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A Few Q's (Hinduism)

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I know very little about Hinduism. Basically, all I know is of Brahma the CReator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. I'm unsure what they are viewed as, but I think they are the All Universe divided into three; is that correct? I have done extensive research on Brahman though, and I see it as the All Universe, reality, the only thing that exists. Is that a correct view? My theological point of view is highly inspired by Brahman, that view of it at least. My lack of understanding of many conceptsin Hinduism is what makes me impatient in understanding it.

1. Can a westerner (White, English, Middle-Class American) convert to Hinduism?

2. How would a beginner, with no idea of it, begin to study it for better understanding? (For me, the most confusing part is the terms used in Hinduism that appear to be based off of another language. Perhaps another reason is because it is an eastern philosophy while I am engulfed in western civilization)

3. What would you call the theological view of hinduism? Panentheism? Polytheism? Pantheism? Monotheism? It could be all of those, but what does it actually come down to?

4. What is Hinduism's ontological outlook? I find many spiritual aspects from what I know about it, but it is often considered nondualism.

5. What does nondualism even mean? What is the difference between nondualism and monism?

6. Doesn't it make sense to focus almost entirely on Brahman rather than other gods that are part of it?

7. How much does modern Hinduism differ from traditional Hinduism?

8. Why does Krishna tend to stand out rather than all of the other avatars of Vishnu, or other avatars in general?
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Even that division of works is dependent on what the devotee believes. A Shiva (worshiper of Shiva) or a Shakta (worshiper of Mother Goddess) would have different views. There is no sect worshiping Brahma as the Supreme deity. Please not that Brahma, the creator God, and Brahman, the Supreme Spirit of 'Advaita' or simply 'what exists', are not the same.
1. You have examples of Westerners adopting Hinduism in this forum itself. There may be millions.
2. That is no problem, I would suggest that you start with BBC-Hinduism, About.com-Hinduism, and Wikipedia. Also read Ramayana and Mahabharata stories. Then read Bhagawat Purana. Then Upanishads and Bhagawat Gita.
3. :) We have all and every kind of 'isms' in Hinduism, and a person chooses one according to his inclination.
4. Non-dualism, dualism, and the many shades inbetween are all parts of Hinduism.
5. Non-dualism means that there exists just one entity in the universe. Making everything into a God or not is a person's choice. I believe that all things in the universe are constituted by 'physical energy', but I do not take it as a God.
6. For some it makes sense, others are satisfied with various deities; and Hinduism is satisfied with all of them. It leaves the choice ('mata' - opinion) to the adherent.
7. It does not differ. What was 'dharma' in Lord Rama's time is still the 'dharma' today. Dharma being fulfillment of one's duties and engaging in righteous action (which is basically, do not hesitate to help others, do not cause pain to others). To make it in Sanskrit:

'Paropakaram Punyaya, Papaya Parapeedanam': To help others is merit, to pain others is sin.

8. That is for the many Vaishnavas, but many have Lord Rama as their chosen deity. Krishna was important for me, but less than Rama at one time. Now I am a Hindu atheist. For Shaivas and Shaktas, Shiva or Mother Goddess are more important.
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
IMHO, the most important thing in Hinduism is action according to 'dharma', more important than worshiping this God or that. No God or Goddess is going to support a Hindu if his/her actions are not according to 'dharma'. :)
 

Madhuri

RF Goddess
Staff member
Premium Member
I know very little about Hinduism. Basically, all I know is of Brahma the CReator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. I'm unsure what they are viewed as, but I think they are the All Universe divided into three; is that correct? I have done extensive research on Brahman though, and I see it as the All Universe, reality, the only thing that exists. Is that a correct view? My theological point of view is highly inspired by Brahman, that view of it at least. My lack of understanding of many conceptsin Hinduism is what makes me impatient in understanding it.

