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Hinduism Beliefs | A Wisdom Archive on Hinduism Beliefs |  | Short facts about Hinduism Beliefs: Hinduism Basic concepts
* Karma: We are answerable to nature for every thought we foster in our mind and every action we perform in life. Our actions form karmic impressions in our mind and have a say in our future.
* Dharma: At every moment in our life, the universe has some expectations from us. Whether our karma fulfill these expectations is our own choice.
* Reincarnation: Because the soul is eternal and never dies, we can be reborn on earth if more lessons are to be learned and God has not been reached.
* Moksha: When we transcend nature and reach beyond the boundaries of the universe, where we are no longer accountable for our karma, we achieve moksha or liberation. Usually, this refers to close proximity to God or complete merger in the Infinite.
God
* Paramatma: The Supreme Soul (Brahman; God) who creates and sustains the universe is not bound to it. Though he is unknowable, especially in the devotional schools, he is easily accessible to the beings who aspire for him.
* Shakti: Brahman is also worshipped as the Universal Energy or the Mother of the Universe in Hinduism by many of her kids.
* Incarnation: The unborn Lord of creation regularly visits earth to establish righteousness. Rama and Krishna are the most popular incarnations of the Divine in Hinduism.
Individual Soul
* Jiva: All living beings have an individual soul, the divine imperishable element within. Whether individual souls are identical with Brahman or differ from him in certain aspects depends on the philosophy we follow.
* Gunas: For making ethical decisions in life, we need some guidelines on what is goodness, what is passion, and what is ignorance? Hinduism talks about the three modes of nature to differentiate the ’good’ from the ’bad.’
* Yoga: Many paths exist in Hinduism to reach God. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Jnana Yoga are the most popular ones.
- Mukulshrigoel
Hinduism – perhaps the oldest religion in the world – can be confusing to Westerners used to neat, somewhat straight forward religious principles. Hinduism beliefs can encompass a great amount of differing opinions. Here, then, we give you perhaps the top 15 Hindu beliefs that may be of interest in understanding this religion.
1. The Meaning of Life
Unlike Westerners, many Hindus believe in not one meaning or purpose in life, but many. These correspond to different stages in one’s life. You should (1) fulfill your purpose – or what you were put on this world to achieve. (2) You should reach personal prosperity in the worldly arena. (3) You should have enjoyment, and fulfil your sexual and other desires, and (4), you should reach enlightenment, or ’Moksha’.
This four purposes of life successfully balances human and spiritual needs, and is thus a less dogmatic religion than many others.
2. Karma
Hindus generally believe that everything is subject to law and effect – everything you think, say or do has an effect. Hence, your future (for good or ill) will be dependent on these things.
3. All Life is Sacred
As all of life is created by God, all life is sacred. You should not harm any creature – and particularly ’Holy’ animals, such as cows, which represent the selfless love of God to its people. Indeed, one should not even think or speak badly towards others, due to karma.
This is one of the reasons one of the most famous Hindus, Mahhatma (great soul) Ghandi, practiced nonviolence to overthrow British rule in India – it was born of both of religious and logical reasons.
4. Reincarnation.
Hindus believe that after death the soul is reincarnated, according to our past good or bad karma. Humans can become animals, and vice versa. Indeed – the whole universe is in a constant cycle of change and regeneration.
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| Archives on Hinduism Beliefs | | | | Introduction and links to related topics Below are some short introductions. Click on the blue hyperlinked word to get more related articles.
Hindu Beliefs Hinduism embraces a great diversity of beliefs, a fact that can be initially confusing to westerners accustomed to creeds, confessions, and carefully-worded belief statements. One can believe a wide variety of things about God, the universe and the path to liberation and still be considered a Hindu.
This attitude towards religious belief has made Hinduism one of the more open-minded religions when it comes to evaluating other faiths. Probably the most well-known Hindu saying about religion is: "Truth is one; sages call it by different names."
However, there are some beliefs common to nearly all forms of Hinduism that can be identified, and these basic beliefs are generally regarded as boundaries outside of which lies either heresy or non-Hindu religion. These fundamental Hindu beliefs include: the authority of the Vedas (the oldest Indian sacred texts) and the Brahmans (priests); the existence of an enduring soul that transmigrates from one body to another at death (reincarnation); and the law of karma that determines one's destiny both in this life and the next.
Note that a specific belief about God or gods is not considered one of the essentials, which is a major difference between Hinduism and strictly monotheistic religions like Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. Most Hindus are devoted followers of one of the principal gods Shiva, Vishnu or Shakti, and often others besides, yet all these are regarded as manifestations of a single Reality.
The ultimate goal of all Hindus is release (moksha) from the cycle of rebirth (samsara). For those of a devotional bent, this means being in God's presence, while those of a philosophical persuasion look forward to uniting with God as a drop of rain merges with the sea.
