پژوهشنامه ادیان
سال سوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 6، پاییز و زمستان 1388)

Reincarnation, which means rebirth of the soul or self in a series of physical or preternatural embodiments such as human being, animal, plant or divine, angelic and demonic embodiments, is a fundamental doctrine in some Asian religions. Though it has been stated that this idea could be originated in primitive religions, in Indian religions it is an essential doctrine directly connected with two basic beliefs namely karma and samsāra. For Hindus the process of rebirth is endless, but it can be ceased by true liberation or mokśa. The development of the concept of reincarnation is traceable through the Hindu Scriptures such as Vedas, Brāhmanas, Upanisads and bhagavadgītā, which is a part of the great Indian epic Mhābhārata. Scholars put forward different theories about the origin of the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, so much so that they recognized it as a non-Indian idea; however eventually they reached to a consensus: the belief stems from Indian indigenous cults.

In modern times, the Neo-Kantian philosophy of Ernst Cassirer is the most significant attempt to construct a philosophy of myth as an integral part of the philosophy of religion. His most elaborated definition of myth can be found in the second volume of his Philosophy of Symbolic Forms. According to this book, myth is a symbolic form that maintains unity of the word and being, the signifier and the signified, it yet still retains itself in the developing structure and, by the use of symbols and signs, it shapes the foundation of religion. Myth and religion, therefore, represent the fundamental tendency toward symbolic formation. In other words, they constitute the basis of a metaphor that lies at the heart of all forms of symbolic function. This essay surveys the nature of myth, the characteristics of mythic–religious though and the role of time and place in the development of the mythology. It also deals with the relation between language and myth and tries to give an account of the interrelationship between myth and religion.

Khurramdīnīyyah is one of the greatest religious, political and social movements in Iran in the 9th century C.E. Although this movement is more important than other sectarian movements of that era and there are relatively considerable sources available about it, its true nature is not clear, primarily due to the fact that these sources mainly speak about it with hostility and disagreement. Moreover, these sources present a confused picture of Khurramdīnīyyah which is sometimes mingled with the elements from other sects of that period. Mazdakīyyah– a heterodox sect of Sassanid period– probably exercised a powerful influence on Khurramdīnīyyah. It has also been asserted that the latter was the continuation of the former. In fact, after the suppression of Mazdakism by Sassanind kings, the teachings of Mazdak did not disappeared. On the contrary, through the efforts of his wife and some of his followers who survived from the massacre, these teaching lived on and secretly scattered. It is more likely that Mazdakian teachings were revitalized under the name of Khurramdīnīyyah more than two century later. A dualist belief in two principles, as well as, reincarnation and transmigration are the main doctrines which Khurramdīnīyyah promoted. Moreover an extremist form of communal life is attributed to them, based on sharing properties– even their spouses. The lack of a central church and exact religious leadership and the diffusion of the believers in different parts of Iran led Khurramdīnīyyah into dispersion. Several sub-sects, with different names and doctrines, emerged from it, which caused a clear confusion in accounts of Islamic sources about them.

The mystical negative ethics differs from negative ethics in general, because the mystical ethics has been adjusted to attain mystical states not merely living a moral life. Although mystics of different traditions follow different ethical codes, there are many similarities among them. Moreover, these mystics in accordance with their mystical traditions pursue special kinds of negative ethics. Among these mystics Teresa of Avila and Jalāl al-dīn Rūmī are good examples. Although they lived in different times and places, there are considerable similarities in their views, especially in the field of negative mystical ethics. From their viewpoint two important elements are necessary for beginning the mystical journey: not to be despaired and renouncing the social life (eremitism). Other ethical concepts were also important to them, which this essay, by employing comparative method, tries to deal with them.

There is no accurate description of a kind of "biological classification" in the Holy Qur’ān and the Old Testament. Moreover, in contrast to the biological texts, Qur’ān and the Old Testament do not aim at scientific categorization of creatures, and therefore it seems that their verses arethe reflection of their addressees’ knowledge of the nature. Both these books have similar attitudes toward creatures– particularly plants– and perhaps these similarities are rooted in their same revelatory origin or the similar cultural background of their prophets and their addressees. However, the Qur’ān’s description of creatures is more elaborate than that of the Old Testament. Therefore, only through logical deductions from the verses of Holy Qur’ān, the Old Testament and their interpretations one can talk about the "biological classification" according to these two scriptures. This essay tries to give an account of such classification and to compare their similarities and discrepancies. This leads us to this The cosmology of the holy scriptures basically differ from the viewpoints of the Greek philosophers.

The aim of this essay is not judging about exclusivism, inclusivism or pluralism as such, rather, it tries to explain the ideas of the well-known Iranian Muslim mystic, Shiykh Mahmūd Shabistarī, on pluralism. Moreover, by employing phenomenological method, this essay is going to deal with the concept of pluralism and its relation with religious experiences. Shiykh Mahmūd is a famous mystic and also a distinguished theorist in the field of religious-mystical thoughts. He takes a mystical approach to religious ideas and expresses his views through concise treatises in prose and verse. Like many mystics he frequently deals with different aspects of the multiplicity of religions. This essay attempts to survey his exact opinion on pluralism, so that it may throw new light on Shabistarī’s view in particular and Islamic mysticism in general.

Sangha as a group of monks and nuns that come together to construct a monastic community based on the principles of vinaya, is the main religious institution in a Theravādin society. Sangha's structure is basedon its member's relationship with each other and with their surrounding society. Within Sangha there is an obvious equality among monks on the one hand, and a distinctive discrimination between monks and nuns. Prohibition of Monk's and nun's economic activity except for begging has made Sangha's continuity dependent on laymen's economic supports, and Sangha, trying to hold these supports, has undertaken certain social functions. Moreover, despite the emphasis on orthodoxy and avoidance of religious innovations in Theravādin Buddhism, it has spread some beliefs which are different from and sometimes even in contrast with Buddha's teachings.