Why Hinduism

[CG Didymus]

Namaste CG. I"ll give you my take as well, for what it's worth. Both Yogananda and Maharishi watered down Hinduism a great deal to appeal to what they perceived (rightly or wrongly) as a very Christian audience. I read that Maharishi was really surprised to learn of the 'free love' and drug culture of that era. I believe he assumed incorrectly that such things wouldn't be there, having been raised in India. The 'Christian' audience wasn't all that Christian, but in India there was no 'nothing'. and there still isn't much.

Breathing (pranayama) and hatha yoga are later stages in the classical yoga sutras. What some swamis omitted were the first two stages, the yamas and niyamas. So often they start at or near the top, rather than at the bottom. So people aren't all that stable, and they hear of all this advanced stuff like chakras, advanced pranayama, and more without having their feet on the ground, so to speak. It can be harmful, or ego will take hold. In more traditional Hinduism we start at the bottom of the path, and get stable, than accept God's help as we need it. You don't give beginners at piano advanced lessons. The music won't be very great if you do.

Yes it's far more exciting, and sounds wonderful at the top. But without living a balanced and dharmic lifestyle, it isn't really going to get you much in any permanent way.

This is all Hinduism, albeit a very liberal form of it. Most new-age groups totally omit the word, even though the roots of the teaching are in Hinduism. The term has a negative connotation, and if you attach it to the teachings, westerners would all drop out of the classes. The anti-Hindu crowd has had an impact that way.

If you ask followers of these universalist swamis like Sri Sri (disciple of maharishi) Sai Baba, Sadhguru, or Yogananda, they'll declare to you that their not Hindu, all the while singing Hindu bhajans, worshipping Hindu icons, and more.

I agree with Marcion that the 'New Age' term is an umbrella term for a wide assortment of things, some of them being very Hinduisn, while others way off that mark.

Lots of hippies were looking for some kind of spiritual truth back then and lots of them found one of the many gurus of the time. For me, I was at a Full-Moon Meditation gathering at Mt. Shasta in September of '69, then stayed at the Kriyanada yoga commune in Nevada City, Calif. for a month in October. Then went to Southern California and that's where I first met Baha'is. Everything was "New Age" back then or the "Age of Aquarius". Definitely, looking to the Eastern Religions was a big part of it.

 

[firedragon]

Hinduism should not be confused with Tantra and Yoga. Tantra and Yoga can also be found in Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism etc. So learning techniques from these traditions does not make you a Hindu.

In Buddhism as a concept, group, religion, philosophy or whatever you would like to call it, there is no Yoga. Some Buddhists here and there practice these things but that cannot be deemed "In Buddhism". If you mean the meditations, like padmasana, anapanasathi etc the lotus position may resound a yogi lotus position but is that considered "Yoga"? I would like to hear your thoughts.

But i would like to understand how you may assert something like Yoga entered these religions. Even Hinduism. Did they walk together or join hands later at some point? I am interested to know.

 

[ManSinha]

But i would like to understand how you may assert something like Yoga entered these religions

I can give you a partial answer - from the words of the 10th Master - Guru Gobind Singh - makes reference to others doing yoga and himself in deep meditation

 

[CG Didymus]

I see them as a large group of very diverse groups catering specifically for Westerners who want to pay money for getting "spiritual experiences" trying to fill the emptiness felt by consumerist capitalist society. They have a weak system and ideology.

Yes, in my area across the Bay from San Francisco there's a local Bikram Yoga and there is also a Amma Ashram. But the Indian people I know go to a Hindu Temple.

 

[ajay0]

2. Scholars have said that it is a pantheistic religion. But is it monotheistic or is it polytheistic?

There is a monotheistic element in Hinduism as well.

The Brahmo Samaj, Lingayats, Arya Samaj and the Prajapita Brahmakumaris are monotheistic sects which worship an incorporeal God.

The Prajapita Brahmakumaris worship the monotheistic God as an incorporeal point of light.

I have remarked on the correlation between God and light in various world religions in this thread of mine...

Interesting correlation between God and light in major world religions...

 

[firedragon]

There is a monotheistic element in Hinduism as well.

The Brahmo Samaj, Lingayats, Arya Samaj and the Prajapita Brahmakumaris are monotheistic sects which worship an incorporeal God.

The Prajapita Brahmakumaris worship the monotheistic God as an incorporeal point of light.

I have remarked on the correlation between God and light in various world religions in this thread of mine...

Interesting correlation between God and light in major world religions...

Thats interesting. I shall read up. thank you so much.

 

[Marcion]

In Buddhism as a concept, group, religion, philosophy or whatever you would like to call it, there is no Yoga. Some Buddhists here and there practice these things but that cannot be deemed "In Buddhism". If you mean the meditations, like padmasana, anapanasathi etc the lotus position may resound a yogi lotus position but is that considered "Yoga"? I would like to hear your thoughts.

But i would like to understand how you may assert something like Yoga entered these religions. Even Hinduism. Did they walk together or join hands later at some point? I am interested to know.

You say that they are not Buddhism, but in Mahayana Buddhism there are the schools Prasamgika, Svatantrika and Yogacara, which all have influences of Yoga or Tantra, and the same for Mantrayana Buddhism.
There are many types of gods or godesses in Tantric Buddhism which have parallels in Hinduism or Jainism, even when the names have been changed.

You should not say that these influences were merely Hinduism affecting Buddhism because the Tantric and Yoga influences went in all directions, not just coming from the Hindu side. So Tantra and Yoga don't belong to any (so-called) religion.

Yes, in my area across the Bay from San Francisco there's a local Bikram Yoga and there is also a Amma Ashram. But the Indian people I know go to a Hindu Temple.

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

 

[firedragon]

You say that they are not Buddhism, but in Mahayana Buddhism there are the schools Prasamgika, Svatantrika and Yogacara, which all have influences of Yoga or Tantra, and the same for Mantrayana Buddhism.
There are many types of gods or godesses in Tantric Buddhism which have parallels in Hinduism or Jainism, even when the names have been changed.

Brother. When i say Buddhism, i mean the core as found in the Tipitaka.

You spoke of Prasangika. You know what that means? This segment in Buddhism is nothing but a structure in the method of presentation. Prasanga means presented, arised or occurred opportunity.

You spoke of Svatantrika. What is that? Its a self doctrine. What is Yogacara? It means a movement of yoga. Chara means movement, or behaviour. Nishachara means animals who move about in the night.

These are philosophical arguments of arguments. All emerged a thousand years after the Buddha.

Also brother, you should understand my sentence. I didnt say "Yoga and tantric whatever" belonged to one religion. You have misquoted me brother.

This is my sentence. And all i am trying to do is understand what people say here. Not to have arguments and accuse religions of anything. That type of debates we can have, but in another thread.

""But i would like to understand how you may assert something like Yoga entered these religions. Even Hinduism. Did they walk together or join hands later at some point? I am interested to know.""

 

[CG Didymus]

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

Are some aimed more people in the West, and others for people from India. I haven't been to the Hindu Temple, but I would imagine that most of the people there are from India and the service is geared toward them. Whereas, pretty much any yoga center Is almost all Westerners. I haven't been to the Amma Ashram either, but the people I met in town that live there are Westerners also. But, actually, I was trying to come up with some kind of question to keep this thread going. I've learned a lot and didn't to see it drop off the front page so soon.