Answer
Among the faith traditions classified as an Eastern religion, Hinduism and Buddhism from India, and Confucianism and Taoism from China, are among the largest and most influential. Sikhism and Jainism, from India, and Shinto, native to Japan, are also considered Eastern religions, but they are smaller, more regional, and have had less of a global impact. Although Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism each have unique beliefs, values, and practices, they also share certain characteristics. These include a focus on reducing and escaping suffering in this life, a commitment to live morally as each belief system defines morality, and a departure from exclusively monotheistic views.
First, Eastern religions generally emphasize the importance of reducing suffering. Buddhism teaches the Four Noble Truths, which argue that suffering stems from having attachments in life. Following the Eightfold Path, including practices like meditation, leads to detachment and the end of suffering. Hinduism posits that the law of karma determines how much a person suffers. Good karma reduces suffering in the next life, while bad karma increases it. Confucianism addresses suffering through its instructions on ethical standards regarding society and family, such as treating elders with respect. When people live out these communal values, it leads to less individual suffering. Taoism believes reducing suffering results from living in alignment with the “Tao” (i.e., the Way), which involves pursuing balance and flow and avoiding forced or unnatural actions that lead to stress, conflict, and exhaustion.
Second, Eastern religions focus on ethical behaviors, yet each belief system has unique convictions about right and wrong. Regarding the religions from India, Hinduism teaches the importance of ahimsa (Sanskrit for “non-violence”) and enjoins follower to not harm any living thing. Buddhism teaches the importance of karuna (Sanskrit for “compassion”) and the need to alleviate the suffering of all living things. While karuna is one of many virtues in Hinduism, it’s the central ethical principle in Buddhism.
Regarding religions from China, Confucianism teaches the importance of ren (Chinese for “humanness”) and emphasizes showing benevolence to all people. Taoism teaches the importance of de, or a person’s inner character, and promotes the ideal of treating others with kindness and compassion. Confucianism also incorporates the concept of de, emphasizing treating others well, whereas in Taoism it refers to aligning with the flow the universe, which also has ethical and social applications.
Third, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, representing the largest Eastern religions, reject strict monotheism—the exclusive belief in one God—in favor of polytheism or non-theism. Although many varieties of theism are found in Hinduism, including monotheism, it’s almost entirely polytheistic. Buddhism and Confucianism are non-theistic, focusing on ethical behavior. Taoism can be polytheistic or non-theistic depending on the tradition. Although some Eastern religions are exclusively monotheistic like Zoroastrianism and Sikhism, they are smaller than the more influential Eastern religions. Specifically, Zoroastrianism has approximately 200,000 to 400,000 followers globally, and Sikhism has about 25 million. In comparison, Buddhism has about 500 million followers, and Hinduism has 1.2 billion. Confucianism and Taoism each have 10 to 20 million devout followers, plus hundreds of millions who nominally employ their ethical principles in daily life.
Even though major belief systems like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam originated in the Middle East, which is in the Eastern Hemisphere, historians and anthropologists classify them as Western religions because that’s the part of the world they spread to and impacted the most.
The home of Eastern religions is part of the “nations” in the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20, ESV). Understanding what Eastern religions believe can help Christians effectively share the gospel in obedience to Jesus’ charge.
