HNDUISE Andubon “ svany atin Dinara ”/ Gelasng Rigo [Avila (We Bote rachel ofan OF ond Se dk dactvnes SON, Lodhi AA 3 oe vee in Ore tod. — Belnona Coveadve) 9 — ViSnng ¢ sicpive) 4 Moths - Siva — Cdestvayer) 2 9 We Speen Beng, Gan be wodripped in MAA YytNQ. eect = Vdd woeie 15 D Hindurs, wore Godin dyin a \dls os yO_Warts in duinle mic, We ved & aL Wve cannct drvale divecly / aymnlod Law iw % swoon Nweooonda vocation | = Con prondas walle ty ona, Thay veveredas mgher. _ \ndia Ses Ms cel on pe BO, oe al _ henekitx Yee disinkedant ae Ge Susewn i nee e mame eR Const) ive sueaistiet ee : Walias »| Wines Cmachany) SBS Cwolkass) Ky Cue= Woosmgyzion_ 4 We Sars. Cydeds Min and ieithg = SIG RE unmanifeck Gad Ws extzuce sail ner nga even cM sey hen. sboject Didea tts SSeS — droudy era | oneprock. a] ain Tew @ia ~ An Overview Page | of 10 a war SEND THs FADE FORE, ©. GEOCITIES _rancur soe Siiens PAGES UKEMINE SEARCH EAE Check out the categories. slectaCategary ~ Go| HINDUISM, THE WORLD'S OLDEST RELIGION A SIMPLE INTRODUCTION TO A COMPLEX RELIGION ‘©Copyright 1997, by Sunil Balasubramaniam Hinduism is also known as "Sanatana Dharma" to Hindus. In Sanskrit, the original language of India, Sanatana nieans Everlasting and 7y a crude transfation, means Religion. The Everlasting Religion, Hinduism was founded, exists and flourishes in Indi At this point, let me make a very important observation, Hinduism is probably knewn to most people outside India as a religion. The truth is - it is both a religion and a way of life. India gave to the world the original, oldest and most profound philosophy of life, The brilliant ancestors of http://www. ueocities.com/A thens/Forum/9410/hindu html 99PEt BSE fi tank FOOLS PME GMT AL RIM A oteecionnsdH fie* Hinduism - An Overview Page 2 of 10 present-day indians explored the truth behind our existence and defined muttipie philosophies ‘and theories that explained this truth. However, they also created a set of rules for "goed living" on this earth. The philosophical concepts that Indians gave to mankind are eternal and constitute no religion by themselves. However, the rules for good or "Dharm 1g that they Inid down constitute the Hindu religion. Most people mistake the term "Hinduist both the religious doctrines and the philosophical treatises, This article will refer to “Hinduism” for both the philosophy and the religion, for purposes of simplicity. “The philosophy of the Hindus is ealfed "'Sanatana Dharma”. Sanatana means efernal and Dharma means truth/religion/rule (depending on how you took at if}. “The message of Sanatana dharma (Hinduism) is perennial and will never become outdated with time, This religion does not have a starting point in history and the sages who shaped it merely reiterated the teachings of the Vedas (Hindu scriptures). The Vedas are believed to have ne origi The Mother of All Alphabets RQ am. ‘The symbot at the top of this page is an Alphubet in the Sanskrit language and is the most important symbol in the Hindu religion. in a sense, it could be compared with the Cross of the Christians and the Crescent of the Moslems, It is pronounced - OM.- and signifies God Aimighty. Om means “That which hath No Beginning nor End*>The chanting of Om and meditation on the symbol are believed to bring all-round health,prosperity, and immortality to the spiritual aspirant. Important Concepts and Misconceptions The Religion ‘The Almighty Sruti, the unwritten portion of the Vedas tells us this about the Almighty - "OM Poornamadah Poornamidam Poornaad Poornamudachyate; Poornasys Poornamaadaaya Poornamevaavashisyate”. Transtated, this verse means "What is Whole - This is Whole - What has come out of the Whole is also Whole; When the Whole is taken out of the Whole, the Whole still remains Whole”. The purport is that the Infinite cannot he measured arithmetically. How can you divide or subtract from the Infinite? But you can definitely represent the Infinite in different ways. The Infinite aiso manifests in billions of ways. Detractors of the religion mock at the practice of worshipping multiple Gods and brand the religion polytheistic. The truth is - ‘Hinduism is monotheistic. Sanatana Dharma believes in One Supreme God, the Almighty. Hinduism betieves not only in One God, but aiso in His Supreme Personality. This personality of the Supreme Being is manifested in different forms around us and within us perpetually. To contemplate on the real Supreme Being therefore, man would have to absorb all these infinite ‘manifestations (which are continually taking place without a starting point nor an end) with his finite or limited capabilities, Clearly, this is not possible. It is impossible for the finite man to http://www. geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9410/hindu! html 225/99sere one ferian sin ysilegm 0) cst ae it a is of petals oat stnticann eins cots ved gue thoi! ott saniienns serob bea br aot alte mieten Hlssishy enti, ats hore en eheailaehity 40 ansoqiar alles ty hen avoen sarge] Sangin tmetened SoH 2all eiateae nm ( aatgne? te veges Prete weet can wok Rolie att hen Watnb ye moss YO F706 Ris baw Tetivior reg wi Cane dave f baguity otter eons ott hme erotel 9 aut beteiasi