And when you do get your Self-realization there is no religion to follow!
>
> So Haridev S V, you have to know the heart and soul of other
> religions, and your own too, to destroy all that is false. The
> reason i am saying your own is because most Hindus too are
> ignorant of the heart and soul of Hinduism, albeit to a far lesser
> extend.
>
> Only when you realize the collective eschatological truth of all the
> religions, which Shri Mataji calls the Blossom Time, will you be rid
> of all the pain and anguish. When all religions, prophets and holy
> scriptures are accepted, how will you feel hatred for anyone? On the
> contrary, you will know how falsehood and blind faith keeps
> religious followers blissfully ignorant. You will never want to
> follow any religion again, no matter how righteously loud they
> declare their faith to be.
>
> And where Islam is concerned you do have valid points to criticize
> and question why it makes some of their followers so violent and
> murderous in comparison to other faiths. But on the other hand, why
> follow any religion in the first place as their preachers will make
> you ignore, dispise or condemn the rest? Why do you think Shri
> Mataji keeps insisting that until and unless your get your Self-
> realization it is no use following any religion?
>
> And when you do get your Self-realization there is no religion to
> follow! Hard to believe but true.
>
HINDUISM OM GANESAYA NAMH
Hinduism is the mother of all religions and it is individual's
(jeevatma) association with the Supreme (Paramatma), and the ultimate
objective of religion is realization of Truth. Forms which symbolize
Truth are only indications; they are not Truth itself, which
transcends all conceptualization. The mind in its efforts to
understand Truth through reasoning must always fail, for Truth
transcends the very mind which seeks to embrace it. (Tatwamasi)
It is unique among the world's religions. We may boldly proclaim it
the greatest and oldest religion in the world. To begin with, it is
mankind's oldest spiritual declaration, the very fountainhead of
faith on the planet. Hinduism's venerable age has seasoned it to
maturity. It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not
founded in a single historic event or prophet, but which itself
precedes recorded history. Hinduism has been called the "cradle of
spirituality," and the "mother of all religions," partially because
it has influenced virtually every major religion and partly because
it can absorb all other religions, honor and embrace their
scriptures, their saints, their philosophy. This is possible because
Hinduism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual effort and
knows unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with the
Divine, and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritual
enlightenment and liberation in this or a future life.
Any religion in the world is considered as a mind stratum within
people It is a group of people who think consciously, subconsciously
and subsuperconsciously alike and who are guided by their own
superconsciousness and the superconsciousness of their leaders which
make up the force field which we call a religion. It does not exist
outside the mind. People of a certain religion have all been
impressed with the same experiences. They have all accepted the same
or similar beliefs and attitudes, and their mutual concurrence
creates the bonds of fellowship and purpose, of doctrine and
communion.
The people in Hinduism through a shared mind structure can
understand, acknowledge, accept and love all the peoples of the
world, encompass them within their mind as being fine religious
people. The Hindu truly believes that there is a single Eternal Path,
but he does not believe that any one religion is the only valid
religion or the only religion that will lead the soul to salvation.
Rather, the Eternal Path is seen reflected in all religions.
The will of God or the Gods is at work in all genuine worship and
service. It is said in Hindu scripture that "Truth is one. Paths are
many." The search for Truth, for God, is called the Sanatana Dharma,
or the Eternal Path because it is inherent in the soul itself, where
religion begins. This path, this return to his Source, is ever
existent in man, and is at work whether he is aware of the processes
or not. There is not this man's search and that man's search. And
where does the impetus come from? It comes from the inside of man
himself. Thus, Hinduism is ever vibrant and alive for it depends on
this original source of inspiration, this first impulse of the spirit
within, giving it an energy and a vibrancy that is renewable
eternally in the now.
