Syncretic acceptance amongst the monoreligionists?

[Jainarayan]

Chapter 5's verses, certainly are tempered by 6's, but I like I said...
I don't think they contradict each other when applied with rightly.

Exactly. A good exegesis is in The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta by Swami Prabhavananda. He delves into and coherently weaves together the teachings.

Different situations can call for different things to be done.
I mean NOT talking about your religion intentionally could also be considered an outward austerity as well, no?

Indeed... I don't bring up the subject. If by some chance one of my pendants is visible, or my tattoo on my shoulder (especially if I wear a sleeveless t shirt), and I encounter an Indian, they might ask me about it. I'll tell them I'm Hindu, which usually elicits a big smile and starts a conversation as to the whys, hows, whens, etc. Anyone else who sees my tat or pendant totally ignores them, and I don't flash them.

Seeing the externals exhibited are encouraging some times
Like when we see a monk, priest or other holy person.....

Very true. It says the person has taken a vow and is upholding a personal integrity. Besides I like the robes, hats and veils EO monks wear, the epanokalimavkion.

Over all, I think the 'shining' is more for those with Self awareness in their heart's intention,
and Chapter 6 is stating more that we won't find that Self through showing others' how well we can do the dances.

Would you agree?

Yes indeed. :yes:

 

[Gaura Priya]

By the way, I am no longer practicing syncretism anymore. I'm pretty much a full-blown Hindu, although I will read works in other religious traditions. I've found that it was difficult to balance both, although I personally have absolutely no problem with those who do desire to mix different traditions together.

I am recognising more and more that religion is a cultural phenomenon to me personally, and that the nature of choosing beliefs that are agreeable and useful to one's mentality and daily life is very natural. My cultural practices, beliefs and mind are very much Hindu, and I will try to stick to that!

Every religious tradition that seeks to know one's self and purpose, and legitimately does not infringe upon one's own conscience or safety, is beautiful.

 

[SageTree]

By the way, I am no longer practicing syncretism anymore. I'm pretty much a full-blown Hindu, although I will read works in other religious traditions. I've found that it was difficult to balance both, although I personally have absolutely no problem with those who do desire to mix different traditions together.

I am recognising more and more that religion is a cultural phenomenon to me personally, and that the nature of choosing beliefs that are agreeable and useful to one's mentality and daily life is very natural. My cultural practices, beliefs and mind are very much Hindu, and I will try to stick to that!

Every religious tradition that seeks to know one's self and purpose, and legitimately does not infringe upon one's own conscience or safety, is beautiful.

You mean that you gave up UUism or that you put your Hindu before the UU?

IE Hindi-UU vs UU-Hindu.

 

[Jainarayan]

I've found that it was difficult to balance both, although I personally have absolutely no problem with those who do desire to mix different traditions together.

I can't disagree with that, and am happy for you. Confusion is hell. I find myself in a similar situation as you. I am sorting things out; the sediment is settling out. I can't practice even an open Chenrezig sadhana (visualization) and be a Vishnu/Krishna or Harihara bhakta. I can, however, pray to the bodhisattvas (especially Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara to cultivate compassion) and the buddhas, and revere and ask them for their help in their "specialties", just as I would to Sri Hanuman, Sri Ganesha, Maa Saraswati (I don't think I'll ever be able to abandon henotheism ); and listen to the teachings of Jesus on love and compassion and striving to know God. One of Jesus's most famous comments was "you cannot serve two masters". How true, and I think we've realized that.

 

[Gaura Priya]

You mean that you gave up UUism or that you put your Hindu before the UU?

IE Hindi-UU vs UU-Hindu.

My adherence towards UU philosophy is kind of at the moment. I go to the services once every two months, and since my boyfriend seemed to have barely any interest in being serious with the movement, that kind of attitude seeps into mine as well.

Especially when there's a YA group meeting coming up soon! But he still volunteers for the church once in a while! I think the very little amount of 'Canadians-of-colour' in Canadian UU congregations, and its very post-Protestant worship services leave me somewhat hankering for a more meditative and sensory-stimulating experience.

I was referring mainly to my attempt to practice Christianity and Hinduism at the same time; I was being pulled by puritans of each, so I felt ultimately pressured to stick with one tradition!

But now that you've caught me, who knows? yes, I put Hinduism first before UUism because I still haven't made enough of an emotional connection to the movement, but maybe in time, I can see them more integrated as two sides of the same coin!

 

[Gaura Priya]

I can't disagree with that, and am happy for you. Confusion is hell. I find myself in a similar situation as you. I am sorting things out; the sediment is settling out. I can't practice even an open Chenrezig sadhana (visualization) and be a Vishnu/Krishna or Harihara bhakta. I can, however, pray to the bodhisattvas (especially Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara to cultivate compassion) and the buddhas, and revere and ask them for their help in their "specialties", just as I would to Sri Hanuman, Sri Ganesha, Maa Saraswati (I don't think I'll ever be able to abandon henotheism ); and listen to the teachings of Jesus on love and compassion and striving to know God. One of Jesus's most famous comments was "you cannot serve two masters". How true, and I think we've realized that.

