Incarnation

==Hinduism==
{{main|Avatar}}
[[File:Avatars.jpg|thumb|upright|Ten incarnations of [[Vishnu]] ([[Matsya]], [[Kurma]], [[Varaha]], [[Vamana]], [[Krishna]], [[Kalki]], [[Buddha]], [[Parshurama]], [[Rama]] & [[Narasimha]]). Painting from [[Jaipur]], now at the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]]]
In [[Hinduism]], incarnation refers to its rebirth doctrine, and in its theistic traditions to ''[[avatar]]''.<ref name=kimctap192>{{cite book|first=M. Thomas|last=Thangaraj|editor-first=Sebastian C. H.|editor-last= Kim|editor-link=Sebastian Kim |chapter=Religious Pluralism, Dialogue and Asian Christian Responses| title=Christian Theology in Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hXh3iq94MWIC |year=2008|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-47206-7 |pages=169–176 }}</ref> Avatar literally means "descent, alight, to make one's appearance",<ref name=monierwilliamsavatar/> and refers to the embodiment of the essence of a superhuman being or a deity in another form.{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|p=98}} The word also implies "to overcome, to remove, to bring down, to cross something".<ref name=monierwilliamsavatar>{{cite book|author=Monier Monier-Williams|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3NWAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA90|year=1923|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=90}}</ref> In Hindu traditions, the "crossing or coming down" is symbolism, states Daniel Bassuk, of the divine descent from "eternity into the temporal realm, from unconditioned to the conditioned, from infinitude to finitude".<ref name="Bassuk1987p3"/> An avatar, states Justin Edwards Abbott, is a ''[[Saguna brahman|saguna]]'' (with form, attributes) embodiment of the ''[[nirguna Brahman]] or [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (soul).<ref>{{cite book|author=Justin Edwards Abbott |title=Life of Tukaram: Translation from Mahipati's Bhaktalilamrita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E-UmxAoX2wYC|year=1980|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0170-7|pages=335–336 }}</ref>

Neither the [[Vedas]] nor the [[Mukhya Upanishads|Principal Upanishads]] ever mentions the word ''avatar'' as a noun.<ref name="Bassuk1987p3">{{cite book|author=Daniel E Bassuk |title=Incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity: The Myth of the God-Man |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k3iwCwAAQBAJ |year=1987|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |isbn=978-1-349-08642-9 |pages=2–4}}</ref> The verb roots and form, such as ''avatarana'', do appear in ancient post-Vedic Hindu texts, but as "action of descending", but not as an incarnated person (avatara).{{Sfn|Paul Hacker|1978|pp=415-417}} The related verb ''avatarana'' is, states [[Paul Hacker (Indologist)|Paul Hacker]], used with double meaning, one as action of the divine descending, another as "laying down the burden of man" suffering from the forces of evil.{{Sfn|Paul Hacker|1978|pp=415-417}}

The term is most commonly found in the context of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]].<ref name=monierwilliamsavatar/><ref name=jameslochtefeldavatar/> The earliest mention of Vishnu manifested in a human form to empower the good and fight against evil, uses other terms such as the word ''sambhavāmi'' in verse 4.6 and the word ''tanu'' in verse 9.11 of the [[Bhagavad Gita]],{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|pp=98-99}} as well as other words such as ''akriti'' and ''rupa'' elsewhere.{{Sfn|Paul Hacker|1978|pp=405-409}} It is in [[Middle Ages|medieval era]] texts, those composed after the sixth century CE, that the noun version of avatar appears, where it means embodiment of a deity.{{Sfn|Paul Hacker|1978|pp=424, also 405-409, 414-417}} The incarnation idea proliferates thereafter, in the [[Purana|Puranic]] stories for many deities, and with ideas such as ''ansha-avatar'' or partial embodiments.{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|pp=98-99}}<ref name=jameslochtefeldavatar>James Lochtefeld (2002), "Avatar" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A-M, Rosen Publishing, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, pages 72-73</ref>

While avatars of other deities such as [[Ganesha]] and [[Shiva]] are also mentioned in medieval Hindu texts, this is minor and occasional.<ref>James Lochtefeld (2002), "Shiva" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 2: N-Z, Rosen Publishing, {{ISBN|0-8239-2287-1}}, page 635</ref> The incarnation doctrine is one of the important differences between Vaishnavism and Shaivism traditions of Hinduism.<ref name=laiengavatar>{{cite book|author=Lai Ah Eng |title=Religious Diversity in Singapore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9MmNaNebFD8C |year=2008|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore|isbn=978-981-230-754-5|pages=221 }}</ref><ref name=ryanjonesavatar>{{cite book|author1=Constance Jones |author2=James D. Ryan |title=Encyclopedia of Hinduism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgMmceadQ3gC |year=2006|publisher=Infobase |isbn=978-0-8160-7564-5 |pages=474 }}</ref>

===Avatar versus incarnation===
The translation of avatar as "incarnation" has been questioned by Christian theologians, who state that an incarnation is in flesh and imperfect, while avatar is mythical and perfect.{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|pp=107-109}}<ref name="Matchett">{{cite book|last=Matchett|first=Freda|title=Krishna, Lord or Avatara?: the relationship between Krishna and Vishnu|publisher=9780700712816|year=2001|page=4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1oqTYiPeAxMC&pg=PA4 | isbn=978-0-7007-1281-6}}</ref> The theological concept of Christ as an [[Incarnation (Christianity)#Nicene creed|Incarnation]] into the womb of the Virgin Mary and by work of the Holy Spirit God, as found in [[Christology]], presents the Christian concept of incarnation. This, state Oduyoye and Vroom, is different from the Hindu concept of avatar because avatars in Hinduism are unreal and is similar to [[Docetism]].<ref>Mercy Amba Oduyoye, H. M. Vroom, ''One gospel&nbsp;– many cultures: case studies and reflections on cross-cultural theology'', Rodopi, 2003, {{ISBN|978-90-420-0897-7}}, p. 111.</ref> Sheth disagrees and states that this claim is an incorrect understanding of the Hindu concept of avatar.{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|p=108}}{{NoteTag|Buddha, a real person, is included as an avatar of Vishnu in many Hindu texts.{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|p=99}}}} Avatars are true embodiments of spiritual perfection, one driven by noble goals, in Hindu traditions such as [[Vaishnavism]].{{Sfn|Sheth|2002|p=108}}