The Hindu feels that his faith is the broadest, the most practical
and effective instrument of spiritual unfoldment, but he includes in
his Hindu mind all the religions of the world as expressions of the
one Eternal Path and understands each proportionately in accordance
with its doctrines and dogma. He knows that certain beliefs and inner
attitudes are more conducive to spiritual growth than others, and
that all religions are, therefore, not the same. They differ in
important ways. Yet, there is no sense whatsoever in Hinduism of
an "only path." A devout Hindu is supportive of all efforts that lead
to a pure and virtuous life and would consider it unthinkable to
dissuade a sincere devotee from his chosen faith. This is the Hindu
mind, and this is what we teach, what we practice and what we offer
aspirants on the path.
To the Hindu, conduct and the inner processes of the soul's
maturation are more essential than the particular religion one may be
by the accidents of birth, culture or geography. The Hindu knows that
he might unknowingly disturb the dharma of the individual if he pulls
him away from his religious roots, and that would cause an unsavory
karma for them both. He knows, too that it is not necessary that all
people believe exactly the same way or call God by the same name.
Hinduism is also extremely sectarian, altogether dogmatic in its
beliefs. Its doctrines of karma and reincarnation, its philosophy of
nonviolence and compassion, its certainty of mystical realities and
experience and its universality are held with unshakable conviction.
Perhaps this is due to the fact that Hinduism is a religion more of
experience than of doctrine. It prefers to say to its followers,
"This is the nature of Truth, and these are the means by which that
truth may be realized. Here are the traditions which have withstood
time and proved most effective. Now you may test them in your own
life, prove them to yourself. And we will help as we can." It will
never say, "You must do or believe thusly or be condemned." In
Hinduism it is believed that none are eternally condemned. That
loving acceptance and unremitting faith in the goodness of life are
another reason I boldly say that Hinduism is the greatest religion
even though not the largest in the world.
Within Hinduism, as within every religious system, are the practical
means of attaining the purity, the knowledge and the serenity of
life. Each Hindu is enjoined to attend a puja every day, preferably
at a certain and consistent time. He must observe the laws of virtue
and the codes of ethics. He must serve others, support religion
within his community. He should occasionally pilgrimage to sacred
shrines and temples, and partake in the sacraments. If he is more
advanced, an older soul, then he is expected, expects of himself, to
undertake certain forms of sadhana and tapas, of discipline and
asceticism.
Though it is broad and open in the freedom of the mind to inquire,
Hinduism is narrowly strict in its expectations of devotees--the more
awakened the soul, the higher the demands and responsibilities placed
upon him. And though other systems of belief are fully acceptable
mind structures within the structure of the higher mind, there is no
way out of Hinduism. There is no excommunication. There is no means
of severance. There's no leaving Hinduism once you have formally
accepted and been accepted. Why is that? That is because Hinduism
contains the whole of religion within itself. There is no "other
religion" which one can adopt by leaving Hinduism, only other aspects
of the one religion which is the sum of them all, the Eternal Path,
the Sanatana Dharma.
It can be said that, if it lacked all the qualities of open-
mindedness and compassion and tolerance just mentioned, that Hinduism
would be the greatest religion on the basis of its profound mysticism
alone. No other faith boasts such a deep and enduring comprehension
of the mysteries of existence, or possesses so vast a metaphysical
system. The storehouse of religious revelation in Hinduism cannot be
reckoned. I know of its equal nowhere. It contains the entire system
of yoga, of meditation and contemplation and Self Realization.
Nowhere else is there such insightful revelation of the inner bodies
of man, the subtle pranas and the chakras, or psychic centers within
the nerve system. Inner states of superconsciousness are explored and
mapped fully in Hinduism, from the clear white light to the sights
and sounds which flood the awakened inner consciousness of man. In
the West it is the mystically awakened soul who is drawn to Hinduism
for understanding of inner states of consciousness, discovering after
ardent seeking that Hinduism possesses answers which do not exist
elsewhere and is capable of guiding awareness into ever-deepening
mind strata.
The various scriptures written thousands of years ago explain how we
should live, and saints and rishis and seers throughout the ages have
told us that it is impossible to live that way. So, Hinduism has a
great tolerance for those who strive and a great forgiveness for
those who fail. It looks in awe at those who succeed in living a life
according to its own strict ethics. In Hinduism we have many, many
saints. You don't have to die to be acknowledged a saint in our
religion, you have to live. The Hindus, perhaps beyond all other
people on the earth, realize the difficulties of living in a human
body and look in awe at those who achieve true spirituality.
