Samskara (rite of passage)

This article is about the Hindu rituals. For other uses, see Samskara (disambiguation).
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Samskaras are, in one context, the diverse rites of passage of a human being from conception to cremation, signifying milestones in an individual's journey of life in Hinduism. Above is annaprashana samskara celebrating a baby's first taste of solid food.

Samskara (IAST: saṃskāra, sometimes spelled samskara) are sacraments in Hinduism and other Indian religions, described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as a concept in the karma theory of Indian philosophies.[1][2][3] The word literally means "putting together, making perfect, getting ready, to prepare", or "a sacred or sanctifying ceremony" in ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts of India.[4]

In the context of karma theory, samskaras are dispositions, characters or behavioural traits that exist as default from birth or prepared and perfected by a person over one's lifetime, that exist as imprints on the subconscious according to various schools of Hindu philosophy such as the Yoga school.[3][5] These perfected or default imprints of karma within a person, influences that person's nature, response and states of mind.[3]

In another context, Samskara refers to the diverse sacraments in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.[2][6][7] In Hinduism, the samskaras vary in number and details according to regional traditions. They range from the list of 40 samskaras in the Gautama Dharmasutra from about the middle of the 1st millennium BCE,[8] to 16 samskaras in the Grhyasutra texts from centuries later.[1][9] The list of samskaras in Hinduism include both external rituals such as those marking a baby's birth and a baby's name giving ceremony, as well as inner rites of resolutions and ethics such as compassion towards all living beings and positive attitude.[8]

  1. ^ a b Carl Olson (2007), The Many Colors of Hinduism: A Thematic-historical Introduction, Rutgers University Press, ISBN 978-0813540689, pages 93-94
  2. ^ a b David Knipe (2015), Vedic Voices: Intimate Narratives of a Living Andhra Tradition, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0199397693, page 52
  3. ^ a b c Stephen H. Phillips (2009), Yoga, Karma, and Rebirth: A Brief History and Philosophy, Columbia University Press, ISBN 978-0231144858, Chapter 3
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference monierwilliams was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ KE Nayar (2004), The Sikh Diaspora in Vancouver, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0802086310, page 88
  7. ^ Dagmar Benner (2008), in Mathematics and Medicine in Sanskrit (Editor: Dominik Wujastyk), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-8120832466, pages 122-123
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference patrick was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference pandey23 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).