalmudtobeoneofthemostimportanttextsinthe religion.TheTalmudisarecordofrabbinicdiscussionspertainingtoJewishlaw,ethics,customsandhistory. TheTalmudhastwocomponents:theMishnah(c.200AD),thefirstwrittencompendiumofJudaism'sOral Law;andtheGemara(c.500AD),adiscussionoftheMishnahandrelatedTannaiticwritingsthatoften venturesontoothersubjectsandexpoundsbroadlyontheTanakh.TheGemaraisthebasisforallcodesof rabbiniclawandismuchquotedinotherrabbinicliterature. R.Johananusedtosay:Abetrothedyounggirl,whoisthedaughterofapriest,istobestonedifshehas sinned;butaccordingtoR.Simeon,shemustbeburned.Andthesameisthecaseifshehadsinnedwith herfather.(Although,ifsuchacasehappenedwithacommoner,burningisapplied,neverthelesssheisto bestoned,accordingtotherabbis);asaccordingtotheirtheorystoningismorerigorous,andthereisarule thathewhoisguiltyoftwocrimesliabletocapitalpunishmentistobeexecutedwiththemorerigorousone. AndaccordingtoR.Simeon,thatburningismorerigorous,sheistobeputtodeathbythat.Andwheredo wefindR.Simeonsayingso?Sanhedron MuchoftheGemaraconsistsoflegalanalysis.Thestartingpointfortheanalysisisusuallyalegalstatement foundinaMishnah.Thestatementisthenanalyzedandcomparedwithotherstatementsinadialectical exchangebetweentwo(frequentlyanonymousandsometimesmetaphorical)disputants,termedthe makshan(questioner)andtartzan(answerer). ViewtheTalmudhere Sources:Wikipedia