Hindus believes in reincarnation. He believes that he is not the body
in which he lives, but the soul or awareness which takes on a body
for a definite purpose. He believes he is going to get a better body
in a better birth, that the process does not begin and end in a
single life, that the process is continuous, reaching beyond the
limits that one life may impose on inner progress. Of course, his
belief in karma assures him that a better birth, that progress
inwardly, will come only if he behaves in a certain way. He knows
that if he does not behave according to the natural laws, to the
Hindu ethics, that he will suffer for his transgressions in a future
life, or future lives, that he may by his own actions earn the
necessity of a so-called inferior birth, earn the right to start over
where he left off in the birth in which he failed.
This belief in more than a single life brings to the Hindu a great
sense of peace. He knows that the maturity of the soul takes many
lives, perhaps hundreds of lives. If he is not perfect right now,
then at least he knows that he is progressing, that there will be
many opportunities for learning and growing. This eliminates anxiety,
gives the serene perception that everything is all right as it is.
There is no sense of a time limit, of an impending end or an ultimate
judgement of his actions and attitudes. This understanding that the
soul evolves gives the Hindu remarkable insight into the human
condition and appreciation for all men in all stages of spiritual
development.
Within it there is a place for the insane and a place for the saint.
There is a place for the beggar and for those who support beggars.
There is a place for the intelligent person and plenty of room for
the fool. The beauty of Hinduism is that it does not demand of every
soul perfection in this life, a necessary conclusion for those who
believe in a single lifetime during which human perfection or grace
must be achieved. Belief in reincarnation gives the Hindu an
acceptance of every level of humanity. Some souls are simply older
souls than others, but all are inherently the same, inherently
immortal and of the nature of the Divine.
In Hinduism it is believed that the Gods are living, thinking,
dynamic beings who live in a different world, in an inner world in
the microcosm within this world in which there exists a greater
macrocosm than this visible macrocosm. For the Hindu, surrender to
the Divine Will, that created and pervades and guides the universe,
is essential. The Hindu believes that these beings guide our
experiences on earth, actually consciously guide the evolutionary
processes. Therefore, he worships these beings as greater beings than
himself, and he maintains a subjective attitude toward them,
wondering if he is attuned with these grand forces of the universe,
if his personal will is in phase with what these great beings would
have him do. This gives birth to a great culture, a great attitude, a
great tolerance and kindness one to another. It gives rise to
humility in the approach to life. Not a weak or false humility, but a
strong and mature sense of the grand presence and purpose of life
before which the head naturally bows.
There are said to be millions of Gods in the Hindu pantheon, though
only a few major Deities are actually worshipped in the temples. That
God may be worshipped as the Divine Father, or a Sainted Mother or
the King of Kings is one of the blessings of Hinduism. It offers to
each a personal and significant contact, and each Hindu will choose
that aspect of the Deity which most appeals to his inner needs and
sensibilities. That can be confusing to some, but not to the Hindu.
Within his religion is monism and dualism, monotheism and polytheism,
and a rich array of other theological views.
God and Goddess in Hinduism is accepted as both transcendent and
immanent, both beyond the mind and the very substratum of the mind.
The ideal of the Hindu is to think of God always, every moment, and
to be ever conscious of God's presence. This does not mean the
transcendent God, the Absolute Lord. That is for the yogi to ponder
in his contemplative discipline. That is for the well-perfected Hindu
who has worshipped faithfully in the temples, studied deeply the
scriptures and found his guru. For most Hindus, God means the Gods,
one of the many personal devas and Mahadevas which prevail in our
religion. This means a personal great soul which may never have known
physical birth, a being which pervades the planet, pervades form with
His mind and Being, and which guides evolution. Such a God is capable
of offering protection and direction to the followers of Hinduism.
The Hindu is supposed to think of God every minute of every day, to
see God everywhere. Of course, most of us don't think of God even one
minute a day. That's the reason that each Hindu is obliged to conduct
or attend at least one religious service, one puja or ceremony, every
day in his temple or home shrine. This turns his mind inward to God
and the Gods.
