Title: Nine Questions
Author:
Publication: Hinduism
Today
Date: May/June. 2000
Back in the spring of
1990, A group of teenagers from the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont,
sent a formal request to HINDUISM TODAY's publisher, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami,
for "official answers" to nine questions they had been commonly asked about
their religious heritage by their American peers. These same questions
had perplexed the Hindu youth themselves, and their parents, they confided,
had no convincing answers. HINDUISM TODAY took up the challenge and provided
the following answers to the nine questions. We begin with advice on the
attitudes to hold when responding.
First, ask yourself,
"Who is asking the question?" millions of Americans are sincerely interested
in Hinduism and the many Asian religions. Therefore, when asked questions
about Hinduism, do not take a defensive position, even if the questioner
seems confrontational. Instead, assume that the person really wants to
learn. With this in mind, it is still important never to answer a question
about religion too boldly or too immediately. This might lead to confrontation.
Offer a prologue first and then come to the question, guiding the inquirer
toward understanding. Your poise and deliberateness give the sense that
you know what you are talking about. It also gives you a moment to think
and draw upon your intuitive knowing. Before going deeply into an answer,
always ask the questioner what his religion is. Knowing who is asking,
you can address his particular frame of mind and make your answer most
relevant. Another important key: have confidence in yourself and your ability
to give a meaningful and polite response. Even to say, "I am sorry. I still
have much to learn about my religion and I don't yet know the answer to
that," is a meaningful response. Honesty is always appreciated. Never be
afraid to admit what you don't know, for this lends credibility to what
you do know.
Here are four prologues
that can be used, according to the situation, before you begin to actually
answer the question. 1. "I am really pleased that you have shown an interest
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 spiritual 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 asked exactly what he wants
to know. So, repeat the question in your own words and ask if you understand
his query correctly. If it's a complicated question, you might say, "Philosophers
have spent lifetimes discussing and pondering questions such as this, but
I will do my best to explain in a simple way."
Have courage. Speak from
your inner mind. Sanatana Dharma is an experiential path, not a dogma,
so your experience in answering questions will help your own spiritual
unfoldment. You will learn from your answers if you listen to your inner
mind speak. This can be a lot of fun. The attentive teacher always learns
more than the student.
After the prologue, address
the question without hesitation. If the person is sincere, you can say,
"Do you have any more 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 everyone who asks a question about Hinduism is insincere
or is challenging our faith. Many are just being friendly or making conversation
to get to know you. 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 are really interested, I will find out or mail you some literature
or lend you one of my books." Smile and have confidence as you give these
answers. Don't be shy. There is no question that can be put to you in your
birth karmas that you cannot rise up to with a fine answer to fully satisfy
the seeker. You may make lifelong friends in this way.
The nine answers below
are organized with a one-line response, followed by a longer answer, then
a more detailed explanation. You may be surprised to find how many people
are content with the most simple and short answer, so start with that first.
You may use the explanation as background information for yourself, or
as a contingency response in case you end up in a deeper philosophical
discussion. Memorize the answers and use them as needed. So now we begin
with the questions your classmates and friends have been asking you all
the time.
Question 1: Why does
Hinduism have so many Gods?
(While acknowledging
many Gods, all Hindus believe in a one Supreme God who creates and sustains
the universe.)
Longer answer: Hindus
believe in one God, one humanity and one world. We believe that there is
one Supreme God who created the universe and who is worshiped as Light,
Love and Consciousness. People with different languages and cultures have
understood the one God in their own distinct way. This is why we are very
tolerant of all religions, as 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
Explanation: Hinduism
is both monotheistic and henotheistic. Hindus were never polytheistic,
in the sense that there are many equal Gods. Henotheism better defines
the Hindu view of a single Supreme God with many other divinities. We Hindus
believe there is one all-pervasive God who energizes the entire universe.
We can see Him in the life shining out of the eyes of humans and all creatures.
This concept of God as existing in and giving life to all things is called
"panentheism." It is different from pantheism, which is the belief that
God is the natural universe and nothing more. It is also different from
strict theism which says God is only above the world, apart and transcendent.
Panentheism is a beautiful concept. It says that God is both in the world
and beyond it, both immanent and transcendent. That is the Hindu view.
Hindus also believe in many devas or Gods who perform various functions,
like executives in a large corporation. These should not be confused with
God. There is one Supreme God only.. What is sometimes confusing to non-Hindus
is that Hindus of various sects may call the one God by many different
names, according to their regional tradition. Truth for the Hindu has many
names, but that does not make for many truths. Hinduism gives us the freedom
to approach God in our own way, without demanding conformity to any dogma.
