On Hinduism

There are over a billion Hindus. One out of seven people on this planet is a Hindu.

1. Let’s start with Who is God? To seek God, you do not have to look outside but inside–to our soul or atman–is God. You do not realize your inner beauty because of your ego, greed, and trying to impress others. Remember, the day that inner spirit leaves you, you are worthless and only the dead body remains, at best the prettiest dead body.  

2. Hindus believe in reincarnation; death is not an end but the soul moves to a new body. A tree doesn’t die but it goes back to where it came from, that is dirt, elements and water. In its place, a new tree will come.

3. On how to pray? Hindus have many ways to unite or yoga with divinity, like meditation—Raja Yoga, knowledge—Gnana Yoga, service to others—Karma Yoga and the most popular being the Bhakti Yoga which is devotional in nature.

4. Where is god? God is omnipresent. Namaste means I see divine in you and bow to you. Further, God is present in animals, plants, mother earth, sun and moon.  

5. We do not have doctrines, like “thou shall not eat beef.” As an example, Hinduism teaches us to minimize violence – in practice, and even in thought. It teaches us that animals have equal rights on this earth. Therefore, if you feel justified to kill animals just for your taste buds, then it is your choice.

6. We have many scriptures. One popular scripture is the Bhagavad Gita and is the most well-known. It is a self-improvement guide. Gita teaches us how to be happy in this life and teaches us to do good karma.

Other reading material: https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/july-august-september-2019/educational-insight-hinduism-in-a-nutshell/ 

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Dilip Amin

Location of this post (3g): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-the-main-teachings-of-hinduism-for-a-layman/

Rest in Peace (RIP) is an Abrahamic concept, as per which the body waits or rests in a grave.  On Judgement Day, the body gets united with the soul and rises again. God will make judgement for who will go to heaven or eternal hell. 

Hindus believe in reincarnation of the departed soul to a new body and soul does not rest. Hindus have a concept that if the soul is trapped inside the earth, then it’s called as a Preta (a disturbed soul and in suffering). Suffering in Hell is better as it’s temporary, but not getting trapped here. Thus to tell RIP is a disrespect to the departed Hindu.

“Param Gati Mile” (may the soul attain moksha), “Om Sadagati” and “Om Shanti” are appropriate expressions when a Hindu passes away. 

Other reading material: Here is why saying ‘Rest in Peace’ is a disservice to the departed Hindu soul,

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Dilip Amin

Location of this post (14a): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/is-rip-an-appropriate-expression-for-a-departed-hindu/

Hindus believe that the Atman (soul) is immortal passing through the process wherein the Atman reincarnates into different physical bodies through cycles of birth and death. Guided by the Laws of Karma, the Atman continues on its path of spiritual evolution. The ultimate aim of Hindus is for the Atman to attain freedom from this continuous cycle of birth and rebirth and discover its divine origin.

Imagine a single tennis game where the person who has the serve, also has been given an ability to serve an Ace 100% of the time.  What are the rules for success where the coin toss can determine game outcomes? Would you believe there is any merit in learning to play the game well? What if you just play one game, a single event? Would you think the game is fair? 

If you answer is NO, then you have just made an argument in favor of reincarnation. You just have to conclude that for the world to be non-random, there have to be multiple games played, and the success in one game improves the beginning odds in the next game.

If you disagree, then you have just concluded that all life is random, and there is very little advantage in learning to live better. 

Despite the dogma against it in the western world, there are still scientific studies done on remembering past lives. The Medical School at University of Virginia maintains a site and has written several scientific papers journaling reported pre-birth experiences that are very analogous to the detailed descriptions in the Hindu Tradition. Just read with an open mind.

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Other reading material: HAF: Do Hindus believe in reincarnation? Division of Perceptual Studies | University of Virginia School 

Back When I Was Older : Invisibilia , Reincarnation: WHO is it that Travels? Atma? Jiva? Subtle body?

Relevant videos: Swami Nikhilanand What is Reincarnation?, What happens when we die?, Can I be born as a plant or animal? Swami Tadatmananda on reincarnation: Reincarnation: WHO is it that Travels? Atma? Jiva? Subtle body?

Contribution: Gaurav Rastogi

Location of this post (15b): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/do-hindus-believe-in-reincarnation/

Hindus consider all living beings to have an Atman (soul). The atman reincarnates, and subsequent births are determined by past karma. Karma rooted in higher consciousness leads to births in species of higher consciousness (humans). Karma of lower consciousness birth the atman in species of lower consciousness. Yes, you can be an ant in the next life.

There is a story of Jada Bharatan from Sriman Bhagavatam. Bharat was a king who performed many pious rituals for the betterment of his people and kingdom. In old age, wanting to retire, he chose a lonely place around a pond. There he stayed several years, doing penance for his Moksha. He found a fawn that had been attacked by a tiger and hurt badly. He rescued it and started caring for it. He grew an attachment for it, looking for its welfare. At the time of his death, he was very worried for this fawn. Therefore he was born as a fawn in his left life.

Inference : This is the concept of “Antima Smriti” – what you think of at the time of death is what you are born as in the next life. In this story, it is clear that human beings, even the most pious, can be born in a lower life form.

Other reading material: 

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Team

Location of this page (15d): hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/can-i-be-an-ant-in-the-next-life/

Do you remember what you had for breakfast a week ago? We don’t carry all memories even to the next day, so how will we carry all memories from this lifetime to the next, or from the past to this life? However, there are some examples of a few people who remembered something from their past life.

Actually, not remembering your past life is a blessing, is it not? Won’t we be totally miserable if we remembered all of our past 1000 lives?

We do carry some subtle memories even after we leave our physical body. For example, we have inherent liking and disliking for certain things. One might inherently like mountains and another person might find more solace at a beach. We also have inherent personalities. One sibling is an extrovert and the other an introvert–how do you explain that?

Other reading material:

Relevant videos: Swami Nikhil Anand Hinduism Q&A: Why Don’t We Remember Our Past Lives? , HG Chanchalapathi Dasa, Iskon

Contributor: Swati Sudandhi

Location of this post (15e): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/why-dont-we-remember-our-past-life/

Ātman (Ātmā) is not exactly the same as what is commonly called the “soul.”

• In Christian thought, the soul is the incorporeal essence of a human being. At death, God determines the soul’s eternal fate—reward or punishment. The idea that “soul = God” is considered blasphemous in most Abrahamic traditions. Furthermore, only humans are said to have souls.
  
• In Hindu thought, Ātman is the divine Self—eternal, unchanging, and identical with Brahman (the Ultimate Reality). The Divine manifests in all living beings as Ātman, not only in humans but also in animals and all forms of life.
  

The Bhagavad Gita (2:22 or 2:20) explains that the Ātman moves from one body to another, discarding the old and taking on the new, just as we change clothes. The body is temporary, while the Ātman is permanent and in command.

Unlike the Christian soul, which can be corrupted by sin or the devil, the Ātman in Hinduism is never tainted. It remains pure and divine, beyond birth and death.

Other reading material: Rajiv Malhotra, Academic Hinduphobia, 2016 (p. 49)

Relevant videos:

Contributor: Dilip Amin

Location of this post (16f): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/is-atman-the-same-as-soul/