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The search for Truth is called the Sanatana Dharma, or the Eternal Path. Practiced by people on the otherside of Sindhu river, so Hindu Dharma.
Hinduism has been enriched by the contributions by many sages. Hinduism is as old as the world itself. Vedas form the basis. A Way of life that TRANSCENDS Religion Believes in Truth is one. Paths are many. Worlds 3rd largest with 1 billion+ followers. Let Noble Thoughts Come From ALL Directions Focuses on personally experiencing the Truth within.
Dharma: Dharma is the natural and rightful order and foundation of everyone and everything. It is both why things are as they are and the path to the realization of why things are as they are. It is a way-of-life. Religion: is a way to understand or practice on how to realize God. Religion is concerned with all of the relations existing between God and human beings, and between humans themselves because of the central significance of God.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh
What are the Hindu scriptures? What is the concept of God? Hindu concept of Individual and Universe What are the basic principles of Hindu Dharma? Three Debts of Human Life Four Stages of Hindu Religious Life Four Ends of Human Life Who is a Hindu?. Code of Conduct Additional Topics References and links
The Rig Veda has declared the Ultimate Reality (God) as: Ekam sat, vipraha bahudha vadanti. (Rig Veda 1.164.46) "Truth (God) is one, the wise call it by various names"
http://www.dlshq.org/download/hinduismbk.pdf for more info.
Hindu Scriptures
Sruti (Revealed)
Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis. These eternal truths never change.
Smriti (Remembered)
Scriptures that change with time and space and summery of Smriti in understandable format for common mind
Vedas (Four) Rig (21 shakas) Sama (109 shakas) Yajur (1000 shakas) Atharva (50 shakas) Hymns, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads
Prajnanam Brahma:Consciousness is Brahman Aham Brahma Asmi:I Am Brahman Tat Tram Asi:That Thou Art Ayam Atma Brahma:This Self is Brahman
Dharma Shastras (Law Codes) Ex: Manu Smriti Epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) Puranas (Mythology) There are many; each tradition has its own. Ex: Shiva Purana and Bhagavat Purana Agamas and Tantras: (sectarian scriptures) Darshanas (Manuals of Philosophy) Each school has its own literature. Ex: Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali.
http://www.dlshq.org/download/vedbegin.pdf for more info.
In Hindu scriptures, the Cosmic Absolute/Absolute Reality is defined as Transcendent (impersonal) and Immanent (personal).
In the transcendent aspect, the Supreme Reality is called Nirguna Brahman, that is Brahman, without attributes. " Brahman is He whom speech cannot express, and from whom the mind is unable to reach Him, comes away baffled" states the Taittiriya Upanishad. Nirguna Brahman is not an object of prayer, but of meditation and knowledge. It cannot be described, and It is absolute existence, absolute knowledge, and absolute bliss (sat-chit-ananda). It is unborn, self-existent, allpervading, and the essence of all things and beings in the universe. It is immeasurable, unapproachable, beyond conception, beyond birth, beyond reasoning, and beyond thought". God cannot be defined in terms of any specific manifestation, nor indeed in terms of their sum total. He is beyond all possibility of definition. The Bhagavad Gita, the best-known scripture of India, states this point clearly:
Immanent
Transcendent
Ishvara or God (note capital G) worshipped by many names and forms known as deities or gods (note small g)
Male Aspect
Divine Mother, worshipped by many names and forms known as deities or goddesses (note small g)
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Female Aspect
BRAHMA -CREATOR
VISHNU - PROTECTOR
SHIVA - DISSOLVER
Just as a man living in a house is called a householder, Atman (meaning God within) living in a human body is called an individual. When this human house becomes old and irreparable, Atman leaves the house and we say that the individual has died. But Atman is immortal and is part of Brahman, Supreme God. Atman is divine so all the beings are divine. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh 8
Atman
just as
Electricity Electricity Electricity Electricity + + + + Type of Appliance Refrigerator Oven Television = = = = Type of Application Cold Heat Opposing Functions
Sattva
Rajas
Tamas
Appearance of Brahman as things and beings of the world The Infinite, Undivided and Changeless appears as finite, divided, and changing
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Satya yuga (golden age) Treta yuga (silver age) Dvapara yuga (copper age) Kali yuga (iron age) Pralaya (cosmic deluge ) New Creation
4,000,000 years 3,600,000 years 2,400,000 years 1,200,000 years 4000,000 years 400,000 years
12,000,000 years
Total duration of the four yugas is called a kalpa. At the end of kalyuga the universe is dissolved by pralaya (cosmic deluge ) and another cycle begins. Each cycle of creation lasts one kalpa, that is 12,000,000 human years ( or 12,000 Brahma years).
Hindus believe that there is almost a universe hidden in each Atman and that can be explored looking inward with the help of Yoga and Meditation.
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10 AVATARS (INCARNATIONS)
Lord Vishnu's preserving, protecting powers have been manifested to the world in a variety of forms, called Avatars, in which one or more of his divine attributes were embodied in the shape of a human being or an animal or a human-animal combined form, possessing great and sometimes supernatural powers.that are innumerable.
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Basic principles of Hindu Dharma Divinity of the Atman Unity of Existence Ahimsa Harmony of Religions Law of Karma Doctrine of Incarnation Freedom of Thought Law of Dharma
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Each human being, regardless of religion, geographic region, gender, color or creed is in reality Atman clothed in a physical body. Since Atman is inherently pure and divine, every human being is potentially divine. In Hindu view, a man is not born a sinner, but becomes a victim of ignorance under the influence of cosmic ignorance, called Maya. Just as darkness quickly disappears upon the appearance of light, an individuals delusion vanishes when he gains self-knowledge. Practical Significance: Eliminates fear of God, encourages freedom of thought, and removes psychological barrier to human growth. No fear of eternal hell.
