The Essence of Hinduism

Originally Posted by Akaalis

The roots of Hinduism are from Brahmnism, Hinduism actually formed after it incorporated things from Buddhism, which means it is a heterodox religion, not an original orthodox one. Further more Brahmnism started off as an upright religion but than later was corrupted, they first worshiped genuine Divine Beings, but as that religion digressed the things they began to worship were messy looking chaotic figures resembling beasts and demons.

It was only after Brahmnism reached this crooked state that it absorbed and incorporated things from Buddhism to form Hinduism. With that said I respect anyone of all faiths, but I don't really see any spiritual value from the Hindu faith. There are multiple so-called "Gods" within the Hindu faith and many of them look like twisted and deformed creatures, with a very hideous appearance which I could never see myself worshipping let alone calling a "God". However if one can attain inner-peace from it than I guess thats all that really matters.

Well it probably is not important for you to worship this that of whatever, and I am not sure if inner peace is even important, but it seems really nice to me, and a lot of fun.

Originally Posted by Akaalis

The roots of Hinduism are from Brahmnism, Hinduism actually formed after it incorporated things from Buddhism, which means it is a heterodox religion, not an original orthodox one. Further more Brahmnism started off as an upright religion but than later was corrupted, they first worshiped genuine Divine Beings, but as that religion digressed the things they began to worship were messy looking chaotic figures resembling beasts and demons.

It was only after Brahmnism reached this crooked state that it absorbed and incorporated things from Buddhism to form Hinduism. With that said I respect anyone of all faiths, but I don't really see any spiritual value from the Hindu faith. There are multiple so-called "Gods" within the Hindu faith and many of them look like twisted and deformed creatures, with a very hideous appearance which I could never see myself worshipping let alone calling a "God". However if one can attain inner-peace from it than I guess thats all that really matters.

Some of the "facts" you present here are baseless.
Hinduism preceded Buddhism by thousands of yours.
See also here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmanism and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism .

In any case, inner peace cannot be attained by practicing any religion and no religion makes such a claim.

[Xan]

Originally Posted by seekerscientist

Mohandas Gandhi said that if you just read one piece of Hindu literature, it should be the Bhagavad Gita, so one may assume that Gandhi was not troubled by the caste system.

This is a false assumption, ss. Gandhi was among the most well known to speak out against the caste system, which has been very gradually winding down as it is deeply imbedded in the Indian culture. India is now easing into the less rigid economic class system as we have in the West.

The Bhagavad Gita was written for the people of the time, probably between 1500 to 1000 BCE. It has a few references to caste but the whole of it is full of deep wisdom and instructions for the spiritual student.


Xan

[Xan]

Originally Posted by Akaalis

The roots of Hinduism are from Brahmnism, Hinduism actually formed after it incorporated things from Buddhism, which means it is a heterodox religion, not an original orthodox one. Further more Brahmnism started off as an upright religion but than later was corrupted, they first worshiped genuine Divine Beings, but as that religion digressed the things they began to worship were messy looking chaotic figures resembling beasts and demons.

It was only after Brahmnism reached this crooked state that it absorbed and incorporated things from Buddhism to form Hinduism. With that said I respect anyone of all faiths, but I don't really see any spiritual value from the Hindu faith. There are multiple so-called "Gods" within the Hindu faith and many of them look like twisted and deformed creatures, with a very hideous appearance which I could never see myself worshipping let alone calling a "God". However if one can attain inner-peace from it than I guess thats all that really matters.

Some of what you say is accurate, Akaalis, but there's a great deal more to Hinduism than the lesser twisted gods. I suspect that Hinduism is the most complex of any religion in the world with very many different sects, a pantheon of higher gods, and a range of personal beliefs and practices.

I might mention that some branches of Buddhism also have demonic-looking gods, which represent the negative aspects of spirit and human life that need to faced in order to be overcome.

The great gift of Hinduism to us is Yoga, also in many different forms... some of which may lead to discovery of the inner peace of our true nature.


Xan

[Xan]

oops... double post...

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

Some of the "facts" you present here are baseless.
Hinduism preceded Buddhism by thousands of yours.
See also here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmanism and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism .

In any case, inner peace cannot be attained by practicing any religion and no religion makes such a claim.

As I said, the roots of Hinduism is Brahmnism, and it is Brahmnism which proceeds Buddhism by thousands of years, however the Hinduism today in partly came about only AFTER Brahmnism culturally overpowered Buddhism and than proceeded to absorb things from the defeated religion into its own. Besides Buddhism, Hinduism has incorporated things from numerous other religions as well, not just Buddhism, so thats why Hinduism is a vast hodgepodge of countless Gods and Deities.