Question 2: Why do Hindus
believe in reincarnation?
(We Hindus believe the
should is immortal and reenters a fleshy body time and time again in order
to resolve experiences and learn all the lessons that life in the material
world has to offer.)
Longer answer: Carnate
means "of flesh." And reincarnate means to "reenter the flesh." Yes, Hindus
believe in reincarnation. To us, it explains the natural way the soul evolves
from immaturity to spiritual illumination. I myself have had many lives
before this one and expect to have more. Finally, when I have it all worked
out and all the lessons have been learned, I will attain enlightenment
and moksha, liberation. This means I will still exist, but will no longer
be pulled back to be born in a physical body. Even science is discovering
reincarnation. There have been many cases of individuals remembering their
past lives. These have been researched by scientists, psychiatrists and
parapsychologists during the past decades and documented in very good books
and videos.
Explanation: At the time
of death, the soul leaves the physical body. But the soul does not die.
It lives on in a subtle body called the astral body. The astral body exists
in the nonphysical dimension called the astral plane. Here we continue
to have experiences until we are reborn again in another physical body
as a baby. Each reincarnating soul chooses a home and a family which can
best fulfill its next step of maturation. After enlightenment, we do not
have to re-experience the baseness of Earthly existence but continue to
evolve in our inner bodies. Similarly, after we graduate from school we
never have to go back to the fifth grade. We have gone beyond that in understanding.
Many young children speak of vivid past fife memories, which fade as they
grow older, as the veils of individuality shroud the soul's intuitive understanding.
Great mystics often relate their past lives as well. Reincarnation is also
believed in by the Jains and the Sikhs, by the Indians of the Americas,
and by the Buddhists, by the Pagans and the many indigenous faiths. Even
the Christians originally taught reincarnation, but formally renounced
it in the twelfth century. It is, in fact, one of the widest held articles
of faith on planet Earth.
Question 3: What is karma?
(Karma is the universal
principle of cause and effect, action and reaction which governs all life.)
Longer answer: Karma
is one of the natural laws of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter.
It simply means "cause and effect." What hap pens to us that is apparently
unfortunate or unjust is not God punishing us. It is the result of our
own past actions. The Vedas, Hinduism's revealed scripture, tell us if
we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil.
The divine law is: whatever karma we are experiencing in our life is just
what we need at the moment, and nothing can happen but that we have the
strength to meet it. Even harsh karma, when faced in wisdom, can be the
greatest catalyst for spiritual unfoldment.
Explanation: We cannot
give anything away but that it comes back to us. A few years ago in Madras
an American devotee said to me, "Shall I give money to the beggar who is
asking?" I said, "Give him ten rupees. You may need the fifty rupees when
karma pays you back, just as he needs the ten rupees now." The karmic law
pays higher interest than any bank when you give freely with no strings
attached. Karma is basically energy. I throw energy out through thoughts,
words and deeds, and it comes back to me, in time, through other people.
We Hindus look at time as a circle, as things cycle around again. Professor
Einstein came to the same conclusion. He saw time as a curved thing and
space as well. This would eventually make a circle. Karma is a very just
law, too, OS it is equal in repayment. Karma, like gravity, treats everyone
the same. Because we Hindus understand karma, we do not hate or resent
the people who do us harm. We understand they are giving back the effects
of the causes we set in motion at an earlier time. At least we try not
to hate them or hold hard feelings, by reminding ourselves of the law of
karma. The Hindu law of karma puts man at the center of responsibility
for everything he does and everything that is done to him.
Karma is a word we hear
quite often on television. "This is my karma," or "It must have been something
I did in a past life to bring such good karma to me." In some schools of
Hinduism, karma is looked upon as something bad. A Hindu guest from Guyana,
South America, visited us in Hawaii and mentioned that karma means "sin,"
and that this is what the Christians in his country are preaching that
it means. Some non-Hindus also preach that karma means "fate," which we
know is untrue. The idea of inexorable fate, of a preordained destiny over
which one has no control, has nothing to do with Sanatana Dharma. Karma
actually means "cause and effect."
The process of action
and reaction on all levels-physical, mental and spiritual-is karma. Here
is an example: I have a glass of water sitting in front of me on a table.
Because the table is not moving, nor is the glass, the water is calm. Shake
the table; the water ripples. This is action and reaction, the basic law
of nature. Here is another example: I say kind words to you; you feel peaceful
and happy. I say harsh words to you, and you become ruffled and upset.