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Unity of Existence
Science has revealed that what we call matter is essentially energy. Hindu sages tell us that the cosmic energy is manifestation of the Universal Spirit (Brahman). Brahman has become all things and beings in the world. Thus, we are all interconnected in subtle ways. All is One and One is in all, declare the sages. Practical Significance: Encourages universal brotherhood, reverence for all forms of life, and respect for our environment. Hindu scriptures address earth as Mother Earth.
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Ahimsa
Ahimsa means non-violence, non-injury, or nonkilling. Hinduism teaches that al forms of life are manifestations of Brahman. We must, therefore, not be indifferent to the sufferings of others. Practical Significance: Creates mutual love between humans and other forms of life, and protects our environment. Ahimsa provides basis for Hindu notion of morality. That mode of living which is based upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in the case of necessity) upon minimum of such harm, is the highest morality. (Mahabharata Shantiparva 262.5-6).
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Harmony of Religions
Hinduism believes that there is no one religion that teaches an exclusive way to salvation. All genuine spiritual paths are valid and all great religions are equally true. In whatever way humans love Me (God), in the same way they find My love. Various are the ways for humans, but in the end they all come to Me. (Bhagavad Gita 4.11) Practical Significance: This doctrine lays foundation for universal harmony. The attitude of religious tolerance is one of Hinduisms greatest gifts to mankind.
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Hindus believe that God, who is all-loving and merciful, does not punish or reward anyone. He molds our destinies based upon our own thoughts and deeds. Every action of a person, in though, word, or deed, brings results, either good or bad, depending upon the moral quality of the action, in accordance with the adage, As you sow, so shall you reap. Moral consequences of all actions are conserved by the Nature. Practical Significance: Eliminates fear of God and hell; enhances self-confidence and strengthens the concepts of righteousness and fairness.
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Doctrine of Incarnation
Hindus believe that God incarnates Himself on earth to uphold righteousness, whenever there is a decline in virtue. Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and predominance of unrighteousness, I (God) embody Myself. For the protection of the good and for the destruction of the evildoers and for the reestablishment of righteousness, I am born form age to age. (BG 4.6-4.7)
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Freedom of Thought
Hindus believe that wisdom is not an exclusive possession of any particular race or religion. Hinduism, therefore, provides everyone with absolute freedom of thought in religious matters. One is free to approach God in his or her own way, without conforming to any dogma or blind faith. An open mind is all that is needed to study Hinduism. Hindus place the greatest value on experiencing truth personally. Practical Significance: Eliminates blind faith and dogma. Encourages reason and logic for mutual understanding. Hinduism is a God-loving religion and not God-fearing one.
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The thought of dharma generates deep confidence in the Hindu mind in cosmic justice. This is reflected in the often-quoted maxims: The righteous side will have the victory. Truth only prevails, not falsehood. Dharma kills if it is killed; dharma protects if it is protected. The entire world rests on dharma. Dharma is the law that maintains the cosmic order as well as the individual and social order. Dharma sustains human life in harmony with nature. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity with the law that sustains the universe.
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The Law of Dharma Dont do to others what you dont want done to you.
Morality Ethics
Individual Resp.
Dharma
Three Debts:
Life
Debt to God Debt to Sages and Saints Debt to ones parents and ancestors
Four Stages:
Brahmacharya (Studentship) Grhastha (Householder) Vanaprastha (Retirement) Sannyasa (Renunciation)
Humanity
Universe Nation Dependent
(Independent) Individual
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7) I believe that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation.
8) I believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury. 9) I believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of Gods Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh understanding.
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Hindu Temple
Jain Temple
Sikh Gurudwara
Buddhist Pagoda
Four major religions of the world have originated from India: Hinduism,Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh
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Some Facts
Probably the first written language with complete grammer is Sanskrit. 5000 years+. Oldest civilization to exist on the earth today. The science of Yoga and Meditation was developed in the Himalayas Birthplace of 4 major religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism Worlds first University in Takshila in 700 BC Vedas are the oldest texts available to humans
Sanskrit: Source of numerous languages No Human Founder. No known beginning No One Scripture of authority One Supreme God/ Ultimate Reality Emphasis on personal experience All Paths deserve equal respect Whole world is one family Let every one be happy, healthy and peaceful
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Caste System
Vedas speak of nobility of entire humanity (krinvanto vishvam aryam), and do not sanction any caste system or birth-based caste system. Mantra, numbered 10-131 in Rig Veda, addresses the entire humanity as divine children (shrunvantu vishve amrutsya putraha). Innumerable mantras in Vedas emphasise oneness, universal brotherhood, harmony, happiness, affection, unity and commonality of entire humanity. Veda Mantra numbered 5-60-5 in Rig Veda declares, All men are brothers; no one is big, no one is small. All are equal. Mantra numbered 16.15 in Yajur Veda reiterates that all men are brothers; no one is superior or inferior. Hindu scriptures speak only about varna which means to select (ones profession, etc.) and which is not caste or birth-based. As per shloka numbered IV (13) of the Bhagavad Gita, depending upon a persons guna (aptitude) and karma (actions), there are four varnas. As per this shloka, a persons varna is determined by his guna and karma, and not by his birth. Chapter XIV of the Bhagavad Gita specifies three gunas viz. satva (purity), rajas (passion and attachment) and tamas (ignorance). These three gunas are present in every human in different proportions, and determine the varna of every person.
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