My questions on Hinduism

[Levi 0]

I have studied the principals of hinduism. I understand Moshka, and Karma.

I rember a teacher saying something about a form of Hinduism, that believes in a heaven and hell, instead of the reincarnation. is this true?

thanks

[Guruvani 0]

 

I have studied the principals of hinduism. I understand Moshka, and Karma.

I rember a teacher saying something about a form of Hinduism, that believes in a heaven and hell, instead of the reincarnation. is this true?

thanks

 

Both concepts are there in Hinduism.

 

You can reincarnate on Earth or you can reincarnate on a heavenly planet of the many devas, or you can reincarnate in lower planets where life is very hellish.

 

So, karma determines if you reincarnate in heaven or if you reincarnate in hell.

 

Moksha or mukti has two different aspects.

 

There is the non-dual aspect of mukti where the soul merges into the oneness of the absolute and loses it's sense of individual existence.

 

The jnani and yogis and the followers of Shankaracharya seek that kind of moksha.

 

The bhaktas or bhakti-yogis seek after svarupya-mukti which means to get a spiritual body in the transcendental world where Lord Narayana and Lord Krishna live eternally with their devotees.

 

Karma and reincarnation are connected.

According to the karma one will reincarnate again according to level of consciousness that one has acquired through the human experience.

 

The Vaishnavas follow the path of devotion to God.

The yogis and jnanis follow the path of self-annihilation into the oneness of the absolute aspect of brahman.

[Levi 0]

thanks, you cleared that up for me.

but in the reincarnation into the heavenly plain, do you reincarnate to a whole new person with a new soul, or is it still your soul, just on a more heavenly plannet?

[Guruvani 0]

 

thanks, you cleared that up for me.

but in the reincarnation into the heavenly plain, do you reincarnate to a whole new person with a new soul, or is it still your soul, just on a more heavenly plannet?

 

the soul is eternally the same.

only the mind and body change.

 

when the soul leaves the body and reincarnates in heaven or hell then he will not remember his past lives. Everything in the memory and brain is lost when the soul leaves one body and takes another.

 

the soul is what we are.

we are not the body.

the soul goes from one body to another based upon karma.

 

we will still be the same soul but with a different body and maybe different planet of heaven or hell or maybe Earth again.

 

but you will always be the same soul and you will forever be you.

[Levi 0]

that makes sense. I also would think that if the earth would ever end, and we all died. we would all go to new places based on the karma, so everyone would essentially forget their ever was an earth. am i correct?

[Levi 0]

does buddhism, have the same beliefs of reincarnation as hinduism?

[Guruvani 0]

 

that makes sense. I also would think that if the earth would ever end, and we all died. we would all go to new places based on the karma, so everyone would essentially forget their ever was an earth. am i correct?

 

exactly.

[Guruvani 0]

 

does buddhism, have the same beliefs of reincarnation as hinduism?

very similar, except the Buddhists seek nirvana which is basically a form of moksha where the individual soul evaporates the individual existence of the soul and avoid any kind of reincarnation.

 

the buddhists do not have any conception of transcendental worlds with planets and people and all forms of diversity.

 

for Buddhists they only know of the material existence and the goal to give up reincarnation and embodied existence.

 

Buddhist conception of heaven is to eliminate the individuality of the soul and cease individual existence.

 

It's not quite the same as the the Hindu conception of impersonal moksha.

 

The Hindu conception of impersonal moksha is the merging of the individual soul into the ONE absolute spirit.

 

The buddhist conception is total annihilation of the soul into non-existence.

 

Buddhism is something like spiritual suicide where the soul is killed and ceases to exist.

 

Hindu jnani and yogi have the conception to merge into the glory of the spiritual light of God and enjoy bliss of ONENESS with God.

 

The buddhist just thinks of ceaseing all existence completely and entering the eternal voidness of non-existence.

[Guest guest]

 

very similar, except the Buddhists seek nirvana which is basically a form of moksha where the individual soul evaporates the individual existence of the soul and avoid any kind of reincarnation.

