local traditional beliefs. traditional religions. In their lives, Buddhists are guided by the Buddha's sermons on the "Four Noble Truths" and the "Eightfold Path"

Traditionally, beliefs are commonly understood as religious ideas, the system of which forms the ideological content of religion. True, in Western Jewish science, the term "beliefs" often refers to views that do not have a theological character. One way or another, already at an early stage in the development of human society, religious ideas played a significant, if not decisive, role in people's lives. They were a human response to exposure environment. Over time, primitive beliefs developed into an independent system of religious beliefs.

Rites adequate to them are most closely connected with them - symbolic actions performed with a religious purpose, that is, giving certain events in a person's life a theological meaning. Moreover, the sequence and methods of behavior in the course of performing these rites are invariant and, as a rule, are performed traditionally, in accordance with custom or a specially developed “scenario”. In most cases, these rites are collective in nature and are arranged on the occasion of birth, death, marriage, etc.

From the point of view of religious beliefs and traditions, the western part of the Pamirs, officially called the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) and part of the Republic of Tajikistan, is a unique region. This exclusivity is primarily due to its geographical position. Even in ancient times, various ethnographic groups inhabited the few high-mountain valleys suitable for habitation and agricultural activities. “... Here is a valley and here is a valley,” the orientalist General A.E. Snesarev rightly noted, “and between them there is a ridge and there is no pass; in this case there will be two different communities, two peoples, often speaking completely different languages, having no connection with each other. Indeed, the peoples now living in GBAO - the Bartans, the Vakhans, the Ishkashims, the Khufts, the Shugnans, and others - speak mutually incomprehensible and until now unwritten East Iranian languages ​​(the language of the lowland Tajiks belongs to the western branch of the Iranian languages). The role of lingua franca is played by the Tajik language, as well as the language of the Shugnans, the largest in the autonomous region in terms of their number of people.

Despite the ethno-differentiating significance of the natural and geographical factor, Ismailism has been and remains a powerful integration stimulus - one of the currents of Shiite Islam, whose followers now live in more than 20 countries of the world. Ismailism penetrated the Pamirs in the 10th-11th centuries. Ismailis, like Shia Muslims, claim that after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, his follower - cousin and son-in-law (husband of the Prophet's daughter Fatima) Ali - was the first imam, i.e., the spiritual leader of the Muslim community, and that the spiritual leadership, known as imamate, is therefore hereditary through Ali and his wife Fatima.

Based on the doctrinal provisions of Ismailism, its opponents questioned the legitimacy of this movement, spreading fabrications in their writings about "unworthy goals, immoral views and lecherous practices of the Ismailis." Ismaili imams were accused of non-Alid origin, and the teaching itself was considered by orthodox Sunni Muslims (rulers, theologians, etc.) as a heresy and a conspiracy against Islam, based on pre-Islamic beliefs. The historian and orientalist N. M. Emelyanova had to deal with similar views relatively recently, in 2004, during her work in the Sunni regions of Afghan and Tajik Badakhshan. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Ismailis were persecuted and repressed, including for religious reasons. During the civil war in Tajikistan, namely in late 1992 - early 1993, many people from GBAO were exterminated just because they were from the Pamirs, which implied their religious affiliation.

That is why Ismailism to this day plays in the culture of the peoples of the region we are considering not only the most important socio-ideological, but also ethnointegrative role. Here one cannot but agree with the famous religious ethnographer S. A. Tokarev, who considered religion as one of the ethnic features. “From the very beginning to the very end,” he wrote, “religion is a form of social connection, mutual contraction (integration) of fellow believers and mutual repulsion (segregation) of non-believers. In this sense, it performs the same (more precisely, similar) role as any other “ethnic feature”: language, forms of material culture, folk art, etc.”

By the time of the adoption of Ismailism, various pre-Islamic cults existed among the inhabitants of different valleys of the Western Pamirs: fire worship, Manichaeism, elements of ancient Iranian beliefs, etc. Some of the traditional religious beliefs and practice - totemism, magical rites, the use of amulets, the veneration of animals (zoolatry), the cult of ancestors and others - have survived to this day. Neither the pre-Islamic nor the Ismaili layer is comprehensive; they predominate in various spheres of spiritual life. The mechanism of their interactions is quite complex, and its detailed study by specialists - religious scholars, ethnographers, historians - is yet to come. Today, one can only state the obvious fact of the existence of syncretism in the religious life of the Pamiris - a mixture and interpenetration of various forms of beliefs.

In the works of humanities scholars since the Soviet era, there has been a point of view that later religions absorb the beliefs, rituals, traditions that preceded them and, rethinking them, adapt them to their concepts. As the ethnographer L. A. Tultseva writes, for example, “any religion in real life exists in close unity with the beliefs that it inherited from others, more early religions, forming a syncretic alloy".