NG omeH AF bozalloe vin tates at devscigheoe wlanddts nbs # di Ye ennidioe Wodgls HA to v9dioM ofT sat 96 huattes yo AF ai Fader? one cog Pods fone earitve AY tnt doidw ted” eareome x pagionte sa fm 4) st Hib Bo wy uth toate ht cabiton aek ikon Bs aamAD ew Sol BAR 300 Seomhramuny 2 1 nite mad IO Rates WE Sond io nobnMieall 67 #2 itunes Bae ore sqerigedttect tier tly eibid gt teeth am bad serial ridguate ads Stor oebo dade to anise: wort at he aiauNte't Ween thet tara ntonhe stn sneruet ainbheanioet SH AMEE ateeten oye As dbrnatoae ahi 4 cy atm st 2a Yao mou at stn HF get ack e? rxtoa A cate ot ato nib voH qtuctrandsiza baseman ad poms ot paifh ai Sneevng ae intnes Mis Ri siimitat ote eas Bob maa vos tit Matteibeed 9fs sper toe nies SA RVO We AIganllb® 65 stein oote Aha stb 1 Sanne ie niiliee gatingginnts ne Be nanny uate das cuaeibey aay to rentae esol ant? as oeiiad mera’ pteraaat aitviodtonse © moive - 21 biti ult oivtomtytoy neiwilar gpals eh oD swscrqre trang tr yoni sate marie Feud Rvae! fist aber pAb ate its wo BRL reDRG D2 p tutti oe cratey setied tswnttons ne ibaided enatarnd case diveeu ns 8 sidizong toa ei eisis -efsust) wolmdidnern Rote uh YE a aol wed fad an? g Aiinasrre HAY silaneer 4 wunews at wane FH SPDA ad Pgs fra hensd fy nem stentt aed vot“Hinduism - An Overview Page 3 of 10 contemplate the infinite aspects of the Supreme Personality. We all observe the unending processes of birth, existence and death, which seem to be continuslly taking place around us through every moment of our lives. We constantly witness these processes and are yet ignarant of them, living as we do in the comfort of our Hlusory lives. ‘The seers of ancient Hinduism realized the truth behind these activities. They gave form and shape to the truth beginning with tite Hindu Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains, and Shiva destroys or consumates everything in the universe, Lord Vishnu is accompanied hy His consort Lakshmi, who is the fountainhead of prosperity. Lord Shiva's consort is Uma, whe is the symbol of strength and courage. Lord Brahma's consort, ‘Vidya is the seat of all knowledge and learning. ‘The above explanations should make obvious the fallacy in the argument of fools that Hinduism worships multiple Gods. It should be clear from the above that Hinduism worships multiple forms of the one God, Such worship is truly # tribute to His greatness, ‘That the Supreme can be worshipped in any form is a unique concept in Hinduism, Different sects worship different deities of their choice as personifications of the Supreme One, At the same time, Hindu scriptures also recommend the practice of meditation on the formless aspect of God, idol Worship Another common argument against Hinduism is that it worships idols. The argument is ridiculous. Hinduism docs not worship idols, but of an idol. This is done to facilitate contemplation of the Infinite with our finite capabilities. To quote none other than the great intellectual, Swami Vivekananda on this matter - "If a person wants to drink milk, he uses ‘acup as he cannot drink it directly. For the quivering and unsteady mind, there should be visible farm or a symbol, the idol, so that it beeomes a foundation for his adoration. It helps te maintain the continuity of one's devotional exercises. The idol form of God is akin to a vessel which enables a man to drink the milk. Through the instrumentality of an idel, a devotee comprehends divinity. The divine incantations ('Mantras' in Sanskrit) uttered during the worship of conscerated idols transform man into a centre of spiritual power." Reverence for Cow Cow siaughter is sacrilege in the religion. The cow is revered as a mother to aif mankind because of the nourishing milk she provides. A mother feeds her child without expecting anything in return. Similarly, the caw provides us with life-giving milk without any expectation. Hence, the religion compares thé slaughter of a cow to the murder of one's own mother. Indian society was largely agrarian and depended on the cow for a living. Indians also realized the potential of cow dung for several practical purposes - itis used as 2 fertilizer and asa disinfectant, for example. AH these and several other reasons prompt Hindus to treat the cow revereatially as opposed to sending it fo the butcher. Are Hindus vegetarians? http://www geocities com/Athens/Forum/94 10/hindw! bmi 2/25/99fteapeestt amarae memes WET ets ated gatos tier stowady hee, sneraty mea ” otha ewes op cece Eouuesdi mt bn we att ints oft Bi elegy 94 gaba® aucad Ye Nett Ane = ekteta what wre ibeistateh 5 A veel how waite 5 vias 963 an gniincis ry eaNRRTARAS 10 mcerth endosinsame oP A! take ttehede, T rapacN Hi # beta stots cone? ft teraymonse 4 ust ig te nq i satire bora.) saci ae Ww ive a ae3 revi sis. at oe meade abi inbnild intl euct Ww soanicayrs volt ol coutlet ot enol cca idnen bluode enuisnnalges sad ott ser ad Gimouta th zhan ote siyinisian vaio tes entiubeiih tad arate y reba with oe oSenbett 9 2seit at qideiow soak “HTH nats onefs eb tqsan9 aunine fH D arasigue vlt be sanitaattin emg spo aeeg wens St at an mis on tit tagomeenae idee dt lout Hanshi eid eas hit Battal nls seinen ev carob 24 oi Bet