Hinduism: from the Hinduism Online

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/

An effort to make Hinduism understandable to non Hindus. Nine Beliefs of Hinduism

Beliefs are the building blocks of the mind. Our beliefs determine our thoughts and attitudes about life, which in turn direct our actions. By our actions we create our destiny. Beliefs about sacred mattersGod, man and cosmosare essential to ones approach to enlightenment. But beliefs are not mere matters of agreement. hey are what we !alue and hold as true. "indus belie!e many di!erse things, but there are a few bedrock concepts on which most "indus concur. he following nine beliefs, though not e#hausti!e, offer a simple summary of "indu spirituality. $% & belie!e in the di!inity of the 'edas, the worlds most ancient scripture, and !enerate the (gamas as e)ually re!ealed. hese primordial hymns are Gods word and the bedrock of *anatana +harma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end. ,% & belie!e in a one, all-per!asi!e *upreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both .reator and /nmanifest 0eality. 1% & belie!e that the uni!erse undergoes endless cycles of creation, preser!ation and dissolution. 2% & belie!e in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each indi!idual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds. 3% & belie!e that the soul reincarnates, e!ol!ing through many births until all karmas ha!e been resol!ed, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. 4ot a single soul will be eternally depri!ed of this destiny. 5% & belie!e that di!ine beings e#ist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal de!otionals create a communion with these de!as and Gods. 6% & belie!e that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the ranscendent (bsolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-in)uiry and meditation. 7% & belie!e that all life is sacred, to be lo!ed and re!ered, and therefore practice ahimsa, 8nonin9ury.: ;% & belie!e that no particular religion teaches the only way to sal!ation abo!e all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of Gods <ure =o!e and =ight, deser!ing 1

tolerance and understanding. "induism, the worlds oldest religion, has no beginningit precedes recorded history. &t has no human founder. &t is a mystical religion, leading the de!otee to personally e#perience the ruth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. "induism has four main denominations*ai!ism, *haktism, 'aishna!ism and *martism. he abo!e nine beliefs form a common ground for all "indu sects.

Four Facts of Hinduism

Karma
Karma is what the soul undergoes in one of two ways, according to whether its actions are virtuous or not; but both kinds subsist until the end of enjoyment in this world. -Svayambu Agama God>s cosmic law of karma go!erns our life e#periences through cause and effect. (s God>s force of gra!ity shapes cosmic order, karma shapes e#periential order. hrough karma, your thoughts, emotions and deeds-whether good, bad or mi#ed-return to you. hus, karma is your teacher. &t imparts the lesons you need and are able to meed. ?Or it is a di!ine law that no karmic situation will arise that e#ceeds your ability to resol!e it. @arma is not fate. Aou ha!e free will. 4o God or e#ternal force is controlling your life. &t is your own karmic creation. o be responsible for your karma is strength. o blame another is weakness. herefore, remember God>s great law of karma and act wisely.

Reincarnation
Through his past works he shall return once more to birth, entering whatever form his heart is set on. This mightyl soul unborn grows not old, nor dies, for the soul is immortal and fearless. -Brihadaranya a !"anishad Aour soul is an immortal body of light. &ts (bsolute and superconscious essence is identical to with God. Aet, this identity needs to be realiBed and unfolded within the soul. oward this goal your soul undertakes many, many lifetimes in a physical body. Aou are now the sum total of all your past li!es. Aou undergo e!ery concie!able human e#perience as the forces of the body, ego and desire manifest. &n the latter li!es the forces are transmuted toward spirituality. ?inally, your soul realiBes God. (fter resol!ing all residual karmas, your soul no longer incarnates into human form. (s the Agamas and edas teach, the soul continues its e!olution in the inner worlds. herefore, you li!e 9oyously, stri!e for spiritual unfoldment and do not fear death.

#harma
!ay noble wisdom come to us from all sides, undeceived, unhindered, overflowing, so that the "evas may always help us onward, unceasing is their care, our #uardians day by day. -Rig $eda

+harma is God>s +e!ine =aw, the law of being. +harma is to the indi!idual what its normal de!elopement is to a seed-the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature and destiny. Chen following dharma you are in harmony with the cosmic orderD you abide close to God. he moral dimension of "indu dharma is embodied in the eithet yamas Erestrains% and eight niyamas Eobser!ances%. he yamas are: non-!iolence> not stealingD disciplining desireD ab9uring lust and greedD curbing arrogance and angerD not lyingD a!oiding in9usticeD shunning wrongdoing and e!il company. he niyamas: be pure in body, mind and speechD lo!e mankindD seek contentmentD culti!ate de!otionD de!elope forbearanceD gi!e charitablyD study the scripturesD preform penance and sacrifice. F!ery person has his or her pathD worship God, and your dharma will become clear.

%orshi"
$ffering of perfumed substances, floweers, incense, lamps and fresh reuit%these are the five elements of the traditional puja which culminates with offering of the lamps. -Kami a Agama Corship e#presses our profound lo!e for God. <u9a, bha9an, prayer and meditation are all worshipful means of direct, personal communion with God and Gods. God, Gods and de!as are all real beings dwelling in the inner worlds. hey can and want to help you in e!ery aspect of your life. his they do in accord with your own patterns of karma and dharma. +aily, personal pu9a at home keeps you God-conscious and your home holy. God has established many temples to allow us to intimately communicate with "im. emple pu9a opens a channel to God. hrough "is personal presence and shakti, prayers are answered, karma softened, spiritual unfoldment guided. *urrender, worship with intese lo!e, and God hears. hese four facts-karma, reincarnation, dharma, worship-are the essence of the edas and Agamas and the fabric of e!ery "indu>s life. *peak of them to all who will listen, hey are the heritage of all souls.