Now, the hardest part is putting THAT into practice, LOL! :rainbow1:

I think I've separated my religious mind into two sections: one is adherence and practice, and the other is intellectual stimulation. Hinduism is my preference, identity and practice... and everything else (Christianity, Unitarian Universalism) is intellectual stimulation.

It may change in the future, or maybe not, but I see huge merit in practicing one at a time over trying them all at once. Sort of like katheno-religiosity. It's just that I've been a Hindu for almost as long as my cradle Catholicism, and how can that not affect my purview?

 

[Jainarayan]

I was referring mainly to my attempt to practice Christianity and Hinduism at the same time; I was being pulled by puritans of each, so I felt ultimately pressured to stick with one tradition!

If your attraction to Christianity is still there, as mine is for the reasons I mention here, you might look into obtaining a copy of the 'Jefferson Bible' and looking into Jesuism. The Jefferson Bible is Thomas Jefferson's compilation and (reordering their chronologies for consistency and to make sense) of the four canonical gospels, with redactions of references to miracles, divinity and the resurrection. It focuses mainly on Jesus's core teachings, i.e. the "red letter" verses (many bibles print Jesus's words in red). This is not the archetypal Christianity of today, which is actually Paulism, but Chrisitanity in its purest form coming straight from Jesus. This is not incompatible with Hinduism, especially if you add 'The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta' by Swami Prabhavananda.

 

[Jainarayan]

Now, the hardest part is putting THAT into practice, LOL! :rainbow1:

Praying to multiple deities and bodhisattvas? Not really, having come from a tradition which has a multitude of angels and saints to pray to, to add their prayers to God for you. Only God Himself grants favors and grace, as Sri Krishna says. At the risk of being irreverent, and anthropomorphising to the nth degree, prayers coming from oneself and all the saints, angels and deities and other beings to God is not unlike a classroom full of 3rd graders bugging the crap out of the teacher to take them on a field trip.

 

[SageTree]

My adherence towards UU philosophy is kind of at the moment. I go to the services once every two months, and since my boyfriend seemed to have barely any interest in being serious with the movement, that kind of attitude seeps into mine as well.

Especially when there's a YA group meeting coming up soon! But he still volunteers for the church once in a while! I think the very little amount of 'Canadians-of-colour' in Canadian UU congregations, and its very post-Protestant worship services leave me somewhat hankering for a more meditative and sensory-stimulating experience.

I was referring mainly to my attempt to practice Christianity and Hinduism at the same time; I was being pulled by puritans of each, so I felt ultimately pressured to stick with one tradition!

But now that you've caught me, who knows? yes, I put Hinduism first before UUism because I still haven't made enough of an emotional connection to the movement, but maybe in time, I can see them more integrated as two sides of the same coin!

Thanks for the reply, and I can completely understand what/why you are saying.

I'm happy you are working things out.

 

[Gaura Priya]

If your attraction to Christianity is still there, as mine is for the reasons I mention here, you might look into obtaining a copy of the 'Jefferson Bible' and looking into Jesuism. The Jefferson Bible is Thomas Jefferson's compilation and (reordering their chronologies for consistency and to make sense) of the four canonical gospels, with redactions of references to miracles, divinity and the resurrection. It focuses mainly on Jesus's core teachings, i.e. the "red letter" verses (many bibles print Jesus's words in red). This is not the archetypal Christianity of today, which is actually Paulism, but Chrisitanity in its purest form coming straight from Jesus. This is not incompatible with Hinduism, especially if you add 'The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta' by Swami Prabhavananda.

I've actually read the Jefferson Bible, and about Jesuism! But thanks for the suggestions anyways. I do believe that modern-day Christianity is really in essence, Pauline Christianity. Jewish Christianity and other sects died out in the first few hundred years since the establishment of the Council of Nicea.

That certainly didn't excuse Christ though! Christ also got upset, offended many people, was a miracle man, and claimed that he was directly God's only son. Sifting between what is true and false is difficult, as many of the other Christian apocrypha that we have also show Christ as some esoteric teacher somehow possessing exclusive knowledge, or some other supernatural attribution!

In any case, I have loads of literature to go through. I am hoping to start soon with 'Studies in the Scriptures' by Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Bible Students movement - apparently, unlike Jehovah's Witnesses who also claim to descend from him, he taught Christian Universalism as a part of his philosophy!

I also have loads of Gaudiya Vaishnava literature to go through: I am reading Chaitanya-charitamrita, as well as a commentary of Sri Vishnu-sahasra-nama-stotram by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana, and about another one hundred works... all neatly saved in my e-reader! :yes:

 

[Gaura Priya]

Praying to multiple deities and bodhisattvas? Not really, having come from a tradition which has a multitude of angels and saints to pray to, to add their prayers to God for you. Only God Himself grants favors and grace, as Sri Krishna says. At the risk of being irreverent, and anthropomorphising to the nth degree, prayers coming from oneself and all the saints, angels and deities and other beings to God is not unlike a classroom full of 3rd graders bugging the crap out of the teacher to take them on a field trip.

