Hinduism: Ask your Questions

[Surya Deva]

I am surprised at the enormous amount of disinterest in this religion with the non-Indian members(Even in the Hinduism forum the majority of posters are of Indian origin) and yet it's the third largest religion in the world and one of the oldest, if not the oldest religion in the world.

I am sure there must be some questions about Hinduism that people may want to ask. I invite people of all religions, especially Christians and Muslims to ask me questions on Hinduism. Anything you want to know.

It benefits us both. You get to learn about Hinduism and I get to sharpen my answering skills

 

[zenzero]

Friend Suraj,
When one understands religion one should not be reacting; one should be only responsive to the environment/surrounding and be compassionate.
Whatever anyone is doing/thinking is just PERFECT; that is the WAY it should BE.
As explained before that each individual [soul] goes through the evolutionary process which is millions of lives and it is only few who revolutionises the process to seek enlightenment in one lifetime. This way each individual is in a different time/space zone and so they are not it the same place and wavelength as you and so do not bother about Religion per se But maybe appear religious because they seem to talk and discuss the subject because it is fashionable to do so?
It is the same reason that even after being on earth for thousands of years all men cannot be enlightened; it is only a few that reach that stage after many many lives.

However; personally like to know as to where in Sanatan dharma can one find about meditation on * SUNYATA* discussed i.e. by transcending duality.

Await response.
Love & rgds

 

[Surya Deva]

Hi Zenzero,

I think it is important that people of other religions have some knowledge and understanding of Hinduism, because Hinduism is a big religion, practiced by over 1 billion people in the world. In the interest of mutual understanding and respect Hinduism needs to be represented more in the global consciousness. This is more pertinent today when Indians are playing an increasingly major role in the world and there are more Indians around the world.

Thanks for the question. A meditation on Sunyata is not found in Hinduism as far as I know, the concept of emptiness and void is more of a Buddhist concept, than a Hindu one. The Hindus recognise 'something' rather than nothing. Yet, the Buddhists do recognise the concept and meditative practice of living in the moment(Nirvana) which is intertwined with the idea of void. There is a similar meditative practice given in Hinduism, in the Yoga Sutras. It says:

By Samyama on moment and on the continuous flow of moments, the yogi gains superconsciousness of knowledge beyond time and space.(3.53)

Samyama means perfectly restrained consciousness. This is a stage one reaches in meditation eventually. At this stage, if you direct your consciousness to an object, your entire consciousness flows in that direction. All there is, is you and the object and the whole world ceases to be. In this case your object is moment itself, when you do samyama on the moment, you begin to become aware of time and relativity of time. The continuous flow of moments in sequence is time, as long as you are identified with this flow of moments, there is time. When you detach from the flow of moments you realise that a moment in time is timeless, eternal and real. This is when you transcend time, space and duality.

I want to give you more than just theoretical answers. I want to give you a practical answer to achieve that stage of samyama. It is an advanced stage of meditation when you achieve a perfect level of concentration, in fact it IS meditation. When we sit for a few minutes with our eyes closed and our thoughts focussed on some object, we think we are meditating. But I was shocked to read recently in Swami Satyananada's book, "Surefire ways to self-realization" that this is not meditation! This is just the training to do meditation. The implications of this is most of us are not meditating, when we think we are. This opened my eyes, because I realised that for years when I thought I was meditating, I had not been meditating.

Swami Satyananda reveals that meditation is not something one does, meditation is something that happens spontaneously. To allow it to happen we must first achieve the stage of continuous and rhythmic flow of breath(pranayama) this enables us to achieve the stage of sensory withdrawal(pratyahara) before these stages are not satisfied meditation is impossible. It is futile sitting on the floor with eyes closed for 2 hours if your breath is not continuous and you can still be distracted by external stimuli.

