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Many religions begin as individual quests, but almost all religions are eventually incorporated into a cultural system. The Path of Knowledge and Classical Hinduism of India, as well as Confucianism and Daoism of China, are all examples of how religions ultimately adapt into the cultural society. Once a society finds a need for change in a practice or spiritual goal, a transformation usually occurs in the religion and is integrated into the culture.

In India, the goal of the Path of Knowledge is to try to achieve freedom from rebirth as well as freedom from death. It became necessary during the Upanisadic period because as the cities were growing and people had more leisure time, they began to think that the Path of Action was unsatisfactory. The culture adapted the Path of Knowledge because the Path of Action only gave worldly pleasures that did not last and would eventually waste away. Sacrifices became unnecessary. People began to think knowledge was more important than social and spiritual duties. Then evolved the idea of Karma, action, Samsara, the cycle of life, and Moksha, spiritual liberation. If people had good karma, it would release them from samsara, and they would attain moksha. The only problem with this sy

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” “He was expected to exhibit a thorough knowledge of manners (li) and to care more for his own integrity and inner development than for wealth,” (Fenton, 171). The goal in Confucianism is Ren, humanity or humaneness. The central importance of Daoism is the concept of Dao, the Way. People tried to achieve moksha on their own. But still there were pitfalls to the Path of Knowledge. To follow the Dao, was to act according to li, which was to do what was right in the proper manner at the proper time.

Confucius believed that there was a need for change in the government. Harmony is sought through nature and not in social life, as in Confucianism. Daoism remodels the traditional Chinese emphasis on harmony and the Way by focusing on the mystical experience of it. These Indian religions adapted to the changing culture. He attained spiritual peace by renouncing his house, sacred fire and property, and practicing asceticism. He believed that li was the means by which life should be ordered and the proper harmony established. He saw the answer to this problem in the ritualization of life, which was found in the practice of li.

Approximate Word count = 855
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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