Hinduism

Hinduism is a word created by Westerners to encompass the dominant religious and social system of India. Traditionally, those we call Hindus refer to their religion as the dharma, which means “the way” or “the religion.”

Symbols play an important role in Hinduism, but if we were to take just one as standing for the entire religion, it would have to be the graphic representation of the sacred symbol, Om. Om is a sound that has no literal meaning but that is supposed to represent the totality of the spiritual universe. Also, the swastika can be seen in many places where Hinduism is practiced (see: Buddhism).

There are approximately 900 million Hindus in the world; however, the total number of Hindus in India is subject to controversy because it includes up to 300 million “untouchables” (dalits), who are officially counted as a part of the Hindu social structure but who are prevented from fully participating in their religion.

Hinduism began as the religion of a group of people migrating into the Indian subcontinent from Central Asia. These people were called the Aryans, but one should not confuse them with the figments of racist ideologies in the West. When the Aryans entered India around 1500 B.C., they worshipped a number of gods with animal sacrifices. The prerogative to perform the rituals belonged to the priests, called Brahmins, who recorded their prayers and sacrificial formulas in books called Vedas.

The religion of the Aryans underwent some drastic changes. One direction of change was an increase in rules and regulations propagated by the Brahmins. Eventually, a caste system developed and belief in reincarnation became an integral part of Hinduism. This early form of Hinduism is sometimes referred to as “the way of works” because it emphasized the rules and rituals demanded by the Brahmins.

Around sixth century B.C., a reaction against the all-pervasive rituals demanded by the priests led to the formation of the religions of Buddhism and Jainism, but it also led to a new understanding of Hinduism called “the way of knowledge.” The point of the religion was not to amass as many works as possible but instead to find God deep within oneself. The way of works and the way of knowledge continued to exist side by side and influenced each other.

By the eighth century A.D., a third way of practicing Hinduism came about: “the way of devotion.” The distinctive feature of this form of Hinduism is that a person focuses on one particular god or goddess, and this deity provides for the needs of the person, whether it be salvation or worldly needs. The way of devotion blended into the other two ways, and modern Hinduism combines all three.

Way of Works (Brahmanism or Vedic): Based on sacrifices and rituals

Way of Knowledge (Vedantic): Based on finding God within oneself

Way of Devotion (Bhakti): Based on a person’s relationship with a single deity

Hinduism has a large and complex set of writings that are traditionally organized into two main categories: the shruti and the smriti. The shruti are those that were ‘heard’ from the gods by holy men, called rishis, a long time ago and recorded by them. These are supposed to be the main scriptures. The smriti are supposedly of lesser importance since they are only ‘received,’ which is to say, handed down by tradition. However, because the smriti [for the most part] contains stories, they receive the greater amount of attention from most Hindus, whereas knowledge of the shruti tends to be confined to priests and scholars. Nowadays, many scholars believe that Hindu scriptures were not written down until a few hundred years ago.

The shruti contains the writings of:

• Vedas: four major works, containing hymns and sacrificial formulas
• Brahmanas: instructions for priests
• Sutras: instructions for all people
• Law of Manu: specific instructions for all Hindus
• Upanishads: philosophical meditations and mystical interpretations of the Vedas

The smriti contains the writings of:

• Mahabharata: epic describing the war between two sets of cousins
• Bhagavad-Gita: one section of the Mahabharata; a discourse by the god Krishna
• Ramayana: epic describing the efforts by the god Rama to liberate his wife Sita from an evil demon
• Puranas: stories concerning the lives and exploits of various gods

Most Hindus agree on certain concepts; however, Hinduism has no mandatory set of beliefs. I’m going to list what most Hindus agree on; however, in theory, one could be considered a good Hindu and not believe any of the following points. What people initially want is pleasure and worldly success (Path of Desire), but ultimately they will desire to travel down the Path of Renunciation and what they want then is being, knowledge, joy, and [finally] liberation (moksha) – release from the finitude that restricts us from the limitless being, consciousness, and bliss our hearts desire. Most Hindus would agree that life is hard and full of suffering and, what’s worse, when someone is done with one life of suffering, that person will have another one and another one, etc. As soon as someone is done with one life, that person is reincarnated into the next life. It does not necessarily have to be a human life either. One could come back as a bird or a worm or an insect. As a doctrine, karma means the moral law of cause and effect. The law of karma states that what you did in your previous lives has brought you to where you are in your present life; furthermore, what you do in your present life will determine your next life. Thus, Hinduism in all its forms attempts to find a way out of the seemingly never-ending cycle of reincarnation and to break the bondage of karma.

