Is Hinduism a religion

[A-ManESL]

Doesnt it include all religions? As it is said in the Vedas, "Truth is One, though the sages know it variously." Doesnt the very idea of Hinduism being a religion opposite to what a Hindu believes in?

 

[Gaura Priya]

Hinduism is more like a religious culture and a way of life. There are guidelines in health, sciences, religious duties and rituals, as well as differing forms of meditation, yoga, and spiritual practices in accordance with one's inclinations and tendencies.

Which is why it can be very difficult to separate religious Hinduism from 'cultural' Hinduism; spiritual truths with sometimes irrelevant or not-so-important rules and regulations (such as not using my 'bathroom hand', i.e. my left hand, to eat my food, lol).

 

[kaisersose]

Doesnt it include all religions? As it is said in the Vedas, "Truth is One, though the sages know it variously."

Two Things -

1. That line of the Veda can be and is interpreted in completely different ways. So it does not mean much.

2. Hinduism is not a religion like Islam or Chrsitianity which require a single God and a book. Consequently, people have a hard time figuring out Hinduism, as they are tying to fit it into their model of religion by looking for some common base scripture (which does not exist) and a single Hindu God (which does not exist either).

Doesnt the very idea of Hinduism being a religion opposite to what a Hindu believes in?

Amusing how Muslims read an online article on Hinduism and assume they understand the religion better than Hindus.

 

[Jainarayan]

Hinduism is a way of life as well as a belief system. It's not an "organized religion" like Christianity. Even Judaism and Islam have no central authority except their scriptures, but they're more "organized" than Hinduism. I don't even know that you can call Hinduism one religion.

There are sects of Hinduism that accept some parts of scriptures and not others. Buddhism (and I believe Jainism and Sikhism, though Jains and Sikhs may correct me) is an outgrowth of Hinduism for that reason.

Neither do all Hindus worship the same manifestations or aspects of God, though Hinduism is monotheistic and for the most part panentheistic (all is in God), as compared to pantheism (all is God), which is a hallmark of the Abrahamic faiths. I worked with a guy who said his wife would pray only to Lord Shiva, and no other.

Some Hindus see Jesus as an incarnation of God (Vishnu); others think he is a great teacher and prophet sent by God for a specific purpose; others won't give him the time of day. Me, as a Vaishnava (worship of Krishna/Vishnu and their consorts)?... I think Jesus is a great teacher and prophet sent by God for a specific purpose.

I interpret "Truth is One, though the sages know it variously" as meaning there is only One Truth, and many devotional paths will get you there. The various ways and sects of Hinduism are part of those paths.

 

[Jainarayan]

...it can be very difficult to separate religious Hinduism from 'cultural' Hinduism...

I have that separation by birth and rearing. Hinduism is a belief system for me, but I have no Hindu cultural connections. I was raised in the west in a Roman Catholic Italian-American family. That might give some Indian Hindus a fit. Others get a kick out of western white people embracing Hinduism if done sincerely.

 

[A-ManESL]

Amusing how Muslims read an online article on Hinduism and assume they understand the religion better than Hindus.

Amazing you assume I am not a Hindu or that I have read an online article on Hinduism.

 

[A-ManESL]

I don't even know that you can call Hinduism one religion.
...

I interpret "Truth is One, though the sages know it variously" as meaning there is only One Truth, and many devotional paths will get you there. The various ways and sects of Hinduism are part of those paths.

As for the first, this is my point exactly.

Thank you for sharing your opinion about the verse.

 

[Jainarayan]

As for the first, this is my point exactly.

Understand that Hinduism's sects all have something in common with each other: descent from the Vedas. Hinduism in all its flavors arose only out of the Vedas, and not the Judeo-Christian bible or Qur'an, and cannot be associated with them by philosophy. More properly Hinduism could be called a religion family. More loosely associated than the Abrahamic faiths, but one family nonetheless.

Just as Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, et al. are different languages, and are not mutually intelligible, they all belong to the same language family, having descended from a common ancestor (Latin). The same could be said for Hinduism... different beliefs, some mutually compatible, some mutually exclusive, but all descending from the original Vedic religion, based on the Vedas.

