Is Hinduism Polytheistic, Pantheistic, or what?

[ZooGirl02]

Hey everyone. What type of theology does Hinduism have concerning deities/deity? If I understand correctly, Hinduism is Polytheistic but I might be wrong. I often am wrong about things like this. Also, please explain the terms you use as I'm not familiar with all such terms concerning deity/deities.

 

[Madhuri]

IMO the Vedic scriptures clearly teach a panentheistic reality.

Hinduism can seem really confusing as it's unique to other religions. It has many gods making it seem polytheistic but above all those gods is one supreme God from whom all others originate. So in that sense, Hinduism is monotheistic.

Then depending on the particular tradition/interpretation you will have Hindus who are dualists (God is separate from his creation), panentheists (God is both one with yet different from his creation) and monists (God is equal to his creation).

 

[Vinayaka]

Hey everyone. What type of theology does Hinduism have concerning deities/deity? If I understand correctly, Hinduism is Polytheistic but I might be wrong. I often am wrong about things like this. Also, please explain the terms you use as I'm not familiar with all such terms concerning deity/deities.

We're not particularly philosophical as a group. Although I probably read it somewhere in earlier days, only since joining RF have I heard these words commonly, because they're necessary in comparative circles, I presume. I don't take the time to study them out enough to understand. So even though I;m kind of old hat at Hinduism, I'm not familiar either. I have to look the words up when needed,

As Madhuri said, it varies from school to school. We are 4 or 5 religions rolled into one.

Most Hindus focus on bhakti, character building, charity, introspection through meditation, etc. more than on intellectual philosophy.

 

[Kalidas]

We're not particularly philosophical as a group. Although I probably read it somewhere in earlier days, only since joining RF have I heard these words commonly, because they're necessary in comparative circles, I presume. I don't take the time to study them out enough to understand. So even though I;m kind of old hat at Hinduism, I'm not familiar either. I have to look the words up when needed,

As Madhuri said, it varies from school to school. We are 4 or 5 religions rolled into one.

Most Hindus focus on bhakti, character building, charity, introspection through meditation, etc. more than on intellectual philosophy.

Yeah what vinyaka said we all have our thoughts and opinions ( i am panentheist) yet not everyone is. I actually have not met any polytheistic Hindus to be honest. To most there is OME god many faces, buy back to what vinyaka said most Hindus don't worry to much about it. We worry more with our life and devotion to God through our life.

 

[Vinayaka]

( i am panentheist)

sheesh, I had to go look it up again. :no:

 

[Me Myself]

To me, it is polytheistic and pantheistic. (So, also monotheistic )

 

[Kalidas]

sheesh, I had to go look it up again. :no:

:sorry1: lol. Its okay in my moments when I had no religion I researched them all so i kind of know them.

 

[Kalidas]

To me, it is polytheistic and pantheistic. (So, also monotheistic )

So everything originated from one source including yourself and the deities yet the deities still exist? Am I right? I still am unsure of how I view the deities yet.

 

[Jainarayan]

No one studied Greek or Latin, eh?

 

[Me Myself]

So everything originated from one source including yourself and the deities yet the deities still exist? Am I right? I still am unsure of how I view the deities yet.

Everything is one deity so monotheism. There are multiple deities to wch you can pray so polytheism. All is one deity so pantheism(well, panentheism in this case)

Thats the way it goes for me, but I dont care if someone wants to summarize the label as just one of those whethinking about my worships.

Just names. Its all cool.

 

[Me Myself]

No one studied Greek or Latin, eh?

I am a latin american, does that count?



(...:sorry1

 

[Vinayaka]

No one studied Greek or Latin, eh?

Why? My old Scottish landlord, now deceased, formerly a doctor, told me he heard Latin cause he found some Latin that was 'rich' with innuendo of a certain variety.

 

[HankHill]

Hinduism as a whole can't be pigeon-holed into one of these categories, the philosophical schools come closer to being so though:

Advaita: Monism since it believes in one all-encompassing divinity (Brahman), though it is not separate from the material world like in monotheism
Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita: Monolatrist polytheism since they only worship Vishnu but affirm the existence of the other gods of the Hindu pantheon

Also, most practicing Hindus can be classified as henotheists because they may worship one preferred deity (Ishta Devata) over the others but affirm other people's right and ability to practice other spiritual practices and worship other gods.

