How did you begin your exploration of Hinduism? Were there certain books you read? Did a friend teach you certain rituals or practices? Did you worship at a Hindu temple? The only "Hindu" places of worship I know about here is an ISKCON temple near me, but that is just a certain branch of Hinduism, right?
all temples, iskcon or otherwise are branches of hinduism as hinduism is a manifold tree with many branches and limbs as to the best ways to learn of hinduism, which is to learn of yourself, bhagavada gita and other scripture advises the approaching of a self realized soul or sadhu which can be done in two forms... one is vani or the actual physical prescence and the other is vapuh or that person's instructions or teachings... vapuh or instruction through books and teachings are considered the most important but this does not mean one should neglect the seeking out of mahatmas if they present themselves the vapuh or teachings of great souls such as mata amritananda (my guru) or ramakrishna or vivekananda or ramana maharsi or white buffalo calf women or jesus or saint francis or frank fools crow... saints are infinite and not to forget too, that you are a saint and most beloved of god for your nature is that of god is easily accessible in any book store or the internet one can easily see the keys to living a godly life... being compassionate, taking the time of a meditation period to drop all thoughts and commune with The All don't worry about what steps to take... you take one step to god and She takes ten towards you my guru was asked how do we know we are worshipping and seeking the right god? her answer: God is the one in every flower
I first became interested in eastern philosophy in general after reading 'the Tibetan Book of the Dead'. I went on to read various books on hatha yoga and different philosophies and religions in general - in the beginning mainly Buddhist. I then encountered ISKCON devotees at various of the very anarchic (by today's standard) free festivals we used to have here in the UK back in the 70's. I was impressed with the whole thing. Back then, they had an energy and an aura which now has sadly dissipated somewhat, and they were extremely well organized. However, I had some doubts. Later on, I got quite into the Krishna thing, but was put off when in 1982 I met Bhagavan Gurudeva, an ISKCON guru and one of Prabhupada's successors, who I felt was a phoney, and who later got jailed for embezelment. So I wouldn't necessarily recommend the standard 'method' mentioned in the Gita of seeking to approach a guru 'in the flesh' unless you can go to India. Unfortunately, many of ther so-called gurus in the west are simply self serving phoneys. From Iskcon I learned about the Hare Krishna Mantra, and from SP's books got a basic knowledge of some aspects of theistic Hindu philosophy. With Hinduism, it's quite important to distinguish between the popular religious side, and the Yogic side. There is no need really for a temple, or rituals etc. In fact, that can all be a massive diversion from the inner core of the thing which is what is of real value. In India, it seems superstition and so on prevail on some levels, along with a few who have a high level of enlightenment. My advice would be to be careful with all that. Perhaps the best thing is to try to read major works by various Hindu teachers and philosophers. I'd recommend the Bhagavad Gita, Autobiography of a Yogi, Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita,(http://www.kathamrita.org/kathamrita.htm) and perhaps the Upanishads as a good starting point. As I know you are comong from a Christian background, I'd also recommend the works of Bede Griffiths, a Benedictine monk who lived and worked in India for 30 years and assimilated a great deal of Hindu tradition and wisdom, esp. 'The Marriage of East & West', where he explains in a very lucid way the differences and similarities between Hindu and Christian views, and shows how they could perhaps be harmonized. In many respects, there are similarities, and myself, I have found that study of Hinduism and some experience with Hindu practices have given me a much deeper and greater insight and appreciation of Christianity. Some would say that to begin any kind of practices you need a guru. I don't really agree with that, other than in a general way. For instance, anyone can try japa - that is, repitition of mantra or Divine names. Also as I said above, one has to be extrememly careful with gurus. Not all are very enlightened, and many people have had problems with phoney/fake gurus, from ISKCON to Osho to Maharaji (Prem Rawat) to Sai Baba. The 3 writers I've recommended, Prabhupada, Yogananda and Sri Ramakrishna are all very good in different ways. All 3 are generally acknowledged as genuine spiritual persons. Of course, there are many more, and really it's up to you as you go on to decide who you like or don't like. I hope that helps anyway. No doubt there are as many approaches as there are individual human beings in the end....If you are sincere, then I'm sure God will somehow put you in touch with what you need.
