The Self and Eastern Religions

The significance of Eastern Religions in the 21st Century is a challenging subject to

discuss since the dominating religion in the world is Christianity and Islam. But with the growing
times and the wave of modernity washing over us, the new generation found a liking to different
ways to practice spirituality. Countless times I see Christian youth branch out, and in their
pursuit of inner peace and happiness, one cannot ignore the self-assuring spiritual practices that
eastern religions tend to apply. The very difference between western and eastern religions is that
the western relies on a higher power to change the circumstances à la what happens, happens
mentality. On the other hand, while still relying on a higher power, the eastern focus on changing
perspectives on the given situation, i.e., attaining enlightenment in Hinduism or achieving an
inner state of mental tranquility in Buddhism.
The concept of spirituality in the East is widely dependent on the natural forces we see in
the world. The Hindu's cycle of samsara, the proponent of the religion's morality via karma, is
not a higher power or a divine deity but rather a concept, a perpetual cycle of rebirth and death, it
acts as some kind of divine law, a law that everything in the world must follow. Now compare
that with the concept of Christianity, the idea of a higher being able to judge what's right and
wrong. The simple choice to be sinful and suffer eternal torment or be righteous and be subjected
to paradise in heaven. "Various Eastern religions today try to convince Westerners that they are
not religions but methods of achieving deeper spirituality. Since people today have been brought
up with the conventional falsehood that "all religions ultimately teach the same things," they may
not know any religious content;" (Source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/why-are-
eastern-religions-so-attractive-to-so-many/) Within the subject of samsara lies the topic of
karma; karma means action; whatever you put out to the world, it will give back. With hell,
there's a sense of finality, some kind of end that will go on for eternity; now, Hinduism defies
permanence; instead, it offers the idea of redemption. Do sinful stuff in your life, be punished
with a bad next life, do better in that life, then be awarded a better life next reincarnation. Now
that's where my point ends; eastern religions offer something that western religions can't; they
offer self-actualization. Eastern Religion gives the person the power to control what we deserve.
In a way, there's a sense of self-judgment within the followers of these religions. It offers a way
to enlighten oneself by relying on their core moral beliefs and relying on their doctrines and
truths. While granted, each of them still worships a higher being; there's a sense of freedom
given to them. In somewhere deep inside the barrel of eastern religious culture, there is a sense
of theatricality that's fascinating deep urge to see what they see. The significance of eastern
religion in the 21st Century is that it gives us the power to decide whether or not we are punished
or brought into salvation."On the other hand, "spirituality," in its current use, is all about self-
fulfillment. It does not imply a defect on our part, but it begins with the premise that we are fine,
though we could be even better if we would find our spiritual potential and actualize it.
'Spirituality' carries no accountability, but it may tout that it can enable all of humanity to hold
hands and create a nicer planet." (source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/why-are-
eastern-religions-so-attractive-to-so-many/)
 In conclusion, the significance of eastern religions is not only rooted in the fact that they
give a different perspective in the worlds crockpot of religious philosophies, but it teaches us that
we can be self-reliant while serving a higher being. With our actions, we are the ones who
deserve to live a better life in the next reincarnation, or it's our fault why our life is so bad right
now. It gives us self-fulfillment, and we've no one to blame but ourselves. That's why some
eastern religions are increasing in numbers because it lets us decide whether to sin or give up on
earthly attachments to achieve a new level of inner peace.