ONENESS — COMMON THREAD ACROSS WORLD RELIGION
Akhil Gupta, Founder UEF
In today’s world, religion often stirs up controversy and animosity. However, for me, it has always been an endless quest in search of meaning and truth. Growing up in Old Delhi, which is densely populated with diverse people of all faiths, I was exposed to various religions. I came to realize that all religions aim to reach the same goal, but through different paths.We all have the same quest but different creeds.
I grew up as a Hindu adhering to all corresponding beliefs and rituals. However, as I grew older and studied engineering, I became more analytical and began to feel cognitive dissonance with several of my beliefs as a Hindu. However, I still found value in religion, realizing that it is a never-ending quest for meaning and truth.
Through my study at Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative program, I learned more about other faiths and gained a deeper understanding of my own faith. I also discovered that much of what I believed in as literal truth from the Hindu scriptures was actually best interpreted metaphorically. I found that reading other religions helped me become a better Hindu, and I came to realize that religions are part of a shared human meaning-making project that has been ongoing for our entire history as a species.
So, it became my quest to understand religions at a deeper level. And it was fascinating to see how much is common in them, while still acknowledging they can be one of the leading causes of division in our times. I believe that only through the understanding of these commonalities can we see past these divisions. By doing so, we can all become more authentically religious and show true and unconditional love towards every “other.”
I met the the Provost of Harvard University Alan Garber in 2016. He mentioned to me that Harvard aims to develop its students as ‘T’ individuals, i.e, with deep knowledge of one subject but a broader understanding in several other domains.Imagine if all religions aim to develop religious T individuals, practicing their religion as the vertical and understanding commonality across all religions as the horizontal of the T.
In this context I want to introduce to you my recently published book, “Bridges Across Humanity”. This book explores an amazing number of common themes: 54 of them (yes, 54) across the world’s religions. This book is a culmination of four years of research I undertook with the help of a Harvard Divinity School graduate.
The most wonderful books on world religions take a siloed approach in presenting each religion and focus on the particularities of each religion. In academia, religions are being taught in siloes as well. Particularity is emphasized in the practice of most religions. We should not be surprised that there is so much of a mindset of exclusivity associated with Religions.
This book takes one theme at a time and shows how it is present in all religions.The impact on the reader is hopefully very different than reading the books where religions are covered in silos.
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Insightful Quote on Oneness
Hinduism
“So many religions, so many paths to reach the same goal. I have practiced Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and in Hinduism again the ways of the different sects. I have found that it is the same God towards whom all are directing their steps, though along different paths.”
-Swami Ramakrishna, Hindu Monk
