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Hinduism Questions

Shadow Rose

Member
I have been on a spiritual journey recently and have some questions regarding Hinduism. A little history about myself first though. I was raised as a Christian but the older I got the more I started questioning my Christian beliefs and really got to a point where I didn't even want to consider myself to be a Christian. I took a World Religions class and it truly opened my eyes as to what other religions are out there. I was drawn to Hinduism and started my research. I feel like the research alone has enlightened me and I feel more at home with the Hindu beliefs. I do however have a few questions.

1. What is the belief regarding angels? Do Hindu's believe they are real or not?
2. Regarding reincarnation, does a person retain anything from their past lives? Maybe a characteristic or personality trait or even sexual interests?

My thought process for #2 is if in a past life you were a straight man naturally attracted to women and then in your new life you are a woman and find that you are attracted to women. Could this be a result in your sexual interests in your past life? Or let's say with a transgender individual who believes they should have been born the opposite sex. Could this be because in their past life they were that opposite sex?
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
I have been on a spiritual journey recently and have some questions regarding Hinduism. A little history about myself first though. I was raised as a Christian but the older I got the more I started questioning my Christian beliefs and really got to a point where I didn't even want to consider myself to be a Christian. I took a World Religions class and it truly opened my eyes as to what other religions are out there. I was drawn to Hinduism and started my research. I feel like the research alone has enlightened me and I feel more at home with the Hindu beliefs. I do however have a few questions.

First, welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy your stay.

The answers you receive to these questions will vary depending on the Hindu you ask. There are many schools of philosophy and sects within Hinduism.

1. What is the belief regarding angels? Do Hindu's believe they are real or not?

In my personal view, the only thing that is real is Brahman, which is pure consciousness; Absolute Reality. Everything that exists in maya (relative reality) is illusory; a manifestation of Brahman.

But to answer your question, I don't recognize the existence of angels in maya. But I personally don't speak for all Hindus.


2. Regarding reincarnation, does a person retain anything from their past lives? Maybe a characteristic or personality trait or even sexual interests?

My thought process for #2 is if in a past life you were a straight man naturally attracted to women and then in your new life you are a woman and find that you are attracted to women. Could this be a result in your sexual interests in your past life? Or let's say with a transgender individual who believes they should have been born the opposite sex. Could this be because in their past life they were that opposite sex?

It is my understanding that only pure consciousness in the form of the Atman (the immortal self), which is the same as Brahman, survives the death of the body and mind. All that is contained in in the mind dies with it, including personality traits and sexual interests.

What's the point of experiencing life if one is going to do it the same way every time? :)



Mind you, this is my own personal view based on the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism. Again, your mileage may vary based on the Hindu you ask.
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
1. There are semi-divine beings like Sage Narada, supposedly a mind-born son of Lord Brahma. But they are devotees of their deities and deities do not use them as messengers or errand-boys. So, not exactly of the Abrahamic religions type.

2. As Salix said, you will get different answers from different Hindus. We hardly have anything like "must believe". Now, I am an Hindu as also a strong atheist, do not accept the existence of Gods, and believe in 'non-duality' (Advaita). I believe all things in the universe made up of one entity, normally termed as Brahman by Hindus. But my Brahman is not a God - for beginning, we can say Brahman is a thing. I concur with Salix again to say that what is perceived is but an illusion, and the true reality is different from that. I reject a whole lot of things - like creation, Gods, Soul, heaven, hell, judgment, birth and death, etc. Since I do not believe in existence of soul, the question of reincarnation/rebirth does not arise with me.
 
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Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I have been on a spiritual journey recently and have some questions regarding Hinduism. A little history about myself first though. I was raised as a Christian but the older I got the more I started questioning my Christian beliefs and really got to a point where I didn't even want to consider myself to be a Christian. I took a World Religions class and it truly opened my eyes as to what other religions are out there. I was drawn to Hinduism and started my research. I feel like the research alone has enlightened me and I feel more at home with the Hindu beliefs. I do however have a few questions.

1. What is the belief regarding angels? Do Hindu's believe they are real or not?
2. Regarding reincarnation, does a person retain anything from their past lives? Maybe a characteristic or personality trait or even sexual interests?

My thought process for #2 is if in a past life you were a straight man naturally attracted to women and then in your new life you are a woman and find that you are attracted to women. Could this be a result in your sexual interests in your past life? Or let's say with a transgender individual who believes they should have been born the opposite sex. Could this be because in their past life they were that opposite sex?

Welcome to the forum, and in particular this section. As others have indicated Hinduism is vast, containing many variations, so you'll get quite the variety. My sect is called monistic Saiva Siddhanta.

I believe in angels, sort of. I'm not very familiar with angels, so I'll just describe the beliefs. We have God, Gods, and devas. God, for me is Siva. He also emanated other 'helper' Gods, namely Murugan, and Ganesha, who each also have millions of helpers, called devas. On the mystical side of certain rituals, certain devas are assigned to you. So many have personal helper devas. There are also souls you may have known (relative, deceased, perhaps) who , while thay are without a physical body, can still assist.