This is all correct, however different schools within Hinduism have various interpretations of what Brahman, and the Trimurti (Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva) are. For example in my branch, Brahman is all pervading but it is one aspect that makes God. And the Trimurti exist only in creation as they are expansions of the original form of God, which is Vishnu.

However the majority of Hindus on this forum do not share my exact interpretation as we come from different schools of thought.

1. Absolutely. Conversion is a matter of belief. If you decide that you will follow the path of Christianity, Hinduism, Wicca etc. imo nobody has the right to say you are not that.

2. I'm not really sure but maybe reading a translation of the Mahabharata would help. I recently saw a comment by a Hindu that beginners should read this and Ramayana to become familiar with the context and culture so that the philosophies/scripture are easier to understand and relate to. Thinking about it I've realised it could be a good idea to do that.

3. Honestly you can interpret Hinduism to be any of those you mentioned and even more. It's kind of all of those things at the same time. Ie/ It's monotheistic in the sense that there is only one Original Being/God/Creator etc. It is polytheistic because there are many gods (expansions or manifestations of the One God). BUT when it comes to whether it is pantheistic, panentheistic or dualitic it comes down to individual opinion. I personally think that pantheism and panentheism are valid interpretations but it's beyond me how anyone could interpret dualism from the Vedic scriptures.

4. How to answer this... It could take many books (and does lol).

5. I would say that non-dual can be monism and also panentheism since panentheism sees all things to be God but sees God as also independently existing beyond the creation (which is simply a part of Him).

6. Ishvara, the personal aspect of God, is non-different from Brahman. God is both personal and impersonal and one can choose to Realise one or the other aspect (ultimately realising one will lead to realising the other). There is a lot to be said about having personal relationship with God, hence why worshipping the personal forms is so popular.

7. I don't feel qualified to answer this one.

8. Well for starters there's a lot more written about him and he was on Earth much more recently. But he gave us the Gita and is a prominent figure in the Mahabharata. I also think that he represents the perfect Being (keep in mind that a perfect being according to Hinduism differs greatly from other religions like Christianity that portray Jesus and saints as calm and sensible, often tortured creatures. Hindu Gods by contrast are fun-loving, joyful and full of life). It also just came to mind that Krishna means The Attractive One (one of the meanings) so no wonder so many are attracted to him :D[/quote]
 
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Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Hinduism is vast, with many schools, so you will get a variety of answers, here and elsewhere. I'll attempt to give the overall (a) as well as that of my personal school. (b)

1. (a) Yes, conversion is belief, but it is also possible to convert by ritual. For some, with no previous religion, adopt is a more accurate term. 'Convert' suggests going from something to something. (b) I adopted, changed my name, the whole shebang.

2. (a) I would recommend introductory books for the philosophy and visiting a Hindu temple for the practical. Minnesota, Chicago, and Des Moines all have temples. I always recommend temples because Hinduism is far more than a philosophy, and this will get you in touch with the 'way of life'. We also have ethical scriptures. (b) I'd recommend the books by Himalayan Academy, because they're intentionally written for the audience you are part of. They can be downloaded for free, and the introductory book is called 'What is Hinduism?"

3. (a) What Madhuri said, and (b) the closest to me would be henothism

4. as others have said
5. I consider non-dualism and monism equivalent, and I am monistic.
6. (a) some believe that and (b) no, because that's the endpoint of the mystic's realisation, so there has to be a way to get there. Each day is part of that path to that level of understanding.

7. (a) There is no such thing really a modern versus traditional. It's constantly evolving. If anything, some schools have become more syncretic. (b) I'm orthodox in belief, but accept the modern world, especially the technology and new sciences, but definitely not syncreticism, which I feel weakens the mystic power established centuries ago.

8. Krishna is part of the Vaishnava sect, so I have no opinion. Probably what Madhuri said. (b) I'm a Saivite so worship Siva, not Krishna, as Supreme.

Hope all this helps.
 