oe steel ons i fie sanon Stoop °F asilietones sown ae Alisa oh a ate aay BF” ed tune ads Jaden gitoieog baw gar es glad 1 tesiterobe « seem won sida i bomb We aeiud obs dT scwts aes be debi as to ile biestoes oath duster sch geenth ion orden "ieee Boutin oat nade tas od 8 Inet a2 dob ita oh, Terie) eeeutetorn n07 & abet Rest cinta tuotaee neo a oh vsieeguale end ueiswans Nositter bliva yee elit vatitom & cohevows vile line 4 eresjen sae Inedtiw ai 9 i ng SOTA OT OMT ekg ath al apall i oy sett a nea swbes a! whistivay Bit Ded og saiviense 09 207 ota ach wile sobs gamed Aa} mssnqany: aultive ad anesTt Bokahuan bins aster Pa cebs eehabal somngeh saat ene an fee ee ten wi thew of eb smear eneons: vadsho into | eee ng bethotern Tori fey us iaen enkeg ta) SAT mneiiningyy ewbulli od* Hinduism - An Overview Page 4 of 10 Another popular misconception is that all Hindus are vegetarians and Hinduism prohibits meat cating. Lord Rama Himself, an incarnation of God, consumed meat as he was a King (Kshatriya), The scriptures say that every human being should pursne his or ker own dharma perfectly instead of following anothcr’s dharma imperfectly. A Kshatriya's dharma is to defend the nation and his people against enemies. A vegetarian cannot do so for Inck of physical prowess. At the same time, a Brahmin's duty is to master the scriptures and realize the Supreme. He should refrain from eating meat and eat simple food to maintain equanimity. Henec, 2 Hindu could be a pure vegetarian who consumes only vegetable forms or he could be a meat eater. At the same time, a meat-eating Hindu would never kill a cow. Also, the religion prohibits the killing of animals for any purpose other than to cat. In the words of one great Indian saint, "Killing is sinful, but eating washes the sin away". The Caste System of indus Hindu society was divided into castes based on occupation, The four castes of the Hindus are - the Brabmins, the Kshatriyas. the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. The division on the lines of occupation established the Brahmins as the priests, the Kshatriyas as the warriors, the Vaishyas ‘as the merchants, and the Shudras as the laborers. his division probably does not hold true any more. In modern, westernized Indian society there is probably only one occupation - making money. “Traditionally, people are born into a caste. However, the scriptures have a different opinion. Sage Parashurama was born into a Brahmin family, but is reverred as one of the mightiest warriors (a Kshatriya) ever known. Sage Valmiki was born in a hunter tribe(Shudra), but he became the first greatest sage (Brahmin) of Hinduism besides Sage Vyasa. Sage Vishwamitra ‘was a king (Kshatriya) who became one of the most respected sages (Brahmin). Hence, 2 man’s caste in the religion is dictated by his deeds and his merits, not his birth. ‘The Importance of Devotion to God in Hinduism - Bhakti Yoga eneporaes ot ‘The Gita presents Devotion as one of the several ways to achieve Moksha. in fact, devotion to God in any form that the devotee conceives of is one of the four Vogas - the Bhakti Yoga. This idea is expressed clearly by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, “Whosoever offers to Me with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, T appear in person before that devotee of sinless mind and delightfully partake of that article offered by him with love. Arjuna, whatever yon do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer it all to Me." The service rendered by Guha, 2 character in Ramayana, to Rama endears him to the Lord so much that while taking leave of him, Rama says to His brother Lakshmana that He considers Guha His own brother. It is a devotee like Guha that the Lord has in mind when He says in the Gita, “To those devotees wha worship Me, thinking of none else, who devote their mind to Me and are ever perseverent in My serviee and in My contemplation, I confer that permanent heavenly abode from which there ‘no return to life." Such devotion can be towards any form of the Almighty. A Ram devotee will not count a minute without thinking of Tim and the Divine Mother. A Shiv devotee will spend his time evlogizing His "Lingam". If looked at morc analytically, in fact, the other Yogas also become an extens of Bhakti Yogs. 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Relationship between Time and the Almighty The entire cosmos is subject to the vicissitudes of time and hence whatever has an origin at a point of time has to come to an end. According to Hinduism, all the worlds, including the heavenly realm of the creator (Brahma), are conditioned by time. The process of creation (Srishti} and dissolution (Prataya) of the universe is a periodic cycle in which the entire cosmos becomes manifest at the time of creation and is withdrawn at the time of dissolution, The Almighty alone is beyond time - beginningless and endless. According to Hindu philosophy, the cosmos is created and destroyed in cycles of time. These eycles consist of "Maha Yugas", each of which consists of four yugus. The four yugas are - Satya yaga, Treta yuga, Dvapara yega, and Kali yuga - in that order. Together, they form a ". One day of Brahma (a Cosmic day) consists of 1000 Mahayugas as also does one . The Satya yuga lasts 1.7 million carthly years. The Treta yuga lasts 1.3 million earthly years. The Dwapara yuga lasts 0.9 million earthy years and the Kali yuga lasts 0. million years. We are currently in the Kali yuga. Therefore, one Mahayuga equals 4.3 milion earthly years. 