What Do Hindus Believe?
[Copyrighted © 2009, Library of Congress, Washington DC]
Stop any Christian or a Muslim on the road and ask him or her the question,
“What do Christians believe?”
or
“What do Muslims believe?”
and you will get an earful.
STOP a Hindu and ask the same question.
He or she will shy away from answering that important question.
It is NOT that a Hindu wants to evade that question, nor the Hindu is apathetic towards his culture. Fact of the matter is, poor Hindu does not know how to answer any question concerning his/her culture or religion.
It is NOT that a Hindu wants to evade that question, nor the Hindu is apathetic towards his culture. Fact of the matter is, poor Hindu does not know how to answer any question concerning his/her culture or religion.
He cannot even answer a simple question such as What is the Hindu Concept of God? That is the reason why he is running away from answering any question.
So we have to learn, how to answer questions concerning our beliefs, when ever some one asks us. We cannot and we should not run away from answering questions regarding our culture & beliefs...Apathy on our part is deplorable.
I firmly believe in the saying
"All that is needed for the evil to triumph is that good people do nothing."
"All that is needed for the evil to triumph is that good people do nothing."
If we do not study and answer questions concerning us, someone else, who is an alien to our culture will define & explain ‘what our culture is all about’ and propagate their version of Hinduism all over the world.
Just Google the question “What Do Hindus Believe?” and you will be surprised to see all those who are explaining what Hinduism is all about are those who have nothing to do with Hinduism.
If we do not define or explain our culture and religion, some one else will explain it for the world…Sad, but true.
When we see false details of culture and beliefs spreading all over internet and among media, we have nobody to blame except ours self. When we keep our mouth shut this is the result we will always get.
So my advice to every one is to study all about our culture first and then boldly answer any question with a smile on your face.
Hindus have nothing to fear, except fear itself.
1------- GOD:---- Hinduism is a CULTURE and not an organized religion like Islam or Christianity. Hindus believe in ONE & ONLY GOD --Brahman which expresses itself in trillions of forms. Hindus believe in a ONE , all-pervasive Supreme REALITY which is both immanent and transcendent, Creator, preserver as well as destroyer.
That is the reason why Hindus have no problem worshiping that God as Krishna or Jesus or Buddha or Allah or Jehovah since all those are different names & forms of ONE & ONLY GOD.
A Hindu has no problem worshiping God in a Church or in a Mosque or in a Synagogue or any other place, since a Hindu sees ONE & ONLY GOD present in every place.
That is the reason why Hindus have no problem worshiping that God as Krishna or Jesus or Buddha or Allah or Jehovah since all those are different names & forms of ONE & ONLY GOD.
A Hindu has no problem worshiping God in a Church or in a Mosque or in a Synagogue or any other place, since a Hindu sees ONE & ONLY GOD present in every place.
Hinduism is NOT polytheistic at all. Hinduism promotes Monism that the whole universe is just one thing or one thought despite its many appearances and diversities.
2-------- Salvation or Self Realization:--Salvation in Hinduism is known as SELF REALIZATION which involves one realizing the fact that he/she is the immortal soul or Atman within the body and giving up the false knowledge that he/she is the perishable material body.
That is the reason why, you don’t have to be a Hindu to attain salvation. Every one including atheists and agnostics will finally attain salvation.
According to Hindu scriptures, there are FOUR paths or ways to attain salvation [ Self Realization ] such as
A. Jana Yoga [ Path of Knowledge ]
B. Karma Yoga [ Path of unattached thoughts and actions];
C. Raja Yoga [ Path of Pranayama and breathing exercises ];
D. Bhakti Yoga [ Path of total surrender to God ].
Every one, even those who have nothing to do anything with Hinduism follow one of the FOUR methods. In fact, most people follow Bhakti Yoga, the path of devotion.
3---------HELL-- There is no such thing as ETERNAL DAMNATION in Hinduism, even if you do not believe in God or do anything for your spiritual upliftment.
A Christian will tell you that, unless you become a Christian you will go to hell. A Muslin will tell you that unless you become a Muslim, you will go to hell.
As per Hindu scriptures Nobody will go to hell irrespective of whether some one is a Hindu or not.
Every one is on a spiritual maturity ladder to attain self realization or salvation. Lord Krishna said that even those who go astray in life and die after devoting countless years to spirituality, WILL COME BACK and start where they left off. They will continue in their search after truth. No way they will end up in hell.
4 ----------- " Heaven & Hell" concepts are very important in Islam and Christianity. Both religions use these concepts to make people fear and convert to their respective religions.
But they are NOT important in Hinduism or in any other eastern religions. You will not meet any Hindu theologian writing or talking about “heaven” or “hell.”
