Please read through either Huston Smith's chapter on Hinduism (pp. 12-81) or Prothero's chapter on Hinduism (pp. 131-168). Summarize here one aspect of Hindu teaching that the chapter you read particularly emphasizes and that seems to you particularly helpful in understanding Hindu faith. Not particularly what you see here that shows either the uniqueness of Hinduism or the similarity of Hinduism with other faiths.
I think one aspect that is vitally important to understanding the Hindu faith is that it does not categorize itself. Many people categorize and label people as a Christian, and Muslim or a Jew. All of those faiths teach that they are the only correct and true faith. Hinduism is different in the fact that it does not condemn other religious teachings. It embraces them and accepts them as alternate paths to the same goal. Author Huston Smith writes of a line in an early Veda, "Truth is one; sages call it by different names." Hinduism stresses that there are many roads that reach the same goal and that sets it apart from most religions in this world and makes it special.
ReplyDeleteHinduism has changed in many ways over the centuries (even millennia).A common path is trying to escape Samsara and get to Mohsha. There are many different goals and different ways to eventually achieve this. One aspect I find interesting and distinct in Hinduism is the discipline not to just achieve enlightenment, not to just know their god, but to achieve to be one with god. It is interesting some Hindus strive to become Brahman (divine) whereas, from the Jewish and Christian standpoint, trying to become god-like was the fall of man. Christians strive to worship the Creator, follow his laws, show his love, and ultimately live in eternity in heaven with Him, as ourselves. What I know so far about Moslem is that they strive to be themselves in a heaven also. To become Brahma is to become divine and not be individual anymore. The perception of how to spend eternity is interesting.
ReplyDeleteI found two pages in Prothero’s chapter on Hinduism I found interesting and helpful in understanding Hinduism a little more. The first was on page 135, the second, 148.
ReplyDeleteBeginning with page 135:
-“One of the most common claims among Hindus in the West is that ‘Hinduism is a way of life’ rather than a religion. And many prefer to refer to that way of life not as Hinduism but as Sanatana Dharma (External Law)” (Prothero, 135). This page also tells us that one is Hindu by birth and not usually by conversion.
This last statement about being Hindu by birth and not conversion I think can be applied to many of the religions of the world, with exceptions of course. The way that we are raised has a huge impact on what religion we will be a part of. For example, if you’re born into a Christian home you will most likely become a Christian as well. If you are born into a Muslim home, you will most likely be Muslim as well. However, people can definitely “convert” to become part of a different religion (and many times, using Christianity as an example, you’ll get some of the strongest Christians who were not raised a Christian because they know what it’s like to not have a sense of God always being there for them).
Getting back to Hinduism, though, I’ll go to page 148:
-Yoga “in its original sense of discipline means ‘to yoke’ one thing to another, and the things being yoked in the yogas practiced by philosophical Hindus were the self and reality, the self and divinity, the self and immortality” (Prothero, 148). It goes on to tell us that the human being is “Atman” and “Atman” is one’s self or soul; and, going a bit deeper, Brahman is the “essence of divinity” (Prothero, 148).
What I’ve learned from these two pages specifically is that Hinduism in a way of life. It’s a life-long (and in their religion, many lifetimes-long) journey of constantly trying to connect yourself to a higher being. Hindus want to be connected to their many gods through their spiritual beings and, like we discussed in class, realize that this world is just an illusion filled with temptations and trials which need to be overcome so they can be one with their gods.
This sentence by Prothero on p. 148 helped me understand the uniqueness of Hinduism: "The secret knowledge that gurus whispered to those who sat at their feet was how to use body and breath to transport yourself from ignorance to wisdom, from illusion to reality, from humanity to divinity, from samsara to moksha." This helped me to understand Hinduism better. Then further down the page, we read, "Our sense of separateness from God is but a shadow cast on the wall of the cave. The sacred is inside us. The essence of the human being is the same as the essence of divinity."
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, I believe that I am made in the IMAGE of God. I am not God (Hallelujah! I would really mess things up.) but yet when I became a believer, God (the Holy Spirit) came to live inside me! I believe that the Holy Spirit gives me wisdom and is transforming my soul (mind, will, and emotions) into His image and also giving my physical body life and health and peace. The older I get, the more I am finding out how much I need God (not a guru) in my life. Barb
This was Barb's reply
DeleteHinduism is an interesting way of life. There are many valuable attributes to it which I think is what appeals to many people world wide today. So, do you (anyone) think parts of it are compatible with Christianity? What parts? Certainly some morals are the same, no lying, stealing, etc. But yoga? Chants? Sex? Stories?
ReplyDeleteI found the contrast between philosophical and devotional Hinduism in Prothero to be most helpful in understanding Hinduism.
ReplyDeleteIn philosophical Hinduism was the mystics and when you think about India these are the monks or hermits living removed from society under strict discipline. They used yoga, meditation,and celibacy turning away from worldly pleasures.
In Devotional Hinduism it is the religion of the general public. They did not want to have to separate themselves from their everyday life or give up sex and other pleasures. Instead they chose to wholeheartedly devote themselves to their chosen god and live their lives honoring that god so that they would bypass rebirth that way.
This contrast to me shows the duality or complex nature of the Hindu faith which is something that be and mean something different to different people.
On p. 60-63, Huston Smith discusses the emergence of differing conceptions within Hinduism of (the supreme) god, with some understanding him as personal and others seeing him as a "transpersonal" god. His explanation of what these two look like, and the further development of a school of thought that regarded both diverging views as equally correct, gives great insight into the process people would have to go through in attempting to understand their own religion. It would certainly in the most mathematical Hindus create a dichotomy that could not avoid the emergence of a multitude of gods.
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