I had only once achieived the state of pratyahara ever and I have not been able to achieve it again. In this state my entire surroundings felt like they were receeding into the distance, going very far away. The sounds I could hear from outside had become very faint as if I was impressed deep under water. It was a tremendous and very tangible difference, a genuine shift in consciousness. I realised how meditation was impossible without achieving this state.

Thus to really truly meditate master the stages of pranayama and prayahara and only then will you achieve samyama and realise that 'void'

 

[zenzero]

Friend Suraj,
Thank you for your response.
Though never had any formal training under any guru but had insight into meditation due to past karma as spend all by waking hours in self realisation since my childhood and have no interests in worldly things and so am still single at 54 and like to remain such.
The other factor that had an impact was my experiments with grass/hasish/bhang and inevitably the kicks led me to silence which I enjoyed very much.
But was always of the understanding that till the mind is thinking even if focused on any god figure is still thinking and only when the mind is free of thoughts that we are in meditation and so agree with Swami Satyananda. Accept that those moments are not possible unless one is through with *Pranyama* & *Pratyahara*. In fact just underwent a nasal *Polyp* operation to enable to practice Pranayama to start with and then move towards that Void.
Love & rgds

 

[Surya Deva]

Thanks Zenzero,

I too have not had any formal training, except for attending a few meditation groups, but they hardly teach you anything other than to sit down and meditate. There is no help with the 'HOW' part. I have no doubt that most of the people who attend these groups are doing it wrong due to poor instruction. I really do wish to have a Guru and I really hope I find one in this life.

Regarding making the minds free of thoughts. It is like trying to drain out an ocean with a cup, no matter how much you emtpy the mind of thoughts, more thoughts will continue to surface. In fact the Yoga gurus say it is impossible not for the mind to think it is the nature of the mind to think. Rather, than emptying the mind, focus the mind on only one object. However, it is difficult to focus one on that one object in a normal state of consciousness. This is why Dharana(assuming the object) only takes place after Pranayama and Pratyahara. First steady the breath and mind, and when you enter the state of Pratyahara, only then assume the object of meditation. The meditation schools one attends tell you to assume the object from the beginning itself, and a lot of them make it even harder and suggest you assume, "Everything is infinite" or "Everything is Brahman" or "I am Brahman" and I found meditating like this virtually impossible. The first problem is the mind is unsteady, disturbed and distracted and the second problem is the concept is too abstract to relate to. There is a very big danger of thinking this is meditation and habitualizing it. Somebody can think they are progressing, but actually it is only an illusion of progress created by their mind. It is paramount, absolutely paramount, that one first stabalises their breath and achieives sensory deprivation before they start meditation on an object. Their object itself should be something REAL for them, not abstract.

I wish you good luck on your practice!

 

[Surya Deva]

Anymore questions from others? Come on, there must be something you want to learn about Hinduism.

 

[ChristineES]

I would like to know about God in Hinduism. I have heard that it is polytheistic, monotheistic, and pantheistic. Which of these is correct? Is the Brahman the true God (with the three parts?) or is there something else I am missing.

Thanks for the chance to ask this question.

 

[Surya Deva]

I would like to know about God in Hinduism. I have heard that it is polytheistic, monotheistic, and pantheistic. Which of these is correct? Is the Brahman the true God (with the three parts?) or is there something else I am missing.

ChristineES,

Thank you for your question.

This is a common question asked about Hinduism. To be honest it is difficult to give Hinduism any label, monoistic is perhaps the closest, but even that has limitations in describing Hinduism's concept of 'god'.

To be honest this whole concept of god is superfluous in Hinduism. In Hinduism there is only Atman(Self/being) and Atman is Brahman(Existence) If one is to say that 'god' is within, then one is simply indicating their being and thus 'god' becomes a superfluous and unnecessary term.