Authority of the Vedas and Brahmans
The authority of the ancient scriptures known as the Vedas as well as that of the priests known as the Brahmans are two concepts that are fundamental to Hinduism and differentiate the faith from Buddhism and Jainism.
Brahman: Ultimate Reality
Most Hindus venerate one or more deities, but regard these as manifestations of Ultimate Reality. So who, or what, is the Ultimate Reality that is behind the universe and all the gods? In the Rig Veda, it is referred to as "the One." In the Purushasukta, it is given the name "Purusha," and in the Upanishads it is called "Brahman," "the One," and several other names.
Karma
The Sanskirt word karma means "actions" and refers to the fundamental Hindu principle that one's moral actions have unavoidable and automatic effects on one's fortunes in this life and condition of rebirth in the next.
Polytheism?
Hinduism is a decidedly theistic religion, but it can be difficult to determine whether it is a polytheistic, pantheistic, or even monotheistic religion. Of course, this is chiefly a western question: the Indian mind is much more inclined to regard divergent views as complementary rather than competing.
Purpose of Life
In Hinduism, there is not just one purpose of human life, but four: Dharma - fulfilling one's purpose; Artha - prosperity; Kama - desire, sexuality, enjoyment; and Moksha - enlightenment.
See also: Hindu Beliefs, Vedas, Brahmans, Brahman, Karna, Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha, Hindu Meaning Of Life (Source: Religion Facts)
Hindu Religious Beliefs While there is no singular religious belief that must be followed by all Hindus, there are key beliefs about the nature of the universe that MOST Hindus hold true. For example, each individual is to have a defined role in the world, known as their dharma. Often mistaken as “fate” in the West, a person’s dharma is what is expected of them in their famiial, religious, and social life to help maintain order in the universe. Each individual’s dharma is determined largely by their birth status, known as a caste in the West. So while the role that each individual should play is predetermined, how they play out that role is up to the individual. It is something like an individual-based moral code for promoting righteousness in the world.
Also, many Hindus believe that the geography of India is sacred. For example, many will bathe in sacred rivers, such as the Ganges, to wash away sins. Some consider the land of India sacred, having been created by the gods, and refuse to travel outside of India. Other key beliefs include:
Karma:
Another common belief is the law of cause and effect known as karma. This is the concept that the merits of actions in previous lives will bear fruit in our current lives. So in essence, what your dharma is in this lifetime is determined by what your karma was from a previous lifetime.
Samsara:
Another common belief is that of an endless cycle of births, known as samsara, and that through righteous living, one can be liberated from this cycle of birth and death. That liberation is known as moksha. This presupposes the existence of an indestructible soul (atman) which is reborn into different bodies, both human and animal, depending on their karma.
Brahman and Atman:
There is also the concept of Brahman (not to be confused with the God Brahma), which in itself is open to debate. While the Vedas described Brahman as the power of ritual, the concept was later defined in the Upanishads (composed between 800 and 300 BCE), as the essence of the universe. Modern Hinduism is primarily focused on the relationship between the soul (atman), and the universal absolute (Brahman), while the sacrifices and rituals of the Vedas are of significantly less importance. See also: Hinduism Beliefs, Introduction To Hinduism, Karma, Samsara, Brahman, Atman (Source: The Buddha Garden)
Nine Beliefs of Hinduism Hindus believe many diverse things, but there are a few bedrock concepts on which most Hindus concur. The following nine beliefs, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality.
* Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.
* Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.
* Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
* Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
* Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny.
* Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.
* Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.
* Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed.
* Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.
Hinduism, the world's oldest religion, has no beginning--it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism has four main denominations--Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism. See also: Hinduism Beliefs, Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartism. (Source: Himalayan Academy)
Five Precepts - Pancha Shraddha These five slokas constitute the minimal hindu beliefs, by teaching these to sons and daughters, parents worldwide pass on the sanatana dharma to their children.
1. Sarva Brahman: God is All in All
The dear children are taught of one Supreme Being, all-pervasive, transcendent, creator, preserver, destroyer, manifesting in various forms, worshiped in all religions by many names, the immortal Self in all. They learn to be tolerant, knowing the soul's Divinity and the unity of all mankind.
2. Mandira: Holy Temples
The dear children are taught that God, other divine beings and highly evolved souls exist in unseen worlds. They learn to be devoted, knowing that temple worship, fire-ceremonies, sacraments and devotionals open channels for loving blessings, help and guidance from these beings.
3. Karma: Cosmic Justice
The dear children are taught of karma, the divine law of cause and effect by which every thought, word and deed justly returns to them in this or a future life. They learn to be compassionate, knowing that each experience, good or bad, is the self-created reward of prior expressions of free will.
4. Samsara-Moksha: Liberation
The dear children are taught that souls experience righteousness, wealth and pleasure in many births, while maturing spiritually. They learn to be fearless, knowing that all souls, without exception, will ultimately attain Self Realization, liberation from rebirth and union with God.