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mystic64

nolonger active
The Sum of Awe, Forty years ago I had the same questions as you have asked. From there I spent the last forty years exploring Hindu philosophy as a yogi mystic with thousands of hours of meditation experience. And after about twenty years as a yogi mystic Lord Shiva took a special interest in me and we have over the last twenty years become very good close friends. The thing to understand, if you wish to explore Hindu philosophy, is that their gods are real :) . And that they are loving and a gift to Humankind, with the understanding that Kali Ma has two sides and that one should probably not get on her bad side :) . And if you are truly serious about exploring Hindu philosophy, then one of them "will :) " step out to you and say "hello." And that entity will help you personally with your explorations. As Yogananda's Babaji explained to me one time as I was asking him for information, "The path is part of the experience." At the time that he said that to me I was very disappointed because I was in a hurry :) . But over the years I finally begin to understand what he was saying. And it turned out that that is the best advice that you can give anyone who truly wishes to explore Hindu philosophy. "The path is part of the experience," and if you are truly interested one of the deities will step forward and offer to help you with the path.
 

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
IMHO, the most important thing in Hinduism is action according to 'dharma', more important than worshiping this God or that. No God or Goddess is going to support a Hindu if his/her actions are not according to 'dharma'. :)

Namaste Aup

Thank you, this is quite insightful. I like it. But it isn't a question of "like", I was going to avoid replying to the OP at all and leave the rellies to advanced Hindus as yourself, MV, Vinayaka, and many others no disrespect to any including HLK and others well literate in Sanskrit.

But, while my perspective is only my experience and not directly aligned with your example of Hinduism, this comment of yours does connect to me. But in a different way perhaps.

I believe in the Devatas (many actual individual Divines inclusive of numbers of manifestations and emanations and incarnations of any one of these) and Devi (the Mother Goddess and manifestations etc.). But for me, it is the EXPERIENCE of Hinduism that is Hinduism, that moksha isn't some planet or particular Divine but where the experience of Hinduism is no longer individual frames in the movie of a soul, but where the exlerience is continuous because what is temporary is ultimately not true one minute after but a point in time.

So for me, in the diversity of Hinduism that affords these experiences and ultimately the ultimate experience, it is difficult for me to reply. You have to be adopted by the "Gods", you have to engage in Hinduism, you have to live, smell, hear, see, breath Hinduism to define it. Dharma. It is the dharma, not the place.

Om Namah Sivaya
 

Kalidas

Well-Known Member
I know very little about Hinduism. Basically, all I know is of Brahma the CReator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. I'm unsure what they are viewed as, but I think they are the All Universe divided into three; is that correct? I have done extensive research on Brahman though, and I see it as the All Universe, reality, the only thing that exists. Is that a correct view? My theological point of view is highly inspired by Brahman, that view of it at least. My lack of understanding of many conceptsin Hinduism is what makes me impatient in understanding it.

1. Can a westerner (White, English, Middle-Class American) convert to Hinduism?

2. How would a beginner, with no idea of it, begin to study it for better understanding? (For me, the most confusing part is the terms used in Hinduism that appear to be based off of another language. Perhaps another reason is because it is an eastern philosophy while I am engulfed in western civilization)

3. What would you call the theological view of hinduism? Panentheism? Polytheism? Pantheism? Monotheism? It could be all of those, but what does it actually come down to?

4. What is Hinduism's ontological outlook? I find many spiritual aspects from what I know about it, but it is often considered nondualism.

5. What does nondualism even mean? What is the difference between nondualism and monism?

6. Doesn't it make sense to focus almost entirely on Brahman rather than other gods that are part of it?

7. How much does modern Hinduism differ from traditional Hinduism?

8. Why does Krishna tend to stand out rather than all of the other avatars of Vishnu, or other avatars in general?

Well as for the beginning it depends on the sect actually. I'm a shakta but oddly enough Shaktism does not deny the existence nor does it say that those 3 Gods did not do what they did. Generally Shaktas view it this way Many masculine Gods with their roles and their Shakti who is the energy that allows them to act. To me the Goddess is the ultimate because she is that power which even the Gods beg and pray to so that they may be granted power to act. Vishnu may allow the life to flourish, but it is Shakti who gives him permission, same with Shiva. Now again not all Hindus view it this way.