I prefer the word supreme being. So for the purpose of illustration I will use the word supreme being. The supreme being is a formless, abstract, non-dual and perfect being. This supreme being cannot be objectified, you cannot make it an object of your mind, because the supreme being itself is perceiving the world through the mind. Just as the water droplets cannot make the ocean its object, because as soon as they meet it, they merge into it; just as the rays cannot make the sun the object, because as soon as they withdraw into it, they merge into it. The mind is likened to the moon, as the moon does not have any light of its own, but shines because of the sun; likewise the mind has no consciousness of its own, but shines because of the the supreme soul(Atman)

When a mirror reflects the sun in day, if one looks directly at the mirror one cannot see the mirror, just the blinding light of the sun. If one did not know better one would misidentify the mirror as the source of the sun. Likewise, the mind has misidentified itself as consciousness.

On creation that non-dual supreme being, appears to become many and split into infinite parts called Jeevaatmans(souls) like waves arising within an ocean or sparaks within fire. These souls are as pure as the supreme being they have emanated from, but they become conditioned by time and space and misidentify themselves with it. This leads to the formation of ego, the notion of 'I'. The wave begins to think it is separate from the ocean, but, it is in fact really the ocean, the wave is just a temporal existence. The soul desires to experience reality and to experience reality it evolves mind and body. Yet, just as a wave that ascends from the ocean reaches its peak and then descends back down, likewise the soul evolves from simple organisms to complex organisms until it attains human form. It then begins to gain-self consciousnes and begins to realise its Self and finally merges into the Self.

Thus in Hinduism the understanding is that supreme being underlies EVERYTHING, the world outside, the world inside, the inside and outside. It is the being of all beings. It is the absolute reality.

Now a look at the three labels and how they relate to Hinduism.

Polythiestic: The purest expressions of that ONE supreme being are the being itself. Thus ALL is in ONE. E.g., the supreme being is the supreme intelligence, supreme artist, supreme life, supreme mother, supreme father, supreme protector, supreme bliss etc

Monotheistic: There is only ONE supreme being and that is all that there is. There is nothing else but that supreme being.

Pantheistic: ALL is that supreme being, but phenomena is only one part of that supreme being which is visible to us, the rest is not visible to us.

I hope this has helped you understand the Hindu concept of god. If you want clarifications or have more questions please feel free to ask

 

[zenzero]

Friend Suraj,
Seems you too are now swaying towards that void as see that you are using buddha figure as your avatar.
Usually the dhayana is on the soundless sound that is eternal and that keeps buzzing in the ears at all times. There are no thoughts [intentional] but as you said they kep doing there job however one tries but am not against them whom I consider SATAN of the Bible but trying to brfriend the thinking process/ satan so that he will forget when I take leave of absence from him later.
Enjoy the moment at all times, Try to be HERE-NOW.
Love & rgds

 

[ChristineES]

Thank you, Suraj. Your answer did help me understand it a bit more.

 

[Gharib]

dear suraj heres some questions for you from a muslim
you guys believe in idols right.
i want you to tell me this:
1) what would happen if you break one of those idols that you worhip?
2) would the idol that you worship punish you after it is broken
3) can the idol protect itself from you if you wanted to break it
4) if it can' protect itself from you who are just a simple human being then how will it protect you from the punishment of fire from Allah
the reason i am asking these question is because why do you worship something that cannot protect itself from anything. i will tell you about the time of prophet Ibrahim (as). before he was chosen as a prophet from Allah the people he used to live amongst used to worship idols. so after being chosen by Allah he wanted to show to his people that they were worshiping non other than just helpless figures of stone. so what he did was he entered the temple of worship one day all allone and broke all the idols in it except for one of them. when the people came in they said to him who did this and he replyed "the idol infront of you broke them" and they said " thats impossible because that idol is made of rock it cannot move" then he said if the idol cannot move then why do you worship that which cannot defend itself or that cannot move"
i will be very interested in your reply

 

[zenzero]