&OR' ON KAR&A and R'(N)ARNA*(ON

he twin beliefs of karma and reincarnation are among "induism>s many 9ewels of knowledge. Others include dharma or our pattern of religious conduct, worshipful communion with God and Gods, the necessary guidance of the *at Guru, and finally enlightenment through personal realiBation of our identity in and with God. *o the strong-shouldered and keen-minded rishis knew and stated in the 'edas. (nd these are not mere assumptions of probing, brilliant minds. hey are laws of the cosmos. (s God>s force of gra!ity shapes cosmic order, karma shapes e#periential order. Our long se)uence of li!es is a tapestry of creating and resol!ing karmaspositi!e, negati!e and an amalgam of the two. +uring the succession of a soul>s li!esthrough the mysteries of our higher chakras and God>s and Guru>s Grace-no karmic situation will arise that e#ceeds an indi!idual>s ability to resol!e it in lo!e and understanding. Gany people are !ery curious about their past li!es and e#pend great time, effort and money to e#plore them. (ctually, this curious probing into past li!es is unnecessary. &ndeed it is a natural protection from reli!ing past trauma or becoming infatuated more

with our past li!es that our present life that the inner recesses of the muladhara memory chakra are not easily accessed. ?or, as we e#ist now is a sum total of all our past li!es. &n our present moment, our mind and body state is the cumulati!e result of the entire spectrum of our past li!es. *o, no matter how great the intellectual knowing of these two key principles, it is how we currently li!e that positi!ely shapes karma and unfolds us spiritually. @nowing the laws, we are responsible to resol!e blossoming karmas from past li!es and create karma that, pro9ected into the future, will ad!ance, not hinder, us. @arma literally means Hdeed or act,H but more broadly describes the principle of cause and effect. *imply stated, karma is the law of action and reaction which go!erns consciousness. &n physics-the study of energy and matter-*ir &saac 4ewton postulated that for e!ery action there is an e)ual and opposite reaction. <ush against a wall. &ts material is molecularly pushing back with a force e#actly e)ual to yours. &n metaphysics, karma is the law that states that e!ery mental, emotional and physical act, no matter how insignificant, is pro9ected out into the psychic mind substance and e!entually returns to the indi!idual with e)ual impact. he akashic memory in our higher chakras faithfully records the soul>s impressions during its series of earthly li!es, and in the astral/mental worlds in-between earth e#istences. (ncient yogis, in psychically studying the time line of cause/effect, assigned three categories to karma. he first is sanchita, the sum total of past karma yet to be resol!ed. he second category is prarabdha, that portion of sanchita karma being e#perienced in the present life. @riyamana, the third type, is karma you are presently creating. "owe!er, it must be understood that your past negati!e karma can be altered into a smoother, easier state through the lo!ing, heart-chakra nature, through dharma and sadhana. hat is the key of karmic wisdom. =i!e religiously well and you will create positi!e karma for the future and soften negati!e karma of the past. ruths and Gyths (bout @arma @arma operates not only indi!idually, but also in e!er-enlarging circles of group karma where we participate in the sum karma of multiple souls. his includes family, community, nation, race and religion, e!en planetary group karma. *o if we, indi!idually or collecti!ely, unconditionally lo!e and gi!e, we will be lo!ed and gi!en to. he indi!iduals or groups who act soulfully or maliciously toward us are the !ehicle of our own karmic creation. he people who manifest your karma are also li!ing through past karma and simultaneously creating future karma. ?or e#ample, if their karmic pattern did not include miserliness, they would not be in!ol!ed in your karma of selfishness. (nother person may e#press some generosity toward you, fulfilling the gifting karma of your past e#perience. &magine how intricately interconnected all the cycles of karma are for our planet>s life forms. Gany people belie!e in the principle of karma, but don>t apply its laws to their daily life or e!en to life>s peak e#periences. here is a tendency to cry during times of personal crisis, HChy has God done this to meIH or HChat did & do to deser!e thisIH Chile God is the creator and sustainer of the cosmic law of karma, "e does not dispense indi!idual karma. "e does not produce cancer in one person>s body and de!elop Olympic athletic prowess in another>s. Ce create our own e#periences. &t is really an e#ercising of our soul>s powers of creation. @arma, then, is our best spiritual teacher. Ce spiritually learn and grow as our actions return to us to be resol!ed and dissol!ed. &n this highest sense, 4

there is no good and bad karmaD there is self-created e#perience that presents opportunities for spiritual ad!ancement. &f we can>t draw lessons from the karma, then we resist and/or resent it, lashing out with mental, emotional or physical force. he original substance of that karmic e!ent is spent and no longer e#ists, but the current reaction creates a new condition of harsh karma. 0esponsibility resol!ing karma is among the most important reasons that a *at Guru is necessary in a sincere seeker>s life. he Guru helps the de!otee to hold his mind in focus, to become pointedly conscious of thought, word and deed. Cithout the guidance and grace of the Guru, the de!otee>s mind will be splintered between instincti!e and intellectual forces, making it !ery difficult to resol!e karma. Only when karma is wisely harnessed can the mind become still enough to e#perience its own superconscious depths. @arma is also misunderstand as fate, an unchangeable destiny decreed long ago by agencies or forces e#ternal to us such as the planet and stars, or Gods. @arma is neither fate nor predetermination. Fach soul has absolute free will &ts only boundary is karma. God and Gods do not dictate the e#periential e!ents of our li!es, nor do they test us. (nd there is no cosmic force that molds our life. &ndeed, when beseeched through deep prayer and worship, the *upreme Being and "is great Gods may intercede within our karma, lightening its impact or shifting its location in time to a period when we are better prepared to resol!e it. "indu astrology, or Jyotisha, details a real relation between oursel!es and the geography of the solar system and certain star clusters, but it is not a cause-effect relation. <lanets and stars don>t cause or dictate karma. heir orbital relationships establish proper conditions for karmas to acti!ate and a particular type of personality nature to de!elop. Jyotisha describes a relation of re!ealment: it re!eals prarabdha karmic patterns for a gi!en birth and how we will generally react to them Ekriyamana karma%. his is like a pattern of different colored windows allowing sunlight in to re!eal and color a house>s arrangement of furniture. Cith astrological knowledge we are aware of our life>s karmic pattern and can thereby anticipate it wisely. 0eincarnation: ( *oul>s <ath to Godness he soul dwells as the inmost body of light and superconscious, uni!ersal mind of a series of nested bodies, each more refined than the ne#t: physical, pranic, astral, mental. &n our conscious mind we think and feel oursel!es to be a physical body with some intangible spirit within it. Aet, right now our real identity is the soul that is sensing through its multiple bodies physical, emotional and mental e#perience. 0ecogniBing this as reality, we powerfully know that life doesn>t end with the death of the biological body. he soul continues to occupy the astral body, a subtle, luminous duplicate of the physical body. his subtle body is made of higher-energy astral matter and dwells in a dimension called the astral plane. &f the soul body itself is highly e!ol!ed, it will occupy the astral/mental bodies on a !ery refined plane of the astral known as the +e!aloka, Hthe world of light-shining beings.H (t death, the soul slowly becomes totally aware in its astral/mental bodies and it predominantly li!es through those bodies in the astral dimension. he soul functions with complete continuity in its astral/mental bodies. &t is with these sensiti!e !ehicles that we e#perience dream or HastralH worlds during sleep e!ery night. he astral world is e)ually as solid and beautiful, as !aried and comprehensi!e as the 5