Many researchers (B. A. Rybakov, V. N. Basilov in the main part of their works, G. P. Snesarev and others) wrote about folk religion, which includes, along with the official ideology, early pre-monotheistic (pre-Christian or pre-Muslim) ideas and rituals are pagan in nature. It was about the so-called everyday, or folk, Christianity and Islam. The latter, in particular, was characterized by the closest intertwining of local pre-Muslim religious traditions with the norms, regulations, ideas and rites of Islam. Moreover, it is important to note that in the minds of some Christians and Muslims, all beliefs and rituals, regardless of their origin, represent true Christianity and Islam.

The synthesis of monotheistic dogma and "pagan" beliefs gave rise to researchers to call folk religion "dual faith". This term is still used in scientific everyday life and is understood, as a rule, unambiguously - as a formal, mechanical combination in the folk religion of "two faiths". According to T. A. Bernshtam, ethnographers who study the religious beliefs of the Eastern Slavs, including Russians, believe that “paganism” constitutes a large and essential part of the folk belief system, badly and transparently covered by Christianity, which is enough to “remove” to expose pre-Christian archaic almost in " pure form". The author emphasizes that by paganism she understands "a layer of views of non-Christian origin or archaic forms of syncretism."

In the last decade, in a number of works by Russian authors, there is a point of view that differs from the traditionalist one. Its essence boils down to the fact that the ancient pagan beliefs, in one form or another preserved in monotheistic religions, are not inherently paganism. They not only lose their former external design, but also change their content as a result of its processing in the spirit of the dominant worldview.

The question arises: why do the ancient forms of beliefs, which traditionalists call pagan, and the ritual actions associated with them exist to this day? Most likely, because they are connected with the actual problems of people's life, reflect the eternal aspects of being and human perception of the world around. The external form of rituals can be transformed, the terminology may change, but the essence of these beliefs remains unchanged. After all, now, like many centuries ago, traditional beliefs and rituals are associated with ensuring fertility, healing from diseases, obtaining the necessary information from representatives of the supernatural spiritual world to make decisions in certain life situations, etc.

That is why it should rather be said that it was later religions that adapted to ancient beliefs, customs and rituals, and not vice versa. In our opinion, ancient beliefs and later religions coexist within the framework of the dominant religious system, mutually influence each other and mutually penetrate each other with separate features.

A vivid example of this is the religious situation in the Pamirs. Under the dominance of official Ismailism here, the Badakhshans still retain the so-called primitive, or pagan, beliefs - totemism, magical rites, the use of amulets, zoolatry, the cult of ancestors, etc. Their appearance was due primarily to harsh natural and climatic conditions, lack of housing and economic space, isolation from lowland areas, illiteracy of the local population and other factors.

The origins of traditional beliefs go back to the ancient personification of the nature and spirits of dead people. Animistic ideas are universal for all human cultures - belief in the existence of spirits and the possibility for a person to communicate with them. Most religious scholars believe that animism is the initial core from which all later religions grew. Moreover, the ancient animistic views to date coexist and exist in parallel with the dogmas of later developed religions.

In this regard, I would like to note two facts. First, traditional ideas, in particular animistic ones, are characteristic of peoples who still retain to some extent the patriarchal way of life, surviving forms of the community and archaic features of culture. Pamir is one of such societies. Secondly, among the peoples of Central Asia, ancient beliefs and rituals, including animistic ones, merged with Islam. At the same time, they were deformed under the influence of the latter and acquired, so to speak, a Muslimized coloring.

And if Christianity, for example, unequivocally considers all lower spirits as hostile to man, then in Islam the attitude towards them is different. Muslims call spirits jinn and are material beings created by Allah from a “pure flame” (Sura 55:15) even before the appearance of people (Sura 15:26–27). According to Islamic doctrine, they have the appearance of people of both sexes, that is, they are anthropomorphic, endowed with consciousness, have free will and are responsible for their actions. Moreover, Islam recognizes some of the lower spirits as believers, i.e. worshiping Allah, and the other part as “infidels”, or shaitans who tempt people and contribute to the spread of unbelief and sins.

Along with the general Muslim name "jinn", the Pamirs and other peoples of Central Asia use private names when they talk about this or that demonic creature. The composition of pandemonium in the Central Asian region is more or less homogeneous. All the peoples inhabiting it, including the Pamirs, have ideas about pari (peri, pari), devas (maidens, divas), albasty (almasty) and some others. At the same time, the Pamirs have unequal, in comparison with other Central Asian peoples, ideas about the same object of demonology - a body of knowledge about evil spirits. Moreover, there is even a difference in views within the Pamir region. This may indicate either the deformation of folk beliefs in the course of centuries, or the polysemantic nature of certain spirits.

The first of the Russian researchers who described in more or less detail the "demonological pantheon" among the Pamirs was Count A. A. Bobrinskaya. He rightly noted that the highlanders, feeling helpless before the power of nature, turned to their imagination, "revived" the world around them and clothed its representatives in new images, and a host of spirits filled the mountains, gorges, caves, forests, streams and even houses. “On all his paths,” this researcher wrote, “the highlander has to face them, defend himself, cunning, appease, fight ...”. Later, scientists - ethnographers and oriental historians - managed to collect quite extensive material not only about Pamiri demonology, but also about relics of other traditional beliefs and rituals. Beliefs in good and evil jinn are still preserved among a part of the population of GBAO, especially those living in remote high-mountain villages.