1000 mahayugas (1 Cosmic day) = 4.3 billion earthly years. All embodied beings come into existence from the unmanifest condition at the beginning of cach cosmic day and merge into the subtle body of the creator during the cosmic nightfall. The bonded soul is reborn countless times during one such cosmic day. Brahma (the Cosmos) lives for 106 Cosmic years, where 1 C.year = 12 C, months; 1 C. month = 30 C. days + 30 C. nights; 1 C. day/night = 4.3 billion earthly years by the above calculation. ‘Therefore, Brahma’s life equals a fantastic 311 trillion and 40 billion earthly years. At the end of Brahma's life, another new Brahma is born who lives another 100 C. years. This process goes on endlessly as countless Brahmas die and resurface. ‘This endless cycle of births and rebirths that all “souls” experience, whether it is during one cosmic day or during one Brahma’ life is called "Transmigration". All souls are cursed to experience transmigration, except the one Absolute Truth, which is beyond creation or destruction. This Absolute Trath is Ged. A good analogy to transmigration of the soul is of a person retiring to sleep who wakes up the next morning in the same place. During sleep, the person is unaware of what happens to him, Similarly, the transmigrating soul at birth does not Femember its state prior to coming into existence. So, death is also nothing but return to the same state from which one has come to this world. There is a way to transcend this process of transmigration, to which all created beings are subject. This is again presented in different ways by different philosophers of the religion. Adi Shankara believes that we are indeed the Absolute Truth, but that the illusion of our woridly lives prevents us from realizing this Truth. Others believe that we are “bonded souls" that merge with the Truth once we achieve the Truth. A discussion of these concepts follows later. In brief, however, this transcendental state that we should all strive for is called "Moksha" in Hindu philosophy and "Nirvana" in Buddhist. Beyond even this unmanifest subtle state before creation is yet another unmanifest existence, the Ultimate Reality, which does not perish even though all beings are subject to decay. This http://www. geocities.com/Athens/Forum/94 1 0/hindul.htmi 2/25/99eh ae TRS Hee ARNE RE sso ah Y ayteeteet atatenent ot sets oivitioe I a bee 6 ah a 21 poinntesrity bs chil ain nosh tassels ah ayemietere bas ie ayes start oe aysind 4 41) sa obileaee tvsianenien, ahh rest votes 4 tau be iad gays antes aft to od sitaiys oi gst nssom Siku Bowe aon gateab ett we fous Ft saci soitniastny og woeeenee 8 oe tiouaes “etree” Re ied woe ccaeagieensny £7 halfea st abd Cemutend oe 2 MER, quire ath 2a deagie ied of seotnan tawny & fiud se ony T atn nid voaley ase 2 sun tess abt gee 20h sent? wi frelon cant at anyngen seedw ta vewmuy od ey 4 hari aie shige BA (e awiegt Racy oa doustar ative t omt onde gaste at palit: worrry po ip tobe his? at ta ervteng, RE Dec F feapor atsth ap) uatare anil anes ie a mus tse nitate downs af fate sft osbey 2 9 aitas) aieh gaecadan avr points tte dite of maine yglinan: ery tana an naeDe wantin sswetah fg onilt ind coer abate nica ted aedtind exodi daitad wisdest? tet crit) f oaatias ee st sete iptwataitgeecia 1h with, erent o aolerraets & seamwae” Bas adgusutitep abiethi ott pate et ar sseheail atest figeods ayes ere rat cenash ot oxides es att 29 inne fnberuitit he youse henvebtccanes eatinHinduism - An Overview Page 6 of 10 unmanifest is spoken of as the indestructible, the Supreme Being, who is the goal to be attained. after which there is ao more reture to the mortal world. The methods by which this goal can be attained have also been elaborated in the Bhagavad Gita (Bible of the Hindus). More on the topic of transmigration and "karma" follows below. Karma Hinduism believes in transmigration of the soul. Such transmigration is what results in reincarnation. This, in short, is the pepular theory of Karma, Clearty, ali forms of life on earth do not undergo the same experiences and are not at one level of existence, Man is the most superior form of life, but there are also billions of life forms which are far less superior than him. Even among us humans, we constantly witness differenees in our modes of existence, Some of us are billionaires and some are paupers. Some of us are extremely healthy and some are always diseasc-prone. Some of us are drawn towards matters of the spirit, while others are totally hedonistic and indifferent to God and religion. Some religions preach love and compassion, while some others preach violence and slaughter. There must be a reason for these different experiences that all forms of life go through, even within their own species, .duuism's answer to this question is the theory of "Karma". Karma and rebirth are interrelated