Religion and Theology Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Theology Questions - Assignment Example In Jainism, dharma refers to the eternal law which all of its followers must adopt thereby becoming indifferent of the material senses of the world. It promotes a sense of self-denial and nonviolence. Karma, more than being just a principle, is a way of preventing sins in Jainism (Andrea & Overfield, 2012). Karma in Jainism also acquires a physical and material exists within the soul rather than being the consequence of an action. In Buddhism, dharma refers to the law of righteousness, especially as it was taught by Buddha himself. Dharma in Buddhism characterizes that universal law of nature that spans the mundane and extra-mundane, engendering the duties of Man as realizing through meditation as did the Buddha (Andrea & Overfield, 2012). In Buddhism, Karma not merely relies on one’s actions but also on the intention behind any action. As such, Karma explains the causal relationship between the various actions and the kind of next life which leads to. While the basic concept of dharma is the same in all three traditions, Hindus understand it as a natural law that governs social relations and responsibilities. On the other hand, dharma in Buddhism refers to the teachings of Buddha as well as the mental states experienced by Man. These include all the impulses and conscious thoughts. Further, the concept of karma differs in Hinduism and Jainism whereby karma in Hinduism does not occupy an existential state within the soul whereas it occupies a material state within one’s soul in Jainism. 2. Being monotheistic religions, there is one God in all three Abrahamic religions although the concept of God differs in each of these. As noted by Neusner, Chilton & Graham (2002), Christians and Muslims rely on cumulative knowledge of God as added on by each additional scripture. Jews, however, rely on a dual knowledge of God through oral and written Torah.