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