Vedantic Hinduism: The way of knowledge asserts that all human beings are living in an unreal world. There is only one true reality, which is Brahman, the spiritual being that is ultimately beyond our understanding or descriptive ability. As long as we treat the world of our experience (maya) as though it were real, we will remain hung up in this illusory cosmos and continue through the cycle of reincarnations. However, if we come to the point of realizing that deep within ourselves, deeper than our feelings and our thoughts, there is Self (atman) that is identical with Brahman, we are on our way to escaping from the bondage of the world once and for all.

Bhakti Hinduism: The way of devotion has led many Hindus to commit themselves in a special way to one particular god or goddess. Some Hindus believe that all gods are manifestations of the impersonal, ultimate Brahman, while others consider their personal god or goddess to be the supreme being. For the devotee of a specific god, the goal is to do all you can to honor and worship the god in the hopes that this deity will reciprocate with blessings. It is said that there are an estimated 300 million gods in Hinduism, but not all gods are considered to be of equal importance. The traditional three main gods of Hinduism are the following: Brahma (creator of the universe), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). Each of the gods has a female counterpart, his shakti, who brings out his power. Vishnu is important because from time to time he incarnates himself in the world in order to restore order. His most prominent past incarnations (avatars) include Krishna and Rama.

It is Hinduism’s general conviction that the various major religions are merely alternate paths to the same goal. Many say that it is possible to climb life’s mountain from any side, but when the top is reached the trails converge. Ramakrishna said all that follows: God has made different religions. One Everlasting-Intelligent-Bliss is invoked by some as God, by some as Allah, by some as Jehovah, and by others as Brahman. Whenever there is a decline of religion in any part of the world, God sends his Saviour there. It is one and the same Saviour that, having plunged into the ocean of life, rises up in one place and is known as Krishna, and diving down again rises in another place and is known as Christ. All gods and goddesses are but various aspects of the one Absolute Brahman.

Although there is the potential for endless varieties of subgroups, there are three main schools of devotion: those who follow Vishnu as their highest god, those who are devoted to Shiva, and those whose highest deity is a goddess (A.K.A. Shaktites).

Another important means of grouping within Hinduism is the caste system. On no other score is Hinduism better known or more roundly denounced by the outside world. Primarily a set of social divisions, it also has a profound impact on the religion and is in fact enjoined by Hindu scriptures. It is said that unless unequals are separated in some way, the weak would be forced to compete against the strong across the board and would stand no chance of winning anywhere. The reasoning behind the castes is that within each caste the individual’s right are considered safer than if he/she is forced to compete against the strong. There is said to be four main castes, with some believing that there are five. The following are the four main castes along with the additional fifth caste (that is often disputed):

1. Brahmins = priests, religious leaders, teachers
2. Kshatriyas = warriors, rulers, administrators
3. Vaishyas = merchants, landowners
4. Shudras = workers, followers, unskilled laborers
5. Dalits = outcastes, untouchables

A Hindu who lives in India once explained it to me in this way: “Humans by nature are inclined (favor) to one of the four tendencies, The first is desire for knowledge that makes us become scientists, professors, researchers, etc. Such humans are called brahman. The second nature is protective, those sattvic are always ready to fight to save others like police and army, etc. They are kshatriya. The third is materialistic or business minded, that is merchants, etc. It also includes farmers. They are the vaisya. The fourth have a talent for music, plays, dance, etc. They are the one most loved by the holy father because they are most devoted to him and carry the human society forward. They are the shudras. This is the caste system and no human is outside it. Everything else you have heard of is either British lies or the mixing of class and caste, there are no dalits in this system. They are an outcome of something else and now have equal rights in society in fact more rights than others under the constitution.”