concepts unique to the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. Without these concepts, there cannot be a convincing explanation for the differences we perceive among life forms in the world. According te the theory of Karma, we are all part of a cycle of births and rebirths. This cycle has no beginning nor end. We are simply experiencing the results of our own actions in our journey through this cycle. Each spoke in the cycle is a predecessor to the next spoke. When a cycle moves, all spokes move one after the other in a never-ending chain. Similarly, in the cycle of "Samsara", life forms are spokes that evolve from one experience to another, and from one form to another according to their actions. At this point, it will be useful to support Shankaracharya's argument against atheistic Buddhist philosopity. In a cycle, can the sum effect of the actions of all the spokes make the eyele move? Clearly, the answer is no. The answer is that an external force has to act upon the pedal, which acts upon the chain, which in turn moves the spokes making the cycle move. The sum effect of all karmic actions of life forms alone cannot be the reason for the never-ending samsara. There are so many non-life forms too in this universe. It is therefore the Supreme Atman which creates, sustains, and destroys ail entities in order to run this cycle, ‘Coming back to individual actions, our actions are bound by the theory of Karma. ‘The actions are themselves binding, and such bondage-causing action is known as "Karma". The bondage refers to the confinement to this samsara just as spokes are confined to the wheel of the eyele. Yogis are free of karmic actions and are therefore not bound by the cycle of transmigration. Such a state of everlasting freedom from samsara is known as “Moksha” or "Nirvana". "Vedanta’ - ‘Dwaita’, ‘Adwaita', and 'Vishishtadwaita’ ‘Vedanta’ refers to the philesophy of the Hindus. it encompasses all of the intellectual wealth of the vedas, both the 'Sruti’ and the 'Smiriti’, as well as all individual enlightenment that is. http://www. geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9410/hindul htm) 2/25/99reticteh, 91s Fo amiga 24 tevibwacerms Sone arse sn ees att Re My at slr enislt ventana sul pes Hoag ad divider or ¢ nate shoes fe abe wa 9 tdi: wid heran, pstale aged ost sca bs serdar et ee sun is etwas tanker ol ontie daa? duet to nahin pioneer 9% B sousett io Twwods ralvonn sat at szutty mt rie pol one fe tow te bat cansbiayes 2euae sis estab dae ot di Laa fo oli ta enw 000? aides emia Te eapillid pole mis 38t amit yareeane moms ale ot eM canyei ey ta ape ai ane ane ghae dents Pham oac4 add ants vations eas yah ese dita rth pt 8 & syyeatess ies ace bs evds du axokiowie ety ovat myeie ds eawrgtles mnt sooigalyn Gree bah ot sere Tele sae bee satay care vigdlt neste soe atyesrath "euned” Wo am ivi eels gue cai ioeges a od tamer stot? fy rtads oie veined ha none pd a supine styerewy levtaloavstabgrs dite bow att val wubninal pes ginaRbenss 82 Sita sy ait tan bina esitsid to give ho Te ob Be emai, sae sa Ta eNews ik ghia gat A sisee besa 4 payed sbcradis nav abet cechageassege ws ail rosie sae react an, contre C8 agent a fon 40 ateH? sed 9 asl sonore Sang tt BEE Ane 0982-4 anitnosae tl 148 hore toe seamen 2284 Anordt yaw bees anit atts! ig ts9nen sis ari2mtit Fe seidbcbutl vitearita eninge temmag ia oh oreasioay Soar: lage get gate wuloaga get Mla We erpiaa 1603 aa same Maid or abe andl quant igaraaxs ue get at asc Pe seatte vaue aT 2 mam ene 4 itt nae oralaseye aate RENN Rae re stnend- 9 sins? Suggs of tule ar th bat Poohal rte mat wi Sauter aiads oft age ode nik 9E of 2 ia orER sen 0 46 hanegn stole sat cot i Yo enely ra sum sit a? sate vended aivgs iit my ef aeb23 seupeiets AD a god anvveit 4 gneen 0 axe altho tix xesnianh bag omendene selavTy pire aN lated Te sana ode yet bane aie sinttas you saedica lewbbath vaahsad oA P “ne nc” oy mevetet a1 weiian garb “ae bon an 23 00 Ba ibibo ot bantam ce 2 Fam) oryatene eitht at regen eto” agianseinaaniat ba aba ad io 6 eect se ae 1 agi ya D iiciet aaekiermrd! aoe, waster tosh om baw eqalean umm! a ed sti riot stlteadsee9 To oteze @ av Rete NTE cei oh! iRtineed) < gamnds'd! gehabgad base «Hinduism - An Overview Page 7 of 10 achieved through severe Yogic experiments. follows later. n explanation of Yogas and what they stand for ‘There are three Major shools of thought in Hindu philosophy about the relationship between human and the Truth - Dwaita, Adwaita, and Vishishtadwaita. Translated into English, the three mean - Dualism, Non-Dualism and Conditional Non-Dualism - in the same order as above. “The three great Sages who contributed these three eonecpis were Madhwa Acharya, Shankara Acharya, and Ramanuja Acharya again in the same order. (Acharya in Sanskrit means ‘Teacher and it is a respectful title given to a deserving few. When written, it is usually written as a part of the person's name. Hence, Ramanuja Acharya becomes Ramanujacharya and so on). Dwaita Dwaita means "Dualism". This theory states that man and God are distinct entities and they share a unique relationship between them. According to it, man, the finite element, is constrained by the