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by Jayaram V
Time and agian we have reiterated that Hinduism is not
a religion but a group of religions, religious traditions, beliefs
and practices. The various branches of thought, traditions and schools
within Hinduism, which can be categorized as fullfledged religions
in themselves, are presently considered sects or sectarian movements
within Hinduism. Some of them are very old and some very recent.
If Hinduism survived for over 5000 years in the face of many
challenges and emerged from it with greater clarity and vigor, the
credit goes mainly to the efforts and contribution made by many
enlightened individuals. From time to time, they appeared on the
horizon and took upon themselves the responsibility of reforming
it and reviving it or dealing effectively with competing traditions.
They compensated for the absence of an organized and central authority
that would direct its progress with missionary zeal.
These individuals came from different backgrounds. They were
ascetics, self-realized yogis, religious scholars, teachers, intellectuals,
authors, commentators, kings, merchants and other influential people
who had the knowledge or the insight or the wherewithal to spend
money and resources for a religious cause. Through their selfless
effort, they brought to Hinduism new perspectives, new insights
and new adherents. Without being bogged down by the weight of orthodoxy
and conventional wisdom, and without questioning the authority
of many ancient scriptures that were believed to be infallible,
they worked selflessly to keep the traditions alive and vibrant.
They injected fresh thought. They modified the prevailing concepts.
They submitted to faith and scriptural authority. They defended
its base, when necessary, from the atheistic movements like that
of the Lokayatas or compromised in the face of more convincing argument
to absorb a new idea.
Hinduism benefited greatly from the contribution of these great
individuals. Not being a religion in the ordinary sense of the word
and bound by no particular creed or dogma, it assimilated a wide
range of spiritual and speculative thought and established a firm
foundation upon which it could grow and evolve continuously. It
adopted itself to the challenges of changing times and succeeded
in catering to the spiritual and religious needs of diverse groups
of people and communities. Like a tree that grew in every direction,
Hinduism expanded in multiple directions, providing solace and comfort
under its huge canopy to people of diverse tastes, castes, professions,
backgrounds and opinions.
The six schools of philosophical thought such as Samkhya, Nyaya,
Mimansa and Vaisheshika, the ascetic movements of the Ajivikas,
Kalamukhas, Pasupathas, Ganapatyas, Bhagavatas and Sramanas, the
broader movements such as Vaishnavism, Saivism, Saktism or Tantricism
were some of the ancient traditions that began as sectarian movements
within and outside the eternal tradition (sanatana dharma) we identify
today as Hinduism and became an integral part of it over a period
of time. However some movements such as Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism
acquired a status of their own and evolved into distinct and full-fledged
religions, rejecting, retaining, redefining and improving upon its
concepts and traditions.
Cult or Sect
Technically there is no distinction between a cult and a sect
except in our interpretation and attitude. In modern times, especially
in the western world, cults have acquired some notoriety because
of the association of the word with street gangs, youth gangs and
student gangs and the secrecy, violence, negativity and some questionable
standards, rituals and practices followed by some of them in the
name of race, religion or a particular political or ideological
dogma. Sect is perhaps a more acceptable term because it conveys
a more warmer and positive image of a group of people who are rooted
in traditional and orthodox beliefs pursuing their faith in more
creative and distinctive ways bound by and committed to a core set
of beliefs, practices, conventions and rules that distinguish them
as a separate group within a much larger group of the faithful and
also at the same time identify them and unite them with it so that
its traditional roots and historical base are never lost sight of.
The alternative expressions are new religions, alternative spiritualities,
new age movements and so on. Interpretations of these words is a
fairly complex subject and would require a separate treatment. For
the purpose of this article we call these movements generically
as sectarian movements and proceed with our main theme.
Modern Sectarian movements within Hinduism
Hinduism continues to evolve in the modern age, with a crop of
sectarian and reformist
movements that aim to instill a new vitality in age old
traditions with interpretations and approaches of their own and
a missionary zeal to carry the message globally to a wider audience.
Usually these movements are initiated by enlightened gurus having
exceptional leadership qualities and organizational skills backed
by loyal, cross cultural, well educated and intensely committed
followers. Some movements flourish and expand even after their original
founders pass away, while some suffer from leadership conflicts,
resource constraints and credibility issues and gradually lose their
momentum.
One of the most authoritative sources of information on modern
sectarian movements is the book entitled "New
Religions A Guide" of Oxford University Press and edited by
Christopher Partridge. I would recommend this book to anyone who
is interested in studying new religious movements, sects and alternative
spiritualities within Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism,
Indian religions, eastern religions and other traditions. The following
list of modern sectarian movements with in Hinduism are collected
from this book.
- The Swami Narayan Movement
- The Radhasoami Tradition
- The Ramakrishna Mission
- The Meher Baba Movement
- The Self-Realization Fellowship
- The Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism
- The Brahma Kumaris
- The Church of the Shaiva Siddhanta
- The Satya Sai Baba Society
- The Muttappan Teyyam
- Ananda Marga
- Transcendental Meditation
- Tantri Spiritualism
- The Harekrishna Movement (ISKCON)
- The Eckankar Movement
- The Osho Movement
- The Krishnamurthy Foundation
- The Auroville Movement of Sri Aurobindo and Mother
- The 3HO Foundation of Yogi Bhajan
- The Mother Meera Movement
- The Sahaja Yoga movement of Sri Mataji Nirmala Devi
- The Elan Vital of Prem Pal Singh Rawat
- Adidam of Avatar Adi Da Samraj
- The Lifewave founded by John Yarr
- The Mata Amritanandamayi Mission
The above list does not included the following movements1.
These are not sectarian movements in the strict sense of the word
but movements within traditional Hinduism with a strong following,
organizational setup and identity of their own.
- The Art of Living Foundation of Sri Sri Ravishankar
- The Gayathri Parivar movement
Suggested Further Reading
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