Friend eselam,
There is a beautiful zen story about idol.
Once a monk [enlightened] while traveling in cold weather found a buddhist temple of a monastry to pass the night.
The night being cold and nothing to protect himself started to look for wood to burn and keep himself warm. Found only the statue of buddha to be made of wood and so burned it to keep himself warm. The other buddhist from the monastry came rushing seeing the fire and told him that what he did was wrong. He dis not respond but managed to pass the cold night.
Nex morning he got up and started his journey and befoe that he stood before a stone and started *Buddham saranam gachami ..................*. The others seeing him was quirous and so asked him* Last night you burned the buddha and now you are uttering his mantra, what is the meaning?*
He responded* The buddha residing in me was feeling cold and had to keep him alive and now and now am paying homage to the same buddha who is also in this stone.

Firstly it is not the stone/image that one worships. It is the same god/allah that is in that stone too that is worshipped as god/allah is everywhere even in that stone. Now it is upto you to destroy that image or not with the knowledge that god/allah is in that stone/image too.

Love & rgds

 

[Surya Deva]

1) what would happen if you break one of those idols that you worhip?

Nothing it is a material at the end of the day. It would be replaced with another one.

2) would the idol that you worship punish you after it is broken

No, because it is inanimate.

3) can the idol protect itself from you if you wanted to break it

No, because it is inanimate.

4) if it can' protect itself from you who are just a simple human being then how will it protect you from the punishment of fire from Allah
the reason i am asking these question is because why do you worship something that cannot protect itself from anything. i will tell you about the time of prophet Ibrahim (as). before he was chosen as a prophet from Allah the people he used to live amongst used to worship idols. so after being chosen by Allah he wanted to show to his people that they were worshiping non other than just helpless figures of stone. so what he did was he entered the temple of worship one day all allone and broke all the idols in it except for one of them. when the people came in they said to him who did this and he replyed "the idol infront of you broke them" and they said " thats impossible because that idol is made of rock it cannot move" then he said if the idol cannot move then why do you worship that which cannot defend itself or that cannot move"

I think you have story your wrong there. It was not Allah that destroys the idols of Pagans, it was Muslims.

What you would you do if I urinated on a copy of the Quran? I do not mean to offend you with the suggestion, but merely illustrate to you that though the book itself is an inanimate thing, it holds great sentimental value to you and all Muslims, and by defiling it I would be disrespecting all Muslims. Similarly, if you went around destroying the idols of Pagans/Hindus, they too hold great sentimental value, and by doing so you disrespect all Pagans/Hindus.

An object can be inanimate but still holy. The Guru Granth Sahib in Sikhism is just a book at the end of the day, it is printed and published like any book. Yet, Sikhs hold it with such love and respect. This charges this book with positive spiritual energies.
What is holy water? It is water charged with prayer. When you defile something that is holy, you don't merely disrespect the sentiments of people, you defile something which really has been charged with holy vibrations. Yes, you will definitely be punished by the laws of karma for that action.

 

[Gharib]

dear zenzero if you too worship Allah then why do it through an idol wich looks nothing like the almighty creator. Allah has never said in the holy Kur'an that you are ordered to worship an idol because I will be in it, he has said that in any direction that you face " I will be infront of you " but do not ever turn to any idol or image for then you are not worshiping me.

 

[Gharib]

i know that the Kur'an cannot protect itself from the people who want to do harm to it but i never said that we worship the Kur'an, my question to you was this "what would happen to you if you break one of the idols". now you know very well that you consider it to be a god right. then how can you worship something that cannot protect itself. tell me what makes it so powerfull that you have decided to worship it. i'll tell you something about Allah and why we worship Him. He is the creator of the 7 universes and everything that is between them, he is the creator of Heaven and Hell, he has created everything from nothing he is the allmighty who deserves to be worshiped.
and so i wan't you to tell me what makes your idols that they deserve any worshiping if they cannot even protect themselves let alone any of the people that worship it.
also i quote your answer to my first question "Nothing it is a material at the end of the day. It would be replaced with another one". i thought that a god lived forever just as Allah does who has no starting point and no end point.