1. Gee I sure hope so.... ;)

2. Do what I did! Ask LOTS of questions here, read, if you can go to a temple, a big part of learning about Hinduism is actually "performing" like one.

3. That too will change person by person (not even sect by sect) I am an odd mix of monism(everything is God we call it Advaita), but I also do believe in many Gods but Shakti is supreme (specifically Kali) so that would make me a Henotheist. Polytheism, Henotheism, and pantheism are the two you will see the most.

4. Refer above lol. For me I am intellectually a non dualist, yet I personally find this mode of living unproductive for the particular spiritual level I am at. SO I live and act and worship as a Dualist would. Look at it this way I am reaching out to God and one day she will grab ahold of me and pull me up and I realize I was reaching out to myself the entire time.

5. nothing really :)

6. Actually no, it is mentioned multiple times in scriptures that while we are in this deluded state we have a difficult time thinking of Brahman, actually thinking of Brahman and trying to think on it will have an adverse effect. Brahman is the formless, The Gods are the form. I definitely believe the Gods are the forms that represent that infinite formless Brahman, created specifically for us mortals to have a form to focus on.

7. That I am not entirely sure, sorry. I guess many new agey Hindus view Hinduism as some Ideology that allows and and all other beliefs to join in. Like the many people trying to find a place to fit Jesus in, though many of us here will say "Got enough he won't fit."

8. Probably because he is God in mortal form? But that is really just a guess.
 

Draupadi

Active Member
OP for your very last question the answer is Krishna is the only avatar that got all the characteristics of Vishnu or is His complete avatar. He is also considered an ideal man.
 

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
Draupadi

Rama is the presence of and represents The Perfect Man (different from the Perfect Deva) on Bhumi Mother Earth, not Krishna.

Krishna was the representation of the Perfect Philosopher and Reformer for Mother Bhumi residents and also a Philosopher endorsed by some Devatas. He is a greater Philosopher than Buddda the Reformed, he is not The Perfect Man or represents the Ideal Man as Ram is. Sita represents the Perfect Women for inhabitants of Bhumi.

Bhumi Herself is a Goddess which Divines see as a wife or in some cases Sister Whom they come to protect. For example Varaha.

Ram is physical example, Krishna is mental example. There are Others as well. Perspective changes however depending on where you are standing this very moment, be it Earth or Indra's heaven for example. Buddhi is intellect, not Philosophy. Budhha was an Ideal Intellectual. But I am gabbing.

IMHO

Om Namah Sivaya
 

StarryNightshade

Spiritually confused Jew
Premium Member
1. Can a westerner (White, English, Middle-Class American) convert to Hinduism?

Yes. :) Although an actual "conversion" isn't really necessary. You could have one if you really wanted to, but once you begin practicing, then you're Hindu.

2. How would a beginner, with no idea of it, begin to study it for better understanding? (For me, the most confusing part is the terms used in Hinduism that appear to be based off of another language. Perhaps another reason is because it is an eastern philosophy while I am engulfed in western civilization)

There are many sources online that I'm sure you could look into. There are also plenty of Introduction to Indian Philosophy books out there. That's where I started out on my journey

3. What would you call the theological view of hinduism? Panentheism? Polytheism? Pantheism? Monotheism? It could be all of those, but what does it actually come down to?

Like with most things in Hinduism, that really depends on the Samparaday (school) and the individual.

Mine is a mix of Monism, Panentheism, and Polytheism; but I would say the most dominate forms are Henotheism and (perhaps?) Monotheism.