 

the buddhists do not have any conception of transcendental worlds with planets and people and all forms of diversity.

 

for Buddhists they only know of the material existence and the goal to give up reincarnation and embodied existence.

 

Buddhist conception of heaven is to eliminate the individuality of the soul and cease individual existence.

 

It's not quite the same as the the Hindu conception of impersonal moksha.

 

The Hindu conception of impersonal moksha is the merging of the individual soul into the ONE absolute spirit.

 

The buddhist conception is total annihilation of the soul into non-existence.

 

Buddhism is something like spiritual suicide where the soul is killed and ceases to exist.

 

Hindu jnani and yogi have the conception to merge into the glory of the spiritual light of God and enjoy bliss of ONENESS with God.

 

The buddhist just thinks of ceaseing all existence completely and entering the eternal voidness of non-existence.

 

And yet, I think both goals are the same, just expressed in contrast to one another they seem different. Language is inherently limited, it cannot convey the full experience of enlightenment. Where one may convey a feeling of being in a "void", another may convey a feeling of being "one" with the Absolute Spirit, and yet both may have the same experience.

 

The experience itself is not different, as far as I'm concerned. If it were, I'd have a difficult time reconciling how any of it could be real considering the disparity of opinions about Truth. The only way it makes sense to me is that it's all Truth, just varying degrees.

 

In any case, here's another question: the body and the mind do not carry on from birth to birth, but the soul does. What is so special about the soul? What is the soul exactly? How does a person's soul reincarnate, and yet, how is that new incarnation considered in any way a reincarnation of the prior incarnation? As in, what aspect in the new incarnation can be identified to be the same as the prior incarnation (I know, the soul, but what is that exactly?)?

[Guruvani 0]

 

And yet, I think both goals are the same, just expressed in contrast to one another they seem different. Language is inherently limited, it cannot convey the full experience of enlightenment. Where one may convey a feeling of being in a "void", another may convey a feeling of being "one" with the Absolute Spirit, and yet both may have the same experience.

 

The experience itself is not different, as far as I'm concerned. If it were, I'd have a difficult time reconciling how any of it could be real considering the disparity of opinions about Truth. The only way it makes sense to me is that it's all Truth, just varying degrees.

 

In any case, here's another question: the body and the mind do not carry on from birth to birth, but the soul does. What is so special about the soul? What is the soul exactly? How does a person's soul reincarnate, and yet, how is that new incarnation considered in any way a reincarnation of the prior incarnation? As in, what aspect in the new incarnation can be identified to be the same as the prior incarnation (I know, the soul, but what is that exactly?)?

 

Be that as it may, the Vaishnava acharyas and masters have explained that the technical aspects of Buddhism advocate self-annihilation into the realm called sunya which in Sanskrit means "the void" which in terms of Puranic doctrine is the plane of existence that actually falls short of ONENESS with God and stands as a marginal plane that is between ONENESS and seperateness of embodied existence on the material plane.

 

The Hindu ONENESS is in merging into brahman.

The Buddhist nirvana is in merging into the sunya.

In Vedic ontology the brahman is beyond the sunya in comparitive analysis.

 

The plane of sunya is the dimension of existence that is between the Mahat Tattva or the conglomerate total material energy and the brahman which is transcendental to the sunya sometimes referred to as viraja.

As the soul transcends higher and higher planes of existence, the first plane beyond the material platform is the viraja also known as sunya, the great void between the material realms and the spiritual sky.

 

Beyond the sunya is the brahmajyoti or the light of the absolute realm.

 

The Hindu impersonalist is aiming as the light of the absolute realm.

The Buddhist is destined for the realm of void between the material realms and the absolute existence of ONENESS with this clear white light of divine glory.

 

So, that is the distinction as interpreted by the Vaishnava school of Hinduism.

 

Probably most Buddhists have no acquaintence with this Hindu concept of ONENESS.

 

They probably don't analyse their own concept in this way.

