Incarnation which literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh, refers to the conception Fertilisation , is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo. Depending on the animal species, the process can occur within the body of the female in internal fertilisation, or outside in the case of external and birth of a sentient Sentience is the ability to feel or perceive. The term is used in science and philosophy, and in the study of artificial intelligence. Sentience is used in the study of consciousness to describe the ability to have sensations or experiences, known to Western philosophers as "qualia". In eastern philosophy, sentience is a metaphysical creature (generally a human) who is the material manifestation of an entity An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, though it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate. Entities are used in system developmental models that display communications and internal, god God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism or force whose original nature is immaterial.[1]
In its religious context the word is used to mean the descent of a god, or divine being in human form on Earth.
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Traditions with a conception of Incarnation
While Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy (which parted ways with Catholicism in 1054 A.D.) and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th, Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of South Asia. Hinduism is often referred to as Sanātana Dharma by its adherents. Generic "types" of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as in Vaishnavism. Hinduism also includes yogic traditions and Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. He is recognized by adherents as an are perhaps the most widely-known traditions to employ this concept within the context of their respective belief systems, they are by no means the only ones to do so.
Ancient Egypt
The Pharaohs Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. In antiquity this title began to be used for the ruler who was the religious and political leader of united ancient Egypt. This was true only during the New Kingdom, specifically during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty. For simplification, however, of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. The civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh, and it developed over the next three millennia. Its history were sometimes said to be incarnations of the gods Horus Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists. These various forms may possibly be different perceptions of and Ra Ra , Egyptian *ri:ʕu, is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun. The meaning of the name is uncertain, but it is thought that if not a word for 'sun' it may be a variant of or linked to words meaning 'creative'[citation needed].
Bahá'í
Further information: God in the Bahá'í FaithIn the Bahá'í Faith, God is described as a single, imperishable God, the creator of all things, including all the creatures and forces in the universe. The connection between God and the world is that of the creator to his creation.[2] God is understood to be independent of his creation, and that creation is dependent and contingent on God. God, however, is not seen to be incarnated into this world and is not seen to be part of creation as he cannot be divided and does not descend to the condition of his creatures. Instead, in the Bahá'í understanding, the world of creation emanates from God, in that all things have been realized by him and have attained to existence.[3] The Bahá'í concept of the intermediary between God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism and humanity Humans are a species of animal known taxonomically as Homo sapiens , and are the only extant member of the Homo genus of bipedal primates in Hominidae, the great ape family. However, in some cases "human" is used to refer to any member of the genus Homo is expressed in the term Manifestation of God The Manifestation of God is a concept in the Bahá'í Faith that refers to what are commonly called prophets. The Manifestations of God are a series of personages who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization. The Manifestations of God are the only channel for, which are a series of personages, such as Jesus Jesus of Nazareth , also known as Jesus Christ or simply Jesus, is the central figure of Christianity, which views him as the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God (in the concept of the Trinity, he is God [as] the Son), who came to provide humankind with salvation and reconciliation with God by his and Bahá'u'lláh, who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization.[4] In expressing God's intent, these Manifestations are seen to establish religion Religion (from O.Fr. religion "religious community," from L. religionem "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods," "obligation, the bond between man and the gods" is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or more in general a set of beliefs explaining the existence of and giving meaning to the universe, in the world.[4] The Manifestations of God are also not seen as an incarnation of God, but are instead understood to be like a perfect mirror reflecting the attributes of God onto this material world.[4][5]