earth dimension-if not much more so. *piritual growth, psychic de!elopment, guidance in matters of go!ernance and commerce, artistic culti!ation, in!entions and disco!eries of medicine, science and technology all continue by astral people who are Hin-betweenH earthly li!es. Gany of the 'eda hymns entreat the assistance of de!as: ad!anced astral or mental people. Aet, also in the grey, lower regions of this !ast, in!isible dimension e#ist astral people whose present pursuits are base, selfish, e!en sadistic. Chere the person goes in the astral plane at sleep or death is dependent upon his earthly pursuits and the )uality of his mind. Because certain seed karmas can only be resol!ed in earth consciousness and because the soul>s initial realiBations of (bsolute 0eality are only achie!ed in a physical body, our soul 9oyously enters another biological body. (t the right time, it is reborn into a flesh body that will best fulfill its karmic pattern. &n this process, the current astral body-which is a duplicate of the last physical form-is sluffed off as a lifeless shell that in due course disintegrates, and a new astral body de!elops as the new physical body grows. his entering into another body is called reincarnation: Hre-occupying the flesh.H +uring our thousands of earth li!es, a remarkable !ariety of life patterns are e#perienced. Ce e#ist as male and female, often switching back and forth from life to life as the nature becomes more harmoniBed into a person e#hibiting both feminine nurturing and masculine intrepidness. Ce come to earth as princesses and presidents, as paupers and pirates, as tribals and scientists, as murderers and healers, as atheists and, ultimately, God-0ealiBed sages. Ce take bodies of e!ery race and li!e the many religions, faiths and philosophies as the soul gains more knowledge and e!olutionary e#perience. herefore, the "indu knows that the belief in a single life on earth, followed by eternal 9oy or pain is utterly wrong and causes great an#iety, confusion and fear. "indus know that all souls reincarnate, take one body and then another, e!ol!ing through e#perience o!er long periods of time. =ike the caterpillar>s metamorphosis into the butterfly, death doesn>t end our e#istence but frees us to pursue an e!en greater de!elopment. /nderstanding the laws of the death process, the "indu is !igilant of his thoughts and mental loyalties. "e knows that the contents of his mind at the point of death in large part dictate where he will function in the astral plane and the )uality of his ne#t birth. *ecret )uestionings and doubt of "indu belief, and associations with other belief systems will automatically place him among like-minded people whose beliefs are alien to "induism. ( nominal "indu on earth could be a selfish materialist in the astral world. he "indu also knows that death must come naturally, in its own course, and that suicide only accelerates the intensity of one>s karma, bringing a series of immediate lesser births and re)uiring se!eral li!es for the soul to return to the e#act e!olutionary point that e#isted at the moment of suicide, at which time the still-e#isting karmic entanglements must again be faced and resol!ed. wo other karmically sensiti!e processes are: $.% artificially sustaining life in a wholly incapacitated physical body through mechanical de!ices, drugs or intra!enous feedingD and ,.% euthanasia, Hmercy killing.H here is a critical timing in the death transition. he dying process can in!ol!e long suffering or be peaceful or painfully sudden: all dependent on the karma in!ol!ed. o keep a person on life support with the sole intent

of continuing the body>s biological functions nullifies the natural timing of death. &t also keeps the person>s astral body earthbound, tethered to a lower astral region rather than being released into higher astral le!els. (n important lesson to learn here is that karma is conditioned by intent. Chen the medical staff recei!es a dangerously ill or in9ured person and they place him on life support as part of an immediate life-sa!ing procedure, their intent is pure healing. &f their attempts are unsuccessful, then the life-support de!ices are turned off, the person dies naturally and there is no karma in!ol!ed and it does not constitute euthanasia. "owe!er, if the doctors, family or patient decide to continue life support indefinitely to prolong biological processes, Eusually moti!ated by a Cestern belief of a single life% then the intent carries full karmic conse)uences. Chen a person is put on long-term life support, he must be left on it until some natural biological or en!ironmental e!ent brings death. &f he is killed through euthanasia, this again further disturbs the timing of the death. (s a result, the timing of future births would be drastically altered. Futhanasia, the willful destruction of a physical body, is a !ery serious karma. his applies to all cases including someone e#periencing long-term, intolerable pain. F!en such difficult life e#periences must be allowed to resol!e themsel!es naturally. +ying may be painful, but death itself is not. (ll those in!ol!ed Edirectly or indirectly% in euthanasia will proportionately take on the remaining prarabdha karma of the dying person. (nd the euthanasia participants will, to the degree contributed, face a similar karmic situation in this or a future life. ?inally, there is e#ercising wisdom-which is knowing and using di!ine law-in the o!erall conte#t of any situation ?or e#ample, a !egetati!e person in a coma is on long-term life support in a hospital when a patient is brought in for emergency treatment re)uiring that same life support e)uipment. Ceighing the two karmas, a doctor could dharmically unplug the comatose patient in order to sa!e the other>s life. Goksha: ?reedom ?rom 0ebirth =ife>s real attainment is not money, not material lu#ury, not se#ual or eating pleasure, not intellectual, business or political power, or any other of the instincti!e or intellectual needs. hese are natural pursuits, to be sure, but our di!ine purpose on this earth is to personally realiBe our identity in and with God. his is now called by many names: enlightenment, *elf-0ealiBation, God-0ealiBation and 4ir!ikalpa *amadhi. (fter many lifetimes of wisely controlling the creation of karma and resol!ing past karmas when they return, the soul is fully matured in the knowledge of these di!ine laws and the highest use of them. hrough the practice of yoga, the "indu bursts into God>s superconscious Gind, the e#perience of bliss, all-knowingness, perfect silence. "is intellect is transmuted, and he soars into the (bsolute 0eality of God. "e is a 9nani, a knower of the @nown. Chen the 9nani is stable in repeating his realiBation of the (bsolute, there is no longer a need for physical birth, for all lessons ha!e been learned, all karmas fulfilled and Godness is his natural mind state. hat indi!idual soul is then naturally liberated, freed from the cycle of birth, death K rebirth on this planet. (fter Goksha, our soul continues its e!olution in the inner worlds, e!entually to merge back into its origin: God, the <rimal *oul.