The kindness and the harshness return to me, through others, at a later
time. This is karma. It names the basic law of the motion of energy. An
architect thinks creative, productive thoughts, and draws plans for a new
building. But were he to think destructive, unproductive thoughts, he would
soon not be able to accomplish any kind of positive task even if he desired
to do so. This is karma, a natural law of the mind. We must also be very
careful about our thoughts, because thought creates, and thoughts also
make karmas, good, bad and mixed.
Question 4: Why do Hindus
regard the cow as sacred?
(The cow represents the
giving nature of life to every Hindu. Honoring this gentle animal, who
gives more than she takes, we honor all creatures.)
Longer answer: Hindus
regard all living creatures as sacred-mammals, fishes, birds and more.
The cow symbolizes all other creatures to the Hindu. The cow also represents
life and the sustenance of fife. It represents our soul, our obstinate
intellect and our unruly emotions. But the cow supersedes us because it
is so giving, taking nothing but grass and grain. It gives and gives and
gives, as does the liberated soul give and give and give. The cow is so
vital to life, the virtual sustainer of life for humans. If you lived in
a village and had only cows and no other domestic animals or agricultural
pursuits, you and your family could survive with the butter, the cream,
yogurt, ghee and milk. The cow is a complete ecology, a gentle creature
and a symbol of abundance.
Explanation: Who is the
greatest giver on planet Earth today? Who do we see on every table? In
every country of the world, breakfast, lunch and dinner? It is the cow.
The golden arches and their rivals have made fortunes on the humble cow.
When we were in Moscow in March, 1990, we learned that McDonalds had opened
11 of its cow-vending outlets there. The generous cow gives milk and cream,
yogurt and cheese, butter and ice cream, ghee and buttermilk. It gives
entirely of itself through sirloin, ribs, rump, quarterround, porterhouse
and beef stew. Its bones are the base for soup broths. It gives the world
leather belts, leather seats, leather coats and shoes, beef jerky, cowboy
hats-you name it. The cow is the most prominent giving animal in the world
today. The only cow-question for Hindus is, "Why don't more people respect
and protect this remarkable creature?"
Question 5: Are Hindus
idol worshipers?
(No Hindus are not idle
worshipers. They worship with great vigor and devotion!)
Longer answer: Hindus
are not idol worshipers in the sense implied. We Hindus invoke the presence
of God, or the Gods, from the higher, unseen worlds, into stone images
so that we can experience His divine presence, commune with Him and receive
His blessings. But the stone or metal Deity images are not mere symbols
of the Gods; they are the form through which their love, power and blessings
flood forth into this world. We may liken this mystery to our ability to
communicate with others through the telephone. We do not talk to the telephone;
rather we use it as a means of communication with another person. Without
the telephone, we could not converse across long distances; and without
the sanctified icon in the temple we cannot easily commune with the Deity
Divinity can also be invoked and felt in a sacred fire, or in a tree, or
in the enlightened person of a satguru. In our temples, God is invoked
in the sanctum by highly trained priests. Through the practice of yoga,
or meditation, we invoke God inside ourself. Yoga means to yoke oneself
to God within. The image or icon of worship is a focus for our prayers
and devotions. Another way to explain icon worship is to acknowledge that
Hindus believe God is everywhere, in all things, whether stone or people.
So, it is not surprising that they feel comfortable worshipping the divine
in His material manifestation. The Hindu can see God in stone and water,
air and ether, and inside his own soul.
Explanation: Humorously
speaking, Hindus are not idle worshipers. I have never seen a Hindu worship
in a lazy or idle way. They worship with great vigor and devotion, with
unstinting regularity and constancy. There's nothing idle about our ways
of worship! (A little humor never hurts when answering a silly question.)
But, of course, the question is about "graven images." All religions have
their symbols of holiness through which the sacred flows into the mundane.
To name a few: the Christian cross, or statues of Mother Mary and Saint
Theresa, the holy Kaaba in Mecca, the Sikh Adigranth enshrined in the Golden
Temple in Amritsar, the Are and Torah of the Jews, the image of a meditating
Buddha or the totems of indigenous and Pagan faiths, the artifacts of the
many holy men of all religions. These icons, graven images, are held in
awe by the followers of these faiths. The tooth of the Buddha in Sri Lanka's
town of Kandy is another loved and respected image. The question is, Doe's
this make all the above religions idol-worshipers? The answer is, yes,
and no. From our perspective, idol worship is an intelligent, mystical
practice shared among all of the world's great faiths.
The human mind releases
itself from suffering, as shown by all the religions, through the use of
forms and symbols that awaken reverence, evoke sanctity and spiritual wisdom.