 

[nawab]

Ok Dear Suraj

Please explain to me why do Hindu women worship or please the male sexual organ of lord Shiva ,

 

[Surya Deva]

i know that the Kur'an cannot protect itself from the people who want to do harm to it but i never said that we worship the Kur'an, my question to you was this "what would happen to you if you break one of the idols".

I slightly disagree with you. I think you do worship the Quran as well. To keep something covered and high up, to go through extensive rituals to read it, to savour every word of something is tantamount to worship. If somebody harms the Quran, you will be angered. Why? Because you worship it.

You might argue that you don't worship Quran, you worship its claimed author, Allah. The Quran is just symbolic of that. Well therein lies the explanation for why Hindus can replace an idol, the idol in and of itself is not a god, it represents god. It is a representation which is recognised by Hindus. When we see an image of Shiva, we know immediately that it represents god and offers our worship and respect to it.

Otherwise, why would I bow before a statue or image of Shiva I've never seen before? Because I recognise what it represents.

 

[Surya Deva]

Please explain to me why do Hindu women worship or please the male sexual organ of lord Shiva]/QUOTE]

Not just women; men do as well.

I will correct one thing we do not worship sexual organs. Shiva Lingam means "The marker of Shiva" It looks like a phallic object, but it isn't in fact a penis. In Hindu Philosophy the Lingam of something is its distinguishing feature, it is what sets its apart from other things. The Shiva Lingam in Tantra is depicted as an upwards pointing triangle, and symbolises the masculine principle representing power, extroversion and creativity. It is counter balanced by a downwards triangle representing calmness, introversion, intuition. In the middle of that triangle is a point or Bindu, an abstract thing of which there is no image or symbolism. This is transcendence which takes place when we harmonise the two forces.

Hinduism comes very close to the Islamic idea that there can be no image of that supreme being and we remain true to that. We do not have any images of that supreme, which is why we leave it as an abstract thing like a dot, or an abstract word like "Brahman" The only thing we do have an image of is its manifestations, which by definition are phenomenal and thus they can be imagined.

 

[nawab]

Dont worry i have also knowledge about the hindu scriptures e.g. 4 vedas, puranas, smritis, etc

i know that Hindusim according to the scriptures is a monotheist religion, but not according to the followers, there are many verses which say Na tasya pratimi asti, (of him there is no image) the reason why so many hindu women they pour milk on the lingum is because they expect to be pregnet. may i know is this pratice right according to the Hindu doctrine and scriptures

 

[Surya Deva]

There really are no right and wrongs in Hindu religion. There is just existence, this infinite dancing of a single consciousness, within which everything occurs. You can do anything you want but bear in mind whatever you do has karmic effects and you will bear that Karma. In Hinduism everything which is not that supreme being is pain. The aim of Hinduism is transcendence and nothing else.

But Hinduism recognises necessary evils. We must eat, and to eat we must harm some organism in our world and by doing so we are still incurring its karmic effect. You cannot say, "Oh sorry that I am killing you and eating you" and expect to escape karmic effects, you will still endure it"
These laws are immutable. You cannot escape its effects. However, Hinduism suggests minimum evil as possible with intent to go beyond it. Therein lies the principles of Ahimsa, non violence in word, thought and action. If you are going to eat, then eat fruit, dairy and vegetables to minimize the evil you are commiting. If you are going to explore sex, then explore it with your own spouse, to minimize the evil you are commiting. Thus Hinduism allows for living a life satisfying every desire and at the same time commiting the least amount of evil. By doing so you will eventually reach a desireless state and that is when you will think of nothing else but the supreme being.

The common Hindus who practice superstitious practices do it out of blind faith. Hinduism in general does not like blind faith, because it advises one to use their intellect, to awaken ones consciousness.