I suppose that's true, lol! I also came from the same tradition, But I kept it simple to just the Blessed Virgin Mary and 'Our Lord And Saviour Jesus Christ' (TM).

I suppose it's no reason why I ended up in the Vaishnava tradition - both Catholicism and Vaishnavism have some similarities that the transference, if not the culture shock, is not as bad as one might think!

 

[Jainarayan]

Yep, there really are similarities that I think come from cultural exchange. The Romans & Chinese were major trading partners. A lot of ideas passed over those 5,000 miles.

 

[ratikala]

dar jainarayan ,

Yep, there really are similarities that I think come from cultural exchange. The Romans & Chinese were major trading partners. A lot of ideas passed over those 5,000 miles.

it is amazing realy that we forget this .
every wealthy culture has moved about the globe for trade reasons , and with the trade routes came phylospoical exchanges it is only natural that the ideas on one culture effect or influence another , as the inteligence in one being recognises the wisdom spoken by another .

if one could map the cultural exchanges over the centurys it would resemble the modern day airline maps with lines going everywhere .

I am not talking about atack and domination although this also happened , but the voluntary acceptance or realisation of anothers wisdom .

in truth it is irational to think that religions might exist along side one another without change and influence being inevitable ,

but as human beings we fear change yet desire it at the same time , this is our dilema .

I wery much liked sage trees comments earlier about being open to all wisdoms and learning , but having the sence to speak to others in their own language , this is so important as he said as it saves causing another confusion , it also saves unnececary fear and the likelihood of outright rejection of an idea which is sad .

Mmm thankyou everyone , .. an interesting conversation :namaste

 

[Jainarayan]

Few religions or cultures grew up in a vacuum. The ancient Chinese and Japanese cultures and empires were xenophobic, but for the most part once they began trading with the west, the flood gates of "cross pollination" opened wide. Your airline routes is good analogy. The "Silk Road" is a misnomer... there were many routes along the Silk Road, not just Point A to Point B. The Silk Road wound all through Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia and East Asia, and even into North Africa by many different routes. People like to talk and exchange ideas... gee, just like we're doing!

 

[SageTree]

I remember one conversation I had or comment I received from a person rather,
tell me to be careful not to mix religions.

We had a long talk about evolution and the Silk Roads

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm happy to hear some are working it out ... the parts of syncretism that lead to confusion, that is.

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm happy to hear some are working it out ... the parts of syncretism that lead to confusion, that is.

And I can tell you from recent first-hand experience that some things simply do not mesh. As much as you'd like them to work together, some things are like oil and water, totally immiscible. I found that to be the case being drawn to Vajrayāna. The most I can do, because I think Gautama Buddha is an incarnation of Vishnu, is see the buddhas and bodhisattvas as helper deities (we know I'm an unabashed henotheist ) emanating from him, and appeal to their specialties and inspirations as I do to Maa Saraswati for music, Sri Hanuman for strength, etc. I can pray to Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara for increase in compassion, but I can't bring myself to do a full-on sādhanā with visualization, even though it is open and doesn't need empowerment. And I certainly can't bring myself to seek a lama for a full-on esoteric sādhanā. So you see, even I recognize that not everything works.

 

[ratikala]

I'm sure it would freak out enough Hindus seeing my tulsi kanthi and rudraksha mala around my neck. Not to mention the pendants of the endless knot and Om Mani Padme Hum. To that end and the point being, I wear them all under my shirt.

jai jai , I still wear a tibetan prayer box , with a tibetan prayer and the narasimnadev kavach in it , my tulsi have broken , but they are in my heart , who cares what anyone else thinks .....these are just external things

but realy I must restring my tulsi , ....none the less a reminder of imperminance !

but you know come to think of it not one hindu ever comented adversly .

 

[ratikala]

dear jainarayan ,

And I can tell you from recent first-hand experience that some things simply do not mesh. As much as you'd like them to work together, some things are like oil and water, totally immiscible. I found that to be the case being drawn to Vajrayāna. The most I can do, because I think Gautama Buddha is an incarnation of Vishnu, is see the buddhas and bodhisattvas as helper deities (we know I'm an unabashed henotheist ) emanating from him, and appeal to their specialties and inspirations as I do to Maa Saraswati for music, Sri Hanuman for strength, etc. I can pray to Chenrezig/Avalokiteshvara for increase in compassion, but I can't bring myself to do a full-on sādhanā with visualization, even though it is open and doesn't need empowerment.

this is fine , what harm can there be in reflecting upon chenreizigs beautifull qualities , you do not have to do full sadhana .

I dont do the full sadhana with regularity any more but nothing will ever stop me reflecting upon the qualities day to day hour to hour :yes:

And I certainly can't bring myself to seek a lama for a full-on esoteric sādhanā. So you see, even I recognize that not everything works.

Hmmm not everything works in the way one first expects it to , but everything has an imprint , and imprints work

 

[Jainarayan]

Truer words have rarely been spoken (or written ).