 

Many modern western buddhists have a very shallow understanding of what the actual buddhist conception actually is.

Many western "buddhists" give their own interpretations of buddhism without any proper training or education into the original Buddhist tenents.

 

A deep study of Buddhism will reveal a doctrine that many western people would not actually appreciate coming from their Christian backgrounds and ideas of heavenly kingdoms awaiting the faithful.

 

Buddhism doesn't advocate eternal salvation in heaven.

It advocates the annihilation of individual existence altogether.

 

In essence, Buddhism teaches you to become a non-entity, but in reality that is never possible because the individual soul is eternally an individual soul and the soul can never be killed or extinguished, though it's existence can lose cognizance of itself if it enters the great void of the sunya.

 

Real buddhism is practically non existance in the western world.

 

Buddhism in the western world has lost much of the original Buddhist conception and has become hippified and yuppified into something that suits the minds of western people.

[Guruvani 0]

 

 

In any case, here's another question: the body and the mind do not carry on from birth to birth, but the soul does. What is so special about the soul? What is the soul exactly? How does a person's soul reincarnate, and yet, how is that new incarnation considered in any way a reincarnation of the prior incarnation? As in, what aspect in the new incarnation can be identified to be the same as the prior incarnation (I know, the soul, but what is that exactly?)?

According to the Vedic doctrine of the Hindus, the soul is actually a tiny spark of light that is endowed with consciousness and eternal existence.

 

It is the Puranic doctrine the soul is a spark of life and light that is smaller than the atom.

In Vaishnava doctrine the soul has emanated from the glow of the supreme being who is known by different names in different religions.

 

This spark of life takes on forms and bodies according to it's karma and consciousness.

 

Lord Krishna gives the description of the soul in the Bhagavad-gita.

 

The soul has neither birth nore death and having once come into existence it can never die.

 

The soul is an eternal spark of life.

 

Just as a light bulb emanates sparks of light, the body of God emanates sparks of life.

 

We the souls are those sparks of life.

[gHari 0]

I like this Guruvani.

[Levi 0]

so what is the highest level of reincarnation, where is the farthest you can go? or is their

[Guruvani 0]

 

so what is the highest level of reincarnation, where is the farthest you can go? or is their

 

Reincarnation means to take on a body or form in the material world of matter.

But, there are spiritual bodies and forms in the Kingdom of God known in Vedic terms as Vaikuntha - the realm without misery.

 

so, taking birth again in the material world of matter is what is called reincarnation.

Salvation, liberation, mukti, moksha - these all describe a form of deliverance from the world of matter into the transcendental realm of eternal life of full knowledge and bliss referred to in western terms as the Kingdom of God.

 

As far as the highest level of reincarnation goes, it is said that the soul can reach up to the level of administative demgods such as Lord Brahma or Lord Indra etc.

 

Lord Brahma is the chief adminstrative demigod in each universe.

The soul can potentially reach to the position of Lord Brahma who is the creator god of the universe.

That is probably a very difficult concept for most western minds to accept, but is it the Vedic conclusion.

 

That is a very high position to attain and in takes hundreds of lifetimes of the strictest form of religiousity to attain to that post.

 

But, the highest goal given in the Vedic scriptures is the attainment of liberation from material existence and achieving eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

 

Freedom from reincarnation is the goal.

[Levi 0]

okay, now lets say that I am a Hindu, and I pray all my life and I am a good person.

What happens if I come back in my next life, living in Bagdad, Iraq. Just living there would make my religion Islam. So after I died in that life, what would happen...would I just take a step back, based on my karma?

[Guruvani 0]

 

okay, now lets say that I am a Hindu, and I pray all my life and I am a good person.

What happens if I come back in my next life, living in Bagdad, Iraq. Just living there would make my religion Islam. So after I died in that life, what would happen...would I just take a step back, based on my karma?

 

Well, the hypothetical you described is an unlikely scenario, but it depends on your karma as well as some higher power that could possibly intercede on your behalf.