Even a fundamentalist Christian who rejects all forms of idol worship,
including those of the Catholic and Episcopal Churches, would resent someone
who showed disrespect for his Bible. This is because he considers it sacred.
In Hinduism one of the ultimate attainments is that the seeker transcends
the need of all form and symbol. This is the yogi's goal. In this way Hinduism
is the least idol-oriented of all the religions of the world. There is
no religion that is more aware of the transcendent, timeless, formless,
causeless Truth. Nor is there any religion which uses more symbols to represent
Truth in preparation for that realization.
Question 6: Are Hindus
forbidden to eat meat?
(Hindus teach vegetarianism
as a way to live with minimum of hurt to other beings. But in today's world
not all Hindus are vegetarian.)
Longer answer: Simply
put, vegetarians are more numerous in the south of India than in the north.
This is because of the north's cooler climactic conditions and past Islamic
influence. Our religion does not lay down rigid "do's and don's." There
are no commandments. Hinduism gives us the wisdom to make up our own mind
on what we put in our body, for it is the only one we have-in this life,
at least. Priests and religious leaders are definitely vegetarian, so as
to maintain a high level of purity and spiritual consciousness to fulfill
their responsibilities, and to awaken the more refined areas of their nature.
Soldiers and law-enforcement officers are generally not vegetarians, because
they have to keep alive their aggressive forces in order to perform their
work. To practice yoga and be successful in meditation, it is mandatory
to be vegetarian. It is a matter of wisdom-the application of knowledge
at any given moment. Today, about twenty or thirty percent of all Hindus
are vegetarians.
Explanation: This can
be a very touchy subject. When you are asked this question, there are several
ways that you can go, depending on who is asking and the background in
which they were raised. Basically, there is an overlying rule which gives
the Hindu answer to this query. It is called ahimsa, refraining from injuring,
physically, mentally or emotionally, anyone or any living creature. The
Hindu who wishes to strictly follow the path of noninjury to all creatures
naturally adopts a vegetarian diet. It's really a matter of conscience,
more than anything else.
When we eat meat, fish,
fowl and eggs, we absorb the vibration of the instinctive creatures into
our nerve system, and this chemically alters our consciousness and amplifies
our lower nature. Our lower nature is prone to fear, anger, jealousy, confusion,
resentment and the like. Many Hindu swamis advise followers to be well-established
vegetarians prior to initiation into mantra, and then to remain vegetarian
afterwards. But they do not insist upon vegetarianism for those not seeking
initiation. These swamis have found that families who are vegetarian have
fewer problems than those who are not.
There are many scriptural
citations that counsel not eating meat, such as in the Vedas, Tirukural
and Manu Dharma Shastras. For guidance in this and all matters, Hindus
also rely on their own guru, community elders, their own conscience and
understanding of the benefits of abstaining from meat. Of course, there
are good Hindus who eat meat, and there are bad Hindus who are vegetarians.
Today in America and
Europe there are millions of vegetarians. This is because they simply want
to live a long time and be healthy. Many feel a moral obligation to shun
the mentality of violence to which meat-eating gives rise. There are some
good books on vegetarianism, such as Diet for a New America by John Robbins.
There is also a fine magazine dedicated to the subject called Vegetarian
Times.
Question 7: Do Hindus
have a book like the Bible?
(Our "Bible" is called
the Veda. The Veda is comprised of four ancient and holy scripture which
all Hindus revere.)
Longer answer: Like the
Taoist Tao te Ching, the Buddhist Dhammapada, the Sikh Adigranth, the Jewish
Torah, the Christian Bible and the Muslim Koran-the Veda is the Hindu holy
book. The Veda is the ultimate scriptural authority for Hindus. It permeates
Hindu thought, ritual and meditation. They open a rare window into ancient
Indian society, proclaiming life's sacredness and the way to oneness with
God.
Explanation: For untold
centuries unto today, the Veda has remained the sustaining force and authoritative
doctrine, guiding followers in ways of worship, duty and enlightenment.
The Veda is the meditative and philosophical focus for millions of monks
and a billion seekers. Its stanzas are chanted from memory by priests and
laymen daily as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. All Hindus
wholeheartedly accept the Veda, yet each draws selectively, interprets
freely and amplifies abundantly. Over time, this tolerant allegiance has
woven the varied tapestry of Indian Hindu dharma. Today, the Veda is published
in Sanskrit, English, French, German and other languages. But it is the
metaphysical and popular Upanishads, the fourth section of the Veda, which
have been most amply and ably translated.
Question 8: My do many
Hindus wear a dot near the middle of their forehead?