Also you are right that practicing religion cannot be claimed to giver inner peace, being that its up to the religious practitioner themselves to use their religion in aiding them on such a spiritual endeavor.

Originally Posted by seekerscientist

The essence of Hinduism can be stated quite suscinctly: Atman is Brahman and Brahman is All.

Agreed with you.

Tat twam asi – “You are That”. That immanent one (God), is the same that is in the human soul.

The Supreme Soul (who is one), resides within all his creations (as many). Herein lies the true source of morality; the unifying principle that connects us all; that we are all children of one Supreme God, and by hurting another, we are in reality hurting not only God but ourselves.
- Chandogya Upanishad.


"This universe is formed out of both consciousness forces and matter. While the study of matter has been the domain of traditional science, the study of consciousness is the science of spirituality."
- Shriram Sharma Acharya

Originally Posted by Xan

… I suspect that Hinduism is the most complex of any religion in the world with very many different sects, a pantheon of higher gods, and a range of personal beliefs and practices.
….
The great gift of Hinduism to us is Yoga, also in many different forms... some of which may lead to discovery of the inner peace of our true nature.
Xan

Well said and portrayed, Xan.

Originally Posted by Akaalis

As I said, the roots of Hinduism is Brahmnism, and it is Brahmnism which proceeds Buddhism by thousands of years, however the Hinduism today in partly came about only AFTER Brahmnism culturally overpowered Buddhism and than proceeded to absorb things from the defeated religion into its own. Besides Buddhism, Hinduism has incorporated things from numerous other religions as well, not just Buddhism, so thats why Hinduism is a vast hodgepodge of countless Gods and Deities.

Do you have any examples of elements of Buddhism and other religions being incorporated into Hinduism?

Originally Posted by Akaalis

Also you are right that practicing religion cannot be claimed to giver inner peace, being that its up to the religious practitioner themselves to use their religion in aiding them on such a spiritual endeavor.

In the words of Sri Sankaracarya, in his book Vivekacudamani (The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination), translated by Swami Turiyananda:

(6) "Men may recite the scriptures and sacrifice to the holly spirits, they may perform rituals and worship deities -- but, until a man wakes to knowledge of his identity with the Atman, liberation can never be obtained; no, not even at the end of many hundreds of Brahma's years."

(11) "Right action helps to purify the heart, but it does not give us direct perception of the Reality. The Reality is attained through discrimination, but not in the smallest degree even by ten million acts."

(14) "Success in attaining the goal depends chiefly upon the qualifications of the seeker. Suitable time, place, and other such circumstances are aids to its attainment."

(31) "Among all means of liberation, devotion is supreme. To seek earnestly to know one's real nature -- this is said to be devotion."

(51) "Children may free their father from his debts, but no other person can free a man from his bondage; he must do it himself."

(54) "A clear vision of the Reality may be obtained only through our own eyes, when they have been opened by spiritual insight -- never through the eyes of some other seer. Through our own eyes we learn what the moon looks like; how could we learn this through the eyes of others?"

(55) "Those cords that bind us, because of our ignorance, our lustful desires and the fruits of our Karma -- how could anybody but ourselves untie them, even in the course of innumerable ages?"

(56) "Neither by the practice of Yoga or of Sankhya philosophy, nor by good works, nor by learning, does liberation come; but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one -- in no other way."

(59) "Study of the scriptures is fruitless as long as Brahman has not been experienced. And when Brahman has been experienced, it is useless to read the scriptures."

(62) "A sickness is not cured by saying the word "medicine". You must take the medicine. Liberation does not come by merely saying the word "Brahman". Brahman must be actually experienced."

(63) "Until you allow this apparent universe to dissolve from your consciousness -- until you have experienced Brahman -- how can you find liberation just by saying the word "Brahman"? The result is merely noise."

Originally Posted by Joshua_G

Do you have any examples of elements of Buddhism and other religions being incorporated into Hinduism?

There are countless examples of that. Did i not say that the roots of Hinduism are anchored in the religion of Brahmnism? Despite Brahmnism's complex transformation into Hinduism, there are those who've managed to preserve Brahnmism today in its pure "pre-natal" form(sort of speaking) before it evolved into Hinduism.

If you study the original Brahmnism separately from Hinduism, you'll find that the pantheon of Gods in Hinduism vastly outnumber the amount of Deities and Gods found in Brahmnism.