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Full Idea
Traditional Hinduism has been described as more a way of living than a way of thought; it has no founder, no prophet, no creed and no ecclesiastical structure.
Gist of Idea
Hinduism has no founder, or prophet, or creed, or ecclesiastical structure
Source
Peter Watson (Ideas [2005], Ch.05)
Book Ref
Watson,Peter: 'Ideas: from fire to Freud' [Phoenix 2006], p.155
A Reaction
This contrast strikingly with all later religions, which felt they had to follow the Jews in becoming a 'religion of the book', with a sacred text, and hence a special status for the author(s) of that text.
| 8156 | The gods are not worshipped for their own sake, but for the sake of the Self [Anon (Upan)] |
| 8157 | A man with desires is continually reborn, until his desires are stilled [Anon (Upan)] |
| 8159 | Damayata - be self-controlled! Datta - be charitable! Dayadhwam - be compassionate! [Anon (Upan)] |
| 8145 | Those ignorant of Atman return as animals or plants, according to their merits [Anon (Upan)] |
| 7993 | Brahman is supreme, Atman his spirit in man, and Karma is the force of creation [Anon (Bhag)] |
| 5350 | The Hindu doctrine of reincarnation only appeared in the eighth century CE [Flanagan] |
| 7599 | Around 800 BCE teachers superseded gods in India [Armstrong,K] |
| 7474 | Hinduism has no founder, or prophet, or creed, or ecclesiastical structure [Watson] |