Hinduism

» kriyakid - Who is a Hindu/Sanatana Dharmist?

What is a Hindu?

First it should be noted that "Hindu" is a foreign (British and Arabian/Persian) coined word to denote a category created by that foreign culture. So if you want to know what a Hindu is you should ask the British, not a member of the Bharat culture. It is my understanding that they meant the religion of the Sindhu Valley cutlure. The Indian subcontinent is perhaps the most religiously diverse place in the world. Suppose an Australian aborigine came to the United States and called the religion of America Americanism and its adherants Americans. What would you say are the primary features of the religion of Americanism?

That said, it should be pointed out that the concept of religion in the West is far different than it has been in South Asia. Western culture has long been dominated by dialectic and linear thinking whose forte is dissecting and categorizing rather than synthesizing and integrating. Hence the Western concept of religion can be put in a neat little box, separate from other aspects of life. This is not true of the "religion" of South Asia, properly called Sanatana Dharma. I think that religion in South Asia is more akin to our concept of culture. Culture is the learning, attitudes, beliefs and skills that one generation receives from previous generations. Much of that would come under the term Sanatana Dharma. Basic to Sanatana Dharma, or the religion of Hinduism, are the four pursuits(Dharma, harmonious action, Artha, wealth, Kama, pleasure, and Moksha, freedom from delusion), the four ashramas, and the four beliefs inherent in the ashramas.

The ashramas or pursuits (Purusharthas) cannot be explained apart from the four beliefs in which they are embedded:
First that everyone is connected by being rooted in a spiritual reality (God, Brahman, Satchitananda, Vishnu, Shiva, Mahashakti, the Self, etc.) which is the life behind this mundane world and the true goal of human need and desire, while at the same time being one's innermost Self.
Second, the ego or principle of selfishness prevents us from experiencing fully this spiritual reality and binds us in a web of desire, karma and suffering.
Third, it is necessary to follow a spiritual path to negate the evil and silence the mind in order to go beyond fear, desire and anger and gain freedom from delusion (moha). This includes certain duties (to the poor, to animals, to the forces of nature, etc.), and ethical values such as non-violence, humility and truthfulness.
Fourth, the centrality of Grace, as it is not possible for ego deluded action to lead to freedom from ego and its results. Hence the necessity of the tradition of the Guru (dispeller of darkness, hence Grace), the Ishta Devata, and the shruti (directly perceived) and smriti (remembered) writings.

This tradition of Sanatana Dharma is the breeding ground of countless such paths to Oneness, to freedom from selfishness and suffering. One who follows such a path is a Hindu or Sanatana Dharmist. As such it is not just a religion in the Western sense. It is a paradigm through which one sees the world, a way of life, and a spiritual practice.

Freedom from delusion (moksha) is the objective of human life. But in order to realize freedom it is first necessary to transform identity, action and perception. By surrender to God and Guru and the practice of Brahmacharya we overcome the power of the false identity with the instruments of relative knowledge - the body and mind - and learn to live in harmony with self, others, and God. This is Dharma, Truth in expression. Through the householder life of seeking wealth for family and community we overcome selfishness and possessiveness and thus realize the greater wealth (artha) within.

Again, when it comes to Kama, pleasure and the desire for pleasure, there are two kinds. The outer pleasure that most seek has two shortcomings. It is tainted by fear of its loss, and it is insufficient and so leads to desire for more pleasure. Pleasure from the realm of perception then comes only in a wrapping of fear and desire. Through sanyas, renunciation of the fruits of action and the idea of doership the Dharmist finds the peace that passes understanding. He now finds limitless pleasure (Kama) within. He no long seeks pleasure from the field of perception; he draws pleasure from the bottomless well within and so brings his own pleasure to the world of perception.

It is thus through the integration of the four pursuits, the four beliefs and the four ashramas that identity, action and perception are purified and one becomes free of delusion and suffering (moksha), discovers his limitless inner wealth (artha); free of fear and desire his inner bliss (kama)springs forth and brings his life into the harmony of Dharma. This is Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion, for it alone is the fulfillment of the necessities of the human heart.

-- posted by kriyakid

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» Harsh Nevatia - Who is a Hindu/Sanatana Dharmist?

In response to Who is a Hindu/Sanatana Dharmist? posted by kriyakid:
As usual a classically perfect answer. However it misses a point perhaps because I did not make it clearly enough.

First of all I agree that Hindu is an external term but one that is now universally accepted, including in India. So quibbling over it, unless the context demands, is merely an exercise in semantics.

How many people who profess to belong to the Hindu faith are aware of the description of the faith that you have correctly outlined? How many have conviction in these principles? How many make an attempt to follow them? The answer to the first question would be less than 50% and to the last one would be less than 10%. Then would these people not be Hindus?

I was trying to state the condition/s that would apply to all those who belong to the Hindu faith. Therefore I did not use the words "pray to the deities" but "believe in the divinity of the deities" because many Hindus, like me, do not pray. I was trying to characterize a Hindu at the level of ground reality and not at the level of classical belief.

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