All our informants agree that spirits are especially active at night, especially at night, they can be found in the form of a person of both sexes, as well as in the form of a dog, horse, cow and other creatures near the water, on a heap of ashes near a human dwelling, in a barn, etc. Depending on the role that jinn, or spirits, perform in a given situation, they can be conditionally divided into three groups, or categories.

The first includes those who are hostile towards a person and are capable of not only making him crazy, sending a bodily illness or beating him, but even killing him. These demonic creatures cannot be propitiated - they must be driven out or neutralized by performing magical rites. True, the Pamirs believe that harmful spirits can still be made useful if they are subdued and forced to serve by force.

One of the most "harmful" characters in the traditional beliefs of the Pamir peoples is Almasty. The question of the origin of this demonic creature is debatable: some researchers attribute it to Turkic mythology, others to Iranian. There is an assumption that the image of Almasty was formed in the era of the most ancient contacts of ethnic communities before their settlement in the territory of modern habitation.

According to the ideas of the Pamiris, Almasty is a hairy, ugly woman with long breasts, which she can throw behind her back. Gluttony and cannibalism are attributed to her. Even today in Shugnan they say about female gluttons: “She is like Almasty”. A book, a coin or a hair in the hands of an almasty is a formidable weapon against a person. Having selected these objects, a person completely subjugates this creature. The Pamirs still use various kinds of amulets, charms, fire and burning coals as protection against Almasty.

It is believed that this evil demon in a female form harms mainly women in childbirth. The reason for the hostility towards them, as my informants in Shugnan explained, is that one night a woman poured out hot water and scalded an Almasty child. After that, the latter began to take revenge on women in labor and newborns.

Among the Pamirs, there is a widespread belief in the existence of devas - evil spirits of mainly anthropomorphic appearance, ideas about which date back to the era of the Indo-Iranian and Indo-European community. In the folklore of the Iranian peoples, including the Pamirs, devas appear as male giants covered with wool, living in hard-to-reach places, for example, inside mountains or in the bowels of the earth. They guard the treasures of the earth and are hostile towards man.

In folk beliefs, the deva acts as an omnipotent being. Among the Shugnans even today one can hear such an expression: “He (she) teaches a maid”, which indicates the ingenuity or cunning of a person.

The second group includes patron spirits, which, however, in case of non-fulfillment of their desires or some kind of misconduct, could send a disease to a person. It was possible to get rid of her only if the requirements of these demonic beings were met.

The spirits of this category also include the so-called pure spirits that live in sacred places - mazars (or ostons, as they are called in the Pamirs). In the legends and myths of the Pamiris, there are such characters as chiltans, whose image is of Tajik-Persian origin. According to the ideas common among the peoples of Central Asia, chiltans are forty powerful saints who rule the world. In the Western Pamirs, this term, translated into Russian as "forty people", or "forty persons", is directly related to the Ostons. For example, one of these sanctuaries is located in the Shugnan village of Vezdar in the Roshtkala region of GBAO. Back in the 1920s, the famous Pamir scholar M.S. Andreev collected material about chiltans in Yazgulem. There he was told that among the chiltans there are four poles (qutb) that govern the four sides of the world.

The history of the ostons associated with the chiltans goes back to ancient times and is possibly associated with pre-Islamic fire temples. It is no coincidence that chiltans are sometimes called "standing by the fire." For example, in the center of the sanctuary in the village of Vezdar mentioned above, there is a large amount of ash of ancient origin. Researchers have yet to figure out the genetic link between this kind of ostons and fire. Be that as it may, in the views of some peoples, chiltans are directly related to economic life - they act as patrons of a mountain goat during hunting, water managers, etc. The Ismalite Pamirs read a special spell "Chihil Ism" ("Forty Names") to drive out evil spirits.

The third category is made up of spirits that are able to enter into intimate relations with a person and even create a family, if in this case the term is appropriate, referring to marital relations, due to the common life and mutual help.

This group includes, perhaps, the most common spirit in the Pamir mountains - pari (peri, peri). The genesis of this image, according to V.N. Basilov, should be sought in the mists of time - in the ancient layers of Iranian mythology, and the term "bet", according to B. A. Litvinsky, perhaps goes back to the reconstructed Indo-European word per - "to bring into the world, give birth", or pele - "to fill" . In the folklore of the Pamiris, pari often appears in an anthropomorphic form, and mainly in the form of an evil, repulsive-looking girl or a benevolent and beautiful girl. The latter usually acts as an intercessor. Among the residents of GBAO, there is still an expression “The bet helped him” if one of the men was lucky in business.