5. Veda, Guru: Scripture, Preceptor
The dear children are taught that God revealed the Vedas and Agamas, which contain the eternal truths. They learn to be obedient, following the precepts of these sacred scriptures and awakened satgurus, whose guidance is absolutely essential for spiritual progress and enlightenment. See also: Five Precepts, Five Precepts, Pancha Shraddha, hindu Temples, Meditation, Spiritual Master (Source: Himalayan Academy)
Hindu Concept of God - Personal God In general Hinduism considers God not just as the Supreme All-powerful Gigantic One, Who commands the humanity to tread the way He/She/It says, but also a personal God Whom the individual can worship out of love and not necessarily out of fear! The fear brings one only upto certain point and beyond that it repels, but love takes through to the point. Devotion or bhakti as often referred to is a very key concept in Hinduism, even for the philosophically inclined ones. While the shashtras - be it vedas, Agamas, purANas - describe the Glory of God, one finds abundance of stotras that praise the God in love.
God is Formless or with Form ?
For Hindus God, as is, is beyond any attributes of form, color, shapes ... That is, God does not have any specific form or name. In this state God is referred to as nirguNa brahman (attributeless god). However God takes forms as perceived by humans and this perceived form is called saguNa brahman (god with (good) attributes). These forms could range from calm to fierce to yogic (1). Each form has its significance. For example when one is depressed and sees the form of God Strong and Powerful, the seeker feels the moral boost that God would definitely be the support for the right thing. Similarly when in an auspicious ceremony would like the God to be the calm provider of boons. In a spiritually elevated state, the choice would be the yogic form of God. The forms provide a basis for the Hindu worshipper to easily pursue the otherwise incomprehensible Supreme. So Hinduism supports both form as well as formless worship of the God. Whether one worships in saguNa or nirguNa way, it is ultimately the same God.
Let us hail the God, Who does not have a name or a form or anything like that, by singing thousands of Its names!
- thiruvAcakam See also: Hindu Concept of God - Personal God, Hindu God And Gods (Source: Shaivam)
Why do different prophets give contradictory teachings? Prophets are born from time to time to remove a catastrophe and establish Dharma (righteousness). They preach according to the time, place, conditions and requirements. Lord Buddha preach, "Don't kill". Guru Govind Singh preached, "Kill". When Buddha was born, people were sacrificing many animals. He had to preach Ahimsa (non-violence) to stop killing. Guru Govind Singh had to infuse chivalry in man. One prophet preached, "Renounce and go to the forest". Sri Ramanuja preached, "Enjoy at home. Have no attachment. Worship Vishnu". The teachings are not contradictory in reality. They are needed to suit the occasion, time and nature of men.
I am in something of a dilemma due to the fact that I do not know what my aim in life is to be. I have been told that if I know this, I will find it easier to meditate. Could you tell me how to discover the answer to this?
The aim of life is God-realization. To become one with Jesus is the goal of life. To transmute the brutal instincts and to become divine is the goal of life. If you control anger, eradicate selfishness and develop tolerance, compassion, selflessness, generosity, courage, forgiveness, you will become divine. Is selfishness good? No. So become selfless. Is greediness good? Is anger good? Is vanity good? These form the lower nature of man. So remove these and become selfless, generous, patient, tolerant, pure and humble. This is the goal.
Politics has become the God of the day and is more so in India. Religion has come to be regarded as a superfluous thing. How then is it possible to make everyone believe in God and religion?
It is wrong to regard that politics has got precedence over religion. In personal life, the majority of mankind does believe in God; and in India, there is an undercurrent of religion throughout the land. Politics is only a surface activity thrust upon most people due to socio-economic forces.
When one gets knocks and blows, when he gets disgusted with the sensual objects on account of their impermanency, when he gets experience and discrimination and dispassion, his mind will be turned towards God. Now he becomes susceptible to religious influence; and the company of good men and spiritual books make him religious. Till then there is no use of forcing religion on this man.
See also: Why do different prophets give contradictory teachings?, (Source: DLSHQ)
Is God a He? Hinduism says, God is not just a He. It is beyond the created contours of gender. For this reason the scriptures very often use the term "It" to refer to God apart from using He and She. Especially when it comes to the Supreme in the natural state (Formless, Attributeless), they prefer It to He or She. The form of Lord ardhanArIshvara(3) clearly conveys that God is masculine, feminine and neuter. When the God is called the Lord of all creatures, It is the God irrespective of the gender, animal race, or whatever other differentiation one could think of.
