Studying Hinduism.

[Daniel Z.]

Hi we are currently studying Hinduism in class and I need ten questions answered. Would a practicing Hindu please answer the following ten questions:


1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?

2. Do you also abide by the caste system?

3. Were you born into Hinduism?

4. Where do you practice Hinduism?

5. Do you believe in Karma?

6. What is your understanding of Karma?

7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?

8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?

9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?

10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

 

[Vinayaka]

1. Several lifetimes.
2. No.
3. Not this lifetime, but since 'I' am a soul, yes.
4. Everywhere.
5. Yes.
6. Action returning to actor.
7. Ultimately, moksha. In the meantime, artha, kama, and dharma.
8. Charity, self-reflection, bhakti.
9. My version does.
10. No.

 

[Daniel Z.]

Thank you so very, very much. This really helped, and thank you for your time.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hi we are currently studying Hinduism in class and I need ten questions answered. Would a practicing Hindu please answer the following ten questions:
1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?
2. Do you also abide by the caste system?
3. Were you born into Hinduism?
4. Where do you practice Hinduism?
5. Do you believe in Karma?
6. What is your understanding of Karma?
7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?
8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?
9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?
10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

You may not be aware that if you ask different Hindus the same questions, you are likely to get different answers. So here are my answers to your questions. I belong to a small minority among Hindus who are not theists.
1. Since birth, I do not believe in reincarnation. Just one life.
2. Yes, but only when it comes to marriages, more because being of one caste also means many commonalities, better adjustment.
3. Yes.
4. Since I am an atheist, I do not worship Gods and Goddesses (although my family is theist). My practice of Hinduism means 'dharma', fulfilling my duties to the family and the society) and engaging in righteous deeds.
5. I do not believe in 'karma' being carried from one life to another, since I do not believe in reincarnation; but yes our actions have their consequences in life.
6. What we do. One that helps the society is good, one that harms is bad.
7. Fulfill my obligations and pass through my life without unhappiness. To understand that I have not faltered in spite of times is happiness.
8. 'Dharma' (Fulfilling one's duties and engaging in righteous action).
9. Hinduism does prefer vegetarian food, but it is not obligatory. A majority, 70% of Hindus are non-vegetarians. Beef tops what is not acceptable.
10. Yes, it does. They are theists - many Gods and Goddesses.

 

[atanu]

Hi we are currently studying Hinduism in class and I need ten questions answered. Would a practicing Hindu please answer the following ten questions:


1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?

2. Do you also abide by the caste system?

3. Were you born into Hinduism?

4. Where do you practice Hinduism?

5. Do you believe in Karma?

6. What is your understanding of Karma?

7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?

8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?

9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?

10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

1. Several lifetimes.
2. No.
3. Not this lifetime, but since 'I' am a soul, yes.
4. Everywhere.
5. Yes.
6. Action returning to actor.
7. Ultimately, moksha. In the meantime, artha, kama, and dharma.
8. Charity, self-reflection, bhakti.
9. My version does.
10. No.

My responses would be similar as of Vinayaka, except for the following two comments.

First. I know certainly that I am practising a way of Hinduism only for about the last 25 years. I have no memory of previous practices if any.

Second. I do not practise the caste system as it is commonly known (and it is actually not correctly known). If we agree that karma trace continues through several lifetimes, it may be a natural outcome that you are equipped with some special qualities based on your accumulated experiences. For example, in future births, Hitler and this fellow Atanu most likely will not have similar traits, abilities and environments. This is called 'varna' -- the veil that covers our vision. Some guys have a very clear vision that Brahman is the only reality while others are of the fixed idea that there is nothing beyond the physical body and physicalism. The practice of 'varna asrama (so-called caste system)' recognises this phenomenon and designs life paths accordingly. The discrimination in the name of caste that we see (and this is true) is a folly of human ego that we can see in some form or other in any religion.

...

 

[chinu]

Hi we are currently studying Hinduism in class and I need ten questions answered. Would a practicing Hindu please answer the following ten questions:
1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?
2. Do you also abide by the caste system?
3. Were you born into Hinduism?
4. Where do you practice Hinduism?
5. Do you believe in Karma?
6. What is your understanding of Karma?
7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?
8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?
9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?
10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

Friend, the word "Hindu" originates from the Sanskrit word for river, sindhu.
You can read more about this here: Hinduism

Friend, I hope you could cast your questions accordingly. So that I could give my answers more appropriately, thank you.

 

[stvdv]

Hi we are currently studying Hinduism in class and I need ten questions answered. Would a practicing Hindu please answer the following ten questions:

1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism? My Master says "Hurt Never Help Ever" is enough to know/do. I always tried, not always managed

2. Do you also abide by the caste system? Not by the caste system how it is nowadays, I follow my Guru=Spiritual Master His guidelines

3. Were you born into Hinduism? I was born into Christianity, but looking back I see Sanathana Dharma has always been my Path

4. Where do you practice Hinduism? 24/7 is my goal

5. Do you believe in Karma? Yes

6. What is your understanding of Karma? Every action creates it's own reaction

7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism? I am born to not be born again (enlightenment)

8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism? Different path in Hinduism have different priorities, mine are "Hurt Never Help Ever" + "Who Am I" + "CIA" (*)

9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat? Ayurveda (India's advanced medical science); is specific on what to (not)eat to cure/avoid illness

10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism? They all do the best they can, but do not practice Hinduism according to some other Hindus

(*): CIA stands for "Constant Integrated Awareness"

 

[SalixIncendium]

1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?