In the Pamiri tales, there are frequent cases when the bettors took people with them and flew with them through the air. According to the beliefs of the Bartang people, paris are beautiful mountain spirits. If a betting girl falls in love with a young man, she takes him to the mountains with her. These spirits are able not only to fall in love, but also to marry. So, in the Ishkashim fairy tale “Prince Amad”, the bet marries a young man named Amad. It is believed that extraordinary people are born from marriages with a bet. At the same time, according to the beliefs of the Yazgulyam people, for example, when a bet takes a young man as a husband, he loses his mind.

Along with the human form, this spirit can also appear in a zoomorphic image. Residents of one of the Bartang villages considered themselves descendants of the hunter Baig and the bet that bred mountain goats. Once Baig went to his chosen one from his native village. He did not attach importance to the fact that a fellow villager followed him with a dog. At this time, his wife-bet with relatives milked goats. The dog barked, the goats fled, and the milk spilled. As a result, the angry bet left her "earthly husband."

In the Pamir pandemonium there are also genies, which cannot be placed in any of the above groups. These demonic creatures can be conditionally called prankster spirits. They do not wish harm to a person, and at the same time one cannot expect good from them - for example, they arrange pranks in relation to lonely travelers.

We will not list all the demonic creatures known in the Pamirs. Let's just say that recently the pre-Islamic name of deva and the Muslim jinn has been established behind all spirits. All incorporeal or material beings that live in a person or the surrounding world, according to popular beliefs, are afraid of the mention of the name of Allah. Therefore, until now, when Ismailis visit abandoned houses, outbuildings and similar buildings, where there is a possibility of meeting with spirits, they widely use the Muslim formula "In the name of Allah." Jinn also bypass dwellings where there is a holy book of the Koran.

Until now, in the life of the Pamirs, especially those living in remote high-mountain valleys, magical methods of a therapeutic, prophylactic, agricultural and commercial nature are of great importance. Especially often they are practiced in ceremonies life cycle- wedding, maternity, funeral, etc. For example, during a wedding, a special role is assigned to women with many children, whose fertility is believed to be magically transmitted to the newlyweds. In addition, the birth of children is magically promoted by showering the bride and groom with dried fruits, bean flour or sweets. In order to protect against demonic forces, the clothes of the young must be red.

A few decades ago, barren young women came to the ostons, where they tied scarves, scraps of cloth or pet hair to the trees or poles standing there in order to receive the grace-filled help of the saints. Since, as the people believe, jinn are especially dangerous for women in childbirth and young children, both of them were supposed to have a variety of amulets with them.

Like many other peoples of the world, among the Pamirs, in case of difficult childbirth, the mother and relatives of the woman in labor untied knots on dresses in the house, untwisted the knots in her hair and opened all the locks. In the Pamirs, as in other regions of the Earth, three days after the birth of a child, he is put on the first shirt, which is called the "forty-day shirt" among the Badakhshans and borrowed from an old man or old woman, from whom longevity should magically pass to the newborn. In order to protect it, beads were sewn to it. And before putting a shirt on a child, a knife with a wooden handle was passed through its collar so that the baby would grow up strong, like iron, and kind, with a soft character, like a tree. Usually a forty-day shirt was kept until the birth of the next child in the family.

To protect the baby from demonic forces, especially in the first forty days, which were considered the most dangerous, various amulets were used. Thus, claws of an eagle or a bear, wolf teeth and even dog droppings were hung on the upper crossbar of the cradle, and shreds of round-shaped fabric of different colors were sewn onto children's clothes or ornamental patterns were embroidered in the form of a solar circle or an open palm-five - the symbol of the Ismailis. To protect the child from evil forces, he was given two names - his real name and a nickname - and tried not to call his true name until he came of age.

Of all the beliefs related to the illness and death of a person, the belief in the evil eye occupies the most prominent place. This harmful type of magic, according to the ideas of the Pamirs, is transmitted in two ways: verbally or with an unkind look. From " evil eye” and other magical tricks, as people believe, amulets called tumor help. These are paper strips folded and sewn into shreds of matter, on which surahs from the Koran or texts from other Islamic religious books are written. At the same time, amulets with "magic" spells read on them can be used to harm a particular person. They are left, for example, in one of the corners or at the threshold of the enemy's house. Along with amulets, household items are often used as harmful "things" - iron locks, pins, etc., on which the spell is "recited". This procedure is called sorcery (serčid).

An additional impetus to the popularization of magical rites among the people was the appearance in the late 1990s in the Pamirs of many psychics, telepaths, clairvoyants, etc. Their role was played not only by adults of both sexes, but even by schoolgirls of the fifth-seventh grades. And illiterate grandmothers, and graduates in the field of education, science and medicine, they inspired the same thought: "You have been damaged, which can be removed by such and such a fortuneteller or such and such a clairvoyant."

In addition to predictions, these individuals also positioned themselves as healers. Moreover, the "healers" - youngsters, for example, reported that the prescriptions for treatment were given to them by deceased grandfathers, with whom only they could communicate. It came to outright curiosities. One schoolgirl-healer “prescribed” a sick man who came to see her to drink tears of… wild goat nakhchir. The highlander, dumbfounded by what he heard, only said: “Okay, daughter! I will somehow catch the mountain goat, but how will I make him cry?