Buddhism
Illustration of the Ashoka Chakra, as depicted on the National flag of the Republic of India The National Flag of India is a horizontal tricolour of saffron, white and green with the Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoke wheel in blue at its centre. It was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of India. The flag was subsequently retained as. See also: Rebirth (Buddhism) Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the evolving consciousness or stream of consciousness (Pali: viññana-sotam, Sanskrit: vijñāna-srotām, vijñāna-santāna, or citta-santāna) upon death (or "the dissolution of the aggregates" (P. khandhas, S. skandhas)), becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a newIn the teaching of the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from ancient India who founded Buddhism. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha (P. sammāsambuddha, S. samyaksaṃbuddha ) of our age, "Buddha" meaning "awakened one" or "the enlightened one." [note 1] The time of his birth and death are uncertain: sentient beings incarnate due to the psychological factors of ignorance Avidyā or avijjā (Pāli) means "ignorance" or "delusion" and is the opposite of 'vidyā' (Sanskrit) and 'rig pa' (Wylie). It is used extensively in Buddhist texts, craving and clinging which results in the phenomenon of becoming Bhava is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for "becoming" in the sense of 'ongoing worldly existence', from the root bhū "to become" and rebirth Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the evolving consciousness or stream of consciousness (Pali: viññana-sotam, Sanskrit: vijñāna-srotām, vijñāna-santāna, or citta-santāna) upon death (or "the dissolution of the aggregates" (P. khandhas, S. skandhas)), becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new. To be born human is considered a great privilege because unlike other mammals even a person of average intelligence with sufficient effort and proper guidance can walk the path of dharma In East Asia, the character for Dharma is 法, pronounced fǎ in Mandarin Chinese and hō in Japanese. The Tibetan translation of this term is chos . In Mongolian dharma is translated as nom, which is noteworthy since it ultimately derives from the Greek word νομος (nomos) (law)[citation needed]. In South and Southeast Asian Theravada areas and become liberated In Indian religions, Moksha or Mukti (Sanskrit: मुक्ति), literally "release" (both from a root muc "to let loose, let go"), is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and rebirth (reincarnation) from the cycle of rebirth. The motive force in the process of material incarnation and becoming (popularly known as 'life') is attachment to and identification with matter. This ignorance gives rise to the volitional factors which are called sankharas. These sankharas through the infinite possibilities of worldly desires propel the human being through the pattern of repeated birth and death until the dawning of wisdom Prajñā or paññā (Pali) has been translated as "wisdom," "understanding," "discernment," "cognitive acuity," or "know-how." In some sects of Buddhism, it especially refers to the wisdom that is based on the direct realization of the Four Noble Truths, impermanence, interdependent origination, (awakening) brings about the desire for liberation.
According to Buddha's teaching the soul (as that structure of sankharas that gives rise to incarnation and animates the body during 'life') is not a fixed entity but in a state of constant flux - being modified over time by actions of body, speech and mind. The constant transmutation and interdependence of phenomena The doctrine of pratītyasamutpāda , often translated as "dependent arising", is a cardinal doctrine within Buddhist philosophy. It is a name given by the historical Buddha to the arising of dukkha in worldly experience. It is variously rendered into English as "dependent origination", "conditioned genesis", " mean that nothing can be said in terms of ultimate truth The Buddhist doctrine of the two truths differentiates between two levels of 'truth' in Buddhist discourse, a "relative", or commonsense truth (Pali: Sammuti Sacca), and an "ultimate" or absolute spiritual truth (Pali: Paramattha Sacca). This avoids confusion between doctrinally accurate statements about the true nature of to have a fixed identity. This is the doctrine of anatta In the same vein, the Pali suttas , categorize the phenomena experienced by a being into five groups ("khandhas") that serve as the objects of clinging, and the basis for a sense of self. In the Nikayas, the Buddha repeatedly emphasizes not only that the five khandhas of living being "not-self", that is, not "I" or &, the no-self doctrine applying to all phenomena (see Three marks of existence According to the Buddha there are "three characteristics" of existence, namely, inconstancy (anicca,無常, usually translated as "impermanence"), suffering (dukkhā,苦) and not-self (anattā,空) and that by observing them, suffering is brought to an end (dukkha nirodha,苦滅). He taught that all things conditioned by causes).