F!ery "indu e#pects to seek for and attain moksha. But he or she does not e#pect that it will necessarily come in this present life. "indus know this and do not delude themsel!es that this life is the last. *eeking and attaining profound spiritual reliBations, they ne!ertheless know that there is much to be accomplished on earth and that only mature, God-0ealiBed souls attain Goksha. God may seem distant and remote as the e#perience of our self-created karmas cloud our mind. Aet, in reality, the *upreme Being is always closer to you than the beat of your heart. "is Gind per!ades the totality of your karmic e#perience and lifetimes. (s karma is God>s cosmic law of cause and effect, dharma is God>s law of Being, including the pattern of "indu religiousness. hrough following dharma and controlling thought, word and deed, karma is harnessed and wisely created. Aou become the master, the knowing creator, not a helpless !ictim. hrough being consistent in our religiousness, following the yamas and niyamas E"indu restraints and obser!ances%, performing the pancha nitya karmas Efi!e constant duties%, seeing God e!erywhere and in e!eryone, our past karma will soften. Ce may e#perience the karma indirectly through seeing someone else going through a situation that we intuiti!ely know was a karma we also were to face. But because of de!out religiousness, we may e#perience it !icariously or in lesser intensity. ?or e#ample, a physical karma may manifest as a mental e#perience or a realistic dreamD an emotional karmic storm may 9ust barely touch our mind before dying out. he belief in karma and reincarnation brings to each "indu inner peace and selfassurance. he "indu knows that the maturing of the soul takes many li!es, and that if the soul is immature in the present birth, then there is hope, for there will be many opportunities for learning and growing in future li!es. Aes, these beliefs and the attitudes they produce eliminate an#iety, gi!ing the serene perception that e!erything is all right as it is. (nd, there is also a keen insight into the human condition and appreciation for people in all stages of spiritual unfoldment.

Nine +uestions of Hinduism

Back in the spring of $;;L, a group of teenagers from the "indu emple of Greater .hicago, =emont, sent a formal re)uest to me for 8official answers: to nine )uestions they had been commonly asked about their religious heritage by their (merican peers. hese same )uestions had perple#ed the "indu youth themsel!es, and their parents, they confided, had no con!incing answers. Ce took up the challenge and pro!ided the following answers to the nine )uestions. Ce begin with ad!ice on the attitudes to hold when responding. ?irst, ask yourself, 8Cho is asking the )uestionI: Gillions of (mericans are sincerely interested in "induism and the many (sian religions. herefore, when asked )uestions about "induism, do not take a defensi!e position, e!en if the )uestioner seems confrontational. &nstead assume that the person really wants to learn. Cith this in mind, it is still important ne!er to answer a )uestion about religion too boldly or too immediately. his might lead to confrontation. Offer a prologue first and then come to the )uestion, guiding the in)uirer toward understanding. Aour poise and deliberateness gi!e the assurance that you know what you are talking about. &t also gi!es you a

moment to think and draw upon your intuiti!e knowing. Before going deeply into an answer, always ask the )uestioner what his religion is. @nowing who is asking, you can address his particular frame of mind and make your answer most rele!ant. (nother important key: ha!e confidence in yourself and your ability to gi!e a meaningful and polite response. F!en to say, 8& am sorry. & still ha!e much to learn about my religion and & dont yet know the answer to that,: is a meaningful answer. "onesty is always appreciated. 4e!er be afraid to admit what you dont know, for this lends credibility to what you do know. "ere are four prologues that can be used, according to the situation, before you begin to actually answer a )uestion. $% 8& am really pleased that you are interested in my religion. Aou may not know that one out of e!ery si# people in the world is a "indu.: ,% 8Gany people ha!e asked me about my spiritual tradition. & dont know e!erything, but & will try to answer your )uestion.: 1% 8?irst, you should know that in "induism it is not only belief and intellectual understanding that is important. "indus place the greatest !alue on e#periencing each of these truths personally.: 2% he fourth type of prologue is to repeat the )uestion to see if the person has actually stated what he wants to know. *o, repeat the )uestion in your own words and ask if you ha!e understand his )uery correctly. &f its a complicated )uestion, you might begin by saying, 8<hilosophers ha!e spent lifetimes discussing and pondering )uestions such as this, but & will do my best to e#plain in a simple way.: "a!e courage. *peak from your inner mind. *anMtana +harma is an e#periential path, not a dogma, so your e#perience in answering )uestions will help your own spiritual unfoldment. Aou will learn from your answers if you listen to your inner mind speak. his can be a lot of fun. he attenti!e teacher always learns more than the student. (fter the prologue, address the )uestion without hesitation. &f the person is sincere, you can say, 8+o you ha!e any other )uestionsI: &f he wants to know more, then elaborate as best you can. /se easy, e!eryday e#amples. *hare what enlightened souls and scriptures of "induism ha!e said on the sub9ect. 0emember, we must not assume that e!eryone who asks about "induism is insincere or is challenging our faith. Gany are 9ust being friendly or making con!ersation to get to know you. *o dont be on the defensi!e or take it all too seriously. *mile when you gi!e your response. Be open. &f the second or third )uestion is on something you know nothing about, you can say, 8& dont know. But if you are really interested, & will find out or mail you some literature or lend you one of my books.: *mile and ha!e confidence as you gi!e these answers. +ont be shy. here is no )uestion that can be put to you in your birth karmas that you cannot rise up to with a fine answer to fully satisfy the seeker. Aou may make lifelong friends in this way. he nine answers below are organiBed with a one-line response, followed by a longer answer, then a more detailed e#planation. Aou may be surprised to find how many people are content with the most simple and short answer, so start with that first. Aou may use the e#planation as background information for yourself, or as a contingency response in case you end up in a deeper philosophical discussion. GemoriBe the