 

Also, as Hindu it depends on WHO you were praying to.

There are many gods in the Hindu culture.

Praying to different gods will produce different destinies and results.

 

If one is a devoted Hindu and worshiping a particular Hindu god, then that that god or goddess will bestow some blessings according to their nature.

 

Karma is not the only factor in the destiny of the soul.

The body is awarded according to the judgement of the supreme being who lives in the hearts of all souls.

 

the supreme being is the authority behind the laws of karma and ultimately karma is simply what he chooses to do with our souls at the time of death.

 

Karma is not everything.

The will of divine providence is the final authority.

In other words our destiny is in the hands of God.

 

to say that being born as Muslim is a step back from being born as Hindu is too much of a tricky issue to give a patent answer to.

 

Some Muslims might be better than some Hindus.

 

There are some "Hindu" worshippers of Kali etc. that perform terrible acts of tantra that are not worthy of being considered as superior to Islamic religion.

 

Some Muslims are superior in religion than some Hindus.

Some Hindus are into very dark worship of some ghastly deities of terror and horror.

 

I don't consider that as better than Islamic religion.

[Guest guest]

 

okay, now lets say that I am a Hindu, and I pray all my life and I am a good person.

What happens if I come back in my next life, living in Bagdad, Iraq. Just living there would make my religion Islam. So after I died in that life, what would happen...would I just take a step back, based on my karma?

 

Indeed, you could, depending upon your karmic debts. The soul's spiritual journey continues. Irrespective of religion. There's a phrase "Ante mati sa gati", (whatever one's thoughts at the time of death, the next life). Karma belongs to the body, the container of Ahamkara (the I-ness), the soul remains free of attachments, it's free to pursue it's spiritual progress by whatever means.

[Guest guest]

 

According to the Vedic doctrine of the Hindus, the soul is actually a tiny spark of light that is endowed with consciousness and eternal existence.

 

It is the Puranic doctrine the soul is a spark of life and light that is smaller than the atom.

In Vaishnava doctrine the soul has emanated from the glow of the supreme being who is known by different names in different religions.

 

This spark of life takes on forms and bodies according to it's karma and consciousness.

 

Lord Krishna gives the description of the soul in the Bhagavad-gita.

 

The soul has neither birth nore death and having once come into existence it can never die.

 

The soul is an eternal spark of life.

 

Just as a light bulb emanates sparks of light, the body of God emanates sparks of life.

 

We the souls are those sparks of life.

 

 

Thanks Guruvani, I really think you give great responses, and I appreciate your honest attempts to answer my questions.

 

 

However, if the soul is a parcel of light, imbued with consciousness, what are the qualities of the consciousness that it is imbued with? What makes that soul eternal and unique? How does it retain its individuality from God and other souls? What happens when the soul has no karma left?

[Guest guest]

 

(....) if the soul is a parcel of light, imbued with consciousness, what are the qualities of the consciousness that it is imbued with? What makes that soul eternal and unique? How does it retain its individuality from God and other souls? What happens when the soul has no karma left?

 

Ordinarily, the soul returns to the source when there's no karma is left. Immortals, by the force of their Sadhana, retain their individuality.

--

[Guruvani 0]

 

Thanks Guruvani, I really think you give great responses, and I appreciate your honest attempts to answer my questions.

 

 

However, if the soul is a parcel of light, imbued with consciousness, what are the qualities of the consciousness that it is imbued with? What makes that soul eternal and unique? How does it retain its individuality from God and other souls? What happens when the soul has no karma left?

 

The qualities of the consciousness of the soul are:

(1)thinking

(2)Feeling

(3)Willing.

 

Basically those are the functions of consciousness.

 

What makes the soul eternal and unique from matter is that it is a superior form of energy than matter, as matter does not possess consciousness.

 

The soul retains it's individuality from God and other souls by it's nature as a fragmented unit of energy. As a spiritual spark, it is forever fragmented from the supreme whole.