In conditions of mass unemployment and a sharp drop in the standard of living, for some, magical "sessions" in the Pamirs have become a source of profit, for others - a dream to "improve" health, and hence material well-being.

In the Pamir mountains, where an open hearth has been located in dwellings since time immemorial, it is a kind of home altar. During wedding, funeral and other ceremonies, fragrant herb styrakhm is burned on it in order to propitiate the spirits of ancestors. For example, on the wedding day, the groom, before going to the bride, goes to the hearth and kisses it, and then takes a pinch of ash and puts it in his shoes. Fire and ash derived from it are considered by the Pamirs to be pure and fertile substances. It is forbidden to step over the hearth or step on its edges. The ashes taken from the hearth are still thrown into a clean and inaccessible place for pets. It cannot be walked on or jumped over. Before eating, it is not allowed to wash one's hands over the ash pit located in front of the hearth, as it is believed that the household spirit, the guardian of the hearth, farishta, lives in it.

Also in ancient times in the Pamirs, the cult of animals, in particular sheep, bull and cow, was born, as evidenced by the images on stones and in caves. Even today in high-mountain villages there is a custom to place bull droppings on top of a pile of grain on the threshing floor in order to consecrate it. When one or more cows are sent to the groom's house, the bride's father pulls out some hair from the cow's tails and throws them into the barn. This is done so that the remaining animals do not get sick. The owner appeals to the cows being taken away with a request not to harm either his family or the family of the new owner.

It can be said without exaggeration that one of the most widespread cults in the Pamirs is the veneration of the spirits of dead ancestors. It is especially clearly seen in the funeral and memorial rites. From the first minutes after the death of a person, his relatives, relatives and neighbors try to serve the spirit (ruh), and not the theme of the deceased. After the death of an Ismaili, burning candles are placed in his house for three nights in a row, which should be considered as a relic of the ancient custom of “feeding” the soul. In our opinion, the actions of the closest relatives of the deceased at the commemoration of the third day can also be considered an echo of fire worship. When spiritual mentor Ismailis (Caliph) reads the full text of the memorial treatise, they come to a special vessel where the wick burns, and bow to the fire. And the smell of the boj funeral dish from the carcass of a ram at the wake, according to folk beliefs, is pleasing to the spirit of the deceased and saturates him best of all. The slaughter of the ram itself is of a purifying nature and is a means of averting the “blood of the dead”, which is present in the house for three days after his death. Both the reading of the treatise and the preparation of special food are of a protective nature and are addressed primarily to the spirit of the deceased, who, like his "blood", is present in the dwelling for three days.

It should be said that the Badakhshans are reluctant to start rebuilding or remodeling the house, as this may cause disturbance to the spirits of the ancestors they revere. And during the construction of a new house, wooden beams are still doused with the blood of a sacrificial ram or rooster in order to propitiate the spirits of their ancestors.

In the Pamirs, ancient folk ideas about the world, nature and man have been preserved to this day. They, as already mentioned, coexist peacefully and are most closely intertwined with the views and rituals of Ismailism. This syncretism is explained by the isolation of the Pamir gorges and the conservation of non-Islamic beliefs, rituals and cults.

The material presented by us can be used in a lecture course and in seminars in humanitarian universities, where there are courses in religious studies or cultural studies. It clearly shows that, despite the progress of science and technology, in the 21st century peoples who managed to save the ancient folk traditions and religious beliefs. The task of researchers is to be able to fix them even before they disappear into the boundless river of time.

Local beliefs and waquis

Supernatural powers associated with places and objects were called waki(Holy places). The "Relacion de los Ceques", in the chronicle of Cobo, lists and describes the huacs in the order they are located around Cuzco. "Relationships" describes more than 350 holy places, the groups of which formed lines radiating out from the center of Cusco. Each imaginary line was called keke. Huayna Capac placed the waquis at Tomebamba, following the same plan of Cuzco; similar systems of keke were supposed to diverge along the radii from other high-mountain cities. In Cuzco, the maintenance of the state of the uak, located on these lines of the keke, was entrusted to the corresponding social groups, into which the population of the city was divided and with which it was identified in certain cases.

This is how the general list of waqs of the city of Cusco looks like: temples, places of worship, ancestral graves, stones, springs, springs, calendar marks, hills, bridges, houses, quarries; also listed are places related to Inca mythology or related to previous Inca emperors, such as Huanakauri, caves, hills, stones, meeting places and battlefields. The diagram of the keke system (see fig. 51) shows the distribution of the keke lines in Cuzco by geographical regions representing the four great quarters of the empire. In three quarters - Chinchasuyu, Antisuyu and Kolyasuyu - there were respectively nine lines of keke. These nine lines were subdivided into three groups of three, called kolyana (a), payan (b), and kayao (c). In Kontisuyu, the number of keke lines increased to fourteen. In the area bounded by each group of three lines, the chroniclers mention one panaka and one aylya in connection with the payan and kayao. Therefore, it is possible that the founding rulers of the panakas were related to the keke Kolyan of the same group to which their panaka belongs. Zuidema suggested that the principles of organization on which the religious system keke may also prove to be the fundamental principles of the social and political organization of both Cuzco and the entire empire.

