“Who is a Hindu?”

Free preview Who is a Hindu? A Manifesto of Systematic Spiritualism Chapter One Introduction “Knowledge is power, and the greatest reward of knowledge is knowledge itself”. To the world that believes advancement in life in terms of material prosperity, this statement doesn’t hold well. The material reward of the power of knowledge can be great but not greatest because before one begins to enjoy the material reward he dies. In fact, the greatest reward comes from the internal, spiritual, and eternal knowledge. This Eternal knowledge or Gjana is the important subject of India from time immemorial. This is the knowledge contemplated in the Hindu Dharma or Hindu way of Life. This knowledge is the outcome of the systematic, or scientific and logical researches conducted by the learned men of this land who are called Sidhas, Munies, Rishis, etc. Standing on these fundamental researches of external, internal and spiritual grounds these men propagated certain definite beliefs. These beliefs make the fundamental faiths of Hindu way of life. Without having the knowledge of these beliefs and faith or in these principles of philosophy, one cannot be called as the ardent follower of Hindu way of life even if he is born to a Hindu. Today how many of us have the knowledge of these beliefs and have faith in these beliefs? Even for the creation of these imaginative human amalgamations, he (thinker Gian Bellista Vico) insists three philosophies, the philosophy of life, philosophy of society and philosophy of politico economy whatever may be the rationale, melioristic or metaphysical or dialectical. How can there be a human amalgamation called Hindus for centuries without these philosophies? Or philosophy of life? In my decades of teaching experience in Government colleges in Tamil Nadu I have raised this question, “Who is a Hindu?” in many forums and as well as in the classes. Not a single participant or student has answered the question precisely in terms of faiths. When the questions, “Who is a Christian?” or “Who is a Muslim?” are asked almost all have answered even by the Hindus. They do not have the knowledge of the fundamental faiths of Hinduism, and when asked of these faiths most of them have no idea. What has taken them to this precarious condition? What are the reasons for this state? Who is a Hindu? Hindu is one who believes in the Dharma or way of life enumerated in this Holy Land called India, ages after ages by the systematic thinkers and researchers. This has led the people to believe in certain precise faiths. Those people who have faith in these precise faiths can be called as Hindus, what may be their destination. The following are the faiths of a Hindu enumerated by the learned men our land. These faiths are, 1. Hindu is one who believes in OM and its derivatives, the sacred books. 2. Hindu is one who believes in One God 3. Hindu is one who believes in birth, death, then birth, death that Eventually leads to Moksha or ultimate realisation of Oneness First Faith Hindu is one who believes in OM and its derivatives, the sacred books All the Hindus knew and had faith in the OM before Mecaulay’s education system had its effect. Today all Hindus know OM but do not know its prime place and its greatness. That is why I have put this as the first belief of a Hindu, Omkar Hindu Niyamye. It is from the letter OM this Bramham came in to existence , from this Bramham Vedas came in to existence . From this Vedas Karma or forms of worship came in to existence Second Faith Hindu is one who believes in One God Traditions are broken to establish the faith in God For centuries Hindu culture is uninterrupted. Culture means way of life that includes the philosophy of life and traditions of a human amalgamation. Civilization is the political and economical spectrum. A culture that does not recognize this fact cannot withstand the advent of time. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hindu Belief in God The most beautiful and enchanting faith nourished by Hindu is his belief in God. He sees God everywhere and believes in His all-pervasiveness. Therefore, it is said that Hindu believes in three thousand thirty million Gods. This pervasiveness of God has given him the conformation and affinity of God enshrined in his heart. So above all Hindu believes God in himself. “Aham Brahmasme”. Third faith of Hindu Hindu is one who believes in birth, death, then birth, death that eventually leads to Moksha or ultimate realisation of Oneness What are Soul, Karma and Re-birth and can one reject these? The third faith of Hindu is that all beings will be born again and again until they ultimately reach the ultimate realization or the goal Moksha. So man the king of the beings too has to go in this circle of birth and death. This is called Samsara Our men call this as involution. Swamiji says. “There cannot be a evolution without an involution”. Systematic thinking advocates involution in man that leads to evolution. Evolution In the atom Siddhas also had expounded the combination of the Sat, the Chit and the Maya. They enumerated these as the microcosm of the One. These are the three faiths of the Hindu. In the coming chapters we will discuss some of the factors involved in these faiths to make the understanding of these still more clear.