A few basic questions

[Guest guest]

What are a few other religions that compare to Hindu?

 

What is the hindu vision of reality?

 

 

[Guest guest]

The Supreme Being And His Consort

 

The Supreme Being is Vishnu or Narayana. He is the personal first cause. He is the Intelligent Governor of the world. He lives in Vaikuntha along with Lakshmi, His consort. He and His consort Lakshmi are real. Brahma and Vayu are two of His sons. One can know His nature through a study of the Vedas. He manifests Himself through various Vyuhas or Group-forms, and through Avataras. He is present in the sacred images. He is also the Antaryamin or the Inner Controller of all souls. He creates, maintains and destroys the world.

God is free from Doshas or faults. He is endowed with all auspicious qualities. He is omnipresent or all-pervading and independent. He is beyond time and space. He is greater than Lakshmi. There is no other who is greater than Lakshmi. She is the foremost of the dependents. Lakshmi is the Lord’s Sakti or energy. She is the personification of His power or creative energy. Lakshmi can put on various forms without a material body. She is co-eternal with Vishnu and all-pervading. She beholds the glory of Her Lord through eternity. She is Nitya-Mukta, i.e., eternally free from Samsara. She is not affected by sorrow and pain. She is intelligent.

 

Prakriti-The Material Cause Of The World

 

God is the efficient-but not the material-cause of the world, because Prakriti which is the world-stuff is different from Him. Prakriti is the material cause of the world. It evolves into the visible world. All the objects, bodies, and organs of the souls are made out of Prakriti. God energises Prakriti through Lakshmi. Then there is creation.

The three aspects of Prakriti are presided over by the three Powers: Lakshmi, Bhu and Durga. Avidya is a form of Prakriti. It obscures the spiritual powers of the individual soul. It forms a veil which hides the Supreme from the vision of the individual soul.

Mahat, Ahankara (egoism), Buddhi, mind, the ten senses, the five sense-objects, and the five great elements are the modifications of Prakriti. These exist in the primordial Prakriti in subtle forms before their evolution.

 

The World-A Reality Distinct From God

 

The world is not an illusion. It is not also a transformation of God, as curd is of milk. The distinction between God and the world is absolute and unqualified.

 

The Individual Soul-A Distinct Entity

 

Plurality of Souls

 

There is plurality of Jivas. They are all of atomic size. The entire universe is filled with Jivas or individual souls. Every atom of space is filled up with Jivas. Madhva says in his ‘Tattvanirnaya’: “Infinite are the souls dwelling in an atom of space.”

No two Jivas are alike in character. They are essentially different from one another. There are different grades amongst them even in their enjoyment of bliss after salvation.

 

A Real Distinction Between Jiva And Brahman

 

The Jivas are different from God, and from matter. Madhva regards the distinction between Brahman and Jiva as real.

Though the Jiva is limited in size, it pervades the body owing to its quality of intelligence. The Jivas are active agents, but they depend on the guidance of the Lord. The Lord impels the Jivas to action in accordance with their previous conduct. They are eternal, and by nature, blissful. But, the connection with material bodies due to their past Karma makes them suffer pain and undergo transmigration. So long as they are not freed from their impurities, they wander about in the Samsara. They pass from birth to death, and from death to birth. When their impurities are removed, they attain salvation. The natural bliss of the soul becomes manifest at the time of Moksha or salvation.

Salvation Does Not Entitle the Soul to Equality With God

The soul does not attain equality with God. It is entitled only to serve Him.

Even in heaven, there are essential differences among the Jivas. The classes of souls in the realm of bliss are various. There are different grades also. The liberated souls are not all equal; but, there is no discord among them, because they all know Brahman and have no faults.

Classification of Souls

Theres classification of the souls into Nitya or eternal (like Lakshmi), Mukta or liberated (the gods, men, Rishis, sages and fathers), and Baddha or bound ones. The third group consists of two classes: (i) those who are eligible for Moksha (Mukti-yogya) and (ii) those who are not so eligible. Of those who are not eligible for salvation, there are two classes again: (a) those who are bound to the cycle of Samsara forever (Nitya-samsarins) and (b) those whose destiny is hell, the region of blinding darkness (Tamo-yogya).