cycle of births and rebirths. The Infinite element (God) is free from all these constraints i., He is free from births and rebirths, God has ne beginning nor end, The Infinite element in this relationship is referred to as 'Paramatman’ and the finite element as ‘Jivatman'. Through devotion, ‘Jivatman' attains 'Paramatman’. Madhwacharya founded the Dwaits scheo! of thought. According to him, God is an “Independent Being" possessing unrestricted powers, He is all-knowing and controls ull sentient and insentient objects in this universe. ‘According te Madhvacharya, the entire universe is divided into “Independent” and “Dependent”. The former is infinite in His attributes. He is the home of ull auspicious qualities, It was also his view that Jivatman is eternally dependent on the Paramatman in this relationship, According to Madhva's philosophy, all souls except the Lord are under bondage, which prevents them from knowing their identity and blocks the Lord's vision. This two-fold ignorance, constituting the bondage, is responsible for the selfish, violent and unjust activities of man. Not knowing his nature, he identifies himself with the body and seeks the pleasure of the Senses, Adwaita ‘Adi Shankara propounded the "Adwaita” or Non-Dualistic theory. He proclaimed that the finite and Infinite elements are not distinet clements but are indeed One and the Same. According to him, there is a sereen of illusion ‘Maya’ in Sanskrit) which separates man from God. As soon as man realizes his folly and comes out of his illusion, he is one with the Infinite. Adi Shankara From time to time great spiritual leaders appeared in India whenever there was a threat to the religion of Sanatana dharma, to re-establish its eternal principles for the benefit of humanity. ‘Among them, Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada ('Bhagavatpada' means Divine Feet) played the pivotal role of not only reinstating the Vedantie religion but also reorganizing the religion on the lines of systematic worship, known as '‘Shanmata’, thus establishing that philosophy and ion complement ane another in the tradition of Sanatana dharma. 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Buddhism was rampant and was stowly diverting people away from the Vedas and Hinduism and was drawing them into athcism. People started refuting the existence of God and took to Nihitistic philosophies, Buddhism and Jainism Buddhism and Jainism are both believed to have appeared in India at around the same time thousands of centuries ago. It is wrong to consider Buddhism and Jainism in their original forms as religions. They were both philosophies propounded by two great Hindu seers, Gautam Buddha and Mahavir Jain. ‘fo this day, both Buddha and Mahavira are revered by Hindus in India. Both Buddha and Mahavira preached that all life forms on earth experience pain, pleasure, sorrow and happiness due to their bondage to Samsara. They urged mankind to renounce all earthly attachments in order to achieve liberation from rebirths and attain Nirvana. According to both scers, we are the sum of our thoughts. When we realize this and give up attachment to "bondage-causing" thoughts and resulting actions, we free ourselves of the shackles of "Karma" and attain "Nirvana". Both teachers therefore corroborated the Hindu premise that the Truth manifests itself as us and we continue fo manifest as long as we identify with this illusory world and fall into the trap of desires. Yet, they aiso spoke of the “Unmanifest Reality"' (which is again mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita). Although both Masters spoke of the “Unmanifest Reality" they refused to call it God. This led to a brief period in Indian history that witnessed the growth of atheistic philosophies, questioning the very existence of God. God therefore incarnated as Adi Shankara to convincingly defeat both Philosophies and reestablish faith in God and the superiority of Vedic philosophy. Although Adi Shankara's earthly sojourn was very short- barely 32 years - he traveled the length and breadth of the subcontinent of India, preaching his philosophy of ‘Adwaita’, and defeated ai forms of atheistic philosophers - Buddhists, Jains, Nihilists -in every nook and corner of India, thereby reestablishing the superiority of Sanatana Dharma and the Vedas. ‘Many eminent scholars from ali corners of the country became his disciples. He restructured the 72 forms of desultory Hindu religious practices into six ways of worship or six sects ~ ‘Ganapathyam’ (The worship of Lord Ganapathy, the son of Lord Shiva). 'Kaumaram' (worship of Lord Kumaran, the second son of Lord Shiva), 'Sauram’ (warship of Lord Surya, the Sun).’ Shaivam' (worship of Lord Shiva, the Destroyer) 'Vaishnavam’ (worship of Lord Vishna, the Preserver) and ‘Shaktham' (worship of Mather Shakthi, the feminine power of Goi). He is hence hailed as the 'Shanmatha Sthapanacharya' (The Teacher who established the ‘Six Sects). During his trek across the country, he held debates with several scholars and defeated all of them, establishing the superiority of Adwaita and Hinduism, He also authored several immortal philosophical treatises. Chief among them is the concept of ‘adwaita’, hesides commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and the ten principal Upanishads. Other Poetical works such as the Soundarya Labari, and the Sivananda Lahari are paeans in praise of http://www. geacities com/Athens/Farum/9410/hindul him 2125/994 % perry ub «meaibetit 4 devel 6 mans quitay Se cata bottog oe F ‘ Yo netinobs san a Don sihel ta ooabe cyal tutor 4 Bag inegtany aie coettinieeD accerhed oi -cirtgaan! 