answers and use them as needed. *o now we begin with the )uestions your classmates and friends may ha!e been asking you all the time. +uestion One: %hy does Hinduism have so many ,ods(: Chile acknowledging many Gods, all "indus belie!e in a one *upreme God who creates and sustains the uni!erse. =onger answer: "indus belie!e in one God, one humanity and one world. Ce belie!e that there is one *upreme God who created the uni!erse and who is worshiped as =ight, =o!e and .onsciousness. <eople with different languages and cultures ha!e understood the one God in their own distinct way. his is why we are !ery tolerant of all religions, as each has its own pathway to the one God. One of the uni)ue understandings in "induism is that God is not far away, li!ing in a remote hea!en, but is inside each and e!ery soul, in the heart and consciousness, waiting to be disco!ered. his knowing that God is always with us gi!es us hope and courage. @nowing the One Great God in this intimate and e#periential way is the goal of "indu spirituality. F#planation: "induism is both monotheistic and henotheistic. "indus were ne!er polytheistic, in the sense that there are many e)ual Gods. "enotheism better defines the "indu !iew of a single *upreme God with many other di!inities. Ce "indus belie!e there is one all-per!asi!e God who energiBes the entire uni!erse. Ce can see "im in the life shining out of the eyes of humans and all creatures. his !iew of God as e#isting in and gi!ing life to all things is called 8panentheism.: &t is different from pantheism, which is the belief that God is the natural uni!erse and nothing more. &t is also different from strict theism which says God is only abo!e the world, apart and transcendent. <anentheism is a beautiful concept. &t says that God is both in the world and beyond it, both immanent and transcendent. hat is the "indu !iew. "indus also belie!e in many de!as or Gods who perform !arious functions, like e#ecuti!es in a large corporation. hese should not be confused with God. here is one *upreme God only. Chat is sometimes confusing to non-"indus is that "indus of !arious sects may call the one God by many different names, according to their regional tradition. ruth for the "indu has many names, but that does not make for many truths. "induism gi!es us the freedom to approach God in our own way, without demanding conformity to any dogma. (d!ice: here is much confusion about this sub9ect, not only among "indus but among those on the outside looking in. =earn the right terms and the subtle differences in them, and you can e#plain the profound ways that "indus look at +i!inity. Others will be delighted with the richness of the ancient &ndian concepts of God. Aou may wish to tell in)uiring minds that some "indus belie!e only in the formless (bsolute 0eality as GodD others belie!e in God as personal =ord and .reator. his freedom makes the concept of God in "induism, the oldest li!ing religion, the richest in all of Farths e#isting faiths. +uestion *.o: %hy do Hindus believe in reincarnation(: Ce "indus belie!e the soul is immortal and reenters a fleshy body time and time again in order to resol!e e#periences and learn all the lessons that life in the material world has to offer. 10

=onger answer: .arnate means 8of flesh.: (nd reincarnate means to 8reenter the flesh.: Aes, "indus belie!e in reincarnation. o us, it e#plains the natural way the soul e!ol!es from immaturity to spiritual illumination. & myself ha!e had many li!es before this one and e#pect to ha!e more. ?inally, when & ha!e it all worked out and all the lessons ha!e been learned, & will attain enlightenment and moksha, liberation. his means & will still e#ist, but will no longer be pulled back to be born in a physical body. F!en science is disco!ering reincarnation. here ha!e been many cases of indi!iduals remembering their past li!es. hese ha!e been researched by scientists, psychiatrists and parapsychologists during the past decades and documented in !ery good books and !ideos. F#planation: (t death the soul lea!es the physical body. But the soul does not die. &t li!es on in a subtle body called the astral body. he astral body e#ists in the nonphysical dimension called the astral plane. "ere we continue to ha!e e#periences until we are reborn again in another physical body as a baby. Fach reincarnating soul chooses a home and a family which can best fulfill its ne#t step of maturation. (fter enlightenment we do not ha!e to ree#perience the baseness of Farthly e#istence, but continue to e!ol!e in our inner bodies. *imilarly, after we graduate from school we ne!er ha!e to go back to the fifth grade. Ce ha!e gone beyond that le!el in understanding. Aoung children speak of !i!id past-life memories, which fade as they grow older, as the !eils of indi!iduality shroud the souls intuiti!e understanding. Great mystics speak of their past li!es as well. 0eincarnation is belie!ed in by the Jains and the *ikhs, by the &ndians of the (mericas, and by the Buddhists, the <agans and the many indigenous faiths. F!en .hristianity originally taught reincarnation, but formally renounced it in the twelfth century. &t is, in fact, one of the widest held articles of faith on planet Farth. +uestion *hree: %hat is arma(: @arma is the uni!ersal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction which go!erns all life. =onger answer: @arma is one of the natural laws of the mind, 9ust as gra!ity is a law of matter. &t simply means 8cause and effect.: Chat happens to us that is apparently unfortunate or un9ust is not God punishing us. &t is the result of our own past actions. he 'edas, "induisms re!ealed scripture, tell us if we sow goodness, we will reap goodnessD if we sow e!il, we will reap e!il. he di!ine law is: whate!er karma we are e#periencing in our life is 9ust what we need at the moment, and nothing can happen but that we ha!e the strength to meet it. F!en harsh karma, when faced in wisdom, can be the greatest catalyst for spiritual unfoldment. F#planation: Ce cannot gi!e anything away but that it comes back to us. ( few years ago in .hennai an (merican de!otee said to me, 8*hall & gi!e money to the beggarI: & said, 8Gi!e him ten rupees. Aou may need the fifty rupees when karma pays you back, 9ust as he needs the ten rupees now.: he karmic law pays higher interest than any bank when you gi!e freely with no strings attached. @arma is basically energy. & throw energy out through thoughts, words and deeds, and it comes back to me, in time, through other people. Ce "indus look at time as a circle, as things cycle around again. 11

