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On Hinduism
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01. God Concept
Since the Vedic scriptures are highly cryptic, several schools of philosophical thought emerged in Hinduism, owing to different interpretations. Among them the most prominent one is the Advaita School.
The term Advaita refers to the darshana or philosophy that Brahman alone is ultimately real, the phenomenal transient world is an illusory appearance (maya) of Brahman, and the true Self, atman, is not different from Brahman.
Advaita is the path of knowledge. By removing ignorance of Self, knowledge is attained. It is a path of self-enquiry that leads to realization.
In Advaita you have to come to the knowledge that you are not the body, you are not the mind. Advaita leads to the knowledge that there is no self. Through that knowledge it leads to the state of no-self.
Advaita is the idea that there is only Brahman, and that everything is Brahman–non-dualism or monism.
Also read:
Other reading material:
Relevant videos: Swami Tadatmanda on reincarnation,
Contributor: Rajeev Singh
Location of this post (1j): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-advaita/
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01. God Concept
18. Hindu Practices
The time-honored Saṃskrta word Saṃskāra (Samskar or Sanskar) has a number of different meanings such as making perfect, refining, polishing, training, cultivation, molding, etc. All these meanings point in the direction of betterment. A saṃskāra takes a living being or even an inanimate object to a higher state of existence.
The etymology of this word in Samskrta is–Samyak kriyate anena karmanā, iti Saṃskārah – सम्यक् क्रियते अनेन कर्मणा इति संस्कारः (The ceremony which imparts the quality of appropriateness is a Saṃskāra). Saṃskāras make lasting impressions and channel our thoughts and actions in the direction of refinement.
Samskara is an vedic ritual that literally implies making someone eligible for doing something that he/she isnt before the samskara. For example: Annaprasana makes the child ready to start eating rice/solid food graduating from living off its mother’s milk. Similarly, Upanayan samskara makes the person eligible for learning vedas.
The closest English word to “saṃskāra” is “sacrament”, thought the English word has many limitations.
Source: The book Vivāha Saṃ̣skāra: The Hindu Wedding Ceremony.
Other reading material:
Relevant videos:
Contributor: Dilip Amin
URL of this page (18h): hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-is-samskara-or-sacrament-in-hinduism/
Category:
18. Hindu Practices