God is understood not only postulated
The beauty of Hinduism is that the concept of God is tried to be understood, experienced. There are purANas that elaborately tell through the voice of the divines the glory of God. These are one part. On the other hand the scriptures like upaniShads analyze through questioning and reasoning the concept of God. These two types go very much hand in hand. Neither the divine glory limited to the reaches of the human mind with the purANa like scriptures telling the things beyond the normal human reach. At the same time they do not command a blind following of some super-human texts, but also very much permit analysis. The presence of a range of philosophies in Hindu system is the testimony of this. There are texts like yogasutras that cover the scope from reasoning to divine glory too. So the total and complete spectrum of human verification to super-human wisdom is richly available for the smooth progress of the follower in Hinduism. No need to be blind-folded, explore your way to the Supreme!! See also: Is God a He?, Hindu God And Gods (Source: Shaivam)
Is there an evil force against God? God is the Almighty and Supreme. So how can there be anything good or bad against It ? If the good things are the creation of God and bad things of some other evil force, will the gravitational force of the earth be attributed to God or the other force, as it is vital good element for us to live at the same time kills somebody who falls down from a high-rise building! In the system made by God, normally one gets to enjoy the good or bad things based on what have been their inclinations and the actions they made because of that. (This is called karma). There is no evil (satan type) against God. In fact atharva veda puts it very clearly,
There is none second to It, neither third not even fourth.
There is none fifth to It, neither sixth not even seventh.
There is none eighth to It, neither ninth not even tenth.
It is the only Supreme. This is to be known.
The concept of good and bad things is at a lower level and that too in a different way than strictly good and evil. The divines called devas are the protectors and the essentials who support the worlds. For example, air, sun, moon, water, fire etc. Those who disrupt the life supporting mechanism are the daemons called asuras. The conflicts between the two often arise and the Hindu epics talk in detail about them. However it should be kept in mind that as specified in purANas all the devAs are not the perfect beings and the asuras the worthless evils. See also: Is there an evil force against God?, Hindu God And Gods (Source: Shaivam)
Hinduism Basics Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world, and is based on ancient texts known as the Vedas, as well as prehistoric animist religions which existed in the Mohenjo Daro civilization. Indian people commonly refer to Hinduism by the more traditional phrase Eternal Religion (sanatana dharma) and the religion is as wonderfully complex as it is colorful.
To call Hinduism “a religion” is actually too narrow a definition, as it encompasses a wide variety of religious beliefs. It is far and away the most diverse and most accepting of all religions, as new Hindu gods and goddesses are being added to it all the time, and new beliefs are often incorporated into the mainstream. What one person may believe will be very different from what their neighbor.
For example, some Hindus may believe in a Universal God, while some might not. Some may worship idols and deities, while others might not. Some Hindus might believe in an eternal afterlife, such as a heaven or paradise, while others don’t. Some are atheists.
The reason Hinduism does not refer to any one particular religious dogma is because it was first used as a cultural term in literature during the Nineteenth Century, as well as used by administrators of the British Indian administration, which tried its best to create a universal description for the myriad religious beliefs of the Subcontinent. See also: Hinduism Beliefs, (Source: The Buddha Garden)
Hindu Beliefs Do Hindus have a Chief among all Swamis, like a Pope, sort of a Parama Rishi if you will ?
No. The Dharma does not believe in interposing another entity between the Atman and the ParamAtman, another individual however learned though he may be. The Guru points the path, lights the way ,and may even suggest the appropriate goals, but no other person can dictate these to any individual. The Freedom to choose is the single most important characteristic of the Hindu faith. Hinduism does not believe in a one size fits all doctrine, and does not demand a uniformity in worship, a catechism. There are thousands of appropriate slokas to choose from or if one so desires one can write one's own sloka. It is recommended however that there be a disciplinary approach and that a certain time be set aside for meditation and prayer, preferably at the same time and place everyday, and that the same prayer be chanted until it can be repeated by rote. This is where a Guru's guidance is highly recommended. One cannot become a Doctor before writing the board exams. Remember ,the Dharma reminds us all we are potentially divine and it is our own Avidya that creates a veil and blurs the vision where we ought to go.
See also: Hindu Beliefs, Guru, Slokas, Avidya (Source: Indicstudies)
Is God in some heaven beyond ? God is not just something that stays in a far off heaven, who would be met with after death, if one gets to heaven etc. God is omnipresent. It is right in front of us. Oh, It is right inside us too. Well, It is in each and every minute of the minute particle present/void anywhere! Does It stay in a world beyond ? Of course It does there too. (Very renowned gAyatri mantra hails the Supreme to be the earth, the world around and the skies beyond). One need not wait for the whole lifetime to get to meet God. The important concept in Hinduism is that God can be realized right here in this world and the God is not just Magnificent Almighty, but is also a sweet lovely One, with whom you can have a relationship - devotee, spouse, sibling, child, parent... God is not just in some heavens, It is right in us. It is both transcendental as well as intermixed in everything. Those who realize Its presence reap the grand reward.
Those who say He resides up in the sky, say so;
Those who say the Lord of divines residing down in the world beneath, say so.
