• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Why Hinduism?

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I googled ... a beautiful concept . All I know about Denmark came form the children's novel Number the Stars. It sounds like a wonderful country.

Since we are doing different understandings. The Nordic countries are general high on the list of happiest countries in the world. Well, if you look closer, we are not happy. We are content.
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
Hmm. So this is the advaita philosophy.

I have some literature on the advaita brother, but I have not studied them. The thing is, searching the internet will lead me to websites of one particular school of thought. But not "YOUR" school of thought. So that's the reason I ask for your own reading material. Do you understand what I mean?
I understand but I'm not thinking mainstream Advaita Vedanta is that diverse. I formed my understanding from a variety of hodge-podge sources so that is why I am struggling to give you what you are asking for.

My favorite guru Satya Sai Baba tells us that we really don't need a lot of philosophy. We just need to understand the basics and the rest is practicing what is preached.

The goal is living this life under the realization that we are all One in love, peace and bliss while living this life in love, peace and bliss. Simple in theory, challenging in practice.

Here is something I consider good material:

What is Advaita Vedanta
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
I understand but I'm not thinking mainstream Advaita Vedanta is that diverse. I formed my understanding from a variety of hodge-podge sources so that is why I am struggling to give you what you are asking for.

My favorite guru Satya Sai Baba tells us that we really don't need a lot of philosophy. We just need to understand the basics and the rest is practicing what is preached.

The goal is living this life under the realization that we are all One in love, peace and bliss while living this life in love, peace and bliss. Simple in theory, challenging in practice.

Here is something I consider good material:

What is Advaita Vedanta

I appreciate your contribution George. I really learned a lot.

The website you referenced says that Vedanta means the "end of the vedas". Anta meaning end. But in my opinion, anta does not mean end. Anta means "hilt". I don't know if you appreciate this, and I might be treading on scholarship like an idiot. Anta simply means the highest place in a mountain, or the lengthiest place you could be in scholarship, or the furthest you could go in some kind of thing. I personally don't like the rendering of it as "end".

Nevertheless, its a basic summary and I appreciate it a lot.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
That's an interesting list. But at least some of the "is not equal to" such as dharma and karma can have closer definitions but not one word ones. Moksha can be translated as "liberation" not "salvation" so the "is not equal to" seems attuned to Christianity rather than strict Sanskrit to English.

Lol. Sunrise, dont look for one word translations. Your language is too special.

Sorry but I am chuckling here and you cannot see it. You are absobloodylutely right. This page you referred to is done by a Christian or someone from a Christian background. He could be a Hindu but very highly Christianised if I may use that word. This is way too shallow for your capacity.

Let me make some comments if you don't mind.

What in the world is this guy talking about? Who in the world ever translated dharma as religion? I have never in my life heard such nonsense. But it could be true. This maybe the reason a lot of people immediately associate a lot of my questions with the so called "western world". Now after reading your comment, and thanks to @Vinayaka I think I understand why people like @sayak83 , and many others have told me about this so called "western thinking".

If you are a father, and you have a way of handling things, that "way" is your "dharma". It's not a bloody religion.I never in my life thought that anyone could make an association between avatara and a prophet like this website says. I have never heard this. Haha. And what in the world is this page talking about? Devata and "Pagan God"? Oh my God.

I maybe completely wrong because there could be some people who make that level of word associations. But I think it's a crime against the Hindu background. If not a crime against the language.

This is the reason I do not adhere to studying off websites. No one should.

But I could be wrong conceptually. So I will appreciate any correction in theological or philosophical concepts. It's fascinating to me. Cheers.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
@firedragon

"Dharma" has many meanings. It depends a lot on context. In some circunstances it should indeed be translated as "religion" - but certainly not of an Abrahamic flavor.

It could very well be in an "Abrahamic flavour". Anytime, any day. It is a generic word that could be in any flavour. Dharma simply means "philosophy" or "way". It could take any flavour. Abrahamic or alien.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
As in 'Sanatana Dharma' for example. It's close to 'religion.

Abidharma. Swadharma.

In Pali, dharma is dhamma. Same thing. So Abidhamma is Abidharma. it means "deep philosophy" or the "In-depth philosophy or way".

Sanatana means the manner of making something the absolute truth. If you go to courts and you establish a fact as a fact, that is sanatana.

YES. It could be religion. But it does not mean religion. I do not think there is anyone stupid enough to say that "dharma means religion". At least not someone who has some sensibility. I don't know mate. that's going nowhere. Only now after so many years I am even hearing about this level of understanding. Thanks for informing me.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Abidharma. Swadharma.

In Pali, dharma is dhamma. Same thing. So Abidhamma is Abidharma. it means "deep philosophy" or the "In-depth philosophy or way".

Sanatana means the manner of making something the absolute truth. If you go to courts and you establish a fact as a fact, that is sanatana.

YES. It could be religion. But it does not mean religion. I do not think there is anyone stupid enough to say that "dharma means religion". At least not someone who has some sensibility. I don't know mate. that's going nowhere. Only now after so many years I am even hearing about this level of understanding. Thanks for informing me.
Yes, it is something else. Another sad uninformed one is that karma equals punishment. Good on you for not falling for it.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Yes, it is something else. Another sad uninformed one is that karma equals punishment. Good on you for not falling for it.

I am honestly laughing here Vinayaka. I can't believe someone ever in the entire history of mankind thought Karma means punishment. I don't think that even deserves a response. Not even vipaka means punishment. Karma means your act or actions. What you did. Or what you are doing. It DOES NOT MEAN punishment. I don't think anyone needs to even contemplate.

Sorry, I am gonna stop making these types of comments now.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
It could very well be in an "Abrahamic flavour". Anytime, any day. It is a generic word that could be in any flavour. Dharma simply means "philosophy" or "way". It could take any flavour. Abrahamic or alien.
It could.

It can't always make sense, though.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
I am sorry I don't understand what you mean by that. Please clarify if you have time. What do you mean "it cant always make sense"?
Dharma is Dharma.

It doesn't always make sense to call something that does not attempt to be Dharma by that name.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Dharma is Dharma.

It doesn't always make sense to call something that does not attempt to be Dharma by that name.

That still does not make sense to me. What do you mean by that?

What is your understanding of the word "Dharma" and what do you mean it does not make to call something that? Please clarify.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
That still does not make sense to me. What do you mean by that?

What is your understanding of the word "Dharma" and what do you mean it does not make to call something that? Please clarify.
Dharma has various meanings, most of which connect to either practice, tradition or doctrine.

It tends to be something to take responsibility for and that is in some sense alive and mutable.

Abrahamic creeds tend to be something else, and much unnecessary sorrow and grief came and keeps coming from attempts at perceiving the two unlike things as if they were alike.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
Dharma has various meanings, most of which connect to either practice, tradition or doctrine.

It tends to be something to take responsibility for and that is in some sense alive and mutable.

Abrahamic creeds tend to be something else, and much unnecessary sorrow and grief came and keeps coming from attempts at perceiving the two unlike things as if they were alike.

what does swadharma mean?
 
Top