Rice. 51. Schematic representation of the keke system and solar towers (according to R.T. Zuidema)

At Wanakauri, the most important uaca, most chroniclers recognized the celestial deity and described it as a "spindle-shaped rough stone" located on Mount Wanakauri near Cuzco. The hill was also associated, according to Sarmiento, with the rainbow and can be seen as an example of a mountain representing sky god. According to the origin myth, the stone represented Ayar Uchu, one of the brothers of Manco Capac, who was considered a special patron of religion for Inca families and youth. For this reason, it plays a prominent role in Inca rituals and coming-of-age rites, during which the imperial family would visit the sanctuary for special ceremonies; some sources add that the Incas also came here to worship the Creator. Other mountains around Cusco are also believed to have been powerful deities whose supernatural power usually rated according to their height.

Ayar Kachi, Lord of the Lands, another of Manco Capac's brothers, was believed to have been turned to stone at the site of the future Sun Temple when he symbolically took possession of Cuzco. Such stone columns were usually considered by the Uaks and the patrons of the fields. Boundary markers called saiva were also seen as waquis, as were piles of stones called apasita, which marked dangerous or important sections of the road. In fact, anything that was lifeless, unusual, or in some way awe-inspiring could be called a huaca and serve as an object of worship. Small images and amulets representing people, animals, plants, and the like, which were made of oddly shaped or colored stone or crystal, were also called wacas; they were carried with them and used for personal protection. The emperor had such a guardian, whom he called guanqui, and who, according to him, protected him and gave him advice. In Inca Pachacuti it was the god of Thunder, who appeared to him in a dream, but Manco Capac and Maita Capac preferred the inti bird.

What is traditional religion and got the best answer

Answer from Winter37[guru]
The term "religion" was introduced by the famous Roman orator Cicero, who lived in the 1st century BC. Cicero believed that this concept is derived from the Latin verb religere (again collect, discuss again, think again, put aside for special use), which figuratively means "to revere" or "to treat something with special attention". Therefore, Cicero saw the very essence of religion in reverence for higher powers, Deity. According to the distinguished doctor Russian Federation, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry named after Serbian F. V. Kondratiev, "the main thing fundamental difference traditional religions from heresies, from totalitarian sects in that the latter carry out the introduction into the soul of a neophyte by depriving him of his freedom and the right to informed consent, that is, they violate the main provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Constitution of the Russian Federation and other fundamental documents on freedom of conscience through psychological violence "
TR is a religion recognized by the state in the territory of their country. For example, in Russia it is Orthodoxy, Islam and Buddhism.

Answer from *** [active]
The Mari traditional religion (Mar. Chimariy yula) is the folk religion of the Mari, based on Mari mythology, modified under the influence of monotheism. In recent times, with the exception of rural areas, it has a neo-pagan character.
The Mari religion is based on faith in the forces of nature, which a person must honor and respect. Before the spread of monotheistic teachings, the Mari revered many gods known as Yumo, while recognizing the supremacy of the Supreme God (Kugu-Yumo). In the 19th century, pagan beliefs, under the influence of the monotheistic views of their neighbors, changed and the image of the One God Tÿҥ Osh Poro Kugu Yumo (the One Light Good Great God) was created.
Followers of the Mari traditional religion carry out religious rituals, mass prayers, hold charitable, cultural and educational events. They teach and educate the younger generation, publish and distribute religious literature. Currently, four regional religious organizations are registered.
Prayer meetings and mass prayers are held in accordance with the traditional calendar, always taking into account the position of the moon and sun. Public prayers are usually held in sacred groves(kusoto). Prayer is led by oneh, kart (kart kugyz).
G. Yakovlev points out that the meadow Mari have 140 gods, and the mountain ones have about 70. However, some of these gods probably arose due to a mistranslation.
The main god is Kugu-Yumo - supreme god, who lives in heaven, heads all the heavenly and lower gods. According to legend, the wind is his breath, the rainbow is his bow. Kugurak is also mentioned - "elder" - sometimes also revered as the supreme god:

Answer from Lika[guru]
the one that prevails in this state. Evroppa-Catholicism, Russia-Orthodoxy, etc. d

Answer from Anton Steinengel[guru]
Religion prevailing in the population of any country, supported by the state and recognized as the main

Answer from Yolomon Salmonello[guru]
A religion that has been prevalent in the area for many years!! ! The dominant religion!!!

Answer from Billy[guru]
Confessions. Orthodoxy, Buddhism, Islam

You certainly heard the words - church, mosque, Judaism, Buddha, Muslim, Orthodoxy? All these words are closely related to faith in God. In our diverse and multiethnic country, there are four main religions. They are different, but they all say that you need to love a person, live in peace, respect elders, do good deeds for the benefit of people, and protect your homeland.

1. RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY

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This is the most widespread religion in our country, which has a long history (more than a thousand years). For a long time, Orthodoxy was the only religion professed by the Russian people. And to this day, most of the Russian people profess the Orthodox Faith.

The basis of Orthodoxy is faith in God the Trinity, in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In 1988, the Orthodox peoples of Russia celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity. This date marked the anniversary of his approval as official religion the ancient Russian state - Kievan Rus, which, according to the annals, occurred under the holy prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich.

First Christian temple, erected in the capital of Kievan Rus, was the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Every Orthodox must fulfill the 10 commandments that God gave to Moses and the people of Israel. They were written on stone boards (tablets). The first four talk about love for God, the last six about love for one's neighbor, that is, for all people.

The Bible, as the sacred book of Christianity, is a collection of books that are considered Holy Scripture in Christianity, for everything that is written in the biblical books is dictated to people by God himself. The Bible is divided into two parts: Old Testament and the New Testament.

CHRISTIAN COMMANDMENTS

1st commandment.

I am the Lord your God; May you have no other gods besides Me. With this commandment, God says that you need to know and honor Him alone, commands you to believe in Him, hope in Him, love Him.

2nd commandment.

You shall not make for yourself an idol (statue) or any image of what is in heaven above, and what is on the earth below, and what is in the waters under the earth; do not worship or serve them. - God forbids worshiping idols or any material images of an invented deity, Icons, or images, it is not a sin to bow, because when we pray before them, we bow not to wood or paints, but to God depicted on the icon or His saints, imagining them in the mind in front of you.

3rd commandment.

Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. God forbids the use of the name of God when it should not, for example, in jokes, in empty conversations. It is also forbidden by the same commandment: to scold God, to swear by God if you speak a lie. The name of God can be pronounced when we pray, we have pious conversations.

4th commandment.

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Work six days and do all your works in them, and the seventh day (day of rest) is Saturday (let it be dedicated) to the Lord your God. He commands us to work six days of the week, and dedicate the seventh day to good deeds: pray to God in church, read soulful books at home, give alms, and so on.

5th commandment.

Honor your father and your mother (so that you may be well and) so that your days on earth may be long. - With this commandment, God commands to honor parents, obey them, help them in their labors and needs.

6th commandment.

Dont kill. God forbids killing, that is, taking the life of a person.

7th commandment.

Don't commit adultery. This commandment forbids adultery, immoderation in food, drunkenness.

8th commandment.

Don't steal. You cannot take someone else's property by any illegal means.

9th commandment.

Do not bear false witness against your neighbor. God forbids to deceive, lie, snitch.

10th commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, (nor his field), nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, (nor any of his cattle), anything that is with your neighbor. This commandment is forbidden not only to do something bad to your neighbor, but also to wish him harm.

Defense of the Fatherland, defense of the Motherland is one of the greatest ministries of an Orthodox Christian. Orthodox Church teaches that any war is evil, because it is associated with hatred, discord, violence and even murder, which is a terrible mortal sin. However, the war in defense of one's Fatherland is blessed by the Church and military service is revered as the highest service.

2. ISLAM IN RUSSIA

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“Heart of Chechnya”, Photo: Timur Agirov

Islam is the youngest of the world's religions.

The term "Islam" means "submission" to the will of God, and the one who submits is called "Muslim" (hence "Muslim"). The number of Muslim citizens of the Russian Federation is estimated today at about 20 million people.

Allah is the name of the Muslim God. In order to avoid the righteous wrath of Allah and to achieve eternal life it is necessary to follow his will in everything and keep his commandments.

Islam is not only a religion, but also a way of life. Each person is assigned two angels: one records his good deeds, the other - bad. In the lower ranks of this hierarchy are the jinn. Muslims believe that the genus of jinn was created from fire, they are usually evil.

God has declared that the day will come when all will stand before His judgment. On that day, every person's deeds will be weighed in the balance. Those whose good deeds outweigh their bad ones will be rewarded with paradise; those whose evil deeds are more difficult will be condemned to hell. But what matters in our life more, good or bad, is known only to God. Therefore, no Muslim knows for sure whether God will accept him into paradise.

Islam teaches to love people. Help those in need. Respect elders. Honor your parents.

Pray (salat). A Muslim every day must say seventeen prayers - rak'ahs. Prayers are performed five times a day - at sunrise, at noon, at 3-4 pm, at sunset and 2 hours after sunset.

Giving alms (zakat). Muslims are required to give one fortieth of their income to the poor and needy;

Make a pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim is obliged to travel to Mecca at least once in his life, if only his health and means allow him.

Muslim temples are called Mosques, the roof of the mosque is crowned with a minaret. The minaret is a tower about 30 meters high, from which the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer.

Muezzin, muezzin, azanchi - in Islam, a mosque attendant who calls Muslims to prayer.

The main book of Muslims: the Quran - in Arabic it means "what is read, pronounced."