<rofessor Finstein came to the same conclusion. "e saw time as a cur!ed thing and space as well. his would e!entually make a circle. @arma is a !ery 9ust law. @arma, like gra!ity, treats e!eryone the same. Because we "indus understand karma, we do not hate or resent people who do us harm. Ce understand they are gi!ing back the effects of the causes we set in motion at an earlier time. (t least we try not to hate them or hold hard feelings. he "indu law of karma puts man at the center of responsibility for e!erything he does and e!erything that is done to him. @arma is a word we hear )uite often on tele!ision. 8 his is my karma,: or 8&t must ha!e been something & did in a past life to bring such good karma to me.: &n some schools of "induism karma is looked upon as something bad. ( "indu guest from Guyana, *outh (merica, !isited us in "awaii and mentioned that karma means 8sin,: and that this is what the .hristians in his country are preaching that it means. *ome non-"indus also preach that karma means 8fate,: which we know is untrue. he idea of ine#orable fate, or a preordained destiny o!er which one has no control, has nothing to do with *anMtana +harma. @arma actually means 8cause and effect.: he process of action and reaction on all le!elsphysical, mental and spiritualis karma. "ere is an e#ample: & ha!e a glass of water in front of me on a table. Because the table is not mo!ing, the water is calm. *hake the tableD the water ripples. his is action and reaction, the basic law of nature. (nother e#ample: & say kind words to youD you feel peaceful and happy. & say harsh words to you, and you become ruffled and upset. he kindness and the harshness will return to me, through others, at a later time. his is karma. &t names the basic law of the motion of energy. (n architect thinks creati!e, producti!e thoughts while drawing plans for a new building. But were he to think destructi!e, unproducti!e thoughts, he would soon not be able to accomplish any kind of positi!e task e!en if he desired to do so. his is karma, a natural law of the mind. Ce must also be !ery careful about our thoughts, because thought creates, and thoughts make karmasgood, bad and mi#ed. +uestion Four: %hy do Hindus regard the co. as sacred(: he cow represents the gi!ing nature of life to e!ery "indu. "onoring this gentle animal, who gi!es more than she takes, we honor all creatures. =onger answer: "indus regard all li!ing creatures as sacredmammals, fishes, birds and more. o the "indu, the cow symboliBes all other creatures. he cow represents life and the sustenance of life. &t also represents our soul, our obstinate intellect and unruly emotions. But the cow supersedes us because it is so gi!ing, taking nothing but grass and grain. &t gi!es and gi!es and gi!es, as does the liberated soul gi!e and gi!e and gi!e. he cow is so !ital to life, the !irtual sustainer of life for humans. &f you li!ed in a !illage and had only cows and no other domestic animals or agricultural pursuits, you and your family could sur!i!e with the butter, the cream, yogurt, ghee and milk. he cow is a complete ecology, a gentle creature and a symbol of abundance. F#planation: Cho is the greatest gi!er on planet Farth todayI Cho do we see on e!ery table in e!ery country of the worldbreakfast, lunch and dinnerI &t is the cow. he golden arches and their ri!als ha!e made fortunes on the humble cow. Chen we were 12

in Goscow in Garch, $;;L, we learned that Gc+onalds had opened ele!en of its cow!ending outlets there. he generous cow gi!es milk and cream, yogurt and cheese, butter and ice cream, ghee and buttermilk. &t gi!es entirely of itself through sirloin, ribs, rump, porterhouse and beef stew. &ts bones are the base for soup broths. &t gi!es the world leather belts, leather seats, leather coats and shoes, beef 9erky, cowboy hats you name it. he cow is the most prominent gi!ing animal in the world today. he only cow-)uestion for "indus is, 8Chy dont more people respect and protect this remarkable creatureI: +uestion Five: Are Hindus idol .orshi"ers(: 4o, "indus are not idle worshipers. hey worship with great !igor and de!otionN =onger answer: *eriously, "indus are not idol worshipers in the sense implied. Ce "indus in!oke the presence of God, or the Gods, from the higher, unseen worlds, into stone images so that we can e#perience "is di!ine presence, commune with "im and recei!e "is blessings. But the stone or metal +eity images are not mere symbols of the Gods. hey are the form through which their lo!e, power and blessings flood forth into this world. Ce may liken this mystery to our ability to communicate with others through the telephone. Ce do not talk to the telephoneD rather we use it as a means of communication with another person. Cithout the telephone, we could not con!erse across long distancesD and without the sanctified icon in the temple we cannot easily commune with the +eity. +i!inity can also be in!oked and felt in a sacred fire, or in a tree, or in the enlightened person of a satguru. &n our temples, God is in!oked in the sanctum by highly trained priests. hrough the practice of yoga, or meditation, we in!oke God inside ourself. Aoga means to yoke oneself to God within. he image or icon of worship is a focus for our prayers and de!otions. (nother way to e#plain icon worship is to acknowledge that "indus belie!e God is e!erywhere, in all things, whether stone, wood, creatures or people. *o, it is not surprising that they feel comfortable worshiping the di!ine in "is material manifestation. he "indu can see God in stone and water, air and ether, and inside his own soul. F#planation: "umorously speaking, "indus are not idle worshipers. & ha!e ne!er seen a "indu worship in a laBy or idle way. hey worship with great !igor and de!otion, with unstinting regularity and constancy. heres nothing idle about our ways of worshipN E( little humor ne!er hurts.% But, of course, the )uestion is about 8gra!en images.: (ll religions ha!e their symbols of holiness through which the sacred flows into the mundane. o name a few: the .hristian cross, or statues of Gother Gary and *aint heresa, the holy @aaba in Gecca, the *ikh Odi Granth enshrined in the Golden emple in (mritsar, the (rc and orah of the Jews, the image of a meditating Buddha, the totems of indigenous and <agan faiths, and the artifacts of the many holy men and women of all religions. *uch icons, or gra!en images, are held in awe by the followers of the respecti!e faiths. he tooth of the Buddha in *ri =ankas town of @andy is another lo!ed and respected image. he )uestion is, does this make all such religionists idolworshipersI he answer is, yes and no. ?rom our perspecti!e, idol worship is an intelligent, mystical practice shared by all of the worlds great faiths. he human mind releases itself from suffering through the use of forms and symbols 13

