A request for a Sanatana Dharma DIR- Dharmic and Staff members Only

[ratikala]

Namaskaram prabhu ji's :namaste

there has been much talk in Hindu DIR about what constitutes Dharma and what makes one a Hindu

I would like to ask not just about what is our svadharma, our 'personal duty' ...

I would like to discuss how we understand 'Sanatana Dharma' ....the fundamental unchanging principles ...the Eternal Truth ...which lay at the core of Hinduism and other Dharmicaly based faiths .

personaly there is something that appeals very deeply to me in its non sectarian nature and in truth if some one were to ask my religion I would prefer to say Sanatana Dharma than I would to say Hindu .

without wishing to disrespect Hinduism in any manner , I feel that the term Samatana Dharma concentrates solely on the fundamental religious principles which underlay most traditions leaving aside all the accreations of culture and cast making all who embrace those values and beleifs feel equaly welcome .

therefore I would like to ask others to join me in requesting a Sanatana Dharma DIR
personaly I belive it should be green as the principles of Sanatana Dharma form the foundation also of other traditions such as Buddhism jainism and sikhi , and that such a DIR would provide a space for open and freindly discussion .

I look forward to hearing your thoughts :namaste

 

[Ravi500]

I simply want a forum where Sanatana Dharma , as is taught in India is discussed , without the basics being challenged.

You can argue/debate on advanced points in the debate forums, but when the foundational basics of the religion itself are being challenged in the dir forum, it is a sure recipe for chaos and conflict, now and in the future as well.

 

[Sumit]

Namaskaram prabhu ji's :namaste

there has been much talk in Hindu DIR about what constitutes Dharma and what makes one a Hindu

I would like to ask not just about what is our svadharma, our 'personal duty' ...

I would like to discuss how we understand 'Sanatana Dharma' ....the fundamental unchanging principles ...the Eternal Truth ...which lay at the core of Hinduism and other Dharmicaly based faiths .

personaly there is something that appeals very deeply to me in its non sectarian nature and in truth if some one were to ask my religion I would prefer to say Sanatana Dharma than I would to say Hindu .

without wishing to disrespect Hinduism in any manner , I feel that the term Samatana Dharma concentrates solely on the fundamental religious principles which underlay most traditions leaving aside all the accreations of culture and cast making all who embrace those values and beleifs feel equaly welcome .

therefore I would like to ask others to join me in requesting a Sanatana Dharma DIR
personaly I belive it should be green as the principles of Sanatana Dharma form the foundation also of other traditions such as Buddhism jainism and sikhi , and that such a DIR would provide a space for open and freindly discussion .

I look forward to hearing your thoughts :namaste

Hinduism and Snatan Dharma are same. And if there is something that can't be discussed here but you believe it to be Dharmic, for this we already have Dharmic Religions DIR, make post there so that all can discuss freely.

 

[Madhuri]

Hinduism and Snatan Dharma are same. And if there is something that can't be discussed here but you believe it to be Dharmic, for this we already have Dharmic Religions DIR, make post there so that all can discuss freely.

I agree with this.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

Our friend Madhuri must be aware that have made an official request on the subject through Site Feedback on 4th May and though friend Madhuri's post here reflects the general consensus amongst staff on the issue.
However personally would like RF to use this beautiful label 'Sanatan Dharma' under whose banner all humans and paths followed consciously or unconsciously gets covered.
Dharmic Religion only covers dharmic and not abrahamic etc. whereas Sanatan dharma covers anybody and everybody.

Let us pursue our dharma to convince the staff and administration at RF to do something to bring back into use the label 'sanatan dharma' which itself is nearly 'eternal'

Love & rgds

 

[Madhuri]

Friends,

Our friend Madhuri must be aware that have made an official request on the subject through Site Feedback on 4th May and though friend Madhuri's post here reflects the general consensus amongst staff on the issue.
However personally would like RF to use this beautiful label 'Sanatan Dharma' under whose banner all humans and paths followed consciously or unconsciously gets covered.
Dharmic Religion only covers dharmic and not abrahamic etc. whereas Sanatan dharma covers anybody and everybody.

Let us pursue our dharma to convince the staff and administration at RF to do something to bring back into use the label 'sanatan dharma' which itself is nearly 'eternal'

Love & rgds

That doesn't work on a forum like this, Zenzero. Even though it's a nice idea it would confuse anybody who does not have a Hindu background and certainly most people would disagree with it.

Sanatan Dharma is only a real thing according to our beliefs, not the beliefs of most of the world's population.

The forum also already allows us areas where we can discuss topics with everybody; Dharmic and non-Dharmic.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

I agree with this.

I agree also.

There is one more thing to take into consideration, it's that to non Hindus or just curious people that want to search or ark questions about our religion, "Hinduism" is a universal term. Everyone in the world know what "Hinduism" is. So if they want to ask questions and learn about our religion, they see "Hinduism DIR", they know it's there.