The first book I read that explored Indian spiritual ideas and philosophy was Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian sadhu (monk and spiritual teacher). He came to America around 1920 and founded a large and enduring yoga society, Self-Realization Fellowship. I still consider AOY to be the most all-round user friendly, interesting, and inspiring first reading for persons new to this area of religious thought, especially if they are coming from a strong Christian background, as you are. "Hindu" is simply a geographic term, used by the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamia to refer to those populations living east of the Indus river. Like many very old vernacular expressions, it has survived to the present day. The more correct terms in use for Indian philosophy are Vedic, adj., or Vedanta, n., as these directly refer to the Vedas, the Sanskrit-language scriptures in which much of the philosophy originates. On this forum we use Vedic and Hindu pretty much interchangeably; it's no big deal. As in Christianity, under the umbrella of "Hinduism" or "Vedanta" there are many and diverse sub-philosophies and schools of thought. The principal concepts, and the ones that we have discussed and debated most extensively here, are those of advaita and dvaita...with advaita being the idea of spiritual monism, that there is in essence no difference between the Supreme soul or God and the individual soul; and dvaita, or dualism, the idea that there is a supreme God and distinctly individual souls who share the essence of God in quality, but not quantity. The essential and basic scriptural reading is Bhagavad-Gita. The Gita can be called the Bible of Hinduism, as it contains and explains in detail all of the principal concepts of Vedic philosophy. Lord Krishna, the speaker of the Gita, is regarded by dvaitins or bhaktas to be God himself; as a direct incarnation of the Supreme soul by advaitins or jnanis. The two translations that I consider to be the best are Bhagavad Gita As It Is, by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and The Bhagavad Gita, by Swami Sivananda. Both are twentieth century works by genuine sadhus and representatives of the Vedic tradition, and are written with the Western world in mind. Bhaktivedanta's translation/commentary addresses the Gita from the dvaita point of view and emphasizes bhakti, or devotion to Krishna; Sivananda's does so primarily from the advaita point of view and emphasizes traditional yoga, meditation, and jnana, knowledge of the spiritual Self, or atman. Both of these are structured, literal, and scholarly works, as opposed to the loose and poetic style favored by many Western translators. They each give the original Sanskrit script, transliteration, and translation, with a commentary or purport for each verse. Autobiograpy of a Yogi is written primarily from the advaitin viewpoint but also addresses bhakti and discusses extensively the relationship between Christianity and Vedic philosophy. If you visit an ISKCON temple, keep in mind that Bhaktivedanta Swami transplanted an old spiritual culture to America, with relatively few concessions to Western ways. His spirit was highly evangelical, and this may reflect in a well-meaning but immature way in some of the devotees you meet, unfortunately at times as over-zealousness and agressiveness...much like some evangelical Christians. Be patient and don't throw the baby out; you'll also meet mature and kindly devotees who have developed deep spiritual insights and extensive scriptural knowledge over many years of practice, and can discuss expertly on an interfaith basis. You'll find some good reading, and the food ( prasadam, offered in devotion to Krishna), is fantastic!
On reflection, I agree that AOY is probably the one book to begin with. So many people say they've been inspired by it.............
ditto on aoy, the essense of what could be called hinduism is love and paramahams yogananda is the love avatara
I was listening to first the Beatles and then George Harrison's Brainwashed album...going on a George Harrison site led me to ISKCON...and I was more concerned with the attraction I felt ot Krishna and to the mantra..more than ISKCON itself. I read Bhagavad-Gita As It Is...and I was all about chanting and being a vegetarian...and when I was in Barnes and Nobel one day looking for Prahupada's book....I saw AoY...and I can tell you right now that that book told me somewhere inside to buy it...and I did...and I have to tell you it is the greatest book I could've bought...and still my favourite. From then (about 2 years ago) to now...I've had some great experiences...when I went to college...I learned rituals...and I think one of the most beautiful things is sitting around with my friends and singing bhajans (devotional songs) and performing aarti...there is something very beautiful about aarti...but these things were always my favourite part of being Catholic: saints, rituals with meaning, and prayer.... I guess it depends who you are...
err well when I was a kid I used to live in India, and had been exposed to it for all my life, kind of like christianity in USA... but if you are asking your question to figure out how you could be a little bit more exposed to Hinduism then I guess you can get a book from any authentic hinduism source... Iskcon is a good place however Vaishnavism is only one part of hinduism, you may also try books by chinmayananda and other swamis, who knows? - you might like the all encompassing brahman idea. But really, anything you do, the end goal of Hinduism is to know thyself. So if you know yourself already, then you are a Hindu
Well you guys, I'm into all different religions and feel hinduism monistic vibe happens to be my fav... But I feel all religions are a unity that leads to God, and the clues about the way it is... is found in mysticism and sciences... Hinduism is a very mystical religion and I appretiate its symbolism... I love the bhagavad gita, I'm into ram dass, my guru is neem karoli baba, amma, babaji and everybody. It's is all one consciousness beyond all time space, and in every little bit of time space... In fact I am feeling it right now.
I agree. I've had three extremely spiritual people recommend this to me: a Christian, a Sufi/Muslim woman who converted from being an Episcopalian, and an ISKCON Hindu I met. Ever heard of a book called Ka by Robert Calasso? I think it is a fictionalized retelling of some Hindu myths. I bought it used, and I started it, but it's dense. There are so many names that it's hard to follow.
I'm not familiar with that book. Hindu mythology is quite vast, and probably some of it is more relevant and interesting than other bits. I wouldn't worry too much about learning all the various names and so on. There are also different cycles and layers of myth, or so it seems. For instance there are different creation myths within Hinduism as a whole. Just for the record, probably the most important books of Hindu mythology are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata , and possibly the Bhagavata Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam - although some would dispute that they are myth (much like literalist Christians say the OT is historical fact). I've found that the myths are something one can gradually pick up from various sources. The underlying myth of Hinduism is similar to most religions really - the movement from ignorance and suffering to knowledge and bliss. This has been conceived in different ways at different times. A good source for the stories of Krishna's earthly incarnation is Prabhupada's Krsna book - one of his best and most readable IMO.