 

Light energy is made up of individual photons of light energy.

The soul is like a photon of light that has emanated from the glory of the supreme being Krishna.

 

So, the soul can never be killed or disintegrated because it is already a single unit of energy.

 

Unlike material light energy, the spiritual light energy is a superior form of energy that cannot be exhausted or depleted.

 

If the souls comes to a point of not having any karma, the soul can exist as a single unit of spiritual light energy on the absolute strata of undifferentiated consciousness.

 

However, there are higher and much superior forms of spiritual energy than the living entities.

If the soul somehow comes in contact with superior forms of energy and becomes associated with these higher forms of energy it can in essence attain to life forms in the absolute realm where these higher beings dwell.

[Guest guest]

 

The qualities of the consciousness of the soul are:

(1)thinking

(2)Feeling

(3)Willing.

 

Basically those are the functions of consciousness.

 

 

 

Surely, functions can't be same as qualities?

 

The soul is beyond all these. (Geeta 3.42)

--

[Guest guest]

 

Well and many Hindus are better than the Hare Krsnas! How about that?

Hinduism is a complete philosophy with numerous paths. Hare Krsna philosophy is dualistic, having double standards, one sidded and narrow.

Unaccepting others and always trying to prove that they are the best in the crowd.

Hinduism is the craddle of many many different sects including Sikhism and the Hare Krsnas!!! Vaishnavism is one of the Branches of Hinduism and gaudiya aka hare Krsnas and iskcon and their various separating away subsidiaries are just smaller sect units.

[Guest guest]

 

Karma is not the only factor in the destiny of the soul.

The body is awarded according to the judgement of the supreme being who lives in the hearts of all souls.

 

the supreme being is the authority behind the laws of karma and ultimately karma is simply what he chooses to do with our souls at the time of death.

 

Karma is not everything.

The will of divine providence is the final authority.

In other words our destiny is in the hands of God.

 

and finally, though is not 'everything', but a lot of it!!!

If your destinity depends upon the mercy of the divine, then karma is the tool through which you CAN win that mercy!! To get that mercy you have to prove your worth in terms of bhakti, japa, service, good deads, serving the Guru etc. etc. Nobody would give you the mercy if you are just sitting and doing nothing!!! And this service, japa etc is also 'karma'. Simply stating a deed done for material benefit should be called karma is not true at all. karma is deed. Good or bad. Spiritual or material. It is a very broad term. But since Hare Krsnas have their own different understanding and terminology than the ret of the Vedic world, it doesn't matter. "Karmi" in HK terminology means one who does work or deeds of material nature without dedicating it to God (who in every case is essentially called Krsna).

All other karmas are not called karmas in HK terms.

[Guruvani 0]

In terms of Puranic dharma shastras, karma is the law of cause and effect.

so, karma, according to the Vedic definition, refers to the laws of material nature and how actions always result in reactions.

 

Spiritual activity on behalf of the Supreme Absolute is not considered as karma but as "akarma" or not involving the actions and reactions of material nature.

 

Karma-yoga is the system of performing fruitive activity and then offering the fruits of that activity unto the service of the Absolute Integer - the Supreme Spirit.(Krishna)

 

Activity in service, obediance and harmony with the Absolute Good is known as bhakti, not karma.

[Guest guest]

 

......., karma is the law of cause and effect. .........

 

Absolutely. Geeta has a whole chapter on Karma. "Nahi kashchid kshanamapi....". indicates there can't be any akarma.

 

All karmas except that done for yagna bind the karmee. Yagna in the context means nature's cycle.

 

An aethist engaged in deeds without any desire for fruits of action is destined for deliverance or liberation, for, in absence of cause, there can't be any effect. A bhaki margi is advised to offer the fruits of action to the Supreme, else, it'd accumulate in the form of desires. Bhakti marg requires one to maintain his identity separate from the Supreme, since without such separateness there can't be any devotion. Jnana marg and Karma marg are different and the same methods don't hold good there.

 

--