I would say, the Lord of wisdom, Who got His throat brightly adorned with the stain of poison, is residing in my heart! (2) See also: Is God in some heaven beyond ?, Hindu God And Gods (Source: Shaivam)
Hindu Beliefs What are the central core tenets of the Sanatana Dharma ? If you had to pick the most important 5 among them which ones would you pick
Central Core Beliefs of Sanatana Dharma
* Belief in a Supreme Brahman and the relationship between the Atman and the Brahman (the essential divinity of the human spirit)
* Freedom to choose an Ishta Devata( personal Deity) realizing such freedom could result in different choices of deities
* Belief in Free Will and its relationship to Karma( personal responsibility and accountability)
* Freedom to pursue Purushartha or Chaturvarga (the four goals of life dharma, artha, kama and moksha) on the path to Self Realization
* Freeedom to choose the appropriate path (Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga) or combination thereof to achieve Self Fulfillment depending on onesVasanas
* Observe the ethical responsibilities enjoined by the Dharma (Ethics, integrity and building of character)
See also: Hindu Beliefs, Sanatana Dharma, Brahman, Atman, Ishta Devata, Free Will, Karma, Dharma, Artha, Kama And Moksha, Purushartha, Self Realization, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga (Source: Indicstudies)
Is there the concept similar to Satan in Hinduism? Hinduism does not have a concept similar to Satan. Hinduism says that all that happens are due to the power and will of God. Whatever happens is neither good nor bad. It is human beings who attribute those ideas to events. We call something which we think will cause intended effects, within the purview of our understanding, as good. All understanding is limited and hence the very concept of good and evil is relative and depends on time, place and people involved. See also: Hinduism Beliefs, (Source: Jain.8k)
What do Hindus believe? At the highest level of understanding Hindu teachings are in fundamental agreement with Buddhism. Both Buddhism and Hinduism stress the need of letting go of the ego or the self, so that we can realize The True Self, or selflessness. At more a more popular level, Hinduism differs with traditional Buddhism in that it has many ornate rituals. See also: Hinduism Beliefs, (Source: Hipforums)
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Some teachers think that knowledge (inan) alone is the means to attain divine love (bhakti); others think that these two are mutually interdependent. But Narada thinks that a fruit must come from a tree of the same kind. Therefore, to attain to supreme love, the only means worthy of acceptance is love. - Bhakti SutrasBhakti Sutras, Love Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Love
It is not surprising that we keep looking for love, because we are all born of love. We come out of love. All of us are nothing but vibrations of love. We are sustained by love, and in the end we merge back into love…. This world is nothing but a school of love; our relationships with our husband or wife, with our children and parents, with our friends and relatives are the university in which we are meant to learn what love and devotion truly are.
Yet the love we experience through other people is just a shadow of the love of the inner Self There is a sublime place inside us where love dwells…. The love that pulses in the cave of the heart does not depend on anything outside. It does not expect anything. It is completely independent.
The love of the Self is selfless and unconditional. It is not relative. It is completely free. It is self-generated and it never dies. This kind of love knows no distinction between high and low, between man and woman. Just as the earth remains the same no matter who comes and goes on it, so true love remains unchanging and independent. Love penetrates your entire being. Love is Consciousness. Love is bliss. It does not exist for the sake of something else. It is supremely free. The path of inner love leads a lover to God. As a person walks on this inner path of love, he not only attains love, but merges in the ocean of love.
If you want to experience love, you have to start by loving yourself’ First you have to love your body, then those who are related to your body, and then the master of the body, the inner Self … The truth is that God has no physical body; the only body He has is the body of love. If the love you experience in your daily life-the little love you feel for your friends, your relatives, your pets, and even your possessions-could be turned toward the inner Self, that would be enough to bring you liberation. - MuktanandaMuktananda, Love Quotes, India Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, Love
The way of love is as good as the way of knowledge… But as long as God keeps the feeling of ego in us, it is easier to follow the path of love. - RamakrishnaRamakrishna, Love Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, Love
The gnostic individual would be the consummation of the spiritual man; his whole way of being, thinking, living, acting would be governed by the power of a vast universal spirituality. All the trinities of the Spirit would be real to his self-awareness and realized in his inner life. All his existence would be fused in oneness with the transcendent and universal Self and Spirit; all his action would originate from and obey the supreme Self and Spirit’s divine governance of Nature. All life would have to him the sense of the Conscious Being, the Purusha within, finding its self-expression in Nature; his life and all its thoughts, feelings, acts would be filled for him with that significance and built upon that foundation of its reality. He would feel the presence of the Divine in every center of his consciousness, in every vibration of his life-force, in every cell of his body. In all the workings of his force of Nature he would be aware of the workings of the supreme World-Mother, the Super-nature; he would see his natural being as the becoming and manifestation of the power of the World-Mother. In this consciousness he would live and act in an entire transcendent freedom, a complete joy of the Spirit, an entire identity with the cosmic Self and a spontaneous sympathy with all in the universe. - AurobindoAurobindo, Mystical Life Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Mystic Quotes, Philosopher Quotes, Mystical life
Arjuna: Tell me of those who live established in wisdom, ever aware of the Self, O Krishna. How do they talk? How sit? How move about?