Liberation in Buddhism is achieved when the stock of accumulated sankharas buried in the unconscious The unconscious mind is a term coined by the 18th century German philosophy romantic philosopher Sir Christopher Riegel and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The unconscious mind might be defined as that part of the mind which gives rise to a collection of mental phenomena that manifest in a person's have been dissolved through the practise of the Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena (or reality) and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion. The Noble Eightfold Path is the fourth of the, a path leading to the experience called enlightenment (Bodhi Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated as "enlightenment", but frequently (and more accurately) translated as "awakening" or "to know". The word "buddha" means "one who has awakened." Although its most common usage is in the context of Buddhism, bodhi is also a technical in Sanskrit Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism and Buddhism[note 1]. Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand. Sanskrit has been declared a classical language by the Government of India and Pali Pāli (ISO 15919/ALA-LC: is a Middle Indo-Aryan language of India. It is best known as the language of many of the earliest extant Buddhist scriptures, as collected in the Pāḷi Canon or Tipitaka, and as the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism). At enlightenment all the causes for future rebirth have been deleted and the sage abides in a state of being called deathlessnes (Amaravati Nirvāna (Sanskrit: निर्वाण; Pali: निब्बान ; Prakrit: णिव्वाण) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering (or dukkha). In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through Moksha. The word literally means "blowing out" or Amrta). Such a one - called an arahant In early Buddhist scriptures, the word arahant refers to an enlightened being. A Buddha, in the most common usage, is an arahant who has discovered the path to enlightenment without learning about it from someone else or Buddha In Buddhism, buddhahood (Sanskrit: बुद् buddhatva. Pali: बुद्धत buddhatta. Or buddhabhāva) is the state of perfect enlightenment (Sanskrit: samyaksambodhi (सम्यक्संबुद्ध). Pali: sammāsambodhi (सम्मसम्बोधि)) attained by a buddha (help·info) (Pali/Sanskrit for "awakened one& is no longer destined for reincarnation after death.
In Tibetan Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan. It is also practiced in Mongolia and parts of Russia (Kalmykia, Buryatia, and Tuva) and Northeast China. Texts recognized as, an enlightened spiritual teacher (lama Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru (see Tibetan Buddhism and Bön). The title can be used as an honorific title conferred on a monk, nun or (in the Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya schools) advanced tantric practitioner to designate a level of spiritual attainment and authority to teach, or) may choose to reincarnate after death in order to continue to help people. Such a teacher is called a tulku Tulku is the Tibetan Buddhist term for a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his (or her) rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his (or her) predecessor. However, discussing his own successor, the Dalai Lama has been quoted as saying that "if a.
Christianity
Christ Pantocrator Pantocrator or Pantokrator is one of many titles ascribed to the Divine. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek as the Septuagint, Pantokrator was used to translate the Hebrew title El Shaddai. Christians ascribed this title to Jesus, God incarnate in the Christian faith Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy (which parted ways with Catholicism in 1054 A.D.) and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th, shown in a mosaic from Daphni Dafni or Daphni is a monastery 11 km north-west of downtown Athens in Chaidari, south of Athinon Avenue (GR-8A). It is situated near the forest of the same name, on the Sacred Way that led to Eleusis. The forest covers about 15 to 20 km², Greece Greece (English: /ˈɡriːs/ ; Greek: Ελλάδα, Elláda, IPA: [eˈlaða] ( listen); Ancient Greek: Ἑλλάς, Hellás, IPA: [helːás]), also known as Hellas and officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Ellīnikī́ Dīmokratía, IPA: [eliniˈci ðimokraˈtia]), is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on, ca. 1080-1100. Main article: Incarnation (Christianity) The Incarnation is the belief in Christianity that the second person in the Christian Godhead, also known as the Son or the Logos , "became flesh" when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The word Incarnate derives from Latin (in=in or into, caro, carnis=flesh) meaning "to make into flesh" or "toThe doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ Christ is the English term for the Greek Χριστός meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ), usually transliterated into English as Messiah is central to the traditional Christian faith as held by the Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with more than a billion members. The Church's leader is the Pope who holds supreme authority in concert with the College of Bishops of which he is the head. A communion of the Western church and 22 autonomous Eastern Catholic churches (called, the Eastern Orthodox Church The Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church[note 1] and also the Eastern Orthodox Church, asserts that it is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles almost 2,000 years ago. The Church is composed of several self-governing ecclesial bodies, each geographically and, the Anglican Church The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches. There is no single "Anglican Church" with universal juridical authority as each national or regional church has full autonomy. As the name suggests, the Anglican Communion is an association of these churches in full communion with the, Protestants Protestantism is one of the four major divisions within Christianity together with the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Roman Catholic Church. The term is most closely tied to those groups that separated from the Roman Catholic Church in the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation and the Bible. Briefly, it is the belief that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, also known as the Son or the Logos (Word), "became flesh" when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. In the Incarnation, the divine nature of the Son of God was perfectly united with human nature in one divine Person. The vast majority of churches believe this person, Jesus, was both truly God and truly man. Some Christians claim that this doctrine is specifically referenced in the Bible in, amongst other places, John 1:14 and Colossians 2:9. It is known as the hypostatic union.