Of course any wrong thought or wrong action will result in bad results, like some one who puts his hand in fire automatically gets burnt. But the punishment is instant and never have lasting effect on any one. Similarly, karmic debt is not permanent.
5----------- Once again Hindu scriptures state, man’s problem is his ignorance of the true nature that he is the immortal soul within the body [ Atman] and falsely believing that he is the perishable material body.
The moment a man realizes that he is the immortal soul within he will attain salvation. That is the reason why Hindu scriptures state repeatedly that “ Ignorance is the root cause of all evils; Knowledge eradicates ignorance.”
6----------- The cardinal aspect of Hinduism is
FREEDOM OF THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.
Even an atheist has the right to condemn Hinduism in the market and still proudly proclaim he or she is a Hindu. Nobody is thrown out of Hinduism. Nobody is killed since he supported a wrong theory or wrote a book condemning Vedas or any Hindu beliefs or openly declaring that there is no God.
In fact the Charvaka philosophy or Nastika philosophy, (existed during the Vedic period) founded by Charvaka rejected the existence of God and considered religion as an aberration. Nobody killed Charvaka. He died a natural death.
In fact the Charvaka philosophy or Nastika philosophy, (existed during the Vedic period) founded by Charvaka rejected the existence of God and considered religion as an aberration. Nobody killed Charvaka. He died a natural death.
7----------- Hinduism welcomes thoughts and ideas from every where.
Rig Veda 1, 89-I states Aa no bhadrah kratavo yantu vishvatah"Let noble thoughts come to us from all the sides.” and that is the reason why Hinduism is growing into mammoth proportions.
Hinduism alone has the strange capacity to accept TRUTH from every where, irrespective of where ever it comes from.
For example, during Rig Vedic times, even Rishis used consume meat ...But due to the influence of Buddhism and Jainism, Hindus became VEGETARIANS. Hinduism is amalgamation of many ideas and concepts and allow people to think and act freely.
People are attracted to Hinduism in large numbers NOT due to any propaganda but due to the freedom and depth of knowledge Hinduism displays in every subject we can think of.
People are attracted to Hinduism in large numbers NOT due to any propaganda but due to the freedom and depth of knowledge Hinduism displays in every subject we can think of.
You will never meet a Guru forcing anyone to follow him or her. Instead the Guru will freely educate every one about TRUTH without even seeking any reward what so ever. Nobody has monopoly on knowledge. It should flow freely like water in rivers.
8-----------Hinduism never ever had a “spring cleaning” like all other religions did.
8-----------Hinduism never ever had a “spring cleaning” like all other religions did.
What ever any one wrote for the last thousands of years are still there for people to study and discuss. That is the reason why you may even come cross in Hindu scriptures things you may NOT fully agree with.
But other religions periodically cleanse themselves theories and concepts the hierarchy do not agree with. They rewrite their scriptures and even kill people who do not toe the line on all doctrinal, ethical and ecclesiastical issues the hierarchy had dictated.
For example there is no word “Trinity” in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. When Trinity doctrine [ God the father, God the son, God the Holy Ghost] was adopted under Roman emperor Constantine,[ the Council of Nicaea], Arius (250-336) a bishop from Alexandria objected to that.
For questioning the validity of the Trinity doctrine, the Council of Nicaea, in May 325, declared Arius a heretic & was excommunicated [Arian Controversy.] Church finally allowed him to come back, but unluckily he died long before his re-entry to the church.
9 -----------No body is killed or crucified since he or she challenged Vedas or any other scriptures.
In fact, Hindus worship Lord Buddha who challenged authority of Vedas and Hindu form of worship.
William Tyndale ( 1494 – 1536) was a 16th-century Protestant reformer and scholar who translated Holy Bible for the very first time into English. But Church & Royalty did not approve of his translation. As such in 1535, Tyndale was arrested and tried for heresy and burnt at the stake. As per historical records, he was strangled before his body was burnt.
10 ----------- Hinduism never ever stated it has monopoly on truth or God.
According to Hinduism, God & truth are universal. Hinduism is relentless search after truth and as such any one who searches after truth is automatically a Hindu.
Rig Veda states: 'ekam sat viprah bahudaa vadanti' …meaning Truth or God is one but learnt men describe it in many ways.
11----------- Hindu scriptures state, “Sathya meva Jayathe” meaning “Truth alone triumphs, never falsehood.”
Rig Veda states: 'ekam sat viprah bahudaa vadanti' …meaning Truth or God is one but learnt men describe it in many ways.
11----------- Hindu scriptures state, “Sathya meva Jayathe” meaning “Truth alone triumphs, never falsehood.”
Rishis who wrote all our scripture knew that allowing the free expression of thoughts and ideas is the best way to educate some one about our culture.
