i. Are Hindus monotheistic or monist?

Hinduism does not conform to the archetypal definitions of monotheism or monism, even while maintaining the “only one God” framework.

Religions are generally classified as monotheistic, polytheistic, monistic, etc. Hinduism differs markedly from the predominant monotheism (there is only one true God, there are other not true “gods” or belief systems) of the Western religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism), in which God is held to be both the creator of the world and ‘above and independent’ of it (meaning there are two separate entities). 

Hinduism is classified as Eastern Monism or Advaita (Advait = not-two-ism) Monism. Most Hindus (though not all, Dvaita School for example) believe in monism, the idea that all reality ultimately has one foundational commonality upon which are the layered expressions that we see as differences. For example, the ocean, clouds, snow, rivers and lakes may look different but all are ultimately H₂O.

Monists believe that similarity of forms of reality–gods and goddess, plants and animals, the material universe, and humans–share a common foundational essence. Hindus call this essence of Brahman, which is one.

Monism as a word and concept has meanings that are different from the above, as a result Hinduism, Sikhism, and large parts of Mahayana Buddhism had to be classified under the term Eastern Monism or Advaita Monism.

David Hume (1711-1776) argues that monotheism is less pluralistic and thus less tolerant, because monotheism stipulates that people pigeonhole their beliefs into one tenet.

Other reading material: https://houseoflac.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/theisms-and-sanatan-dharma/

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Contributor: Dilip Amin, Sandeep Tiwari

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