The birth of religions and philosophies in the ancient worldSince the dawn of time, people around the world have wondered where we come from, what is our divine purpose in life is, and what we can expect after death. Questions about good and evil, society and government, nature and the cosmos, are some of the rare wonders that ultimately gave rise to some of the earliest philosophies and religions, helping people find peace and harmony. The explanation for the vast curiosity that still troubles us in modern times. . Technically, religion is defined as an undying devotion to a recognized higher being or entity, through a practice of personal or formed belief. Philosophy, on the other hand, refers to the particular study of common and fundamental problems encountered, such as those correlating with existence, reality, reason, values, knowledge and language. In parts of Eurasia such as India and parts of Nepal, a set of major religions that we know today began to form and flourish, eventually becoming established around 600 AD (O'Brien ). It is here that Hinduism is recognized as the oldest established religion in the ancient world, closely followed by the philosophical teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Hinduism was certainly a religion and was characterized as being polytheistic, meaning that believers worshiped many higher beings or deities, which were later seen as aspects of a single god. The origins of this ancient religion were found in the Indus Civilization, as well as in parts of the sacrificial cults of the Indo-Aryans who immigrated to the Indian subcontinent in 1500 BC. The sacred writings of the Hindu religion, called Vedas, gave meaning and importance to legends, myths and hymns (O'Brien). T...... middle of paper...... recorded in the history of humanity which has not practiced a certain form of religion” (Religion). The importance of this "birth" of religion and philosophy was crucial to the progress of the ancient worlds, as it set in stone how each country would progress or prosper, each offering something unique and different in the crucible of cultural diversity and cultural diversity. unification of peoples around the world. Works Cited “The Four Noble Truths.” BBC News. BBC, November 17, 2009. Web. April 23, 2014..Mark, Joshua. "Religion." Encyclopedia of ancient history. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited, September 2, 2009. Web. April 23, 2014. .O'Brien, Patrick. “The birth of world religions”. Atlas of World History. 2nd ed., Rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.