As far as I have heard and studied Hinduism is supposed to be based on the Vedas but in the Vedas there is no such thing mentioned as hinduism - it's something others started calling, what's going on by the Sindhu river. Nowdays hinduism is a hotchpotch of this and that. Originally from the Vedas divided 6 schools. Of which Vaisnavism as practiced in ISKCON nowdays is one. So it's not a branch of hinduism in that sense. Most popular school is the impersonal philosophy. (that everyone's God, all is one, whoever you worship it's the same, etc.) The actual religion is sanatana-dharma, which means eternal religion, path, or occupation. Srila Prabhupada describes this that like sugar is sweet, chili is hot, spirit soul is servant of God. Whatever ism is there. The essence is the soul's relationship with God, reviving that by following the process He gives, in Bhagavad-gita and by His representatives the genuine gurus who come in the disciplic succession from Him. Vaisnavism, worship of Visnu or Krishna, is monotheistic. love, AB
Not really in the strict sense - Vaishnavas also believe in others whom they call demigods such as Shiva and Brahma etc. It's true that they see Krishna as the supreme from whom the others have emmanated, but nonetheless, they are held to be gods. But of course Vaishnavism is only one path derived from Hinduism - or Sanatana Dharma if you prefer that designation. Others see things differently.
I learned TM when I was fifteen and then went to Maharishi International University when I was seventeen for four years. I studied in general all the branches of Vedic literature for their basics and specialized in Ayurveda and Sanskrit. 20 years later now I am a Buddhist. But I still study the Lakshmi tantras.
Thank you everybody for all of your help. I encountered Paramahansa Yogananda back in 1999 when I started college, but something in me, I think, was not spiritually mature or forward-moving yet to go beyond the first few pages in AOY. However, I am starting this book now. I think what I'm craving the most is bhajan: I want to sing and dance and worship. I love the Hare Krishna mantra. I found George Harrison's Hare Krishna mantra, and I have been listening to it on repeat. I've never felt such freedom and elation. There is an ISKCON temple near here, but it seems to me that the men and women are somewhat separate, and that it's looked down upon for the women to really let loose there. So, I don't really know where else to find folks to sing/worship/dance kirtans with. Anyway, that's all for now. Peace
Molly, I'm an old ISKCON-ite, so what I say will naturally be somewhat biased... Go on to the temple in an objective frame of mind, and join in the kirtan. Put the men-women distinction aside as much as you can, and just take part...concentrate on the total experience. The whole idea is that the transcendental potency of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, especially in a congregational setting, will free the mind from material concepts and allow the chanters to directly perceive their eternal souls and relationship to God...and the idea that one is in the most profound sense a man or a woman is indeed a material concept, separate from the soul. Yes, this separation of the sexes, with men really getting into it and dominating things and women more reserved, is the way it is in the temple near me as well, but there is never a shortage of women at any of the temple programs...go figure! Keep in mind that the founder of ISKCON, A.C. Bhakitivedanta Swami, or Srila Prabhupada, as he is universally called, was from the very conservative Hindu Brahminical culture of late nineteenth and early twentieth century India. ISKCON has been criticized here for perpetuating an essentially sexist environment, and in many ways this is accurate, but in practical reality Srila Prabhupada's personal treatment of women was a daring step away from the norms of the traditionally male-dominated Indian spiritual culture. He accorded women equal spiritual status with men, giving them both first and second initiations, and trained them to perform temple services that were the strict province of men in his own spiritual lineage. For these liberal departures from tradition, which remain as institutional norms in ISKCON, he was sharply criticized by his monastic peers in India. There are some customs in ISKCON that are out of sync with our culture and time, and they really don't need to be. ISKCON is in a process of change, and is becoming a much more forward-looking organization. There are now women in top leadership positions, both spiritual and administrative, and women have found their voice in ISKCON now...I predict many changes for the better in the next few years. If you do go to the temple, and someone gets in your face and aggressively "preaches" to you, move away from them, with the knowledge that this is a not a spiritually or personally mature individual, and try to be forgiving...you'll find many other devotees who are mature and grounded. I'd also suggest buying a good japa-mala...chanting beads, with a bead bag and counting beads...while you are there. You will then be properly equipped to chant the Maha-Mantra as a quiet personal meditation. I hope you decide to give the temple a visit...let us know how it turns out.
Well, I'm here to let you know: I did visit, and it was fine. But I came to a realization while I was there: I don't want to just replace one religion with another. I think my questions, searching and desire for worship are much more internal, and replacing my church-going with temple worship is not the solution to my problem. Make sense?
I'm glad you went, and had a good experience...I've read so many posts here where people haven't. You make complete sense. There's only one religion, anyway, and it is internal...whether you publicly worship in church or a temple.
very good books to read if you interested in Hinduism are "An Idealist View of Life" and "The Hindu Way of Life" by Radakrishnan Also check out www.hindulinks.org