Some are pre-ordained for the final emancipation by their inherent aptitude. Some others are eternally destined either to wander in Samsara without end, or to go to the world of darkness. The Sattvika souls go to heaven, the Rajasa souls revolve in Samsara and the Tamasa souls fall into hell.

 

Bhakti-The Means To Salvation

 

Bhakti is the means to salvation. Souls attain salvation through the grace of God. That grace comes on the devotee only through the mediator Vayu, the son of Vishnu. God cannot be approached directly. Vayu is the mediator. The grace of the Lord is in proportion to the intensity of devotion.

Worship of God is the indispensable preliminary condition for obtaining the grace of God. The soul is saved by the knowledge that it is dependent on God and is under His control. Correct knowledge results in the love of God. Bhakti is the result of knowledge of the greatness of God.

 

Ankana, Namakarana, Bhajana and Smarana

 

The worship of Vishnu consists in: (i) Ankana, marking the body with His symbols, (ii) Namakarana, giving the Names of the Lord to children, (iii) Bhajana, singing His glories, and (iv) Smarana, constant practice of remembrance of God. Madhva says: “Form a strong habit of remembering God. Then only it will be easy for you to remember Him at the moment of death.” He pointed out that when the Lord incarnated, no Prakrita Deha or material body was put on by Him. Madhva has prescribed a rigorous kind of fasting to his followers.

Practice of Sadhana

Good moral life is a preliminary for Moksha. The aspirant should equip himself with the study of Vedas, control of the senses, dispassion and perfect self-surrender, if he wants to have vision of the Lord. Renunciation, devotion and direct cognition of the Lord through meditation, lead to the attainment of salvation. The devotee attains direct intuitive realisation of God through meditation and divine grace. Then he is freed from the round of births and deaths.

 

So This is the absolute truth & vision of reality.

 

[barney]

Hindu Scriptures

 

Hindu religious literature, the most ancient writings in the world, is of two types: primary scriptures (Sruti) and secondary scriptures (Smriti). The Sruti scriptures are of divine origin, whose truths were directly revealed to ancient rishis (sages) in their deep meditations. The Smriti scriptures are of human origin and were written to explain the Sruti writings and make them understandable and meaningful to the general population. Sruti scriptures include the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sãma and Atharva) and the Bhagavad Gîtã, and constitute the highest religious authority in Hindu religion.

The Vedas are groups of hymns and chants containing religious and spiritual insights of the ancient sages and seers. Each Veda consists of four parts: Mantras (or Samhitãs), Brãhmanas, Ãrany-akas, and Upanishads. Mantras are poetic compositions and hymns of supplication and incantation addressed to the deities, the symbolic representations of the Supreme Lord. The Brãhmanas deal with rules and regulations for proper performance of religious rites, rituals and ceremonies. The Ãranyakas (as forest books) provide the symbolic and spiritual basis for the Brãhmanas. The Upanishads reveal the knowledge about Brahman and are known as Vedãnta, meaning "end of the Vedas." They are the concluding portions of the Vedas.

Whereas the Upanishads represent the essence of the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gîtã, the most popular scripture of Hindus, contains the essence of the Upanishads. The Vedas reflect the dawn of spiritual insight the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gîtã contain the full splendor of a spiritual vision.

 

 

Message of Hindu Scriptures for Mankind

 

During their spiritual quest, the ancient rishis experienced sparks of divinity in all things and beings of the world. The vision of the Hindu scriptures is thus a vision of the unity of all existence, summarized as follows:

There are many ways of conceiving the Supreme Reality (Brahman) and numerous ways of approaching It. To insist that one's own way is the only way is thus wrong and harmful.

1. God is the source of goodness and truth. Man's goal in life is to seek union with Him. This union can be sought in many ways, all requiring sincerity of purpose, self-sacrifice and discipline.

2. The highest religious experience is the one in which an individual transcends the intellect and realizes God immediately.