Hinduism is an Eastern religion, and the Eastern religions are very
different from those of the West. For one thing, they are more
introspective. Hinduism gave birth to Buddhism, for Buddha was born
and died as a good Hindu. And it gave birth to other religions of
the East, to Taoism, to Jainism, to Sikhism and others.
There are three distinct aspects of Hinduism: the temples, the
philosophy and the guru. It is very fortunate that in the last decade
Hindu temples have nearly circumferenced the world. There are temples
in Europe, in the United States, in South America, in Africa and
throughout Southeast Asia. The Hindu temple and stone images in it
work as a channel for the Deity, for the Gods, who hover over the
stone image and in their subtle etheric forms change people's lives
through changing the nerve currents within them through their
darshan. People come to a sanctified temple and go away, and in that
process they are slowly changed from the inside out. They have
changed because their very life force has changed, their mind has
been changed and their emotions have undergone a subtle
transformation. The temples of Hinduism are magnificent in their
immensity and in their ability to canalize the three worlds, the
First World of physical, outer existence and the inner Second and
Third Worlds. Hindu temples are not centered around a priest or
minister, though there may be a holy man associated with a temple
whose advice is cautiously and quietly sought. There is no sermon, no
mediator, no director to guide the worship of pilgrims. The temple is
the home of the Deities, and each devotee goes according to his own
timing and for his own particular needs. Some may go to weep and seek
consolation in times of sorrow, while simultaneously others will be
there to rejoice in their good fortune and to sing God's name in
thanksgiving. Naturally, the sacraments of name-giving and marriage
and so forth are closely associated with the temple. One has only to
attend a Hindu temple during festival days to capture the great
energy and vitality of this ancient religion.
In its second section, of philosophy, Hinduism has influenced the
deep religious thinkers of all cultures through known history. It is
not a single philosophy which can be labeled "Hinduism." Rather, it
is a network of many philosophies, some seeming to impertinently
contradict the validity of others, yet on deeper reflection seen as
integral aspects of a single radiant mind flow. In the area of
philosophy must be included the enormous array of scripture, hymns,
mantrams, devotional bhajan and philosophical texts which are
certainly unequaled in the world. In the natural order of things
temple worship precedes philosophy. It all starts with the temple,
with this sacred house of the Deities, this sanctified site where the
three worlds communicate, where the inner and outer mesh and merge.
It is there that devotees change. They become more like the perfect
being that lives in the temple, become the voice of the Deity,
writing down what is taught them from the inside, and their writings,
if they are faithful to the superconscious message of the God, become
scripture and make up the philosophies of Hinduism. The philosophies
then stand alone as the voice of the religion. They are taught in the
universities, discussed among scholars, meditated upon by yogis and
devout seekers. It is possible to be a good Hindu by only learning
the philosophy and never going to the temple, or by simply going to
the temple and never hearing of the deeper philosophies.
Hinduism has still another section within it, and that is the guru--
the teacher, the illuminator, the spiritual preceptor. The guru is
the remover of darkness. He is one who knows the philosophy, who
knows the inner workings of the temple, and who in himself is the
philosopher and the temple. The guru is he who can enliven the spirit
within people. Like the temple and the philosophy, he stands alone,
apart from the institutions of learning, apart from sites of
pilgrimage. He is himself the source of knowledge, and he is himself
the pilgrim's destination. Should all the temples be destroyed, they
would spring up again from the seeds of philosophy, or from the
presence of a realized man. And if all the scriptures and
philosophical treatises were burned, they would be written again from
the same source. So Hinduism cannot be destroyed. It can never be
destroyed. It exists as the spirit of religion within each being. Its
three aspects, the temple, the philosophy and the guru, individually
proficient, taken together make Hinduism the most vital and abundant
religion in the world.
Hinduism has a grand diversity among its many sects. That diversity
is itself strength, showing how broad and encompassing Hinduism is.