4. What is Hinduism's ontological outlook? I find many spiritual aspects from what I know about it, but it is often considered nondualism.

There are various outlooks. Most notably Dvaita (dualism), Vishishtadvaita (non-dualism with qualities), and Advaita (absolute non-dualism).

5. What does nondualism even mean? What is the difference between nondualism and monism?

From what I understand, it means that we are not separate from God. That there is no difference between our souls and the divine; and that to believe in such separation is an illusion.

6. Doesn't it make sense to focus almost entirely on Brahman rather than other gods that are part of it?

As far as I know, Brahman is not "God". Instead, it is the reality from which all things arise and will one day return to. That's how I view it.

7. How much does modern Hinduism differ from traditional Hinduism?

This is a bit of a trick question. Are you asking about Vedic vs. Puranic Hinduism? Or more about certain practices and customs?

Hinduism is so vast, that it is often difficult to pinpoint "traditional" and "modern" in the strictest, most homogenous sense.

8. Why does Krishna tend to stand out rather than all of the other avatars of Vishnu, or other avatars in general?

I'm not a Vaishnavite, so I may get this wrong. He stands out, because he is considered to be the most complete of Vishnu's avatars. It's not that the others are not important, but he is the essence of Vishnu's divinity.
 
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Haryaksha

Member
1. Can a westerner (White, English, Middle-Class American) convert to Hinduism?

The answer to that is a resounding "yes" :)

2. How would a beginner, with no idea of it, begin to study it for better understanding? (For me, the most confusing part is the terms used in Hinduism that appear to be based off of another language. Perhaps another reason is because it is an eastern philosophy while I am engulfed in western civilization)

Remember, Hinduism does not boil down to a simple ideology like the dominant Abrahamic religions do. It is an entire way of life that must ultimately be lived and experienced to be truly understood. It is not learned from books so much as from experience and practice. Especially for one who is engulfed in western society, the best way to become acquainted with the Hindu worldview is to familiarize yourself with the values and ethics that are the very foundation of Hindu life. Look into the Yamas and Niyamas, and as you implement them into your life, a better understanding of Hindu philosophy will naturally arise through your studies. The Yamas and Niyamas are great purifiers - they sort of cleanse one's consciousness and enables the intellect to better grasp the finer points of Hinduism and progress spiritually.

I highly recommend the resources at the Himalayan Academy website, including their ebooks. Two books I also recommend are "Hinduism: The Eternal Tradition (Sanatana Dharma)" and "How I Became a Hindu", both written by Dr. David Frawley (also known as Sri Vamadeva Shastri). "How I Became a Hindu" is freely available online. I am not yet able to post URLs, but please do a simple search online and you will find it.

3. What would you call the theological view of hinduism? Panentheism? Polytheism? Pantheism? Monotheism? It could be all of those, but what does it actually come down to?

As others have said, Hinduism is an extremely vast religion. So, all of the above are true to different Hindus. However, please note that any notion of monotheism in Hinduism is what is referred to as "inclusive monotheism". It is starkly different from the exclusive monotheism of the Abrahamic religions. But I personally think that monotheism is a bad term, and when many people refer to "inclusive monotheism" they actually mean monism. Henotheism and kathenotheism are also terms that can describe different Hindu views. As for what it actually comes down to, I personally abide by the saying I heard somewhere - "Polytheistic in expression, Monistic in essence".

4. What is Hinduism's ontological outlook? I find many spiritual aspects from what I know about it, but it is often considered nondualism.

What others said

5. What does nondualism even mean? What is the difference between nondualism and monism?

I always thought they meant the same thing, but apparently there are some technical differences. There is a thread on RF called "Monism and Nondualism" that addresses this issue. Again, I am unable to post links, so please do a search for it. Seems to be mainly just a matter of semantics and technical philosophical meanderings.