The oldest lists of the Koran that have come down to us date back to the 7th-8th centuries. One of them is kept in Mecca, in the Kaaba, next to the black stone. Another one is located in Medina in a special room located in the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Eat ancient list Qur'an in the National Library of Egypt in Cairo. One of the lists, called "Osman's Quran", is kept in Uzbekistan. This text got its name due to the fact that, according to tradition, it was covered with the blood of Caliph Osman, who was killed in 656. There are indeed traces of blood on the pages of this list.

The Quran consists of 114 chapters. They are called "suras". Each sura consists of verses (“ayats” - from the Arabic word meaning “miracle, sign”).

Later, the Koran appeared hadith - stories about the actions and sayings of Muhammad and his companions. They were combined into collections under the name "Sunnah". On the basis of the Qur'an and hadith, Muslim theologians developed "Sharia" - "the right way" - a set of principles and rules of conduct that is mandatory for every Muslim.

3. BUDDHISM IN RUSSIA

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Buddhism is a complex religious and philosophical movement, consisting of many branches. Disputes regarding the canon of sacred texts have been going on between different denominations for many hundreds of years. Therefore, to give an unambiguous answer to the question, what kind of texts make up holy book Buddhism is almost impossible today. Such certainty as scripture among Christians, there is not a trace of it here.

It should be understood that Buddhism is not a religion, and therefore does not imply reckless worship of some divine being. Buddha is not a god, but a person who has achieved absolute enlightenment. Almost anyone can become a Buddha if they properly change their mind. Therefore, almost any guide to action from someone who has achieved some success on the path of enlightenment can be considered sacred, and not any particular book.

In Tibetan, the word "BUDDHA" means - "one who got rid of all bad qualities and developed all good qualities in himself."

Buddhism began to spread in Russia about 400 years ago.

The first lamas-monks came from Mongolia and Tibet.

In 1741 Empress Elizaveta Petrovna by her decree officially recognizes the Buddhist religion.

In their lives, Buddhists are guided by the Buddha's sermons on the "four noble truths" And " eightfold path»:

First truth says that existence is suffering that every living being experiences.

Second truth claims that the cause of suffering is "disturbing emotions" - our desires, hatred, envy and other human vices. Actions form the karma of a person and in the next life he gets what he deserved in the previous one. For example, if a person in real life committed bad deeds, in the next life he may be born as a worm. Even the gods are subject to the law of karma.

The third "noble truth" says that the suppression of disturbing emotions leads to the cessation of suffering, that is, if a person extinguishes hatred, anger, envy and other emotions within himself, then his suffering can stop.

Fourth Truth points to the middle path, according to which the meaning of life is to receive pleasure.This "middle path" is called the "eightfold" because it consists of eight stages or steps: understanding, thought, speech, action, lifestyle, intention, effort and concentration.Following this path leads to the achievement of inner peace, as a person has pacified his thoughts and feelings, develops in himself friendliness, compassion for people.

Buddhism, like Christianity, has its own precepts, the foundations of doctrine, on which the entire structure of belief is based. The 10 commandments of Buddhism are very similar to those of Christianity. With all the outward similarity of the commandments in Buddhism and Christianity, their deep essence is different. In addition to the fact that Buddhism is actually not a faith, it does not in any way call for belief in a god or deity of any kind, its goal is spiritual purification and self-improvement. In this regard, the commandments are just a guide to action, following which you can become better and cleaner, which means you can get at least one step closer to the state of nirvana, absolute enlightenment, moral and spiritual purity.

4. JUDAISM IN RUSSIA

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Judaism is one of ancient religions, which has survived to this day and has a significant number of adherents, mainly among Jewish population V different countries peace.

Judaism is actually state religion Israel.

This is the religion of a small but very talented people who have made a huge contribution to the development of mankind.

Judaism preaches that the human soul does not depend on the body, it can exist separately, because God created the soul and it is immortal, and during sleep God takes all souls to heaven. In the morning, God returns souls to some people, but not to others. Those to whom He does not return their souls die in their sleep, and the Jews who woke up in the morning thank God for returning their souls to them.

A believing Jew is ordered to have a beard, let go long hair on the temples (sidelocks), wear a small round cap (kippah), go through the rite of circumcision.

In ancient times, the center of the Jewish cult was the Jerusalem Temple, where the daily sacrifice was performed. When the Temple was destroyed, the place of sacrifice was taken by prayer, for which the Jews began to gather around individual teachers - rabbis.

The Torah is the main book of all Jews. It is always and at all times written by hand, the Torah is kept in synagogues (a place where Jews pray). The Jews believe that it was God who gave people the Torah.

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Now many beautiful temples are being built so that people can come and communicate with God. And it doesn't matter what religion you are if you live in Russia. Our countryit is beautiful because in it people of different faiths and nationalities live in peace and harmony. One Muslim, another Orthodox, the third Buddhist - we all must respect each other's faith.

Because we are all RUSSIANS, citizens of one huge and great country in the world!