SAINT

a person believed to be connected in a special manner with what is viewed as sacred reality, such as God, gods and goddesses, spiritual powers, mythical realms, and other aspects of the sacred or holy (the transcendent realm). Throughout history and in many religions of the world, various types of religious personages have been recognized as saints both by popular acclaim and by official pronouncement, and their influence on the broad spectrum of religious believers has been of considerable significance. In Confucianism, founded in China by Confucius in the 6th century BC, saintliness was a state of ethical perfection best exemplified in the lives of certain ideal holy rulers of primal times. Taoism, also founded in 6th-century-BC China, posits a more mystical sainthood, characterized by a passionless acceptance of the Way (Tao) of nature. Shintoists, followers of the indigenous religion of Japan, venerate a number of mythical saints but regard all members of the human community, whether good or evil, as attaining a supernatural existence after death. In Theravada Buddhism, all disciples of the Buddha, specifically monks, who have attained nirvana are recognized as arhats (see arhat; roughly equivalent to saint). Mahayana Buddhism, by contrast, views all people as capable of buddhahood and, thus, of sainthood. Those who postpone their own enlightenment in order to further the spiritual progress of others are known as bodhisattvas (buddhas-to-be) and are also regarded as saints. Tantric Buddhism of Tibet enlarges the range further still with the inclusion of numerous reincarnations of past saints. The Jains of India venerate the founder of Jainism, Mahavira (Great Hero), as the 24th in a line of saintly prophets. Hinduism, the predominant religion of India, abounds in figures regarded as sadhus (good ones) and avatars (incarnations of divine being in human form), including saints of other religions. In the West the ancient heroes of Greek religion are in many ways analogous to saints. Zoroastrianism and Parsiism recognize numerous Fravashis, or preexistent souls that are good by nature. The term saint is applied in the Hebrew Old Testament to any Israelite as one of the chosen people of God. In the New Testament it was used of any member of the Christian churches. It was not until about the 6th century that the word became a title of honour specially given to the dead whose cult was publicly celebrated in the churches (see also canonization). Although the theology of Islam explicitly rejects the concept of sainthood, there have arisen at various times popular cults of certain holy men, or friends (wali) of God, to whom miraculous deeds and divine efficacy are often ascribed. a holy person believed to have a special relationship to the sacred as well as moral perfection or exceptional teaching abilities. The phenomenon is widespread in the religions of the world, both ancient and contemporary. Various types of religious personages have been recognized as saints, both by popular acclaim and official pronouncement, and their influence on the religious masses (the broad spectrum of those holding various wide-ranging religious beliefs) has been, and is, of considerable significance.