I don't know that any of the major Hindu sects (Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Smarta) would include Jesus or Mohammed or Zeus or Thor as God and worship them as such, but accept that others believe what they believe. And if it brings them closer to God, more power to 'em.

 

[A-ManESL]

What you say is based on the assumption that the Judeo Christian Bible hasnt arisen from the Vedas in the sense that it says something distinct from them (thats what I assume you mean when you say something has arisen from the Vedas)

 

[Gaura Priya]

I have that separation by birth and rearing. Hinduism is a belief system for me, but I have no Hindu cultural connections. I was raised in the west in a Roman Catholic Italian-American family. That might give some Indian Hindus a fit. Others get a kick out of western white people embracing Hinduism if done sincerely.

Try being a Canadian-born in a Catholic Filipino family... And all Spanish Catholicism share a distinct sub-Catholic culture sometimes.

Of course, I was also raised in a highly Indian and non-Caucasian immigrant community in general, but that's another story to tell, lol.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Doesnt it include all religions? As it is said in the Vedas, "Truth is One, though the sages know it variously." Doesnt the very idea of Hinduism being a religion opposite to what a Hindu believes in?

I guess this is helped by a verse from the Bhagavata Purana 1.5.11:

"On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilisation. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest."

This is why Hindus in general can appreciate other religions, because since our spiritual system already allows for differing schools of thought, that can also be extended to other religious conceptions, such as those of Jesus or Muhammad. This is why one of my teachers in my lineage from the late 19th century, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, mentioned the glories of Muhammad and teaching about having a relationship with God, and that Muhammad himself was a pure devotee who was God's dearmost friend (sakhya-rasa).

As Kaiserose has provided, the Hindu religion does not have a strong centrality to the idea of Divine Revelation, although it may be apparent in transferrence of knowledge from guru to disciple.

Hinduism, to me, is really many religions under one culture - Vedic culture. Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, Smartism, and neo-Hinduism are as different to each other as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i Faith, even though the former accept the Vedas as divinely revealed, and the latter accept the Tanakh as scripturally divine.

 

[Jainarayan]

What you say is based on the assumption that the Judeo Christian Bible hasnt arisen from the Vedas in the sense that it says something distinct from them (thats what I assume you mean when you say something has arisen from the Vedas)

No assumption... fact based on archaeology, anthropology, and historical and comparative linguistics.

The Judeo-Christian bible has many elements taken from Mesopotamian stories and mythology, which pre-dates the bible by a milennium or two. The bible is strongly legalistic, many laws resembling the Code of Hammurabi; the Vedas are mostly hymns and prayers mixed with stories of the deities, and are not legalistic in any sense.

None of Hindu Scriptures lay down divine laws as in "thou shalt..." and "thou shalt not..." Those are strictly of Mesopotamian origin. Even the languages the various scriptures were written completely are unrelated: the bible and Qur'an, Semitic (Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic); the Vedas, Vedic Sanskrit (Indo-European).

 

[Gaura Priya]

None of Hindu Scriptures lay down divine laws as in "thou shalt..." and "thou shalt not..." Those are strictly of Mesopotamian origin. Even the languages the various scriptures were written completely are unrelated: the bible and Qur'an, Semitic (Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic); the Vedas, Vedic Sanskrit (Indo-European).

Perhaps not at face value... but they are more like... "It's preferable and the highest to do this... but if you can't, you can do that... and here's the result of such an action."

Although perhaps not in the same binding sense as Abrahamic religion in general. I think the idea lies behind the 'Covenant' in which the superseding Revelation is generally a considerable update of the former, as well as new laws or guidelines that are strongly recommended to follow.

Language is not of grave importance. Sri Vaishnavism utilises Sanskrit and Tamil for its Scriptures. Gaudiya Vaishnavism uses Sanskrit and Bengali (and with new acharyas, English). Swaminarayanis use Gujarati and Sanskrit. While Abrahamics see Revelation as evolving by certain 'dispensations,' the traditional Orthodox Hindu will see revelation as continuously evolving according to the age and the guru's expertise in bringing practicality to the Scriptures.

