Why do you describe yourself as a secular Hindu?
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Ask me anything about Hinduism :)
- Thread starter sayak83
- Start date
I believe in keeping politics and religion separate from each other, particularly in Indian democracy. Hence secular Hindu.
What's hinduisms take on souls and identity?
I don't really have a question. I'm just giving you a heads-up that I'm stealing your reference to/perspective as Brahman as substrate.
If you want a scriptural quote,I don't really have a question. I'm just giving you a heads-up that I'm stealing your reference to/perspective as Brahman as substrate.
Brihadaranyaka upanisad
"Ask, Gargi"
2 She said: "I rise to challenge you, Yajnavalkya, with two questions, much as a
fierce warrior of Kasi or Videha, stringing his unstrung bow and taking two deadly
arrows in his hand, would rise to challenge a rival. Give me the answers to them!"
"Ask, Gargi."
3 She said: "The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the things
between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to as past, present, and future—on what, Yajnavalkya, are all these woven back and forth?"
4 He replied: "The things above the sky, the things below the earth, and the
things between the earth and the sky, as well as all those things people here refer to as past, present, and future—on space, Gargi, are all these woven back and forth."
5 She responded: "All honor to you, Yajnavalkya. You really cleared that up for
me! Get ready for the second."
"Ask, Gargi."
"On what, then, is space woven back and forth?"
8 He replied: "That, Gargi, is the imperishable, and Brahmins refer to it like
this—it is neither coarse nor fine; it is neither short nor long; it has neither blood
nor fat; it is without shadow or darkness; it is without air or space; it is without
contact; it has no taste or smell; it is without sight or hearing; it is without speech or mind; it is without energy, breath, or mouth; it is beyond measure; it has nothing within it or outside of it; it does not eat anything; and no one eats it.
9 "This is the imperishable, Gargi, at whose command the sun and the moon
stand apart. This is the imperishable, Gargi, at whose command the earth and the sky stand apart. This is the imperishable, Gargi, at whose command seconds and hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years stand apart. This is the imperishable, Gargi, at whose command rivers flow from the snowy mountains in their respective directions, some to the east and others to the west. This is the imperishable, Gargi, at whose command people flatter donors, and gods are de- pendent on patrons of sacrifices, and forefathers on ancestral offerings.
10 "Without knowing this imperishable, Gargi, even if a man were to make of-
ferings, to offer sacrifices, and to perform austerities in this world for many
thousands of years, all that would come to naught. Pitiful is the man, Gargi, who
departs from this world without knowing this imperishable. But a man who departs from this world after he has come to know this imperishable—he, Gargi, is a Brah- min.
11 "This is the imperishable, Gargi, which sees but can't be seen; which hears
but can't be heard; which thinks but can't be thought of; which perceives but can't
be perceived. Besides this imperishable, there is no one that sees, no one that hears, no one that thinks, and no one that perceives.
I have no knowledge of Zen meditation, so I won't know.
Mrpasserby
Do not just Believe 'Become', I am Sufficient.
Hello, sayak83 i am curious about whether or not the Hindu practice includes the raising up of the kundalini, and if so do you generally aspire to gaining the full shakti and shiva energy forms as manifestations above the 1000 petal lotus? The only pictures of this beautiful manifestation that I can find are pictures from christian and pagans.
Last edited:
That practice does exist. However, I do not know much about it as I am not a practitioner of it myself.
Mrpasserby
Do not just Believe 'Become', I am Sufficient.
These rhythmic statements remind me of the mind trap of religious dogma. The only thing that I know of that qualifies to match all of the weaving of thoughts passing through these disconnecting and reconnecting comments is the line of destiny, that proceeds from the sun to the earth from the earth to all living. Less words more meaning!
No idea what you are talking about.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
No because the person of devotion (Buddha/Dhamma vs Brahma and Brahman) have different affects on the practitioner therefore the type of meditation is different, the experience, and the result.
I assume being human we both have the same breathing meditations but the purpose and experience varies.
At its most basic, it consists on exercises to train the mind to be capable of reconciling attention with serenity as often as possible.
This season is the prime time for Hindu festivals in India. In Eastern India and hilly regions, the major annual festival for the worship of Goddess Durga is being held, celebrating Her victory over demonic armies. Here is a picture from our local community worship.Durga rides a lion and is flanked by Lakshmi, Saraswati, Karthikeya and Ganesha.
Hi @sayak83
Who was Krishna in regards to being a man and a diety?
How does the concept of avatars work?
Who is the 10th avatar or Kalki?
Are you atheistic, monotheistic, or polytheistic?
Thank you.
A human incarnation of God Vishnu (see Mahabharata).
Hindus believe that God and other deities sometimes incarnate themselves in human form to perform certain actions for the good of the world. These would be avatars.
Another avatar of Vishnu who is supposed to come at the end of this cycle of Earth's existence.
Some where between panentheism and monism.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Yeah, I too prefer less words, more meaning. Basically, what Yajnavlkya is saying that there is only one thing in the universe (which Hindus term as Brahman) and all the creation is just an expansion of it. Do not confuse that thing with a God because it does not have God characteristics, wanting worship, judging acts of people, coming to help the worshipers in their time of distress, sending them to hell or heaven, etc. It is uninvolved, without form and eternal, does not act in any way but brings up the creation and all happenings just by its existence (this Hindus term as 'maya' - worldly illusion, ignorance of the true state of things). This is what a person should understand in his/her life-time. It is more like a Quantum Mechanics of energy.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Sayak is busy. It is festival time in Bengal. He must be relaxing after the hectic puja day after going around the Devi pavillions (Pandals), meeting relatives and digesting what he all food he must have ingested during the last nine days. But he will take up your question. However many answers to your question.
1. No soul (Nireeshwara Vaada) 2. Soul same as Brahman (Advaita). 3. Soul same but at the same time different. (Bhed - Abheda) 4. Soul same but with qualifications (Vishishta Advaita) 5. Soul same as Brahman but inconceivable (Achintya Bheda - Abheda) 6. Soul definitely different from God (Dvaita).
Same for identity. Permanent (Atma, relation with Brahman as described above), non-permanent (materialistic, just a result of existence of brain). Rest up to Sayak.
Last edited:
Its incorrect to say that universe was created. The universe "rose up" or "emanated" from Brahman like flower does on the branch of a tree and will sublimate itself back into Brahman at the end of this "season". Next "spring" another universe flower will emerge and so on and on and on.
Purpose is creative and aesthetic drive.