Practicing? I don't know if I ever really 'practiced' Hinduism in the sense many outside of Hinduism might consider practice, aside from a couple of pujas. I've attended a few Vedanta meetings, but aside from meditation, which predates my identification as Hindu, I really don't have much in the way of what someone outside of Hinduism might consider practice. Though my worldview has aligned with Hinduism as long as I can remember, I've only identified as Hindu for a couple of years. However, my ethics, morals, principles and actions could arguably be considered "practicing Hinduism."​

2. Do you also abide by the caste system?

No.​

3. Were you born into Hinduism?

No. At least not in this incarnation.​

4. Where do you practice Hinduism?

I meditate pretty much anywhere at any time. But I suppose in the way I live, I'm always "practic[ing] Hinduism."​

5. Do you believe in Karma?

Yes.​

6. What is your understanding of Karma?

Karma, as I see it, is a causal account of one's actions. ​

7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?

Self realization leading to liberation from samsara (moksha).​

8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?

Living in accordance with Ṛta.​

9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?

No. I do.​

10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

No. Just me.​

 

[SalixIncendium]

(*): CIA stands for "Constant Integrated Awareness"

I'm glad you clarified this. For a moment there, I thought you might be an operative.

 

[stvdv]

I'm glad you clarified this. For a moment there, I thought you might be an operative.

That did not occur to me when I wrote it
Maybe subconscious I was aware of it
Hence choose to color it red

 

[Vinayaka]

You may not be aware that if you awsk different Hindus the same questions, you are likely to get different answers. So here are my answers to your questions.

I usually mention this as it's just so important, and I hope he does come back and read other responses. It's a challenge all around, for newcomers to our faith, and also many Hindus. So often westerners inquiring go away after one conversation with one person, and think they now know something about Hinduism in general. For Hindus, just yesterday, my wife was chatting with a young (Hindu) lady in a context outside the religion, and she asked my wife if she ever went to THE temple. G. (wife) answered just naturally, 'Which temple?" The young lady said, "There's another temple?" So G. went on to explain about the one we go to, and the young lady had never heard of it. There are 11 or 12 in this city now.

 

[Aupmanyav]

The temple one visits also to some extent indicates the person's belief. For example, in my theist days, I visited the Shiva temple in my home city every day (the one which I usually mention as my family temple). But very near it was a Krishna temple. I visited it just once in my life to know what was it like from inside.

 

[Vinayaka]

The temple one visits also to some extent indicates the person's belief. For example, in my theist days, I visited the Shiva temple in my home city every day (the one which I usually mention as my family temple). But very near it was a Krishna temple. I visited it just once in my life to know what was it like from inside.

Here in Canada, people with a cabin at a lake, or just a favorite lake always refer to it as 'the lake'. In small town high schools, summer parties are held at the lake, the hill, the gravel pit, etc., and everyone knows what you mean.

Our 12 temples here all have that. Most folks wouldn't go to more than 2 on any regular basis, but there is a bit of a geographical factor, or 'if it's open' factor.

2 Fijian temples (one was a breakaway from the other)
2 Swaminarayan temples (BAPS and ISSO)
ISKCON
a south Indian Ganesha temple
a north Indian traditional Smarta temple
a mainly Gujarati run north Indian Sanatani temple
a South Indian Vedic temple,
an Ayyappan temple run by Malayalams
2 Sai Baba temples, one for each Sai Baba

So yes, you can tell a lot about a person by where they go. (I've only been to 8 of them, but that might be the most for anyone in this city.)

 

[Aupmanyav]

Went to Kedar, went to Badrinath but did not enter the temple. I understood Krishna late in life.
Krishnarpanamastu.

 

[Sirona]

1. How long have you been practicing Hinduism?

22 years

2. Do you also abide by the caste system?

I'm a German convert living in Germany. I appreciate a lot about Hinduism but I think the caste system is unjust and wrong.

3. Were you born into Hinduism?

see question 2

4. Where do you practice Hinduism?

I attended a Hare Krishna group before Corona. Now I attend a smaller ISKCON-related freelance group, also due to Corona. I also perform arati at home.

5. Do you believe in Karma?

I was born with two handicaps which among other things affected my "chances" in life although I'd call myself intelligent, strong-willed and zealous. I definitely believe in karma.

6. What is your understanding of Karma?

The "out-come" for something you probably did in your last life. Probably not a punishment, as there are good sides and bad sides to everything.

7. What is your goal in practicing Hinduism?

Attaining a state that is blissful and free from suffering.

8. What is a major portion of practicing Hinduism?

A complex question. Depends on who you ask.

For me, I like chanting the names of (mostly) Krishna because chanting the names with music or on beads affects me on a deeper level than praying ever did.

I was a practicing Catholic before and praying on beads was the practice I liked best about it.

9. Does Hinduism give you guidelines in what you can and can’t eat?

No beef. No alcohol to keep your mind clear. You shouldn't eat any other meat but I admit that I don't always abide by this. I eat vegetarian and vegan stuff, too. The Krishnas say, no "stimulants" but most Hindus drink tea so I don't think it's wrong to drink coffee or tea.

10. Does all of your family practice Hinduism?

My family are atheists. They would tease me as a kid when I was practicing Christianity. No they leave me alone. My father complied with my wish to visit Hindu temples when we were on holidays. He also gave me a Ganesha statue as a souvenir. I think that's the maximum of tolerance I can expect from my family.

Hope this is informative for you.