The Hindu God

Is the Hindu God pantheistic? I.e not a being as such but a force that resides within everything in the whole universe? I've been a practicing Buddhist for many years but I've just come across Hinduism and am interested.

[innerlight]

Originally Posted by Greg

Is the Hindu God pantheistic? I.e not a being as such but a force that resides within everything in the whole universe? I've been a practicing Buddhist for many years but I've just come across Hinduism and am interested.

Hinduism has a trinity as well. They have Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer and preserve, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer.

Brahma is the beginning and ending. The all. Everything and no-thing is a part of Brahma.

[Uma]

Hi Greg,

You might be interested in a thread I started long ago about Siva http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4500

I am not a Hindu but my teacher grew up in that tradition although he surpassed the need to follow a religion he does explain the essential meaning in a way that is accessible to anybody.

You will hear all sorts of answers to your question, depending on the level of meaning people ascribe to.

The short answer is there is no Buddhist God, or Christian God or Hindu God - but we are all one and the same and the mystic heart of every religion knows that....but its interpreters often forget this.

Many souls working as one collaborative soul - it's a fascinating concept isn't it? But each heart cell is a separate entity, each one doing its duty to pump in unison. Together as a collective they beat as one.

Good luck in your quest for truth - and may you experience God - that's worth a thousand words.........

Hello!

I've been studying Indian religion specifically, and philosophy/religion in general for 37 years. Daily. Still can learn a lot more.

I can offer these thoughts, not from the factory of my brain, but academic/spiritual facts.

Hindu spirituality, hard core spirituality is discussed in the Upanisads, which have a commentary by the same author called "Vedanta Sutras".

Within the Vedanta sutras the author explains that the Supreme Brahman, the Souls of All Souls, or "God", as is the common word used, is "Panenthistic".

Pantheism, generally, means God is, or has become everything.

Panentheism, generally, means God's energies have manifested everything, but He Himself has a transcendental existence above and beyond creation....

He is both within and without, and His seperated energies form all that we see. So this computer is not God. It is a manifestation of His energy.

Like a cow and milk. Milk is certainly not the cow, it is an energy of the cow...
Yet, from a certain perspective, milk and the cow have an extremely close relationship.

A leaf is NOT the whole tree, that would be insane. Yet, it is very closely related to the tree. Hope this helps.

Much Love and peace,
chaitanyaram

[Xan]

A core Hindu principle is "Brahman is Atman".

The all-pervading presence beyond all life forms is also the soul within each of them.


Xan

I really don't know what patheistic is --- you will have to explain that to me. I really like the you said ---- not a being as such but a force that resides within everything in the whole universe. I "think" that is the fundamental idea and knoweldge that encompasses much of Hindu thought.

Iksvakave

Originally Posted by Greg

Is the Hindu God pantheistic? I.e not a being as such but a force that resides within everything in the whole universe? I've been a practicing Buddhist for many years but I've just come across Hinduism and am interested.

Originally Posted by Greg

Is the Hindu God pantheistic? I.e not a being as such but a force that resides within everything in the whole universe? I've been a practicing Buddhist for many years but I've just come across Hinduism and am interested.

If you are a Buddhist then don't bother with Hinduism. Buddhism is Hinduism on a good diet with vitamins, minerals and supplements.

Originally Posted by Rin

If you are a Buddhist then don't bother with Hinduism. Buddhism is Hinduism on a good diet with vitamins, minerals and supplements.

That's rather insulting to Hindus.

I am a HIndu. I don't feel insulted by that statement about HIndusim and Bhuddhism.

Iksvakave

Where does this idea of pantheism come from? Who first thought about and gave it that name.

Iksvakave

Originally Posted by chaitanyaram

Hello!

I've been studying Indian religion specifically, and philosophy/religion in general for 37 years. Daily. Still can learn a lot more.

I can offer these thoughts, not from the factory of my brain, but academic/spiritual facts.

Hindu spirituality, hard core spirituality is discussed in the Upanisads, which have a commentary by the same author called "Vedanta Sutras".

Within the Vedanta sutras the author explains that the Supreme Brahman, the Souls of All Souls, or "God", as is the common word used, is "Panenthistic".

Pantheism, generally, means God is, or has become everything.

Panentheism, generally, means God's energies have manifested everything, but He Himself has a transcendental existence above and beyond creation....

He is both within and without, and His seperated energies form all that we see. So this computer is not God. It is a manifestation of His energy.

Like a cow and milk. Milk is certainly not the cow, it is an energy of the cow...
Yet, from a certain perspective, milk and the cow have an extremely close relationship.

A leaf is NOT the whole tree, that would be insane. Yet, it is very closely related to the tree. Hope this helps.

Much Love and peace,
chaitanyaram