"Sanatana Dharma" is not a term known by everyone, someone who want to learn and ask questions about "Hinduism" will see in the Dharmic religions DIR "Buddhism" and Sanatana Dharma" DIR, then will say "where is the Hindu one ? What is this Sanatan Dharma ?"

I ilke Sanatana Dharma, but I also think of those people around the world that don't know this word, so for the forum readability and not to confuse people, sticking with "Hinduism DIR" would be more wise.

 

[LuisDantas]

(Forgive me for intruding a bit, if you will)

Dharmic Religion only covers dharmic and not abrahamic etc. whereas Sanatan dharma covers anybody and everybody.

Maybe it does. But to the best of my understanding, what you are proposing is in fact a very different idea than Ratikala's above.

Ratikala seems to want a second, green DIR parallel to this one. You are basically asking for the whole forum to be dedicated to Sanatana Dharma, with all the current DIRs as sub-forums of it.

That may be a worthy goal to pursue under some circunstances. I don't think personally that it would be a good idea to shape the forum by that perception of the meaning of Sanatana Dharma, though. For one thing, it would feel intrusive for other Faiths. How do you think they will react to learning that they are Sanatana Dharmi despite their own opinion?

Let us pursue our dharma to convince the staff and administration at RF to do something to bring back into use the label 'sanatan dharma' which itself is nearly 'eternal'

Love & rgds

That, I feel, is a bit of putting the cart ahead of the ox. To the extent that all of religion is Sanatana Dharma, the proper way of acknowledging it is by opening hearts and minds of those who currently disagree. That is quite different from renaming a forum, and by my current impression at odds with that simple act.

 

[Poeticus]

How do you think they will react to learning that they are Sanatana Dharmi despite their own opinion?

The above is the pivotal question
that universalists and syncretists
of a radical fervor often forget to
ask themselves and/or answer.​

 

[Asha]

Namaste

I simply want a forum where Sanatana Dharma , as is taught in India is discussed , without the basics being challenged.

My sentiments entirely, allthough I am not Indian or practicing in India my guru is Bharatia and teaches Sanatana Dharma strictly as taught in his sampradaya, I dont think I ever hear him talking about Hinduism apart from on a cultural level, he is very firm on this issue of preserving tradition and I love him for this, he spends his entire life to teaching these basics of Sanatana Dharma.

You can argue/debate on advanced points in the debate forums, but when the foundational basics of the religion itself are being challenged in the dir forum, it is a sure recipe for chaos and conflict, now and in the future as well.

I didnt come here to debate, so to me it would be wonderfull to have a Sanatana Dharma section where we sould discuss in peace amongst those that consider them selves Sanatan Dharmi. Personaly I dont feel very comfortabe in the Hindu DIR there is too much conflict and very little room left for devotional/spiritual development.

A Sanatana Dharma DIR would give any like myself the oppertunity to discuss with others like your self how and is actualy traditionaly taught, what worries me here is that many people are not following a guru or teacher and are taking selective knowledge from interlectual study, this can lead to incoplete understandings and missinturpretations ? Possibly this is the source of much of the conflicts ?

 

[LuisDantas]

So this proposal of yours is yet a third variation of the theme, Asha, isn't it?

A Sanatana Dharma DIR that is in fact even more restrict than the current blue Hindu DIR.

There is a practical challenge with that idea: who belongs to such a DIR, and who has the authority to decide whether they do? What if someone changes his mind and others feel that he no longer belongs?

 

[Asha]

I agree also.

There is one more thing to take into consideration, it's that to non Hindus or just curious people that want to search or ark questions about our religion, "Hinduism" is a universal term. Everyone in the world know what "Hinduism" is. So if they want to ask questions and learn about our religion, they see "Hinduism DIR", they know it's there.

There is no reason that anyone canot continue to ask questions in the same way in Hindu DIR, surely a sub section like Vedanta DIR would allow everyone the chance to discuss where and how they please ?

"Sanatana Dharma" is not a term known by everyone, someone who want to learn and ask questions about "Hinduism" will see in the Dharmic religions DIR "Buddhism" and Sanatana Dharma" DIR, then will say "where is the Hindu one ? What is this Sanatan Dharma ?"

Surely this is not a suggestion to replace Hinduism DIR just create a sub section for peacefull learned discussions ?

I ilke Sanatana Dharma, but I also think of those people around the world that don't know this word, so for the forum readability and not to confuse people, sticking with "Hinduism DIR" would be more wise.

Then Hinduism DIR is for them, Sanatana Dharma is for those whos gurus teach Sanatana Dharma and want to discuss with like minded students.

A more private place like Theists only would be realy helpfull.

 

[Poeticus]

A Sanatana Dharma DIR that is in fact even more restrict than the current blue Hindu DIR.

Wouldn't a Sanatana Dharma DIR be
less restricting than the current, blue
Hindu DIR, since it would be more ...
syncretic?​

 

[LuisDantas]

Maybe it is just me, but I don't expect anyone to feel that they belong in the Hindu DIR yet not to this hypothetical Sanatana Dharma DIR that you propose, Asha.