Hinduism
Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu Main article: AvatarIn Hinduism, avatar generally implies to the incarnation of Vishnu, the preserver in the Trimurti. Ganesha and Shiva do have avatars, but these are less popular than those of Vishnu.
Rastafari
The Rastafari movement views Haile Selassie I. as God incarnate, who has come the second time as a deliverer.
Islam
Mainstream Sunni Islam, vigorously objects to the concept of Incarnation.
Shiite sects
There are some hadiths which tell that Muhammad and his successors carry a divine succession from God. Although not all Shiites claim this view, but a few think that Imam Ali, believed to be the real caliph after Muhammad, was an incarnate of God, moreover god himself. This view is vigorously rejected by Sunnis, and is one of the main sources of conflict between Shias and Sunnis.
Twelvers
Twelvers, or followers of Imami Shī‘ism, the largest branch of Shia Islam, believe that 12 imams that come after Muhhamed are divine and unable to commit sin. Twelvers believe that Muhhamed and his successors, as messengers of the "al-noor" (light), are part of God.
Ismailism
The Aga Khan is the leader of the Ismailis and is believed that only he can fully understand and interpret the Quran. Some Ismailis interpret the Aga Khan to be God.
Nation of Islam
The founder of the US-based black nationalist Nation of Islam, Wallace Fard Muhammad, is believed to be an incarnation of God, also considered to be the Messiah of Christianity and Mahdi of Islam.
Traditions with no conception of Incarnation of God
Judaism
Shalom, a name of God (Hebrew characters) Main articles: God in Judaism, Names of God in Judaism, and ShalomJudaism totally rejects any doctrine of an incarnation of God and absolutely rejects any concept of an incarnation of God in any form.[6] Jews especially rejected vehemently - even under penalty of death or threats of torture - the Christian idea of Jesus as a divine incarnation of God, and neither see Jesus as a Prophet nor Messiah.
The Kabbalah has an idea of "gilgul" (Hebrew for reincarnation) as part of the soul's journey to achieve perfection.
Mainstream Islam
Islam completely rejects the doctrine of the incarnation of God in any form. In Islam God is one and neither begets nor is begotten.[7] Islam specifically rejects the Christian idea of Jesus as a divine incarnation, but rather Jesus is seen as a prophet (nabī) and messenger (rasūl) of God. The Quaranic text itself seems to fully rejects this concept according to most interpretations.
References
- ^ Like in Chili con carne (literally "Chili with meat") - carne originates from Latin, meaning flesh or meat.
- ^ Smith, Peter (2000). "God". A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 116. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
- ^ `Abdu'l-Bahá (1981) [1904-06]. Some Answered Questions. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. pp. 202–203. ISBN 0877431906. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAQ/saq-53.html.iso8859-1#gr5.
- ^ a b c Cole, Juan (1982). "The Concept of Manifestation in the Bahá'í Writings". Bahá'í Studies monograph 9: 1–38. http://bahai-library.com/cole_concept_manifestation.
- ^ Hatcher, W.S.; & Martin, J.D. (1998). The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion. San Francisco: Harper & Row. p. 118. ISBN 0877432643.
- ^ L. Jacobs 1973 A Jewish Theology p. 24. N.Y.: Berman House
- ^ Qur'an, (112:1-4).
External links
Categories: Ayyavazhi philosophical concepts | Buddhist philosophical concepts | Christian philosophy | Hindu philosophical concepts | Rastafari | Spirituality | Trinitarianism | Christian terms
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