 

[Jainarayan]

And all Spanish Catholicism share a distinct sub-Catholic culture sometimes.

Santería y brujaría? Someone I have the grave misfortune of being related to by marriage thinks she's a santera and bruja. She's always trying to place curses on people. I said "try it on me... my gods and goddesses are far older and stronger than yours and will knock yours into the next galaxy. Entonces, no joda conmigo, pendeja".

 

[Gaura Priya]

Santería y brujaría? Someone I have the grave misfortune of being related to by marriage thinks she's a santera and bruja. She's always trying to place curses on people. I said "try it on me... my gods and goddesses are far older and stronger than yours and will knock yours into the next galaxy. Entonces, no joda conmigo, pendeja".

I was thinking more like festivities, the huge veneration for various saints (santos) and Marian devotions, and honouring the ancestors with their own altars for one night in the year. And of course, the distinct way they make statues of the saints are very Spanish, whether from the Philippines or from Mexico.

 

[A-ManESL]

No assumption... fact based on archaeology, anthropology, and historical and comparative linguistics.

Ah! I dont quite agree with you there. I consider spiritual scriptures to be primarily analysed by the tools of esoterism and spiritual knowledge and the "fact" you quote to be only a superficial understanding of them.

At any rate, I do understand your point of considering Hinduism being an umbrella term for traditions evolved out of the Vedas. Only I am not sure that this way of restricting Hinduism is quite just and appropriate though and was really meant by the Hindu saints.

Regards

 

[Jainarayan]

Perhaps not at face value... but they are more like... "It's preferable and the highest to do this... but if you can't, you can do that... and here's the result of such an action."

Although perhaps not in the same binding sense as Abrahamic religion in general. I think the idea lies behind the 'Covenant' in which the superseding Revelation is generally a considerable update of the former, as well as new laws or guidelines that are strongly recommended to follow.

The bold part is the important part... God doesn't say what not to do; He says what to do, and what will happen if you don't. But not that He will be the doer of the ill-effect. Almost everything I've read in the Bhagavad Gita so far is Sri Krishna speaking in positives... "one who does this is dear to/friend to/draws close to Me"; "do this and you will surely reach Me", etc.

Language is not of grave importance. Sri Vaishnavism utilises Sanskrit and Tamil for its Scriptures. Gaudiya Vaishnavism uses Sanskrit and Bengali (and with new acharyas, English). Swaminarayanis use Gujarati and Sanskrit.

For sure... I say my prayers for the most part in English because my Sanskrit sucks. My co-worker said the same thing about his wife. Her Sanskrit is so bad she does puja in Gujarati. He said the pujaris even use English in temple.

Tamil is Dravidian, Hindi, Sanskrit and Bengali, e.g. are IE, I'm sure you know. I wanted to impart to the o.p. that the Abrahamic and Vedic scriptures are so different, as to have been written down in totally unrelated languages, in totally different cultures and environments and not just translated.

While Abrahamics see Revelation as evolving by certain 'dispensations,' the traditional Orthodox Hindu will see revelation as continuously evolving according to the age and the guru's expertise in bringing practicality to the Scriptures.

Yes, it's really only Talmudic scholars that still debate and interpret and re-interpret the Hebrew bible. For Christians and Muslims, it's a done deal.

 

[Madhuri]

Only I am not sure that this way of restricting Hinduism is quite just and appropriate though and was really meant by the Hindu saints.

Regards

What do you mean by this?

 

[Jainarayan]

I was thinking more like festivities, the huge veneration for various saints (santos) and Marian devotions, and honouring the ancestors with their own altars for one night in the year. And of course, the distinct way they make statues of the saints are very Spanish, whether from the Philippines or from Mexico.

Oh heck, not my in-laws. But they are Puerto Rican, which has a lot of syncretism with West African, Roman Catholic and indigenous Caribbean beliefs, as do Cubans. The Phillipines, Mexico and South America are, imo, more European Spanish influenced.

 

[Jainarayan]

and the "fact" you quote to be only a superficial understanding of them.

I'm not sure what is superficial about either my knowledge of scriptures or linguistics and archaeology.

We'll agree to disagree on my knowledge and understanding.

Jai Sri Krishna.