Religion In Early South Asia Essay

religions in early South Asia?

Tapas, or asceticism, which is how I will refer to it throughout this essay, is the practice of leading an austere lifestyle. Ascetics first renounce all their worldly goods, including family and possessions and instead live a life of wandering and hardship, for example, fasting, enduring physical hardships and gleaning or foraging for food. It is the belief of the ascetic that by doing this, they will achieve moksa, or liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Out of the three main religions of South Asia, Jains and Hindus observe the practice of asceticism whist Buddhists do not.
In this essay I will endeavour to explain the practice of asceticism within these religions and ascertain why in Jainism, asceticism is so distinct.
There are different dharmas depending from which Varna and asrama one comes. However, all Hindu’s adhere to the sadharana dharma, or universal dharma which is the term used for honesty, non-harm or the fundamental rules of life.
Hindus, like Jains, believe the key to liberation is renunciation and that austerities lead to ‘great worldly power’, including the capability to enter Heaven. It is their belief that once one reaches the stage of householder and has made enough money and has fathered or given birth to a son, he or she then retreats to the forest to become a forest dweller where they renounce, giving up family, possessions, sex, social order to lead an austere lifestyle.
It is believed that only people who follow an ascetic lifestyle can achieve