TheŚrāddha

The Development of Ancestor Worship in Classical Hinduism

Bibliographic Data

ID4869952
AuthorsMatthew R Sayers (Lebanon Valley College, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume9
Issue6
Pages182-197
Publication date2015-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligion Compass (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1749-8171 • E-ISSN: 1749-8171
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/rec3.12155
OpenAlexW1944828264
LanguageEN
References cited21

The association of Hinduism with reincarnation is well-known, but this connection obscures a long tradition of ancestor worship. The ritual texts of the Vedic and later Hindu traditions describe in detail the procedure for several forms of ancestral rite. This paper outlines the development of the theological discourse on ancestor worship from its earliest expression to the formation of Classical Hinduism early in the Common Era and highlights the underlying theological, social, and practical concerns that shaped that discourse. The development that culminated in the theological construction of an enduring model of ancestor veneration, theśrāddha, revolves around two central tensions, between the solemn and domestic ritual traditions and between the ritual and renunciation traditions. The resolution of the first tension produces theśrāddha. The reactions to the second tension in the ritual literature shape theśrāddha, bringing it to its classical form, and generate the complex soteriology of later Hinduism

Ancestor · Archaeology · Buddhism · Epistemology · Hinduism · Reincarnation · Renunciation · Theology · Veneration · Worship · History · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophy · Religious studies · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices