Tuesday, 30 May 2017

Basics Of Hinduism - Why does Hinduism have so many Gods? (Part 2)

1

Why does Hinduism have so many Gods?


Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created the universe. He is all-pervasive. He created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers.

 



CONTRARY TO PREVAILING misconceptions, Hindus all worship a one Supreme Being, though by different names. This is because the peoples of India with different languages and cultures have understood the one God in their own distinct way. Through history there arose four principal Hindu denominations—Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism. For Saivites, God is Siva. For Shaktas, Goddess Shakti is supreme. For Vaishnavites, Lord Vishnu is God. For Smartas—who see all Deities as reflections of the One God—the choice of Deity is left to the devotee. This liberal Smarta perspective is well known, but it is not the prevailing Hindu view. Due to this diversity, Hindus are profoundly tolerant of other religions, respecting the fact that each has its own pathway to the one God.
One of the unique understandings in Hinduism is that God is not far away, living in a remote heaven, but is inside each and every soul, in the heart and consciousness, waiting to be discovered. This knowing that God is always with us gives us hope and courage. Knowing the One Great God in this intimate and experiential way is the goal of Hindu spirituality.

For the full article, please go to source at:Himalayan Academy


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BASICS OF HINDUISM - 14 Commonly asked questions on Hinduism ( Part 1)



Humanity’s most profound faith is now a global phenomenon. Students, teachers, neighbors and friends are full of questions. Misconceptions run rampant.
Here are fourteen thoughtful answers you can use to set the record straight. 

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PUT ON THE SPOT WITH A PROVOCATIVE question about Hinduism, even one that really shouldn’t be so hard to answer? If so, you are not alone. It takes some good preparation and a little attitude adjustment to confidently field queries on your faith—be they from friendly co-workers, students, passersby or especially from evangelists.
Let’s begin with advice on the attitudes to hold when responding. First, ask yourself, “Who is asking the question?” Millions of people are sincerely interested in Hinduism and the many Asian religions. So, when asked about Hinduism, don’t be defensive, even if the questioner seems confrontational. Instead, assume that the person really wants to learn. Of course, some only want to harass, badger and turn you to their view. If you sense this is the case, feel free to smile and courteously dismiss yourself without any attempt to answer, lest you simply add fuel to his fires. 

Bearing this in mind, it is still best never to answer a question about religion too boldly or too immediately. That might lead to confrontation. Offer a prologue first, then come to the question, guiding the inquirer toward understanding. Your poise and deliberateness gives assurance that you know what you are talking about. It also gives you a moment to think and draw on your intuitive knowing. Before going deeply into an answer, always ask the questioner what his religion is. Knowing that, you can address his particular frame of mind and make your answer most relevant.
Here are four prologues that can be used, according to the situation, before you begin to actually answer a question. 1) “I am really pleased that you are interested in my religion. You may not know that one out of every six people in the world is a Hindu.” 2) “Many people have asked me about my tradition. I don’t know everything, but I will try to answer your question.” 3) “First, you should know that in Hinduism, it is not only belief and intellectual understanding that is important. Hindus place the greatest value on experiencing each of these truths personally.” 4) The fourth type of prologue is to repeat the question to see if the person has actually stated what he wants to know. Repeat the question in your own words and ask if you have understood his query correctly. If it’s a complicated question, you might begin by saying, “Philosophers have spent lifetimes discussing and pondering questions such as this, but I will do my best to explain.” 

 

After the prologue, address the question without hesitation. If the person is sincere, you can ask, “Do you have any other questions?” If he wants to know more, then elaborate as best you can. Use easy, everyday examples. Share what enlightened souls and scriptures of Hinduism have said on the subject. Remember, we must not assume that someone who asks about Hinduism is insincere or is challenging our faith. Many are just being friendly or making conversation to get to know you; others, having reincarnated into a strange culture, are searching for the way back “home.” So, don’t be on the defensive or take it all too seriously. Smile when you give your response. Be open. If the second or third question is on something you know nothing about, you can say, “I don’t know. But if you’d like, I will find out and email you what I find out.” Smile and have confidence as you give these answers. Don’t be shy. Your birth karmas ensure that nobody can ask you a question to which you are unable to provide a fine answer that will fully satisfy the seeker. You may make lifelong friends in this way. 
For the full article, please go to source:



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Sunday, 28 May 2017

Event/Forum: Meeting at JKMPKA – Malaysia Hindu Sangam

Event/Forum: Meeting at JKMPKA – Malaysia Hindu Sangam

The actions of National Unity and Integration Department for taking the initiative to understand the feelings & sentiments of the Hindus through this event/forum is commendable. The panelists of this forum representing the Hindus from Malaysia Hindu Sangam & other religions are also to be commended for making efforts to try & explain these issues clearly to all the attendees of the forum. We hope & believe that this will soon result in resolutions & actions that reflect respect for all religions.
However, having looked through the comments in the Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS) Facebook page for this post, we were not surprised to see emotions running high & in their frustration, commentators were feeling that MHS was not doing enough. But perhaps, there is another perspective to this view? We will delve into this topic in our next post titled “The Missing Element’. Stay tuned!

The link to the event details is below.


Photo Credit: MHS (link above)

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Sunday, 21 May 2017

Introducing ‘Path To Siva’ – Part 1



From April 7 to 11,  2017, Satguru Bodhinatha visited Malaysia. While here, he presided over the Ganapati Homa at Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple & also attended an event to introduce ‘Path To Siva’ to a wonderful group of Hindu youth & their parents in a temple near the Taman Sri Muda area.

 


On the 7th of May 2017, which incidentally was the first weekend after the Hindu New Year, a simple event was held at Persatuan Pendidikan Dan Seni Kebudayaan Iraivan Illam, Klang to introduce the book ‘Path To Siva’ written by Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami to youth studying Hinduism at Iraivan Illam & their parents.
The program started with simple prayers to Lord Ganesha which was then followed by a presentation. 




It was heartening to see the support of the parents attending the introduction to ‘Path To Siva’ to get a better understanding of what is being taught in the Hinduism classes to their children. The presentation was well received by the parents. By the grace of Satguru Bodhinatha, ‘Path To Siva’ books were given out freely to Hindu youth whereas Saivite Hindu Children’s books were also given out freely to children below the age of 10. These books are used as part of the curriculum to teach Hinduism at Iraivan Illam along with the Character Building Workbook for various age groups.





Keen to know more about ‘Path To Siva’?...Stay tuned to this blog for Part 2 !


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