2 bo Faget inet ene stq.09q pmiry7-7 : ‘| abe viet rae gat eb Bi apudanentiity silt / st dort oat boo? sieiniet tise ueidtbadd aateal diet son om Bove rmaystintidd ga ab zien anme att atte fevigina volt wi meaizcial usteres) araave ehhh trovy on ed Sabercoce us existmoncti ai arkant ot hemes a0 ei comee? baa och A gtd Mle sult foiverte erie i atiel sien wii aon oe PUD 19 2 WF hee mein vod nerene oF synhivet vi: criareret brave nate ban edivider: wend anite 2dit geaidos of tole at chmventonste “de @ aaad? aidyonadt ego te cuir 30) are oor ayete died ab partie ‘qnistuows hay exdquout "yaizsragubead rue” aioe Sete fone aie os to eerie 207 ow od? tatayodie: Yeieat rg 2 gi) ind baa binae cimstit eit aties Aieabh so doive tibet eataenmeD hhana setiawsen 1 one te aloan ft beeroathsy test? cuotetal aston pond bead fo centers ania osieak? stad rae i batnug that A AD he cemeAEL ost OF Dusetteos is a bal sd E bod) gi Heo oF 8 evar at suteisgl tonsa raistq reality aibeinatss to itor Agitoabrany at einined? ibd 2 Warmer’ vetratse sith bine fig ty obtiel sere baw endaoratist opens cra es wh lo gdenwmolidey #4 onereoes Inne Also 77909 Mi FATA nine, serait bid ~ radius tila ateantis agive #9 bate wonvenith norman? tor 2ibrabvagnre 9} enitaitehatey coi itsak Ws yer oi 4H astgioih add omeyed cvhawar 989 to eranies alneos aeeveisay ¢unt? give qistenn se Ya rey ie a vi mv (sori lo ata" eitit BN ad bua ¥ te abdarow ad T) amen rw? inal ta giorno ‘mneieee inside brea be aoe toenrse ad nicsemned be Cle egittenon) fro.) Yo qidztgn? muavandelad! O19 reread 9St sera O10.) te gutters “me riudd Wend ait doug, sites ori? dialed? “adiol Yo qistennd) oreti ane?! bee Ceres att eats f pildetes ad wetnes 1 sd? pa sstramaasie’ oso, trated gonad 4 off fon raion serous Mtb eines blog ad ogvtinnas et anon does vial orgie oft sachet! hae anawhs. to vabronmcee sd yaidaitiates aresdt te Hg botesion sasiscar bi” Ws ot LnuidcjoraisteTetverns sit faded orf no est seaniaes dora Heat ot 22 ah Fo ave ogy wraltsae: ois") nae vere thy st? din yihd barand gem? bet vedi) sbedeinag | iepon: vyey oe rece Tot at 9 As opierag oi mean eyHinduism - An Overview Page 9 of 10 various Hindu deities. The unique, ineffable, absolute reality of Brahman (Paramatman or God) was Shankara's theme. And his mastery of the scriptures enabled him to establish this doctrine, Shankara's youth was spent in extraordinarily swift mastery of the sacred scriptures following his ‘Brahmopadesa (a ceremony in the Preistly Linda Caste of Brahmins, wherein a Guru initiates his disciple into the hallowed years of Brahmacharyam (Celibacy) for mastering all the Vedas in their entirety) in his fifth year. Shankara became a ‘sanyasi’ (monk) at the tender age of eight. Becoming a recluse at such an early age is something altogether unique and unusual. Shankara wandered forth on foot across India, Shankara wrote masterly commentaries on the Brahmasutras of Vyasa, on ten of the classical upanishads and on the Bhagavad Gita. M. ‘Thibut, who edited and translated Sri Sankara's 'Sutra Bhashya’ for Professor Max Muller's "Sacred books of the East" series, acknowledges that the doctrine set out in the Bhashya is wonderfully faithful to the doctrines embedded in the Upanishads. By the end of his short but remarkable life, the greatest Acharya India has ever known, had. successfully eradicated Buddhism from the face of India and reestablished Hinduism firmly. Adi Shankara is my greatest and most inspiring ido and hero of all times, and I sincerely believe that his Adwaita philosophy is the most outstanding and the best of all (Although ¥ am totally unqualified to make a statement on such supreme philosophical concepts). Salutations to this great seer, who in a span of just thirty-two years of « hectic life, achieved so much so powerfully, so tellingly and indeed, so incredi Vishishtadwaita Vishishtadwaita or "Conditional Non-Dualism" was propounded by Ramanujacharya. He followed a long line of Srivaishnava seers who maintained that the Supreme Being is full of auspicious attributes. His system is known as Vishishtadwaita, which refers to three Realities viz. God, soul and matter, the first alone being independent, and the other two being dependent on Him. The Acharya pointed out that we are experiencing a temporary separation from the Lord, which can be overcome through the method of devotion. Ramanuja was born in Sriperambudur, to the south of India, in 1017 A.D. According to him, “All creation is the body of the Lord; “isaavasyam idam sarvam." The figure af the Isa is all- auspicious. Hence there is nothing illusory about this world and our experience of the same, Salvation is but the beatific permanence in the presence of the Supreme where such closeness leads to