It does not seek to have all devotees believe exactly alike. In fact,
it has no central authority, no single organized institution which
could ever proclaim or enforce such sameness. There is an immense
inner unity, but the real strength and wisdom of Hinduism is its
diversity, its variety. There are so many sects within Hinduism that
you could spend a lifetime studying them and never begin to assess
them all. More is there than any single human being could assimilate
in a single lifetime. Hinduism, therefore, has the magnetism to draw
us back into its immensity life after life. Each sect may be said to
be a full religion in its own right, with all the increments of
faith, with no necessary part missing. Therefore, each sect works for
the individuals within it completely, and each tolerates all the
other sects. It does not totally divorce itself from the other sects,
denying their beliefs, but simply separates to stress or expound a
limited area of the vast philosophy, apart from all others, to be
understood by the limited faculties of man.
These various sects and divisions within Hinduism all spring from a
one source. Most Hindus believe in the transcendental God as well as
the personal Lord or God, and yet there is within the boundaries of
the faith room for the nonbeliever, for the atheist or for the
agnostic who is assessing and developing his beliefs. This brings
another unique asset to our religion--the absence of heresy. There is
no such thing as a heretic in Hinduism, for there is no single right
perspective or belief. Doctrine and sadhana are not considered
absolutes, but the means to an absolute end, and they can be tailored
to individual needs and natures. My Guru would say that different
prescriptions are required for different ailments.
In Hinduism there is no person or spiritual authority who stands
between man and God. In fact, Hinduism teaches just the opposite. The
priests in the temples are the servants of the Deity, the helper, the
keeper of the Gods' house. He prepares and purifies the atmosphere of
the temple, but he does not intervene between the devotee and his God-
-whichever of the many Gods within our religion that he may be
worshiping. Without a mediator, responsibility is placed fully upon
the individual.
There is on one to intercede on his behalf. He is responsible for his
actions, for his thoughts, for his emotions, for his relationship
with his God. He must work out his beliefs from the inside without
undue dependence upon external influences. Of course, there is much
help, as much as may be needed, from those who have previously gone
through what he is now going through. It is not enough that he adopts
an authorized dogma. He must study and bring the teachings to life
from within himself.
Within the philosophy each philosopher proclaims that God can be
found within man if man practices the proper precepts of yoga and
delves within himself through his kundalini force. The guru himself
teaches the awakening of that force and how God can be realized in
His transcendental as well as His personal aspect within the sphere
of one's own personal experience in this very lifetime if he but
pursues the path and is obedient.
Hinduism is unique because God and man, mind and God, instinctive
mind, intellectual mind and superconscious mind, can merge as one,
according to the evolution of the individual. Each one, according to
his own self-created karma, has his own fulfillment. Those in the
first stages of evolution, whose interests and experiences are
basically instinctive, who possess little intellect or mental prowess
are guided by their emotions and impulses are generally fearful. They
have a personal experience of the Deity in the temple, but it is
generally a fearful experience. They are afraid of God. Alongside of
them during a puja is a great rishi who has had many hundreds of
lives on this planet. He has his own personal experience of God, but
it is an experience of love, of oneness and of union. There they are,
side by side. Each experience of God is as real to one as to the
other. There is no one in-between, no arbitrator of the experience to
compel the one to see God exactly as the other one does.
Hinduism is as broad as humanity is, as diverse as people are
diverse. It is for the rich and the poor, for the mystic and for the
materialist. It is for the sage and the fool. None is excluded. In a
Hindu temple one can find every variety of humanity. The man of
accumulated wealth is there, supporting the institutions that have
grown up around the temple, seeking to spend his abundance wisely and
for its best purpose so that good merit may be earned for his next
life. The pauper is there, begging in hopes that perhaps he will eat
tomorrow and the God will inspire some devotee to give Him a coin or
two. So a Hindu temple is a reflection of life, set in the midst of
the life of the community. It is not making an effort to be better
than the life of the village, only to serve that life and direct it
to its next stage of evolution. The same Hindu mind which can consume
within it all the religions of the world can and does consume within
it all of the peoples of the world who are drawn to the temple by the
shakti, the power, of the temple. Such is the great embracing
compassion of our religion.