Lord Krishna: They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart.
Neither agitated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger. Established in meditation, they are truly wise. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are neither elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers.
Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the wise can draw in their senses at will. Aspirants abstain from sense pleasures, but they still crave for them. These cravings all disappear when they see the highest goal. Even of those who tread the path, the stormy senses can sweep off the mind. They live in wisdom who subdue their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed in Me. - Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita, Mystical Life Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Mystical life
No more questions have they to ask of life.
With self-will extinguished, they are at peace.
Seeing the Lord of Love in all around,
Serving the Lord of Love in all around,
They are united with him forever.
They have attained the summit of wisdom
By the steep path of renunciation.
They have attained to immortality
And are united with the Lord of Love.
When they leave the body, the vital force
Returns to the cosmic womb, but their work
Becomes a beneficial force in life
To bring others together in the Self. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Oneness Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Oneness
Great is the glory of the Lord of Life,
Infinite, omnipresent, all-knowing.
He is known by the wise who meditate
And conserve their vital energy.
Hear, 0 children of immortal bliss,
You are born to be united with the Lord.
Follow the path of the illumined ones
And be united with the Lord of Life.
Kindle the fire of kundalini deep
In meditation. Bring your mind and breath
Under control. Drink deep of divine love,
And you will attain the unitive state.
Dedicate yourself to the Lord of Life,
Who is the cause of the cosmos.
He will Remove the cause of all your suffering
And free you from the bondage of karma.
Be seated with spinal column erect
And turn your senses and mind deep within.
With the mantram echoing in your heart,
Cross over the dread sea of birth and death.
Train your senses to be obedient.
Regulate your activities to lead you
To the goal. Hold the reins of your mind
As you hold the reins of restive horses. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Oneness Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Oneness
The path of knowledge leads to Truth, as does the path that combines knowledge and love [bhakti]. The path of love too leads to this goal. The way of love is as true as the way of knowledge. All paths ultimately lead to the same Truth. But as long as God keeps the feeling of ego in us, it is easier to follow the path of love. - RamakrishnaRamakrishna, Spiritual Advices Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, Spiritual Advices
At whose behest does the mind think? Who bids the body live? Who makes the tongue speak? Who is that effulgent Being that directs the eye to form and color and the ear to sound?
The Self (Atman) is ear of the ear, mind of the mind, speech of speech. He is also breath of the breath, and eye of the eye. Having given up the false identification of the Self with the senses and the mind, and knowing the Self to be Brahman, the wise, on departing this life, become immortal. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Spiritual Development Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Development
In the golden city of the heart dwells
The Lord of Love, without parts, without stain.
Know him as the radiant light of lights.
There shines not the sun, neither moon nor star,
Nor flash of lightning, nor fire lit on earth.
The Lord is the light reflected by all.
He shining, everything shines after him. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Spiritual Development Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Development
Questioner: How can we know ourselves? K. Answers: …Through self knowledge you begin to find out what is God, what is truth, what is that state which is timeless. Your teacher may pass on to you the knowledge which he received from his teacher, and you may do well in your examinations, get a degree and all the rest of it; but, without knowing yourself as you know your own face in the mirror, all other knowledge has very little meaning. Learned people who don’t know themselves are really unintelligent; they don’t know what thinking is, what life is. That is why it is important for the educator to be educated in the true sense of the word, which means that he must know the workings of his own mind and heart, see himself exactly as he is in the mirror of relationship. Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom. In self-knowledge is the whole universe; it embraces all the struggles of humanity. - Jiddu KrishnamurtiJiddu Krishnamurti, Spiritual Growth Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Philosopher Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Growth
The wise, having searched deep within their own hearts, Have perceived the bond (bandha) between the Real (sat) and the unreal (asat). - Rig VedaRig Veda, Spiritual Growth Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Growth
Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest, this Self forever dwells within the hearts of all. When a man is free from desire, his mind and senses purified, he beholds the glory of the Self and is without sorrow.
Though seated, he travels far; though at rest, he moves all things. Who but the purest of the pure can realize this Effulgent Being, who is joy and who is beyond joy.
