Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/800

 INDIA

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INDIA

first instance been a simple kind of nature and hero- worship, was developed by the Brahmin priests and sages into a highly ceremonial cult with a theoretical background of emanative pantheism as formulated later on in the Vedanta. While the speculative and liturgical portions of the Hindu religion were being developed by the educated classes, the popular religion was being transformed by contact with the older local tribes. The polytheism induced by the co-existence of various local deities received a monotheistic ex- planation from the Brahmins, each god being regarded as a particular manifestation of the supreme one. Buddhism came into existence in the sixth cen- tury B. c. (Gautama Buddha fl. circa 527 b. c). It adopted many of the fundamental ideas of the prevail- ing Brahministic creed and developed its ascctical consequences, liut made no account of the system of caste, and afterwards degenerated into saint and hero worship. During the following centuries Buddhism gradually spread throughout the country, and consti- tuted a formidable rival to Brahminism. A reaction, however, supervened, during which Buddhism gradu- ally disappeared from the land, though it continued to prevail in Burma and Ceylon. From the thirteenth century a. d., Brahminism has retained a permanent hold over at least three-quarters of the population. Out of a miscellaneous collection of elements — Vedic pantheism, Puranic mythology, aljoriginal animism, polytheism, demon worship, and sorcery, there de- veloped a promiscuous .system of religious belief and practice which became hereditary, and which may be called " exoteric or popular Hinduism " as distinguished from the esoteric or philosophical religion of the select few. The study of Hinduism therefore naturally falls into two corresponding parts of which a totally sepa- rate treatment is necessary (see Brahminism). Be- sides Hinduism in these two senses of the term, there exist certain other religions, the chief of which may be enumerated as follows: —

( 1 ) Animism and a promiscuous collection of archaic low cults and superstitions, still maintained Ijy the more remote aboriginal tribes — a survival of the time prior to the Aryan immigration; and also rife to a great extent among the masses of Hindus. (2) Jain- ism, a form of religion allied equally with Hindui.sm and Buddhism and found chiefly in Gujerat and Ka- tliiawar. Its alleged founder Mahavira is said to have died just when Buddha was entering into his mission- ary labours (circa .527 b. c). (See Jainism.) (3) Sikh- ism, an off-shoot (originating in the Punjal) in the fifteenth century a. d.) claiming to be a purifica- tion of Hinduism, in which, however, the worship of a sacred l)Ook has largely taken the place of the worship of images (see Sikhism). (4) Zoroastrianism, brought into India by a body of Parsees who fled before the Mohammedan conquerors of Persia, and reached India about a. d. 700. This religion has neither influenced nor been largely influenced by Hinduism, and is still kept up among the Parsee com- munity exclusively (see Avesta; P.vrsees). (5) Mo- hammedanism, introduced into India by the Moslem conquerors, who, beginning about a. d. 1000, gradually spread their domination over the land till in the seven- teenth century it reached almost to Cape C'oinorin. Large numbers were brought over from Ilinduism to this creed. But they retained much of their old caste and ceremonial ideas, and thus brought into existence a modified form of jjopular Mohammetlanism, outwardly resembling Ilinduism in many points — among which hero-worship directed to tombs of saints corrcspnnds largely to the Hindu worship of images (.see Mohammed AND MoiiAMMicDANis.M). (0) Chri-stiaiiity, .said to liave existed among the White Huns, through whom it may have contributed to the Krishna legend; prevalent from very early times on the Malabar coast and to some extent in several other parts (see Tho.mas Chkistians); extensively spread by the Portuguese

from the year 1.500, and afterwards by missionaries of other European nations. In recent times Chris- tian ideas have exercised much indirect influence on the educated classes of Hindus, resulting partly in efforts to purify popular Hinduism of its grosser ele- ments, partly in adopting a more rationalized inter- pretation of Hindu ideas and practices. But the popular religion among the masses remains untouched. Present Religious Statistics.- — According to the census of 1901 the religious statistics of the Indian Empire stand as follows: — The votaries of Hinduism number 207,147,026, or about three-quarters of the total. The Mohammedans come next with 62,458,077. The Buddhists number 9,476,7.59, almost exclusively in Burma and As.sam. Animism prevails among the aboriginal tribes to the numl>er of 8,584,148. Chris- tians come next with a total of 2,923,241. The Sikhs (chiefly in the Punjab) number 2,195,339; the Jains (chiefly on the western coasts), 1,334,148; the Parsees (chiefly in Bombay), 94,190; the Jews, 18,228— the rest being insignificant or unclassified. The Christian statistics are detailed as follows:

EURO-

EURA-

NATIVES

TOTAL

PEANS

SIANS

Church of England

111,764

35,781

305,917

453,462

Presbyterians

9693

1439

42,799

53,931

Baptists

2108

2017

216,915

221,040

Methodists

5998

2420

68,489

76,907

Congregationalists

421

140

37,313

37,874

Lutherans, etc.

1400

287

153,768

155,455

Latin Catholics

33,964

45,697

1,122,508

1,202,169

SjTians

6

1

571,320

571,328

Others

4323

1469

145,284

151,076

Ecclesiastical History.— The history of the Catholic Church in India can be divided into the fol- lowing sections; — (1) From the earliest times down to the advent of the Portuguese, and especially the tradi- tions regarding St. Thomas and the community be- lieved to have been founded by him (see Thomas Christi.vns). (2) Portuguese missionary enterprise dating from the year 1498, a brief outline of which appears under Goa. (3) The dispute regarding con- cessions to Hindu usage, commencing with Robert de Nobili in 1606 and ending with the final decisions of the Holy See in 1742 (see Malab.vr Rites; Ma- dura Mission). (4) Propaganda missionary enter- prise, commencing about the year 1637. (5) The conflict of jurisdiction between the vicars Apostolic of propaganda and the Portuguese padroado, commen- cing in the eighteenth century, reaching its climax in 1838, and its final settlement in 1886 (see Goa, /UiCHDiocESB of; P.\droado). (6) The establish- ment of the hierarchy in 1886 and subsequent organization down to the present time. Besides the special articles referred to, local details will l)c found under the different dioceses. Here it will Ije sufficient to take a brief survey of the whole. From very early times there existed on the Malabar and Coromandel Coast a consideralile community of native Christians claiming to have received the Faith from the Apostle St. Thomas, whose martyrilom is held to have taken place near Mylapur, three miles south of Madras. His reputed tomb seems to have been in the hands of Nestorians, and the eonmiunity generally appears for several centuries to have been ruled by l)ishops from Persia or Baliy Ionia who were also Nes- torians. When the Portuguese came into India, they set Ihem.sclves to the task of removing this Ne.storian tuint and bringing the community into union with the Cathohc Church, and this was accomplished by the Synod of Diamper in 1.599. In 16.53, in consequence of domestic quarrels, a revolt took place, followed by a conciliation of the great majority, while a certain minority fell away, and became later on a prey to Jacobite influences. The Syrian Catholics — as they