(The dot worn on the
forehead is a religious symbol. It is also a beauty mark.)
Longer answer: The dot
worn on the forehead is a sign that one is a Hindu. It is called a bindi
in the Hindi language, bindu in Sanskrit and pottu in Tamil. In the old
days, all Hindu men and women wore these marks, and they both also wore
earrings. The dot has a mystical meaning. It represents the third eye,
of spiritual sight, which sees things that the physical eyes cannot see.
Hindus seek to awaken this sight through yoga. The forehead dot is a reminder
to use and cultivate ones spiritual vision to perceive and understand life's
inner workings, to see things not just physically, but with the mind's
eye as well. Today it is the women who are most faithful in wearing the
bindi. There are many forehead marks, known as tilaka, other than the simple
dot. Each mark represents a particular sect or denomination of our vast
religion. We have four major sects: Saivism, Vaishnavism, Saktism and Smartism.
Vaishnava Hindus, for example, wear a v-shaped tilaka made from clay. Elaborate
tilakas are worn by Hindus mainly at religious events, though many wear
the simple bindi, indicating they are Hindu, even in the general public.
By these marks we know what a person believes, and therefore know how to
begin conversations.
For Hindu women, the
forehead dot is also a beauty mark, not unlike the black mark European
and American women once wore on the cheek. The red bindi is generally a
sign of marriage. A black bindi is often worn before marriage to ward off
the evil eye. As an exotic fashion statement, the dot's color complements
the color of a lady's sari. Ornate bindis are seen on actresses in popular
American TV shows.
Explanation: Men and
women of a particular faith often wish to identify themselves to each other,
and they do so by wearing distinctive religious symbols. Often these are
blessed in their temples, churches and synagogues. In some countries Muslim
girls cover their face with a veil. Christians wear a cross on a necklace.
Jewish boys wear small leather cases that hold scriptural passages, and
the round cap called yalmuka.
Do not be ashamed to
wear the bindi on your forehead in the United States, Canada, Europe or
any country of the world. It will distinguish you from all other people
as a very special person, a Hindu, a knower of eternal Truths. You will
never be mistaken as belonging to another nationality or religion. For
both boys and girls, men and women, the dot should be small or large depending
on the circumstance, but should always be there in appropriate circumstances.
Naturally, we don't want to flaunt our religion in the face of others.
We observe that Christian boys and girls take off or conceal their crosses
in the corporate business world. Recently a Canadian TV documentary distinguished
the bindi by calling it a "Cool Dot." Times are changing, and to proudly
wear the symbols that distinguish and define us is totally cool.
Question 9: Are Hindu
Gods really married?
(To the more uneducated
people who are not able to understand high philosophy, Hinduism is taught
in story form. Those of the higher philosophy know that each God is complete
within Himself, neither male nor female.)
Longer answer: Hinduism
is taught on many different levels to many different people and to the
more uneducated people who are not able to understand the high philosophy,
Hinduism is taught in story form. These stories are called Puranas and
they are the basis of dance, plays, storytelling around the fire in the
homes to children as they are growing up to amplify how they should live.
Because the temple is the center of every Hindu community and village and
everyone is focused on the temple and the Gods within the temple, the Gods
became the major players in these stories. In the higher philosophy, all
Hindus who understand it know that they find God on the inside. In the
lower philosophies, they strive to be like a God, or like a Goddess. The
stories illustrate how a family should live, how they should raise their
children, and much, much more. So there's a big division between those
whose religion is and perhaps always will be in story form and those whose
religion is and will always be of realization, of personal experience.
Each God is complete within himself, neither male nor female.
Explanation: Those who
are privileged to the higher philosophies know that Gods are neither male
nor female, which is the yoga of ida and pingala blending into sushumna
within each individual. Those of the higher philosophy know that the Gods
don't get married, that they are complete within themselves, and this is
depicted by Ardhanarisvara, as Siva being half man and half woman, depicted
in the philosophy that Siva's energy is Shakti. Hindus are very peaceful
people, they believe in ahimsa, not hurting physically, mentally or emotionally,
but in times of war, the stories become violent, stimulating the young
man to get out and fight, showing how the Gods killed the demons, and how
battles were won. Before the printing press, there were a few books and
owned only by a few families, therefore Hindus are a visual community and
they're taking pictures in their mind on how they should behave in peacetime,
how they should behave in war time. Some modern swamis now urge devotees
not to pay any attention to the Puranic stories, saying that they have
no relationship with the world today-they are misleading and confusing.
They encourage them instead to deepen themselves with the higher philosophies
of the Vedic Upanishads and the realizations of the Hindu seers.
