Some questions !!! (priests, rituals, reject, Creator, tradition)

[TashaN]

Well, i guess this is my first post in here for a simple reason. Usually, i get to know more about a religion and search about it once i get to know a friend from that belief. Recently, i talked with my teacher who is hindu about many things, then suddnly we found ourselves talking about religion. I mentioned for him a girl i know in my university "she is a hindu too" who explained for the whole class that a soul will change after death into another being, sort of animal like a tiger, snake, etc. My teacher said that's wrong and this is a misunderstanding about our religion (hinduism) and that girl doesn't know anything. The girl is just 20 years old or something and my teacher is 50 years old.

So, what do you think about that. Who is right and who is wrong?

By the way, don't you know guys when will Hema come back from her honey moon?


Thanks in advance, i believe i also have a couple of other questions i would like to ask after getting to know about this issue i just mentioned.

[celina]

Originally Posted by The Truth

So, what do you think about that. Who is right and who is wrong?




Thanks in advance, i believe i also have a couple of other questions i would like to ask after getting to know about this issue i just mentioned.

It depends on what philosophy/sect or ideology you are talking about. Hinduism is not one religion or philosophy, it's a group of religions and philosphies. Vaishnavism(Vishnu[or any of his avatars]worship) and Shaivism(Shiva worship) are the general break down of the main two braches. There is also Smartism. Each have different teachings about the soul or Jiva.

Jiva:
Jiva or soul, is the finite individual self, conscious spirit, knower, enjoyer and doer of things. Jiva is eternal, not created at anytime, by anybody. Jivas are innumerable, each distinct from the other. Each Jiva pervades the whole organism, and is different from the three bodies - gross, subtle and causal. Weapons cannot cut it, nor fire burn it; water cannot wet it, nor wind dry it. Yet, it is bound by worldly desires that are formed according to its karma. Though conditioned by Maya, Jivas can be eternally released by the grace of a Brahmaswarup Guru and God. The Jiva is the first of the five eternal entities. Other four eternal entities: ishwar, mãyã, Akshar and Purushottam.


http://www.swaminarayan.org/philosophy/index.htm


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

Vedanta is the main philosophy in Hinduism, with many sub-schools of Vedanta philosophy. Advaita is probably the best-known of all Vedanta schools. VishishtAdvaita Vedanta is a sub-school of the Vedānta (literally, end or the goal of the Vedas, Sanskrit) school of Hindu philosophy, the other major sub-schools of Vedānta being Advaita and Dvaita.


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

Vaishnavism is one of the principal traditions of Hinduism, and is identified from other schools by its primary worship of Vishnu (and his associated avatars) as the Supreme God. It is principally monotheistic in its philosophy, whilst also incorporating elements which could be described as being panentheistic. Its beliefs and practices, (known as Bhakti Yoga, or Bhakti) are based largely on Vedic and Puranic texts such as Bhagavad Gita, Isha Upanishad, and the Vishnu and Bhagavata, Puranas.


The Four Vaishnava sampradayas

Within traditional Vaishnavism there are four main disciplic lineages (sampradayas), each of which traces its roots back to a specific Vedic personality. The four sampradayas follow subtly different philosophical systems regarding the relationship between the soul (jiva) and God (Vishnu), although the majority of other core beliefs are identical.

• Rudra-Sampradaya

Philosophy: Shuddhadvaita ("pure nondualism"), espoused by Vallabhacharya.

• Brahma-Sampradaya

Philosophy: Dvaita ("dualism"), espoused by Madhvacharya, and also - Achintya Bheda Abheda ("inconceivable oneness and difference"), espoused by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (See Gaudiya Vaishnavism).

• Lakshmi-Sampradaya

Philosophy: Vishishtadvaita ("qualified nondualism"), espoused by Ramanuja (See Sri Vaishnavism).

• Kumara-Sampradaya

Philosophy: Dvaitadvaita ("duality in unity"), espoused by Nimbarka. (See Nimbarka Sampradaya)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishna...va_sampradayas

[celina]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaivism#Major_schools

Shaivism has many different schools showing both regional variations and differences in philosophy.[11] Shaivism has a vast literature that includes texts representing multiple philosophical schools, including non-dualist (abheda), dualist (bheda), and non-dual-with-dualism (bhedābheda) perspectives.[12]
The following are concise philosophical summaries of six major schools of Shaivism, along with maps showing the primary areas of origin or present-day influence and concentration of each school in areas of the Indian subcontinent.

Pashupata Shaivism: This school, traced to Lakulisa (ca 200), is bhedadbheda, simultaneously monistic and theistic, emphasizing Shiva as supreme cause and personal ruler of soul and world. The liberated soul retains individuality in its state of complete union with God. Final merger is compared to stars disappearing in the sky. Noted areas of influence (clockwise) include Gujarat, Kashmir and Nepal.