Hinduism’s specific directions for actualizing the human potential come under the heading of yoga. The word yoga derives from the same root as does the English word yoke, and yoke carries a double connotation: to unite (yoke together), and to place under disciplined training (to bring under the yoke). Both connotations are present in the Sanskrit word. Defined generally, then, yoga is a method of training designed to lead to integration, to unite the human spirit with the God who lies concealed in its deepest recesses. What is distinctive in Hinduism is the amount of attention it has devoted to identifying basic spiritual personality types and the disciplines that are most likely to work for each individual. The result is a recognition, pervading the entire religion, that there are multiple paths to God, each calling for its distinctive mode of travel. There are four basic spirituality types:

• Jnana yoga – the way through knowledge
• Bhakti yoga – the way through love
• Karma yoga – the way through work
• Raja yoga – the way through psychophysical exercises

Jnana yoga is said to be the shortest path to divine realization yet also the steepest. Because it requires a rare combination of rationality and spirituality, it is for a select few. Essential being is Being itself. The Atman (God within) must change from concept to realization. A person needs to drive a wedge between his/her skin-encapsulated ego and his/her Atman, and an aid in doing so is to think of the former in the third person.

Bhakti yoga is the most popular of the four basic paths. By and large, life is powered more by emotion and less by reason. This path seems to be opposite and contradictory to Jnana yoga’s way of knowledge. Because healthy love is out-going, the bhakta will reject all suggestions that the God one loves is oneself, even one’s deepest Self, and insist on God’s otherness. The goal is not to strive to identify with God, but to adore God with every element of his/her being.

Karma yoga is the way to God through works. You can find God in the world of everyday affairs as readily as anywhere. Throw yourself into your work with everything you have. According to Hindu doctrine, every action performed upon the external world reacts on the doer. Everything a person does for him/her private wellbeing adds another layer to the ego, only thickening and insulating that person more from God. Selfish works create callousness to the divine. The Bhagavad-Gita says, “Do without attachment the work you have to do. Surrendering all action to Me, freeing yourself from longing and selfishness, fight – unperturbed by grief.”

Raja yoga has been known in India as “the royal (raj) road to reintegration” because of the dazzling heights to which it leads. The purpose is to reach the beyond that is within. One by one, meditation will eliminate the intrusions of cravings, a troubled conscience, body, breath, and even the senses. The goal is accomplished when the subject and the object are completely merged so that the self-consciousness of the individual subject has disappeared altogether. The final climactic state occurs when samadhi is achieved. Samadhi names the state in which the human mind is completely absorbed in God. The distinctive feature of samadhi is that all of the object’s forms fall away. For forms are limiting boundaries; to be one form others must be excluded, and what is to be known in raja yoga’s final stage is without limits.

The central act of worship in Hinduism is service performed for the statues of deities both at home and in the temple. Hindus believe that the god or goddess lives inside the statue so long as it is properly cared for. This means that it has to be washed and clothed regularly and be given proper worship (puja). Also, marks on the face or the forehead can be of great significance. For one thing, frequently after a person has participated in puja at a temple, some of the crushed flower petals and ashes used in the ceremony are applied to the forehead in disk shape. Many times a devotee of a particular deity will mark his/her forehead with ashes, using the sign specific for that god. For example, devotees of Shiva mark their foreheads with three horizontal stripes, while devotees of Vishnu make two vertical lines that converge on the bridge of the nose. The common red dot seen on the forehead of female Hindus is called the bindi, which means “little drop.” Even though it can carry multiple connotations in different regions of India, most of the time the bindi tells the world, “I am Hindu, and I am a married woman.” However, for unmarried girls, the dot is black most of the time and it is intended to protect against the “evil eye.”

A Hindu temple is usually a highly decorated building dedicated to one particular deity. Regardless of who the main deity may be, many larger temples have a statue of the elephant-headed Ganesha, the “remover of obstacles,” to the right of the main deity (your left side if facing the statues). Every puja will begin by worshipping Ganesha first.