Formless is he, though inhabiting form. In the midst of the fleeting he abides forever. All-pervading and supreme is the Self. The wise man, knowing him in his true nature, transcends all grief. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Spiritual Growth Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Growth
Brahman shines forth, vast, self-luminous, inconceivable, subtler than the subtle. He is far beyond what is far, and yet here very near at hand. Verily, He is seen here, dwelling in the cave of the heart of conscious beings. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Spiritual Growth Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Paths Quotes, Spiritual Growth
Some realize the Self within them through the practice of meditation, some by the path of wisdom, and others by selfless service. Others may not know these paths; but hearing and following the instructions of an illumined teacher, they too go beyond death. - Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita, Spiritual Guides Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Guides
Where there are no learned men, there even the ignorant are esteemed learned, as where there are no trees, there the lonely palm is esteemed a tree. Hindu Proverbs, Proverbs
Attachement to the fruits of action binds a person to continual rebirth. - Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita, Spiritual Advices Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Spiritual Advices
Nothing exists except the One. That One is the supreme Brahman. So long as He keeps the "I" in us, He reveals to us that -it is He who, as the Primal Energy, creates, preserves, and destroys the universe. - RamakrishnaRamakrishna, The Absolute Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, The Absolute
We may often give without love, but we can never love without giving.Swami Chinmayananda Quotes, Swami Chinmayananda, Hinduism Quotes, Love
I am hidden by My veil of Maya, and the deluded people of the world do not know Me, the Beginningless, the Eternal. ... But the man of vision and I are one. His Self is Myself, and I am his sole trust.
At the end of many lives the man of vision comes to Me. "God is all," this great man declares. But how rarely is such a man found! - Bhagavad GitaBhagavad Gita, The Absolute Quotes, Hindu Quotes, The Absolute
According as one acts, according as one conducts himself, so does he become. The doer of good becomes good. The doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action.
But people say, "A person is made [not of acts, but] of desires only." [I say,] as his desire, such is his resolve; as is his resolve, such the action he performs; what action he performs, that he procures for himself.
On this point there is this verse,
Where one’s mind is attached--the inner self
Goes thereto with action, being attached to it alone.
Obtaining the end of his action,
Whatever he does in this world,
He comes again from that world
To this world of action.
So the mind who desires. - UpanishadsUpanishads, Causality - Karma Quotes, Hindu Quotes, causality - karma
Learn to be spiritual in your daily life by doing selfless action. Learn to meditate every day.Swami Rama Quotes, Swami Rama, Hinduism Quotes, Life
Remember that nothing that happens in the mind is ’you’, and none of it is your business. You don’t have to worry about the thoughts that rise up inside you. It is enough that you remember that the thoughts are not you.Annamalai Swami, Hindu Quotes, Mind
Blessed is he who knows himself and is the same in all states,
with a mind free from craving whether he is seeing, hearing,
feeling, smelling or tasting.Gita Quotes, Gita, Hindu Quotes, Mind
Bright but hidden, the Self dwells in the heart. Everything that moves, breathes, opens, and closes lives in the Self. He is the source of love and may be known through love but not through thought. He is the goal of life. Attain this goal! - UpanishadsUpanishads, Detachment From Intellect Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Detachment from intellect
Turn all things to honey; this is the law of divine living.Sri Aurobindo Quotes, Sri Aurobindo, Hinduism Quotes
Faults become thick when love is thin.Swami Chinmayananda Quotes, Swami Chinmayananda, Hinduism Quotes, Love
To many it is not given to hear of the Self. Many, though they hear of
it, do not understand it. Wonderful is he who speaks of it. Intelligent
is he who learns of it. Blessed is he who, taught by a good teacher, is
able to understand it.
The truth of the Self cannot be fully understood when taught by an
ignorant man, for opinions regarding it, not founded in knowledge, vary
one from another. Subtler than the subtlest is this Self, and beyond all
logic. Taught by a teacher who knows the Self and Brahman as one, a man
leaves vain theory behind and attains to truth.
The awakening which you have known does not come through the intellect,
but rather, in fullest measure, from the lips of the wise....
Words cannot reveal him. Mind cannot reach him. Eyes do not see him.
How then can he be comprehended, save when taught by those seers who
indeed have known him? - UpanishadsUpanishads, Detachment Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Detachment
Holding the body steady, with the three upper parts erect,
And causing the senses with the mind to enter into the heart,
A wise man with the Brahma-boat should cross over
All the fear-bringing streams.
Having repressed his breathings here in the body, and having his movements
checked,
One should breathe through his nostrils with diminished breath.
Like that chariot yoked with vicious horses,
His mind the wise man should restrain undistractedly.
In a clean, level spot, free from pebbles, fire, and gravel,
By the sound of water and other propinquities
Favorable to thought, not offensive to the eye,
In a hidden retreat protected from the wind, one should practice yoga.
Fog, smoke, sun, fire, wind,
Fireflies, lightning, a crystal, a moon--
These are the preliminary appearances,
Which produce the manifestation of Brahman in yoga.
When the fivefold quality of yoga has been produced,
Arising from earth, water, fire, air, and space,
No sickness, old age, no death has he
Who has obtained a body made out of the fire of yoga.
Lightness, healthiness, steadiness,
Clearness of countenance and pleasantness of voice,
Sweetness of odor, and scanty excretions--
These, they say, are the first stage in the progress of yoga.
Even as a mirror stained by dust
Shines brilliantly when it has been cleansed,
So the embodied one, on seeing the nature of the Soul,
Becomes unitary, his end attained, from sorrow freed.