Kashmir Shaivism: Codified by Vasugupta (ca 800), this abheda--intensely monistic school--known as Pratyabhijna Darshana, explains the creation of soul and world as God Shiva's shining forth in His dynamic first impulse. As the Self of all, Shiva is immanent and transcendent, a real but abstract creator-preserver-destroyer. Founded in Kashmir. Abhinavagupta was an important figure in Kashmir Saivism.


Shaiva Siddhanta: In Rishi Tirumular's monistic theism (ca -200), Shiva is material and efficient cause, immanent and transcendent. The soul, created by Shiva, is destined to merge in Him. In Meykandar's pluralistic realism (ca 1200), God, souls and world are beginningless and eternally coexistent. Shiva is efficient but not material cause. Highlighted are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Jaffna. Thirugnana Sambanthar, Thirunavukkarasar, Sundaramoorthy Nayanar and Manikkavasagar are considered the gurus of Shaivism. The hymns sung by the first three are collected into a book called Thevaram. The work of Manikkavasagar is called Thiruvasagam. These books are reverentially worshipped and recited by the devotees. The first three form part of the 63 Nayanmars, staunch devotees of Siva.[citation needed] Nayanars (or Nayanmars), saints from Tamil Nadu, and the Vira Shaivas or Lingayats from Karnataka lead a multi-caste mass movement that explained the devotional upsurge of Shaivite worship in early medieval South India.

[celina]

Siddha Siddhanta: Expounded by Rishi Gorakshanatha (ca 950), this monistic theism is known as bhedabheda, embracing both transcendent Shiva Being and immanent Shiva Becoming. Shiva is efficient and material cause. The creation and final return of soul and cosmos to Shiva are likened to bubbles arising and returning to water. Influential in Nepal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.


Lingayatism: Made popular by Basavanna (1105-1167), this version of qualified nondualism, Shakti Vishishtadvaita, accepts both difference and nondifference between soul and God, like rays are to the sun. Shiva and the cosmic force are one, yet Shiva is beyond His creation, which is real, not illusory. God is efficient and material cause. Influential primarily in Karnataka.


Shiva Advaita: This monistic theism, formulated by Srikantha (ca 1050), is called Shiva Vishishtadvaita. The soul does not ultimately become perfectly one with Brahman, but shares with the Supreme all excellent qualities. Appaya Dikshita (1554-1626) attempted to resolve this union in favor of an absolute identity—Shuddhadvaita. Its area of origin and influence covers most of Karnataka state.

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

[celina]

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

Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each sect is like a denomination with rich religious practices. Professional priestly brahmins have denominations like Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Each of these four denominations share rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal Gods with one another, but each denomination has a different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (mokśa, liberation) and different views of the Gods. Each follows different methods of self-realization and worships different aspects of the One Supreme God. However, each respects and accepts all others, and conflict of any kind is rare. Among Hindu followers as a whole, there is a strong belief that there are many paths leading to the One God or the Source, whatever one chooses to call that ultimate Truth.
An established philosophical school within a denomination is called a sampradaya and a traditional lineage of teachers from any sampradaya is a parampara.
The presence of different denominations and schools within Hinduism should not be viewed as a schism. On the contrary, there is no animosity between the schools. Instead there is a healthy cross-pollination of ideas and logical debate that serves to refine each school's philosophy. It is not uncommon, or disallowed, for an individual to follow one school but take the point of view of another school for a certain issue.

[TashaN]

Wow, that's alot. Thank you so much for your effort but reading all that will make my head spin, plus the limited time i have got in here at RF. That's why i came in here to get a direct answer.

Can you help me to know which religion/sect that girl was referring to when she said that human beings are believed to change into an animal soul after death?

Thanks. I'll apperciate alot short answers if you don't mind.

That's why i didn't google it.

[Aupmanyav]

The truth, I do not think your teacher was very correct in calling your friend immature. Hinduism does not put fetters on personal beliefs other than worship of foreign or new Gods (there are already enough). You can debate about beliefs with her. Perhaps I might find many holes in what your teacher (real of imaginary) believes. Age is important but it cannot substitute for understanding.

What Celina has mentioned is fairly accurate. Most denominations in Hinduism will have beliefs like your friend's. IMHO, it was a ruse to make people act according to the laws of the society (act well and you would be born as a human and among the priviledged classes or otherwise you would be born as an ant). If your head has started spinning even on the first page, better stick with Islam. Don't forget that you are trying to understand the free philosophical debates which stretched over a period of some 10,000 years. Thanks for the visit.