that awaken re!erence, e!oke sanctity and spiritual wisdom. F!en a fundamentalist .hristian who re9ects all forms of idol worship, including those of the .atholic and Fpiscopal churches, would resent someone who showed disrespect for his Bible. his is because he considers it sacred. &n "induism one of the ultimate attainments is when the seeker transcends the need of all form and symbol. his is the yogPs goal. &n this way "induism is the least idol-oriented of all the religions of the world. here is no religion that is more aware of the transcendent, timeless, formless, causeless ruth. 4or is there any religion which uses more symbols to represent ruth in preparation for that realiBation. +uestion Si/: Are Hindus forbidden to eat meat(: "indus teach !egetarianism as a way to li!e with minimum of hurt to other beings. But in todays world not all "indus are !egetarian. =onger answer: 'egetarians are more numerous in the *outh of &ndia than in the 4orth. his is because of the 4orths cooler climactic conditions and past &slamic influence. Our religion does not lay down rigid 8dos and donts.: here are no commandments. "induism gi!es us the wisdom to make up our own mind on what we put in our body, for it is the only one we ha!ein this life, at least. <riests and religious leaders are definitely !egetarian, so as to maintain a high le!el of purity and spiritual consciousness to fulfill their responsibilities, and to awaken the more refined areas of their nature. *oldiers and law-enforcement officers are generally not !egetarians, because they ha!e to keep ali!e their aggressi!e forces in order to perform their work. o practice yoga and be successful in meditation, it is mandatory to be !egetarian. &t is a matter of wisdom the application of knowledge at any gi!en moment. oday, about twenty or thirty percent of all "indus are !egetarians. F#planation: his can be a !ery touchy sub9ect. Chen you are asked this )uestion, there are se!eral ways that you can go, depending on who is asking and the background in which they were raised. But there is an o!erlying principle which gi!es the "indu answer to this )uery. &t is called ahiQsM, refraining from in9uring, physically, mentally or emotionally, anyone or any li!ing creature. he "indu who wishes to strictly follow the path of nonin9ury to all creatures naturally adopts a !egetarian diet. &ts really a matter of conscience more than anything else. Chen we eat meat, fish, fowl and eggs, we absorb the !ibration of the instincti!e creatures into our ner!e system. his chemically alters our consciousness and amplifies our lower nature, which is prone to fear, anger, 9ealousy, confusion, resentment and the like. Gany "indu swMmPs ad!ise followers to be well-established !egetarians prior to initiation into mantra, and then to remain !egetarian thereafter. But most do not insist upon !egetarianism for those not seeking initiation. *wMmPs ha!e learned that families who are !egetarian ha!e fewer problems than those who are not. here are many scriptural citations that counsel not eating meat, such as in the 'edas, irukural and Ganu +harma RMstras. ?or guidance in this and all matters, "indus also rely on their own guru, community elders, their own conscience and their knowledge of the benefits of abstaining from meat and en9oying a wholesome !egetarian diet. Of course, there are good "indus who eat meat, and there are not-so-good "indus who 14

are !egetarians. oday in (merica and Furope there are millions of people who are !egetarians simply because they want to li!e a long time and be healthy. Gany feel a moral obligation to shun the mentality of !iolence to which meat-eating gi!es rise. here are some good books on !egetarianism, such as +iet for a 4ew (merica by John 0obbins. here is also a fine magaBine dedicated to the sub9ect, called 'egetarian imes. +uestion Seven: #o Hindus have a Bible(: Our 8Bible: is called the 'eda. he 'eda is comprised of four ancient and holy scriptures which all "indus re!ere. =onger answer: =ike the aoist ao te .hing, the Buddhist +hammapada, the *ikh Odi Granth, the Jewish orah, the .hristian Bible and the Guslim @oranthe 'eda is the "indu holy book. he 'eda is the ultimate scriptural authority for "indus. &ts words and wisdom permeate "indu thought, ritual and meditation. hey open a rare window into ancient &ndian society, proclaiming lifes sacredness and the way to oneness with God. F#planation: ?or untold centuries unto today, the 'eda has remained the sustaining force and authoritati!e doctrine, guiding followers in ways of worship, duty and enlightenment. he 'eda is the meditati!e and philosophical focus for millions of monks and a billion seekers. &ts stanBas are chanted from memory by priests and laymen daily as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. (ll "indus wholeheartedly accept the 'eda, yet each draws selecti!ely, interprets freely and amplifies abundantly. O!er time, this tolerant allegiance has wo!en the !aried tapestry of &ndian "indu +harma. oday, the 'eda is published in *anskrit, Fnglish, ?rench, German and other languages. But it is the metaphysical and popular /panishads, the fourth section of the 'eda, which ha!e been most amply and ably translated. +uestion 'ight: %hy do many Hindus .ear a dot near the middle of their forehead(: he dot worn on the forehead is a religious symbol. &t is also a beauty mark. =onger answer: he dot worn on the forehead is a sign that one is a "indu. &t is called the bindi in the "indi language, bindu in *anskrit and pottu in amil. &n olden days, all "indu men and women wore these marks, and they both also wore earrings. oday it is the women who are most faithful in wearing the bindi. he dot has a mystical meaning. &t represents the third eye of spiritual sight, which sees things the physical eyes cannot see. "indus seek to awaken their inner sight through yoga. he forehead dot is a reminder to use and this spiritual !ision to percei!e and better understand lifes inner workings, to see things not 9ust physically, but with the 8minds eye: as well. here are many types of forehead marks, known as tilaka, other than the simple dot. Fach mark represents a particular sect or denomination of our !ast religion. Ce ha!e four ma9or sects: *ai!ism, 'aishna!ism, *hatism and *martism. 'aishna!a "indus, for e#ample, wear a !-shaped tilaka made from clay. Flaborate tilakas are worn by "indus mainly at religious e!ents, though many wear the simple bindi, indicating they are "indu, e!en in the general public. By these marks we know what a person belie!es, and therefore 15