When with the nature of the self, as with a lamp,
A practicer of yoga beholds here the nature of Brahman,
Unborn, steadfast, from every nature free--
By knowing God, one is released from all fetters! - UpanishadsUpanishads, Yoga Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Breath techniques Quotes, Yoga
Pray to Him with a yearning heart, and weep. That will purify your heart. You see the reflection of the sun in clear water.Sri Ramakrishna Quotes and Sayings, Sri Ramakrishna, Hinduism Quotes, Heart
Realising that misfortune and fortune
come in their turn from fate, one is contented,
one’s senses under control -
one does not like or dislike.Gita Quotes, Gita, Hindu Quotes, Fate and Destiny
Teachers and scriptures can stimulate spiritual awareness. But the wise disciple crosses the ocean of ignorance by direct illumination, through the grace of God.
Gain experience directly. Realize God for yourself. Know the Self as the one indivisible Being, and become perfect. Free your mind from all distractions and dwell in the consciousness of the Self.
This is the final declaration of the Vedanta: Brahman is all; [It is] this universe and every creature. To be liberated is to live in the continual awareness of Brahman, the undivided Reality. - ShankaraShankara, Self-realization Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, Self-Realization
World peace comes with individual peace. If individuals become peaceful, communities become peaceful. Then the leaders of the world will also become peaceful, and we can have world peace. When people have broad vision for the whole world, world peace is a possibility. We need to spiritualize the politics, socialize the business and secularize the religion.Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Quotes, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Hinduism Quotes, Peace, Religion
What, then, is the heart of the highest truth,
The core of knowledge, the wisdom supreme?
It is, "I am the Self, the formless One;
By my very nature, I am pervading all." - Avadhuta GitaAvadhuta Gita, Self Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Self
Realising that all this varied and wonderful world is nothing,
one becomes pure receptivity, free from inclinations,
and as if nothing existed, one finds peace.Gita Quotes, Gita, Hindu Quotes, Peace, World
Without a true Guru, we cannot attain our intimate treasure.
Without the grace of the Guru, one cannot realize the Self
Contemplation and concentration,
devotion and worship, are all useless without the grace of the Guru.
Without the grace of the Guru, one moves like a blind man, floundering, falling into ditches as he wends his way.
All great men that have lived in bygone times,
All the Saints and Sages of old, have attained realization only by the power of the Guru.
In short,
Liberation can be attained only by the help of a Guru and in no other way. - RamdasRamdas, Spiritual Guides Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Saint Quotes, Spiritual Guides
The true saguna or body of the Lord is the universe itself, in which He is immanent. And by His power He is causing, in this manifestation, birth, growth, and dissolution of all beings and things. He is also transcendent as pure spirit. Your body is one of His expressions. Your activity has its inception in the infinite power of God. Don’t be deluded by a desire to behold things which are conditioned and momentary-mere phantoms of your mind. Have the true longing to realize your immortal nature and your union with the omnipotent and omnipresent God, who is the supreme Lord of the universe. Purify your mind and heart by proper discipline and entitle yourself to this glorious vision, and attain perfect freedom and eternal bliss - RamdasRamdas, Spiritual Advices Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Philosopher Quotes, Spiritual Advices
Meditate and realize this world is filled with the presence of God. - UpanishadsUpanishads, God-realization Quotes, Hindu Quotes, God-realization
He is a real teacher who not only instructs others, but practises the same instructions himself.Hindu Proverbs, Proverbs
But a time will come when you will feel more and more that you are the instrument and not the worker. For first by the force of your devotion your contact with the Divine Mother will become so intimate that at all times you will have only to concentrate and to put everything into her hands to have her present guidance, her direct command or impulse, the sure indication of the thing to be done, and the way to do it and the result. And afterward you will realize that the divine Shakti not only inspires and guides, but initiates and carries out your works; all your movements are originated by her, all your powers are hers, mind, life, and body are conscious and joyful instruments of her action, means for her play, molds for her manifestation in the physical universe. There can be no more happy condition than this union and dependence; for this step carries you back beyond the borderline from the life of stress and suffering in the ignorance into the truth of your spiritual being, into its deep peace and its intense Ananda. - AurobindoAurobindo, Surrendering Quotes, Hindu Quotes, Mystic Quotes, Philosopher Quotes, Surrendering
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| | | | * Profound Truths from The Potter's Wheel - the holy kalash
The pot is perhaps the most ancient of vessels. It is also the most universal. It is an intrinsic part of several rituals in many societies. It is difficult to imagine any Hindu religious ceremony without the holy kalash. Our gods partnered with demons to churn the ocean to obtain the pot of nectar. In ancient Europe, hydrio-taphia (urn-burial) was common. In Gond society, a married couple desirous of divorce carry together a mud-pot and drop it to 'break' their wedlock.
(See also: Kalash, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul )
Read more here: » Kalash: Profound Truths from The Potter's Wheel - the holy kalash |
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