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Ekasarana Dharma〔Sarma , Cantlie and Barman call it ''Ekasarana''. Maheshwar Neog uses both ''Ekasarana'' as well as ''Ekasarana naam-dharma'', qualifying the word ''dharma'' in the second example. Others call it ''Ekasarana Hari-naam-Dharma'', further qualifying the word ''dharma''.〕 (Assamese ; literally: 'Shelter-in-One religion') is a panentheistic religion founded and propagated by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century. Most of the adherents of this religion today live in the Indian state of Assam. As part of the greater Bhakti movement in other parts of India, it rejects vedic and other esoteric rites of worship, and instead replaces them by a simplified form that requires just uttering the name (''naam'') of God. The simple and accessible religion attracted already Hinduized as well as non-Hindu tribal populations into its egalitarian folds. The new converts were accepted via a system of individual initiation and were given a path to social improvement. Institutions like ''sattra'' (monasteries) and village ''Namghar'' (prayer houses), had profound influence in the evolution of social makeup of Assam's society. The artistic oeuvres lead to engendering of new forms of literature, music (''Borgeets'' or songs celestials), theatre (''Ankia Naat'') and dance (Sattriya dance). The central religious text of this religion is Bhagavat of Sankardeva, which was transcreated from the Sanskrit Bhagavata Purana by Srimanta Sankardeva and other religious preceptors. This book is supplemented by the two books of hymns: ''Kirtan Ghoxa'' by Sankardeva and ''Naam Ghoxa'' by Madhabdev. These books are written in the Assamese language. The religion is also called ''Mahapuruxiya'' because it is based on the worship of the Mahapurux or Mahapurush (Sanskrit: ''Maha'': Supreme and ''purush:'' Being), an epithet of Lord Vishnu in the Bhagavata and its adherents are often called ''Mahapuruxia'', ''Sankari'', ''Saraniya'' etc. In course of time, the epithet 'Mahapurux' came to be (secondarily) applied also to Sankardeva and Madhabdev, the principal preceptors. Non-adherence to the Hindu varnasrama system and egalitarianism marked its character. A strictly monotheistic religion, the only form of worship prescribed by this religion is uttering the name of God ("Sravana-Kirttana"), who is worshiped in the form of Krishna or Hari. Thus it is also called ''ek sarana Hari naam dharma''. Though a part of the wider Bhakti movement, it does not worship Radha with Krishna which is common in other bhakti movements. It is characterised by the ''dasya'' form of worship. Historically, it has been against idol worship, and especially against animal sacrifices common in ''sakta'' forms of Hinduism. Noted for its egalitarianism, it posed a serious challenge to Brahminical Hinduism, and converted into its fold people of all castes, ethnicity and religion (including Islam). ==Worshipful God and salvation== The preceptors as well as later leaders of the Ekasarana religion focused mainly on the religious practice of ''bhakti'' and kept away from systematically expounding philosophical positions.〔Though several schools of ''Vaishnavism'' had their own philosophical treatises (Ramanuja, Madhava, Nimbarka, Vallabhacharya), Sankardeva and Chaitanya did not. Though Jiva Goswami compiled systematic works for Chaitanya, nothing similar was attempted by Sankardeva's followers 〕 Nevertheless references found scattered in the voluminous works of Sankardeva and Madhavdeva indicate that their theosophical positions are rooted in the Bhagavata Purana〔"Sankaradeva was enabled to preach the new faith he had established for himself and for earnest seekers in his province, basing it on the philosophical doctrines of the Gita and the Bhagavata Purana as its scriptures" 〕 with a strong Advaita influence via its commentary ''Bhavartha-dipika'' by Sridhar Swami.〔"...the influence of the Bhagavata Purana in forming the theological backbone of Assam Vaishnavism in quite clear and the monistic commentary of Sridhara Swami is highly popular amongst all sections of Vaishnavas" 〕 Nevertheless, Sankardeva's interpretation of these texts were seen at once to be "original and new".〔"If there could be any question of mutation or affiliation still, it could have been with the Gita and the Bhagawat direct which Sankardew read and interpreted in his own way, at once original and new" . Haladhar Bhuyan, the founder of the Sankar Sangha, a modern sect of Ekasarana concurs: "Sri Neog now definitely shows that Sankardew’s philosophy is his own and that his religion is as original as that of any great preacher of the world" 〕 Scholars hold that these texts are not followed ''in-toto'' and deviations are often seen in the writings especially when the original philosophical contents came into conflict with the primary focus of ''bhakti'' as enunciated in the Ekasarana-dharma.〔For example, "the Chapters of the Bhagavata Purana, where the Pancharatra theology is discussed, have been omitted by Assamese translators because the ''Vyuha'' doctrine finds no place in the theology of Assamese Vaishnavism." ; "the highly philosophical benedictory verse (''mangalacarana'') of Book I of the Bhagavata-Purana, which has been elaborately commented upon by Sridhara from the monistic stand-point, has been totally omitted by Sankaradeva in his rendering." Whereas, "Kapila of ''Saṃkhya'' is an incarnation of God" in the original, ''Saṃkhya'' and ''Yoga'' are made subservient to ''bhakti'' . Furthermore, "Where Sridhara's commentary appears to them in direct conflict with their Ekasarana-dharma, they have not hesitated to deviate from Sridhara's views." 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ekasarana Dharma」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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