My Final Thoughts:

One thing I can certainly commend Hinduism for is that it is peaceful and nonviolent. However, Hinduism represents a broad category of religious beliefs. Hinduism is sharply separated into three schools: pantheism, polytheism, and pluralism. Some Hindus believe they need to meditate their way into total absorption with God, some Hindus believe in multiple different gods yet devote themselves to only one particular deity, and some Hindus believe that all beliefs lead to the same goal.

Pantheism is found in the last section of the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures. This final section is called the Upanishads. Because the Upanishads came at the end of each of the four Vedas, the Upanishads came to be spoken of as the Vedanta, meaning end or goal of the Vedas. The Upanishads, along with the Bhagavad-Gita, laid the foundation for Vedanta Hinduism, which is a classic example of pantheism.

There is said to be four basic paths to God in the four different ways of yoga; however, examination of the four yoga types boils the four down to only two: knowledge and love. Jnana yoga and raja yoga ultimately join together in a desire to become God whereas bhakti yoga and karma yoga ultimately join together in a desire to love others while realizing that we are not God.

Why worship Krishna or Rama if they are just avatars of Vishnu? Why not just worship Vishnu? Why worship Vishnu if he is only a preserver and not the creator? Why not just worship Brahma if he is the creator? Ganesha is the son of Shiva. So why not just worship Shiva? Why worship Ganesha at all? But if you are going to choose any one god, why wouldn’t you worship the Ultimate from which all other gods originated? The many gods worshipped is a classic example of polytheism. And because Hinduism encourages the worship of many gods, it veers them into a position where all gods would then need to be accepted. This is pluralism.

Karma plays a major role in Hinduism and therefore must be investigated thoroughly. One of the biggest reasons that people hold the belief of karma is because they believe it is just. To many people, the idea of having more than one chance at life seems to be the most equitable solution. Suffering in this life can be justified if it is really an outworking of karma from past lives. This explanation eliminates the need to make God responsible for suffering. All suffering can be explained as the just outworking of bad deeds done in former incarnations. Clearly, the most attractive aspect of reincarnation is that everyone would eventually get saved due to the many chances to live life the right way.

Reincarnation, however, is not justice. No – not at all. The innocent are not really innocent because the karma of their past lives is causing the suffering. Reincarnation doesn’t deal with justice, it simply dismisses the injustice. There is no need to take personal responsibility because one would always have another chance. But what good is another chance if one doesn’t even realize that it is another chance? Why don’t we remember any of our past mistakes if we are supposed to correct them? Is it really fair for God to punish people for the sins they don’t even remember committing?

Karma is not a moral prescription. It is a system of retribution only; it has no content to tell us what to do. It is an impersonal, amoral law of act-consequence relations. Unless something is absolutely right, nothing can be actually right; and if nothing is right (or wrong), then karma has no business punishing anyone for it. And in a pantheistic, polytheistic, and pluralistic religion such as Hinduism, there cannot be absolute Truth nor can there exist an absolute moral standard. So why punish people for some wrong if there is no moral standard of right and wrong?

Reincarnation is ultimately anti-humanitarian. Philanthropy ends up contradicting the purpose of karma. According to traditional Hindu belief, anyone who helps those who suffer is not increasing the karma of those being helped – it only increases the karma of the people who are doing the act of helping. People suffer to work off their karmic debt, and if you help them, then they will have to come back again and suffer even more to work off that debt.

Also, if reincarnation were correct, society should be improving; however, there is no evidence that such moral progress is being made. All we have improved is the means by which we can manifest hate, cruelty, racism, and barbarism toward other human beings. Reincarnation has failed as a solution to the problem of evil.

Conclusion:

Hinduism is pantheistic and lacks an objective moral standard. Hinduism is polytheistic and it does not account for either ultimate causality or ultimate unity, which is needed to explain a diverse, changing universe. Hinduism is pluralistic and allows multiple contradictory beliefs in order to obtain its truth. Pantheism, polytheism, and pluralism have all been rejected and eliminated; therefore, it simply follows that Hinduism must be rejected as Truth and eliminated as a choice.

However, in my investigation, I have concluded Christianity to be Truth. Click here to see why: Why I Am A Christian.