 

[LuisDantas]

Wouldn't a Sanatana Dharma DIR be less restricting than the current, blue Hindu DIR, since it would be more ... syncretic?​

A very good question, this one.

My current understanding is this:

1. Zenzero thinks of a Sanatana Dharma DIR as essentially the whole forum, or at least not excludent of the Abrahamic Faiths.

2. Asha thinks that, on the contrary, Sanatana Dharma is a more specific, more traditional belief than what is usually considered Hinduism.

3. Ratikala is proposing what would in essence be a second Hinduism DIR, except that it would be green and be named "Sanatana Dharma DIR".


All three proposals are defensable by some perspective, but all three are also at least potentially problematic.

If I am not mistaken, most of the time when people make a point of calling their faith "Sanatana Dharma" as opposed to "Hinduism" it is because they want to distinguish their beliefs from the syncretics or perceived syncretics, though. I believe there are nationalistic or traditionalist movements in India that want to rename the country as "Bharat" and to promote the name Sanatana Dharma.

On a practical level, I doubt anyone ever thinks of himself or herself as a Sanatana Dharmi that is somehow "not a Hindu". And I don't expect people to essentially admit to be "Hindus who are not really Sanatana Dharmi" either. So it seems to me that having the two areas at the same time is inherently confusing at best, and may easily lead to hard feelings.

But that is my outsider's perspective. Feel very free to teach me better.

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

I don't understand. Really. We are all Hindus here following Hinduism, another name for Sanatana Dharma. Peaceful and learned discussion are supposed to happen in the Hindu DIR. Debates are supposed to be in the same faith debate section.

I don't understand what is more to be made ?

We can create endless sections for people that like chihuahuas, people that like autralian sheperd, people that like tibetan mastiffs, people that like this breed, people that like that breed... And so what ? Everyone discuss with him/herself about his./her favorite specific breed in their personnal section ? Since everyone, in the end, like dogs, why not discuss together into a general "dogs" DIR ?

Aren't you all tired of endlessely debating the same things ?
Of arguing over and over and over in the wrong sections ?
Tired of seeing strife and people just hitting each others head with their own books ?
Why just not using the DIR correctly for beginning ? And stop debating and arguing there for once ?


I am sincerely tired of all this, of people debating the same issues, of 3 - 4 - 5 differents treads all at the wrong section of the forum full of people arguing and arguing and arguing over the same subjects, I see only this within this Hindu community: arguing, arguing arguing arguing.

Instead of trying to "break down" what we are into pieces so everyone can have its little share of personal ideal DIR, why not acting as Hindus and unite each other ?

Seriously, what's the matter with this ? Aren't you all proud to be Hindus ? You need to have special section with special terms for "people that are new to this", "people who are really learned and serious", etc etc ... ? Whatever Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism, we all cannot take care of a DIR correctly and be united in our common faith, why adding more mess with more sections, more DIR, more discrimination between each other ?

 

[Stormcry]

Pranam Ratikala..

What ? Another forum as Sanatana Dharma ? Who's not agreeing here that Hinduism is not Sanatana Dharma ?

As far as I know, Sanatana Dharma is an alternative name of Hindu Dharma or Aryan's Dharma. May I know what do you see differences between Sanatana Dharma & Hinduism ? I think you don't have clear conception of Sanatana/Hindu dharma. Sanatana Dharma is the dharma that is purely based on Veda and Puranas and other Vedic scriptures. And Hinduism too is defined by the same definition. I hope someone is not going to think about Iskcon's definition.

If we create another forum as Sanatana Dharma, new comers will think that Hinduism is not Sanatana dharma, which we don't want.

And if you think that Buddhism, jainism are Sanatana dharma traditions, then you're wrong. Buddhism or any other religion has nothing to do with Sanatana Dharma. So why should we create Sanatana Dharma forum ?

Remember our Dharma is nameless. When we call Sanatana Dharma it means the dharma which gives us eternality. So the name eternal. When we say Hindu dharma it means the dharma owned by Hindus or Aryans. Another alternatives for Hinduism are Arya dharma and Vedic dharma. So do you wanna create forums for these names also ?

We don't want a play in names.. ( I have rated thia thread as * terrible )

Hare Krishna

 

[Ravi500]

Surely this is not a suggestion to replace Hinduism DIR just create a sub section for peacefull learned discussions ?

Then Hinduism DIR is for them, Sanatana Dharma is for those whos gurus teach Sanatana Dharma and want to discuss with like minded students.

A more private place like Theists only would be realy helpfull.

This is a very good suggestion. Thank you for this.

 

[Madhuri]

Perfect, Jaya!

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Pranam, Ratikala

Should we consider this request from an Iskconite or from a Hindu or from a Buddhist ?

We all are interested to know...

How about considering this request from a devotee of God ?

Don't even dare to judge sister Ratikala on her beliefs, origins, whatever. She is, without doubt, the most fervent bhakta of Sri Hari here, no one here have any right to boot her out here or to judge her on anything.

This is unrelated to this topic about the organisation of DIR here, and highly offensive to her and us to treat her like this.