namaskaram Elector ji :namaste ....namaskaram all who care to read :namaste
Pranams,
I think it is also important to note that even if we are to classify Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism under Sanatana Dharma, the reference would be different. Sanatana Dharma does not merely refer to the fact that the principles are eternal and unchanging, but that the tradition itself - Hinduism - is eternal in the form of the Veda, it being apaurusheya (aurthorless) and coeval with creation.
may I politely explain that it was never my wish to say that Buddhism , Jainism and Sikhi should be clasified under Sanarana Dharma but simply that a green DIR would allow for open discussion between like minded people should they wish to discuss principles which they hold in common .
please may I take a little time to explain the original proposal and what I meant by it .
prehaps this will also clarify things for some others , as there seems to be a lot of confusion as to what I have meant By what I have said ...
firstly please consider that I am British therefore I have not grown up with Hindu culture , I studied and practiced Buddhism for over ten years before ever meeting any Hindus or reading any Hindu texts , I first came into contact with Hinduism through a small and very Indian comunity who are Gaudiya Vaisnava , the Guru there is Punjabi and referes often to Sanatana Dharma stressing the importance of following what he translates as Eternal religious Principles , he teaches on this often , what struck me imidiately was that the principles and values he wished to instill in his deciples were no different to the princiles which govern Buddhism , ...there may be issues of beleif as to the nature of the supreme being that differ but the principles by which we conduct ourselves and the reasons for doing so are so similar as to be completely compatable .
between Buddhism the philosophical tenents may vary but this is equaly true of many schools within the spectrum of Hinduism , .....I learnt Sanatana Dharma as being something beyond philosophical and sectarian divisions , as being the one truth that remains constant throughout time , I developed a deep appreciation for this veiw , and have been around Hindus and Vaisnavas for long enough now to see the dammage that is done by the ignorance of sectarianism and over reliance on philosophy alone , And I have studied enough to see that there is constant change , no tradition or philosophy remains untouched by change only the principles of Sanatana Dharma remain un changed .
if we listen to what we are taught we hear that we are now undegoing the effects of Kail yuga , where people lack the inteligence , tollerance , and humility of previous yugas , we lack the interlect to understand the teachings and we lack inherent rightiousness , so the Hinduism we now know and practice is not the same , because we are different , there is little respect between traditions any more , it has become commonplace to be competative and dissmisive of the practice and understanding of others , this is the foolishness and blindness which is the efect of kali yuga .
another problem is that we do not listen to eachother , we are too quick to judge on apperance alone , ...here this thread is a perfect example I explain very clearly what I am thinking and what I have observed and imidiately I am met with assumptions that I mean something else ???
I had said that ....
''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 .'' ....
.....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 .
all I have said is that we share common principles and that it would be nice to be able to discuss them in a green forum where each are welcome to share thoughts and engage in freindly discussion .
may I also explain that when a non Hindu born person comes to Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma they will see it with different eyes , this is neither good nor bad just different , and there is something to be learnt from both experiences .
This is a concequence of this ever changing world and it is of utmost importance that both Indian and western Hindus come together do discuss and exchange understandings and that we come together with other dharmic faiths to discuss , apricate and deepen our ubderstanding .
half of India is hankering after the illusion of western modernity and materialism whilst many westerners see the benifits to be only superficial and search for a deeper maeaning to life , ..at the same time there are many Hindu born Hindus who value their tradition and see every reason to maintain that tradition , but what we must accept is that a sincere western Hindu and a sincere Indian Hindu will see the same truth but with different perspectives one from within and one from the outside . both veiws have something to offer but one thing that must be remembered is that sometines when following something from within one follows without questioning , one follows because it is tradition to follow therefore ones values are different , ones apreciation is different . from within it might be understandable to think that this his Hindu tradition it is eternal , this is not true , everything is undergoing constant change , there is constant reformations taking place , this has gone on for centuries then there are the constant disputes , one tradition claiming philosophical superiority over another , another claiming to be decended from the oldest therefore original tradition , and so it goes on .... when a westerner come to Hinduism he either falls straight into this trap or wishes to remain free from the unnecessary burdon of it .
I am vaisnava simply by aleigence , in that I am endebted to that one guru and that tradition simply because by dint of karma I found my self fortunate enough to come into its presence , however I do not wish to talk with Vaisnava alone , I wish to talk with any other who shares the same appreciation of their good fortune and a similar respect for Dharma .
I would simply like to find a place to discuss principles which is free from the divisions of race caste and sect .. I do not want to re name Hindu DIR , and I do not want to get caught up in any more arguments or upset anyone ....
I just want to discuss , I am fed up with the competitive text qouting and one upmanship . I would just like to express and discuss thoughts and appreciations without being contradicted and criticised for saying something that I am not saying ...
thank you to everyone that has tried to listen and understand ...
may we have many more fruitfull conversations :namaste