Reincarnation is tied to karma intricately. It is the soul that reincarnates, not the person, or personality. Gender and sexual orientation is tied to the individual lifetime, not the soul. So anything can happen due to your karma.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
God, for me is Siva. He also emanated other 'helper' Gods, namely Murugan, and Ganesha, who each also have millions of helpers, called devas.
Hey Vinayaka, you are forgetting the female counterparts. Mother Parvati for Shiva. Shiva is not complete without Parvati. Mother Parvati is his power, 'Shakti'.

Similarly Mothers Riddhi and Siddhi (names may differ in different traditions) for Ganesha; and Mothers Devasena and Valli for Murugan (Kartikeya in North Indian traditions).

Shiva, Ganesha and Murugan with their consorts:
goddess-parvati-hd-photos-wallpapers-1080p-5ug.jpg
Marble-Riddhi-siddhi-Ganesh-Statue-white-marble.jpg_300x300.jpg
com.maestroinfotecbiz.www.app557924bb442be.png
 

sayak83

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I have been on a spiritual journey recently and have some questions regarding Hinduism. A little history about myself first though. I was raised as a Christian but the older I got the more I started questioning my Christian beliefs and really got to a point where I didn't even want to consider myself to be a Christian. I took a World Religions class and it truly opened my eyes as to what other religions are out there. I was drawn to Hinduism and started my research. I feel like the research alone has enlightened me and I feel more at home with the Hindu beliefs. I do however have a few questions.

1. What is the belief regarding angels? Do Hindu's believe they are real or not?
2. Regarding reincarnation, does a person retain anything from their past lives? Maybe a characteristic or personality trait or even sexual interests?

My thought process for #2 is if in a past life you were a straight man naturally attracted to women and then in your new life you are a woman and find that you are attracted to women. Could this be a result in your sexual interests in your past life? Or let's say with a transgender individual who believes they should have been born the opposite sex. Could this be because in their past life they were that opposite sex?
Angels is a very Judeo-Christian term. Hindus have many Gods and Goddesses (Deva-s). Depending on the path of praxis, they may represent aspects of the Ultimate Brahman or Divine Powers of the world.
Hindus do not have such specific predictions on how past life affects the present character, orientation etc. Its certainly something that's not ruled out however. The net of causality is too subtle to provide definitive predictions on this matter as of now.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Well, for those who believe (I don't believe the whole of it), Gods like to throw challenges in life. The results of our actions are classified in three categories:

"Everything that we have ever thought, spoken, done or caused is karma, as is also that which we think, speak or do this every moment. Hindu scriptures divide karma into three kinds:

1. Kriyamana: That is every action that we engage in during the current life. Some 'kriyamana karmas' may fructify immediately (I slap you, you slap me back), most others flow in to the next category, 'sanchita karma' and consequently shape our future.
2. Sanchita: The accumulated karma. It would be impossible to experience and endure all karmas in one lifetime. From this stock of 'sanchita karma', God (Brahma) takes out a handful to serve one lifetime. This handful of actions, which have begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed/suffered and not otherwise, is known as 'prarabdha karma'.
3. Prarabdha: Fruit-bearing karma is the portion of accumulated ('sanchita karma') karma that has ripened and appears as a particular problem or prize in the present life.

Only in human life we can change our future destiny. After death we lose Kriya Shakti (ability to act) and do (kriyamana) karma until and if we are born again in another human body."
Karma in Hinduism - Wikipedia (modified and with changed list order)

Karma is like a leaking vessel or a bank account, fluid, dynamic. We keep on adding karmas, it keeps on leaking our karmas that affect our life. :)
 
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Shadow Rose

Member
I have actually seen what i had believed to be angels and felt the presence of a smaller being. I know in the Christian faith there are angels and the way it was described in the Bible is exactly how they looked when I experienced them. Since I am no longer following the Christian faith and learning more about Hinduism and the beliefs, this was one thing that I just couldn't find through my research.

I know there is still so much to learn about Hinduism and I thank you all for your insight.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I have actually seen what i had believed to be angels and felt the presence of a smaller being. I know in the Christian faith there are angels and the way it was described in the Bible is exactly how they looked when I experienced them. Since I am no longer following the Christian faith and learning more about Hinduism and the beliefs, this was one thing that I just couldn't find through my research.

I know there is still so much to learn about Hinduism and I thank you all for your insight.

The esoteric purpose of certain Hindu temples is to provide a meeting place for 3 planes of existence, the Sivaloka where God resides, the devaloka where devas reside, and the bhuloka, this physical plane. To feel the presence of God is what going to a temple is all about. So for many Hindus, what you felt is practically normal occurrence.
 
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