 

[TenjikuZero]

Hinduism as a whole can't be pigeon-holed into one of these categories, the philosophical schools come closer to being so though:

Advaita: Monism since it believes in one all-encompassing divinity (Brahman), though it is not separate from the material world like in monotheism
Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita: Monolatrist polytheism since they only worship Vishnu but affirm the existence of the other gods of the Hindu pantheon

Also, most practicing Hindus can be classified as henotheists because they may worship one preferred deity (Ishta Devata) over the others but affirm other people's right and ability to practice other spiritual practices and worship other gods.

Not to nitpick, but Advaita is not about "one" all-encompassing divinity.
The term Advaita means "not-two", it is, imo a very important distinction.

one, two are all parts of Dualistic thought and in non-duality such terms do not mean anything, as what is "two" or "one" when there is no duality at all?

Also the "divinity' of Brahman is also debatable/depends on the practitioner's viewpoint. If there is nothing but Brahman, does the term "divine" even have any meaning? its like every student in the class getting a perfect 100% in every exam ever. The value of 100% would cease to exist. This is the reason Advaita is about transcending duality as dualistic terms do not matter anymore

 

[Me Myself]

Not to nitpick, but Advaita is not about "one" all-encompassing divinity.
The term Advaita means "not-two", it is, imo a very important distinction.

one, two are all parts of Dualistic thought and in non-duality such terms do not mean anything, as what is "two" or "one" when there is no duality at all?

Also the "divinity' of Brahman is also debatable/depends on the practitioner's viewpoint. If there is nothing but Brahman, does the term "divine" even have any meaning? its like every student in the class getting a perfect 100% in every exam ever. The value of 100% would cease to exist. This is the reason Advaita is about transcending duality as dualistic terms do not matter anymore

So advaita is not "one" but is "non dual"

Is it three-all?

You are nitpicking indeed

 

[HankHill]

Not to nitpick, but Advaita is not about "one" all-encompassing divinity.
The term Advaita means "not-two", it is, imo a very important distinction.

one, two are all parts of Dualistic thought and in non-duality such terms do not mean anything, as what is "two" or "one" when there is no duality at all?

Also the "divinity' of Brahman is also debatable/depends on the practitioner's viewpoint. If there is nothing but Brahman, does the term "divine" even have any meaning? its like every student in the class getting a perfect 100% in every exam ever. The value of 100% would cease to exist. This is the reason Advaita is about transcending duality as dualistic terms do not matter anymore

Yeah... from what I have read, only Advaitins seem to care about the difference between "one" and "not two" since they argue against difference in most anything. I used "one" because I'm looking in on it as an outsider.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Hindus are monotheistic the same way Christians are ironically. Associating separate entities as a singular being. Sanatana Dharma unlike Christianity has a significant more amount then 3 gods though of course but they are manifestations of the same impersonal spirit, Brahman.

 

[Almustafa]

Hey everyone. What type of theology does Hinduism have concerning deities/deity? If I understand correctly, Hinduism is Polytheistic but I might be wrong. I often am wrong about things like this. Also, please explain the terms you use as I'm not familiar with all such terms concerning deity/deities.

all of the above...

the wisdom of sanatana Dharma is that all ways of looking at God is correct...
you have your way to God
& i have my way to God
Now lets pray together

it could be that Hinduism is the worlds very first universalist religion.

 

[Vinayaka]

all of the above...

the wisdom of sanatana Dharma is that all ways of looking at God is correct...
you have your way to God
& i have my way to God
Now lets pray together

it could be that Hinduism is the worlds very first universalist religion.

As a Hindu, I take exception to this rather vast generalisation that we are all universalists. Certainly some sects lean more towards universalism. Others, less so. I accept the validity of each faith for it's practitioners. Each faith has a particular mindset or level of consciousness that suits its adherents. Perhaps thes have been the only Hindus you have encountered.

But all ways of looking at God are correct? Perhaps you mean to the individuals who are looking? For them yes, or else it would make no difference. But certainly it's not correct to all. We wouldn't have a concept of blasphemy if that was the case.

But if you ask each individual practitioner how they view God, you will get many different answers. Some would never pray alongside memebers of other faiths, as that concept in itself would go against their own tenets.

Radical universalism is an incorrect way of looking at it. I much prefer the idea of simple respect for humankind, regardless of our many differences. http://bharatabharati.wordpress.com...hat-all-religions-are-the-same-frank-morales/

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram :namaste

ultimately monotheistic :bow:

untill realisation of that truth , polytheistic :namaste