3. The concept of "survival-of-the-fittest" is God's law for the animals. Harmlessness

4. to all creatures is His law for humans.

5. There is natural order (rita) inherent in the natural world. There must be morals

6. order (dharma) inherent in human life. Everyone must be responsible for his (or her) actions and their conse-quences (karma). We cannot blame God for our ills.

7. Individual responsibility and one's ethics are a foundation for individual happiness

8. and social stability.

9. The universe is a wheel of sacrifice (yajña). At the beginning the Supreme Lord

10. performed self-sacrifice to create the universe and set the wheel in motion. The water sacrifices to form clouds, the clouds sacrifice to make rains, the rains sacrifice to grow food, and the food sacrifices to feedhumans. In turn, humans must sacrifice for the welfare of the Mother Earth and all its creatures.

11. There is no intrinsic evil in Nature nor any evil force in the world to oppose God.

12. Man commits evil only due to ignorance (mãyã).

13. Love, freedom and peace are fruits of the tree of divine consciousness, which can be planted by worshipping God regularly and systematically through yoga, meditation, study of scriptures, by performing religious rites and ceremonies-as enjoined by scriptures-and selfless work.

 

Hindu Scriptures Summarized

 

SRUTI (Primary Scriptures)

Vedas Include religion, philosophy, art, medicine,

(Rig, Sãma, Yajur & Atharva) Ssience, technology, language, music, etc.

Bhagavad Gîtã A spiritual discourse between Lord Krishna and warrior Arjuna; summary of the Upanishads.

SMRITI (Secondary Scriptures)

Dharma Shãstras Law Codes

Manu Smriti Includes laws for individual happiness and social stability;social philosophy.

Artha Shãstra Includes guidelines for ruling the country.

Kãma Shãstra An ancient manual of love and pleasure.

Itihãsas (Epics)

Rãmãyana Describes the life story of Lord Rãma; a most popular instrument of religious teaching.

Mahãbhãrata Includes the story of the Mahãbhãrata war. The Bhagavad Gîtã is a part of the Mahãbhãrata.

Purãnas (Mythology)

There are 18 major Purãnas: six devoted to worship of Shiva, six to Vishnu, and six to Brahma.

Ãgamas & Tantras Sectarian Scriptures.

Scriptures of the three major theological traditions: Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Shaktism.

 

 

 

 

 

[maadhav]

reality is this:

 

there is god who is allpowerful and supreme.

we are the souls in teh body.

we are not bodies.

souls are eternal, as god is.

 

there is eternal loving relation between us and god.

the veidc processes - different yogas are way to revive this love.

 

there is no satan, but some hve satanic/demoniac mentality.

 

truth is absolute and one.

relative truths are many.

 

anger greed and lust are the grand gates to hell.

 

truth, tapa (asterity), mercy, and charity are teh four pillars of dharma. in kali yuga dharma has only one pillar- truth. everything - any agreement/contract causes problem when there is no truth in it. anything that is going well is because of truth and promises kept truthfully.

 

this is just a short snap aswer.

do you like it?

 

 

[Guest guest]

"What are a few other religions that compare to Hindu?"

 

hinduism is not a religion, there's some superficial aspects like rites or ceremonies, but the conception under this name (given by muslims) are extremely various and many times opposite

 

so you can find hinduists very similar to buddhist, christians, muslims, pantheists and so on...

 

"What is the hindu vision of reality?"

the only thing in common among induists is the reincarnation theory, but sometimes it is very different or opposite the definition of "who" reincarnates, thing that is more essential to know than the theory and procedures of the reincarnation or karmic laws

[Guest guest]

... i have also to say that i accept in full the madhaav vision... but this is not hinduism, this is the monotheistic, vaishnava, personalist thought of vedic culture that artificially can put inside this ficticious hinduism group

 

as you can see the gokul explaination is very similar and the barney's one, even if it can be surey and "hinduist" vision of reality is completely different.. a complete and very different religion..

 

obviously this is not an obstacle, for civil persons, to live together peacefully