Hindu scriptures never ever restricted any one to express his/her views. Hindu authors knew that by allowing people to express freely, every one will finally end up attaining truth.
They preached time and again, "Ignorance is the root cause of all evils and knowledge eradicates ignorance.'
12------Conversion----- Hindus never converted others to Hinduism like other religions do. Those who convert to Hinduism are doing that due to their sincere love for Hinduism.
12------Conversion----- Hindus never converted others to Hinduism like other religions do. Those who convert to Hinduism are doing that due to their sincere love for Hinduism.
How can a honey bee stay away from a blossoming flower? Similarly, how can true seekers of truth stay away from Hinduism which is the true embodiment of truth? Practically impossible.
13------Idol Worship----- Hindus do NOT worship idols like Greeks and Romans used to do. Hindu scriptures repeatedly state the fact that God is nameless and formless [ nama-roopa]. But it is very difficult for ordinary human beings to comprehend that God which is timeless, nameless and formless. So scriptures allow devotees too use idols to concentrate on a God who has no name or form.
13------Idol Worship----- Hindus do NOT worship idols like Greeks and Romans used to do. Hindu scriptures repeatedly state the fact that God is nameless and formless [ nama-roopa]. But it is very difficult for ordinary human beings to comprehend that God which is timeless, nameless and formless. So scriptures allow devotees too use idols to concentrate on a God who has no name or form.
Every devotee of all religions do what Hindus do. But only Hinduism has the courage to openly admit it.
The Cross in the Christian church, the picture of Jesus Christ, the statue of Mary, statues of patron saints, are all idols. If anyone bow in front of any of them, they are breaking laws of Old Testament [LED . . . 26:1, and EX 20:2-5.]
Idol worship is every where and you will never ever meet a man or a woman who does not worship something or someone.
In fact, the first sculpture of Christ was in the form of a small boy holding on to a sheep. Now, everywhere in the world, people have pictures of Christ according their culture. A loving young white man in USA, a tough man looking like a judge in Russia, a nice black man in Africa and a man looking like a typical man from China with a sheepish beard in China.
As Hindus, we have no problem to accept Christians worshiping God using those idols, because Hindus know that every one is using the idol to concentrate on a God who is nameless and formless.
All worships in all religions start with God with a name and form. As the devotee matures in devotion, devotee start visualizing a God without any form at all.
14 ----Creation and Annihilation of the Universe-------Hindu scriptures state the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. This will never end. It is an everlasting process.
When the Big Bang theory is trying to explain the very beginning of our universe 14 billions of years ago, Hindu scriptures are talking about trillions of years , where birth and death of universe had happened millions of times.
In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna states,
“ In the beginning of time or KALPA, I create everything and at the end of time (KALPA), the whole creation merge in me. By my will the whole universe is created & annihilated again and again “ [9:7,8,]
15-------Karma & Reincarnation----Hindus believe in life after death. They also believe in the concept, " Whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap [ Gal 6:7]
Every action, every thought has a result. There is no such thing that an action or thought without a result.
Every action and every thought is weighed on the scales of eternal justice. Nobody can get away from the claws of karma. Action is unavoidable even for the incarnation of God according to Lord Krishna.
According to Hindu scriptures, body alone dies. The immortal soul [ATMAN] within the body never dies. But the path that soul takes is decided by the PAST ACTIONS & THOUGHTS of the body, which are collectively called KARMAS. A departed soul search and find out a body, where it can continue doing what ever it left off in the last life.
16-----SIN----Unlike Christians, Jews & Hindus do not believe in ORGINAL SIN [ Genesis story of Adam & Eve ]. There is no subject in Christianity, more liable to cause Christian theologians to fight each other, and even right wing Christians to profess their outspoken doubt than ORIGINAL SIN. If you study the Genesis story about Adam & Eve, then you will see that everything in the garden of Eden from the forbidden fruit to serpent are figurative and symbolic. Original Sin is MAYA or illusion or FALSE KNOWLEDGE.
17-------To attain RIGHT KNOWLEDGE or attain salvation, we have to practice one of the four methods. JNANA YOGA [ path of knowledge]; KARMA YOGA [Path of unattached, unmotivated actions]; BHAKTI YOGA [ complete self-surrender to the God within]; RAJA YOGA [ pranayama & breath control].
Even though Sin is mentioned in Puranas , Hindu scriptures give very little importance to Sin.
With such a powerful statement from Lord Krishna, no Hindu need worry about Sin.
18----------- Voltaire wrote in “Essay on Tolerance:
When ever I go on Radio and TV talk shows I answer all questions based on what I have written above.
Am I A Hindu? International Best Seller
When ever I go on Radio and TV talk shows I answer all questions based on what I have written above.
Am I A Hindu? International Best Seller
