Subject: FW: WHY I AM A HINDU - MUST READ
WHY I AM A HINDU - MUST READ
Four years ago, I was flying from JFK NY Airport to SFO to attend a
meeting at Monterey , CA . An American girl was sitting on the right
side, near window seat. It indeed was a long journey - it would take
nearly seven hours. I was surprised to see the young girl reading a
Bible unusual of young Americans.
After some time, she smiled and we had few acquaintances talk. I
told her that I am from India . Then suddenly the girl
asked: 'What's your faith?' 'What?' I didn't understand the
question. 'I mean, what's your religion? Are you a Christian? Or a
Muslim?' 'No!' I replied, 'I am neither Christian nor Muslim'.
Apparently she appeared shocked to listen to that. 'Then who are
you?' 'I am a Hindu', I said.
She looked at me as if she was seeing a caged animal. She could not
understand what I was talking about.
A common man in Europe or US knows about Christianity and Islam, as
they are the leading religions of the world today. But a Hindu,
what?
I explained to her - I am born to a Hindu father and Hindu mother.
Therefore, I am a Hindu by birth.
'Who is your prophet?' she asked. 'We don't have a prophet,' I
replied. 'What's your Holy Book?' 'We don't have a single Holy Book,
but we have hundreds and thousands of philosophical and sacred
scriptures,' I replied. 'Oh, come on at least tell me who is your
God?' 'What do you mean by that?' 'Like we have Jesus and Muslims
have Allah - don't you have a God?' I thought for a moment. Muslims
and Christians believe one God (Male God) who created the world and
takes an interest in the humans who inhabit it. Her mind is
conditioned with that kind of belief.
According to her (or anybody who doesn't know about Hinduism), a
religion needs to have one Prophet, one Holy book and one God. The
mind is so conditioned and rigidly narrowed down to such a notion
that anything else is not acceptable. I understood her perception
and concept about faith. You can't compare Hinduism with any of the
present leading religions where you have to believe in one concept
of god.
I tried to explain to her: 'You can believe in one god and he can be
a Hindu... You may believe in multiple deities and still you can be
a Hindu. What's more - you may not believe in god at all, still you
can be a Hindu. An atheist can also be a Hindu.' This sounded very
crazy to her.. She couldn't imagine a religion so unorganized, still
surviving for thousands of years, even after onslaught from foreign
forces. 'I don't understand but it seems very interesting. Are you
religious?' What can I tell to this American girl?
I said: 'I do not go to temple regularly. I do not make any regular
rituals. I have learned some of the rituals in my younger days. I
still enjoy doing it sometimes.' 'Enjoy? Are you not afraid of
God?' 'God is a friend. No- I am not afraid of God. Nobody has made
any compulsions on me to perform these rituals regularly.' She
thought for a while and then asked: 'Have you ever thought of
converting to any other religion?'
'Why should I? Even if I challenge some of the rituals and faith in
Hinduism, nobody can convert me from Hinduism. Because, being a
Hindu allows me to think independently and objectively, without
conditioning. I remain as a Hindu never by force, but choice.' I
told her that Hinduism is not a religion, but a set of beliefs and
practices. It is not a religion like Christianity or Islam because
it is not founded by any one person or does not have an organized
controlling body like the Church or the Order, I added. There is no
institution or authority.
'So, you don't believe in God?' she wanted everything in black and
white. 'I didn't say that. I do not discard the divine reality. Our
scripture, or Sruthis or Smrithis - Vedas and Upanishads or the
Gita - say God might be there or he might not be there. But we pray
to that supreme abstract authority (Para Brahma) that is the creator
of this universe.'
'Why can't you believe in one personal God?' 'We have a concept -
abstract - not a personal god. The concept or notion of a personal
God, hiding behind the clouds of secrecy, telling us irrational
stories through few men whom he sends as messengers, demanding us to
worship him or punish us, does not make sense. I don't think that
God is as silly as an autocratic emperor who wants others to respect
him or fear him.' I told her that such notions are just fancies of
less educated human imagination and fallacies, adding that generally
ethnic religious practitioners in Hinduism believe in personal gods.
The entry level Hinduism has over-whelming superstitions too. The
philosophical side of Hinduism negates all superstitions.
'Good that you agree God might exist. You told that you pray. What
is your prayer then?' 'Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu... Om Shanti,
Shanti, Shanti,' 'Funny,' she laughed, 'What does it mean?' 'May all
the beings in all the worlds be happy. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.'
'Hmm ...very interesting. I want to learn more about this religion.
It is so democratic, broad-minded and free' she exclaimed.
'The fact is Hinduism is a religion of the individual, for the
individual and by the individual with its roots in the Vedas and the
Bhagavad-Gita. It is all about an individual approaching a personal
God in an individual way according to his temperament and inner
evolution - it is as simple as that.' 'How does anybody convert to
Hinduism?'
'Nobody can convert you to Hinduism, because it is not a religion,
but a set of beliefs and practices. Everything is acceptable in
Hinduism because there is no single authority or organization either
to accept it or to reject it or to oppose it on behalf of Hinduism.'
I told her - if you look for meaning in life, don't look for it in
religions; don't go from one cult to another or from one guru to the
next.
For a real seeker, I told her, the Bible itself gives guidelines
when it says ' Kingdom of God is within you.' I reminded her of
Christ's teaching about the love that we have for each other. That
is where you can find the meaning of life. Loving each and every
creation of the God is absolute and real. 'Isavasyam idam sarvam'
Isam (the God) is present (inhabits) here everywhere - nothing
exists separate from the God, because God is present everywhere.
Respect every living being and non-living things as God. That's what
Hinduism teaches you.
Hinduism is referred to as Sanathana Dharma, the eternal faith. It
is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life. The most
important aspect of Hinduism is being truthful to oneself. Hinduism
has no monopoly on ideas. It is open to all. Hindus believe in one
God (not a personal one) expressed in different forms. For them, God
is timeless and formless entity.
Ancestors of today's Hindus believe in eternal truths and cosmic
laws and these truths are opened to anyone who seeks them. But there
is a section of Hindus who are either superstitious or turned
fanatic to make this an organized religion like others. The British
coin the word 'Hindu' and considered it as a religion.
I said: 'Religions have become an MLM (multi-level- marketing)
industry that has been trying to expand the market share by
conversion. The biggest business in today's world is Spirituality.
Hinduism is no exception'.
I am a Hindu primarily because it professes Non-violence - 'Ahimsa
Paramo Dharma' - Non violence is the highest duty. I am a Hindu
because it doesn't condition my mind with any faith system. A man /
woman who change 's his / her birth religion to another religion is
a fake and does not value his / her morals, culture and values in
life. Hinduism was the first religion originated.
Be proud of your religion and be proud of who you are. Om Namo
shiva....... ........
Send it to all Hindus who you think will find it
interesting! !!!!!!!!! !
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