the transformation of the mortal being into a likeness of the Divine", Countless are the ways to attain the Divine but the easiest is the path of devotion, according to Ramanuja. However, this is also a severe discipline and hence a yoga. The starting point as well as the final movement in Ramanuja's "bhakti yoga’ is faith in a loving God. At the same time, Ramanuja cautioned that the personal God must not become a fetish leading to intolerance, Please continue to the next page for MORE on Hinduism. Ifyou are interested, you may go to my Personal Homepage. Please Sign My Guestbook http://www. geocities. com/Athens/Forum/9410/hindul html 2/25/99Poet iden + a0 reenter Vormaterd?? on irtzoty sigh dakkbane psa bores Fevers tae oui soetengatie y batt an gebrmansiwemny aerenin arty eat ragedd 5 a oe ohe iad NGG Naso 2 eo 2ae an Mae te tay aren Autiviany & dt al Gobtreday ssacrtona vd} « eat enna oe: od RI HRA Fey watt mobail Leydeilelstess ban ail ante Uae ame ds te at eaeitwastar sasoegeat yatod wit va dt mest nelnw eRe ye qing 5 yuiae: anninyat V ot gnibvoasa GA Tait ai Se ai gal sche meg? tine ot Hao F Seabed yet be wise? oF winlbeyynats ot Hyage gan adh one 2 foul 2 Siow om tmign a? van linamesihey & comeivages wag inn pire ett joey Yo dian slicer inate? ae aero fe anabniueshet yriet snaie ey Bit ahaa! set sae mezioteben gh os sone ate for a ad Site, emote vera vee 0s stint behile ontw ae dist? Ysgititiad qiietealae tapsinhsg > brow testeny it sealide pai orbs, wensbecete id th Haupers aMatat soe eng cd ean srhwadaiciel s fig erbesdaiste on En anit mio! # fia i mshi aM astadivise aesivionirn hie ct ataiih ang att susie qi in brady est sniyif 9 A ot chad sib ot ate bs aaietios oi ynila ances nae sane eels ty uaitenetetenet? ons se andi? 29 wiwennsiea 49 {4» Basic beliefs of Hindus and Muslims side by side Page 1 of 2 } Basic beliefs of Hindus and Muslims side by side Siam Hinduism In Islam, belief in One God is the most Hinduism has many deities. This ‘important belief, Allah in arabic refers to is much like ancient Greek and lthe One God. It isa known fact that every Reman religions. The god Brahma language has one or more terms that are ator of the world. The god | used in reference to God and sometimes to Vishnu who preserves the world hesser deities. This is not the case with igh his many incarnations, The “Allah, Allsh is the personal name of the god Shiva will destroy the world true God. Nothing else can be catled which will be rebuilt by Brahma ‘Allah, The term has no plural or gender. In their Rig-Veda Book, we find ‘This shows its uniqueness when compared prayers to sume 70 objects, cach rd god which can be made —_serving as a deity. The concept of gods, or feminine, goddess. [tis god Brahma is similar to the interesting to notice that Allah is the pt of Trinity in Christianity. personal name of God in Aramaic, the ‘The Brahma is responsible for all Janguage of Jesus and a sister language of workings of the world and / Arabic. The One true God is a reflection of cyeryone is a part of him. Different) the unique concept that Islam associates __gods are viewed as different | iim, Allah is the aspects of him, (polytheism) Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and ‘nothing is comparable to I (monotheism) Sched" | Hinduism has a east _four major castes, Members of leach are required by strict religious ‘Taws to follow certain hereditary -cupations and to refrain from intermartiage or eating with 1 | members of the other castes. The | | highest, or priestly and intellectual, | individuals or nations on the basis of SANE. thal of 8 aa. wealth, power or race, He created the eee et fee ey _Kohatriya (ruling or warrior ‘dist ee ‘ ‘easte), Vaisya (common artisan | fea ihaeeive widget His fie [eo Scicdteal caste), andthe | low a ‘Muslims eat all wholesome and good food | Cow isa sacred animal and a Food & including meat of Cow (bec), lamb, goat, {for Hindus, Cows, therefore, ean a | Isiam, all humans are created equal. For example, there is no superiority of an ‘Arab over a non-Arab, or vice versa. Blacks and whites have no superiority over ‘each other. The same holds with any other | ethnicity. islam rejects ‘God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain 089 hitp/www. islam 101 com/religions/hindu_muslim ktm! 272199> Saste elefS of Hindus and Muslims side by side 5 Muslims believe that each person has a Beas\e ody and soul. At death, your ‘body is I Separated from your soul. Your faith and “actions in this life will determine your fate in the Life After Death, There is a Day of Judgment when this life will come to an ‘end for every one, and all humans from Adam fo the last person, wil '8 second life, rejoining of your body and soul. On that Day, Hell or Heaven based on their belief and Minduism, deeds of this lite, a By: Isha Zahid for: istam it hitp:/www-islam101.com/rcligions/hindu_mustim html | Hinduism believes in body and | ie Page 2 of 2 ‘éul. Your soul returns to your xly after your death. This eycle | ‘Fepeats seven times according to | ‘some. Your status or caste in next ‘life depends on your deeds of the i be brought to | cee God will put poopie in SiS calied Reinearnation in 272199+