know how to begin con!ersations. ?or "indu women, the forehead dot is also a beauty mark, not unlike the black mark Furopean and (merican women once wore on the cheek. he red bindi is generally a sign of marriage. ( black bindi is often worn before marriage to ward off the e!il eye. (s an e#otic fashion statement, the dot>s color complements the color of a lady>s sari. Ornate bindis are worn by actresses in popular (merican ' shows. F#planation: Gen and women of a particular faith wishing to identify themsel!es to one another often do so by wearing distincti!e religious symbols. Often these are blessed in their temples, churches or synagogues. &n some countries Guslim girls co!er their face with a !eil. .hristians wear a cross on a necklace. Jewish boys wear small leather cases that hold scriptural passages, and the round cap called yalmuka. ( !iewer from &ndia also submitted this additional elucidation: H he bindi for women is not the same as the tilak for Gen. he bindi for women is surely a beauty mark but during religious ceremonies women also use the bindi of the same substance as the men use for their tilak. his is particularly of (kshat, 0oli or .handan only or "aldi-.handan. he religious bindi is different from the HBeauty BindiH which is mostly the !arious plastics, fabric or simply chemical colors. he religious type of bindi is round-shaped and but the religious has shapes with different purposes according to the religious philosophy of the wearer. he purpose of bindi/tilak is remarkedly mistaken by most, e!en "indus. &t is mainly to help you concentrate on what e!er you are doing or about to do. &t is a mind opener that )uickens your grasping power and analytical power of brain by helping you concentrate on the sub9ect or en!ironment you are in. ?or that matter whene!er "indu men/women or any child goes out for some important work, such as e#ams or games or new 9ob or new shop-opening or any religious work or some important ceremonies the tilak or bindi of a specified substance is used. "owe!er the people are loosing the meaning. Gost importantly you will find if one day in the morning you use a .handan or akshat-roli tilak, you will soon realiBe it>s effect, as the entire day will be good and more efficient than a!erage. "ope i tried to impro!e the answer on the net which is meant for global !iewing.H (n analytical "indu from &ndia. +o not be ashamed to wear the bindi on your forehead in the /nited *tates, .anada, Furope or any country of the world. &t will distinguish you from all other people as a !ery special person, a "indu, a knower of eternal truths. Aou will ne!er be mistaken as belonging to another nationality or religion. ?or both boys and girls, men and women, the dot can be small or large depending on the circumstance, but should always be there in appropriate circumstances. 4aturally, we dont want to flaunt our religion in the face of others. Ce obser!e that .hristian boys and girls take off or conceal their crosses in the corporate business world. 0ecently a .anadian ' documentary distinguished the bindi by calling it a 8.ool +ot.: imes are changing, and to proudly wear the symbols that distinguish and define us is totally cool. +uestion Nine: Are the ,ods of Hinduism really married-

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(: o the more uneducated people who are not able to understand high philosophy, "induism is taught in story form. hose of the higher philosophy know that each God is complete within "imself, neither male nor female. =onger answer: "induism is taught on many different le!els to many different people, and to the more uneducated people who are not able to understand the high philosophy, "induism is taught in story form. hese stories, called <urMKGac$75Das, are the basis of dance, plays, storytelling around the fire in the homes to children as they are growing up to amplify how they should li!e. Because the temple is the center of e!ery "indu community, and e!eryone is focused on the temple and the Gods within the temple, the Gods are the ma9or players in these stories. "indus who understand the higher philosophy seek to find God on the inside while also worshiping God in the temples. *imple folk stri!e to be like a God, or like a Goddess. he stories illustrate how a family should li!e, how they should raise their children, and much, much more. F#planation: hose who are pri!ileged to the higher philosophies know that Gods are neither male nor female, which is the yoga of iKGac$7,DM and piKGac,25DgalM blending into sushumKGac$75DM within each indi!idual. hey know that Gods do not marry, that they are complete within themsel!es. his unity is depicted by (rdhanMrPS!ara, Ri!a as half man and half woman and in the teaching that Ri!a and Rakti are one, that Rakti is Ri!as energy. "indus are !ery peaceful people, they belie!e in ahiQsM, not hurting physically, mentally or emotionally, but in times of war, the stories become !iolent, stimulating young men to get out and fight, showing how the Gods killed the demons, and how battles were won. Before the printing press, there were few books and these were owned only by a few families. "induism was con!eyed through stories and parables. herefore, "indus are a !isual community, holding pictures in their mind on how they should beha!e in peacetime, how they should beha!e in wartime. *ome modern swMmPs now urge de!otees not to pay any attention to the <urMKGac$75Dic stories, saying that they ha!e no relationship with the world todaythat they are misleading and confusing. &nstead, they encourage followers to deepen themsel!es with the higher philosophies of the 'edic /panishads and the realiBations of "indu seers.

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