MochaRadha
Member
shiva and vishnu are the heart of each other, i like that. but why does it seem so many vaishnavas have such closed views
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sorry to ask but what school or whatever in hinduism do you think i should follow
- Thread starter MochaRadha
- Start date
Meh, like any other facet of life, people are raised in a certain mindset and tradition. I think it just so happens that the majority of Vaishnavas just pass on their beliefs to the next generations. But maybe I'm talking out of my butt and that's not the case.
I do know, however, from being a former Roman Catholic half my life, RC'ism is all I knew. I had no idea there was a wider world with wider beliefs. And for the very reason I was not born into Hinduism, or even as Indian (I'm Italian-American from New Jersey), and had no tradition, I began to explore. Some of my beliefs and non-beliefs, practices and non-practices might give traditional Vaishnavas and Hindus at-large an aneurysm.
I do know, however, from being a former Roman Catholic half my life, RC'ism is all I knew. I had no idea there was a wider world with wider beliefs. And for the very reason I was not born into Hinduism, or even as Indian (I'm Italian-American from New Jersey), and had no tradition, I began to explore. Some of my beliefs and non-beliefs, practices and non-practices might give traditional Vaishnavas and Hindus at-large an aneurysm.
It only 'seems' that way because the ones doing all the talking are the ones you meet.
MochaRadha
Member
lol maybe open minded vaishnavas prefer to keep beliefs to themselves.
MochaRadha
Member
lol i became interested in vaishnavism because i like the teachings of hinduism but also believe in gods like jesus. but all i could ever get a hold of was info on iskcon
MochaRadha
Member
not yet but what does BAPS stand for ?
They are ... you misunderstood my comment ... prosyletyze was in reference to ISKCON ... BAPS doesn't. I like them. Very organised and dedicated people. http://www.swaminarayan.org/
MochaRadha
Member
seems interesting but i do drink. and i dont see anything wrong with worldy pleasures as long as it doesnt controll you
Marble
Rolling Marble
Basically I see 2 ways to be a Hindu in the West: Bhakti Yoga or Jnana Yoga ( you can of course also combine them).
In Bhakti Yoga, you practise repetition of the name of you choosen deity (Nama Japa).
For this you don't need a Guru.
In Jnana Yoga, you practise Atma Vichara as teached by Ramana Maharshi.
For this you need no Guru eighter.
All other things, what you eat & drink (vegetarian or not, alcohol or not), if you have sex outside of marriage, etc., ... - those things are secundary.
When God wants you to eat vegetarian, drink no alcohol, stop smoking, etc. ... - these habits will leave you as a leaf falls from the tree.
Just fix your mind on the name of your Ishtadevata or on the question "Who am I?" and the rest will happen when it happens.
In Bhakti Yoga, you practise repetition of the name of you choosen deity (Nama Japa).
For this you don't need a Guru.
In Jnana Yoga, you practise Atma Vichara as teached by Ramana Maharshi.
For this you need no Guru eighter.
All other things, what you eat & drink (vegetarian or not, alcohol or not), if you have sex outside of marriage, etc., ... - those things are secundary.
When God wants you to eat vegetarian, drink no alcohol, stop smoking, etc. ... - these habits will leave you as a leaf falls from the tree.
Just fix your mind on the name of your Ishtadevata or on the question "Who am I?" and the rest will happen when it happens.
MochaRadha
Member
lol would i be a bad hindu if i drank alcahol
Marble
Rolling Marble
Is it important to be a Hindu, or is it important to attain liberation?
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend MR,
Have smoked pot with sadhus. Have heard that some *tantriks* consume alcohol.
Many offer marijuana to Lord Shiva.
Soma rasa which as per description appears to have been a high quality single malt has mention of praises in Rigvedas.[have heard]
Someone also mentions this: One can never really get away from God, however, who is everywhere always; it is only our ignorance of this fact that causes us to suffer. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita: "The Infinite doesn't care about anyone's sin or good deeds. Knowledge [of God] is covered by ignorance, and by that people are deluded."
Love & rgds
Have smoked pot with sadhus. Have heard that some *tantriks* consume alcohol.
Many offer marijuana to Lord Shiva.
Soma rasa which as per description appears to have been a high quality single malt has mention of praises in Rigvedas.[have heard]
Someone also mentions this: One can never really get away from God, however, who is everywhere always; it is only our ignorance of this fact that causes us to suffer. As Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita: "The Infinite doesn't care about anyone's sin or good deeds. Knowledge [of God] is covered by ignorance, and by that people are deluded."
Love & rgds
MochaRadha
Member
lol according to belief o matic im a neo pagan peace is important i was just wondering
Once again it depends on who you ask. You seem to view Hinduism as this one religion. Its not. India has a very low per capita rate of alcohol consumption, although that is on the rise. I don't drink, but that's mostly because I have an aversion to the stuff. Its a headache pill for me. The rate of alcoholism is very low.
Meat consumption is about 50 -50 in practise, 80 -20 in belief. Drugs to the vast majority of Hindus are considered quite unnecessary, are as ZZ alluded to, some sadhus, especially in the north, do partake. But like a lot of things, the unusual gets distorted to higher rates that they usually are.
MochaRadha
Member
i dont view it like that its a vast religion i know thats what i like about it. so many opinions and they mostly all are accepted
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend MR,
What you carry from your past like drinking, smoking, luxurious life is all immaterial as once conscious they will all drop one by one as only when all delusions drop that the individual is truly free and in oneness with existence the source of everything.
Love & rgds
Would like to share the personal understanding about *hinduism*. The word *hinduism* appears to have been developed by Alexander the great who could not pronounce *sindhus* for those living on the other side of the river *sindh* and so he pronounced it *hindus*. Since time immemorial there was no religion here but a culture which was known as *sanatan dharma* meaning as humans one has to follow that which is sanatan meaning eternal and dharma meaning the laws of existence. In fact every being follows the dharma which is eternal. Most are following it unconsciously wherein evolution is taking care of that movement or the individual revolutionses the evolutionary process by beome consciouss of THAT universal consciousness or the beings relationship with existence itself and then the being whatever he/she does consciousnessly to merge with THAT source becomes a path and every path even within an organise r established path is unique as the footprint of one is different than others and so is unique and individualistic.
What you carry from your past like drinking, smoking, luxurious life is all immaterial as once conscious they will all drop one by one as only when all delusions drop that the individual is truly free and in oneness with existence the source of everything.
Love & rgds
MochaRadha
Member
so is it sanatani, sanatanist, dharmist or sanatana dharmist