6. Doesn't it make sense to focus almost entirely on Brahman rather than other gods that are part of it?

If Brahman is what you see it as - the whole universe, everything there is - then how is one to focus on that? How can one practically understand and realize something that is literally everything? That is where the Gods come in, as depending one an individual's viewpoint, the Gods are the highest and most powerful aspects of Brahman, or they are the embodiment of the totality of Brahman itself. By invoking, worshipping, and loving the Gods, one can "reach" and understand and realize Brahman.

7. How much does modern Hinduism differ from traditional Hinduism?

As others have said, there is no defining line or anything between "modern" and "traditional" Hinduism. There certainly have been variances over thousands of years in terms of prevalent deities, common practices, etc., but the core and consciousness of Hinduism has always remained the same. It is the Sanatana Dharma - the Eternal Way.

8. Why does Krishna tend to stand out rather than all of the other avatars of Vishnu, or other avatars in general?

What others said...and the Bhagavad Gita is the most popularly read Hindu scripture, and it centers around Krishna.
 

atanu

Member
Premium Member
..5. What does nondualism even mean? What is the difference between nondualism and monism?

Monism holds that there is one substance (or one thing) that constitutes all separate things. Non Dualism states that there are no separate things. Non dualism avoids the concept of a thing, which actually is perceived as an object of our awareness. OTOH, non dual Self or Brahman is the universal subject .. or even not that. 'One subject' notion will give rise to notions of other subjects or objects, both of which are not accommodated in advaita (non dualism).

Probably for most Monism and Non Dualism mean the same but there is a subtle important difference.

Hope it helps a bit.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I have learned things I didn't know from these answers, and they are all wonderful answers. I am hoping to, when I have time, take some recommendations on how to begin to study.

Thanks for the feedback. Sometimes I feel it wasn't worth the time when somebody is a 'one and run' type. (One question, then run away) In this case apparently it was.
:)
 

Omkara

Member
1. Can a westerner (White, English, Middle-Class American) convert to Hinduism?

Yes, Why not?

2. How would a beginner, with no idea of it, begin to study it for better understanding? (For me, the most confusing part is the terms used in Hinduism that appear to be based off of another language. Perhaps another reason is because it is an eastern philosophy while I am engulfed in western civilization)

The best place to start is always to read Bhagavad Gita with a good commentary

3. What would you call the theological view of hinduism? Panentheism? Polytheism? Pantheism? Monotheism? It could be all of those, but what does it actually come down to?

Almost every school of Hindu theology is monotheistic but in practice a very large number of Hindus today practice henotheism


4. What is Hinduism's ontological outlook? I find many spiritual aspects from what I know about it, but it is often considered nondualism.

The three ontological entities in Hinduism are Brahman (God) ,Jivas (souls) and Prakriti (matter) All three are considered beginningless and eternal. ie they have always existed. God is not the creator of souls or matter.The universe goes through regular cycles of creation and destruction. God merely shapes the primal matter into the universe we know it after each periodic collapse. Neither are souls created by God (though some minor schools do beleive that God 'creates' souls by artificially constricting and partitioning Himself ie solipsism.

The relation between these 3 ontological entities is the main sticking point between Hindu philosophical traditions. Advaita Vedanta of Shankaracharya and other monistic schools beleive that souls and God are the same and difference between them is illusory and the existence of separate matter and souls is only an illusion in our consciousness due to ignorance. The remaining three major thodicies within Hinduism beleive that the difference between these entities is real.

6. Doesn't it make sense to focus almost entirely on Brahman rather than other gods that are part of it?

Only Shankara's Advaita views Brahman as an entity rather than a oerson. The rest identify Brahman as one or all of the deities and as a conscious being.

7. How much does modern Hinduism differ from traditional Hinduism?

8. Why does Krishna tend to stand out rather than all of the other avatars of Vishnu, or other avatars in general?

Due to predominance of Gaudiya Vaishnava theology in the west which is a small school in India. But yes Krishna does stand out because the Lord manifested more of his powers than at any other time
 
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