Smartism?

[Tirisilex 0]

Ive been researching "Hinduism" and I came across Smartism and I'm wondering how you see it.

[gHari 0]

Is it like MENSA?

[Tirisilex 0]

Here is a link for info:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartism

[Arjuna Haridas 0]

Smartism has the right idea (I.E. Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesha, and Surya are manifestations of Brahman-Shakti), but they are too conservative and they take the Manusmriti (a scripture many Hindus reject) as fact. So, I can't be a Smarta because I'm not India, for example. At the same time, they acknowledge that all bodies have the chakras and have a soul and thus have the ability for moksha.

 

So I can achieve liberation because I have a soul and a conscience, but I can't achieve it because I wasn't born with the last name "Sharma".

 

Right ideas, bad execution.

[Tirisilex 0]

So you need to be born as an Indian in order to be a Smartist?

[Arjuna Haridas 0]

 

So you need to be born as an Indian in order to be a Smartist?

 

To be a Smarta formally, you must have been born into a caste. Non-Smarta Hindus will say that the caste system of the Sruti ("Revealed") Scriptures are based on characteristics (this is called Varna), but Smartas (who follow Smriti or "Remembered" Scriptures) will say that caste is purely based on birth (this is called Jati).

 

This is why no Smarta would initiate a low-caste/no-caste Hindu; because their Smriti scriptures forbid it. You can follow Smartism, but you can't formally be one. To be an "Informal" Hindu is to be an unititiated Hindu and to be a "Formal" Hindu is to be an initiated Hindu.

 

Remember that Brahman-Shakti could care less whether or not mantras were recited over you than if you followed The Supreme and pleased It (Brahman-Shakti is gender neutral, Brahman is Male, and Shakti is Female so to speak).

[mahak 0]

Srila Iswara Puri told Msahaprabhu that being smart was no good, and told him to act like the madman he is. They are smarties, we play dumb.