The greatness of Hinduism cannot be compared with other religions.
There is no basis for comparison. Hinduism has no beginning,
therefore will certainly have no end. It was never created, and
therefore it cannot be destroyed. It is a God-centric religion. The
center of it is God. All of the other religions are prophet-centric.
The center of those religions is a great saint or sage, a prophet, a
messenger or messiah, some God-Realized person who has lived on earth
and died. Perhaps he was born to create that particular sect, that
particular religion, needed by the people of a certain part of the
world at a certain time in history. The Hindus acknowledge this and
recognize all of the world's religious leaders as great prophets, as
great souls, as great incarnations, perhaps, of the Gods, or as great
realized beings who have through their realization and inward
practices incarnated themselves into, or transformed themselves into,
eminent religious leaders and attracted devotees to them to give
forth the precepts of life all over again and thus guide a tribe, or
a nation or a race, into a better way of life.
The Hindu mind can encompass this, appreciate it, for it is firmly
settled in a God-centric religion. The center of Hinduism is the
Absolute, the timeless, formless, spaceless God who manifests as Pure
Consciousness and as the most perfect form conceivable, the Primal
Soul. He radiates out from that form as a myriad of Gods and
Goddesses who inhabit the temples and bless the people, inspire the
scriptures, inspire the spiritual leaders and uplift humanity in
general. It is a one God in many forms.
There are nearly sixtyfive crores Hindus in the world today. Hinduism
attends to the needs of each one. It is the only religion in the
world today that has such breadth and depth. Hinduism contains the
Deities and the sanctified temples, the esoteric knowledge of inner
states of consciousness, yoga and the disciplines of meditation. It
possesses a gentle compassion and a genuine tolerance and
appreciation for other religions. It remains undogmatic and open to
inquiry. It believes in a just world in which every soul is guided by
karma to the ultimate goal of Self Realization, or moksha. It rests
content in the knowledge of the divine origin of the soul, its
passage through one life and another until maturity has been reached.
It offers guidance to all who take refuge in it, from the nonbeliever
to the most evolved rishi. It cherishes the largest storehouse of
scripture and philosophy on the earth, and the oldest. It is endowed
with a tradition of saints and sages, of realized men and women,
unrivaled on the earth. It is the sum of these, and more, which makes
us boldly declare that Hinduism is the greatest, even though not the
largest, religion in the entire world.
People in other religions may question the sanctity of idol worship
and we can say it is only due to ignorance. God is all-pervading
formless Being.
The divinity of the all-pervading God is vibrant in every atom of
creation. There is not a speck of space where He is not. Why do you
then say that He is not the idols?
The idol is a support for the neophyte. It is a prop of his spiritual
childhood. A form or image is necessary for worship in the beginning.
It is not possible for all to fix the mind on the Absolute or the
Infinite. A concrete form is necessary for the vast majority for
practicing concentration.
Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors, but shining channels
through which the heart of the devotee flows towards God. Though the
image is worshipped, the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it
and pours out his devotion unto it. The idol remains an idol, but the
worship goes to the Lord.
To a devotee, the image is a mass of Chaitanya or consciousness. He
draws inspiration from the image. The image guides him. It talks to
him. It assumes human form to help him in a variety of ways. Idol
worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. The Christians worship the
Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind. The
Mohammedans keep the image of the Kaaba stone when they kneel and do
prayers. The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is
not one in kind, but only one of degree.
All worshippers, however intellectual they may be, generate a form in
the mind and make the mind dwell on that image. Everyone is an idol
worshipper. Pictures and drawings are only a form of idol. A gross
mind needs a concrete symbol as a prop or Alambana; a subtle mind
requires an abstract symbol. Even a Vedantin has the symbol OM for
fixing the wandering mind. It is not only pictures or images in stone
and wood that are idols. Dialectics and leaders also become idols.
In conclusion what we can say is that we should be proud to be a
Hindu.
OM TATSAT
M.P.BHATTATHIRY ( RETD. CHIEF TECHNICAL EXAMINER TO THE GOVT.
OF KERALA, INDIA
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