Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/66

 strongly by many people should also be explained. Every one sees Hindus becoming Mohamedans and Christians, but no one sees Christians or Mohamedans becoming Hindus. This observation leads an ordinary person to Ban think Hinduism is an "exclusive" and a “national” “religion," while Christianity, Mohamedanism and Buddhism are “universal religions.” Some persons believe that Hinduism is a "religion " which could appeal only to the people who are on the frontiers of civilization, and cannot appeal to persons professing “higher religions."

In order to explain why the above-mentioned inferences, though drawn from a correct observation, are erroneous, it would be necessary to explain many other primary conceptions. I have discarded the term "religion" as inapplicable to Hinduism. The essential difference between social systems like Hinduism and those social groups enclosed in religions like Christianity and Mohamedanism is, that in one case there is no conversion, that is, adoption of one group or individual by another, while in the other case there is. In one case the uniformity of manner, customs and beliefs are trusted to intercourse, intercourse itself is trusted to geographical proximity, and the increase of intercourse to time; while in the other, that is, in the case of society enclosed in " religion," an attempt is made to make the candidate for matriculation believe what members of the religion believe, and if he believes in the way they believe, and discards all that he has that may be different from their beliefs, then he is, individually, permitted in the social group enclosed by that religion, In this manner the religions, or rather the societies living under religions, have advanced and progressed. Hinduism is by no means "national," because all tribes in India were not