Hinduism

There are many sides to Hinduism. Here are some of them.

Smartism

Making the mistake of being worldly . . . you have to fall again and again. – Shankaracharya Brahmananda Saraswati. [Gbt 30]

Indians former president, the philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, states that Hinduism cannot be defined. Similarly, some academics suggest that Hinduism can be seen as a category with "fuzzy edges", rather than as a well-defined and rigid entity. Some forms of religious expression are central to Hinduism,. For example, Hindu scriptures describe and relate to celestial entities, including devas (devas, devis and devatas), "shining ones", that is "gods", "goddesses", or "heavenly beings".

Smartism (the Smarta Tradition), from Sanskrit 'smarta', is a liberal or non-sectarian denomination of the Vedic Hindu religion. Smarta refers to Hindus who follow the Vedas and shastras (core Hindu scriptures). It accepts all the major Hindu deities as forms of the one Brahman, or God. Advaita Vedanta Hinduism is Smartism. As such it is rooted in the existential-minded approach of the Upanishads.

Smartas, like many Saivites and Vaishnavites, consider Surya, the Divine Sun, to be an aspect of God. Many Saivites and Vaishnavites, however, regard the Sun as an aspect of Shiva and Vishnu, respectively. This suggests how some do it; incorporate and make use of and often change the concepts of one another, while living together without hate.

God-concepts

Most Hindus believe that the spirit or soul - the true "self" of every person, called the atman - is eternal. According to the monistic and pantheistic theologies of Hinduism, this atman is Brahman, the supreme spirit and aim for yogis. The goal of life, according to Advaita, is to realize that one's atman is the same as Brahman, the supreme soul. The Upanishads state that whoever becomes fully aware of the atman as the innermost core of one's own self, realizes identity with Brahman and thereby wins moksha (liberation or freedom).

A jivanmukti is said to be a free soul (liberated while in the body). Jiva-bliss is good if it serves the Self.

What exactly is meant by moksha differs among the various Hindu schools of thought. For example, non-dualistic Advaita Vedanta holds that after attaining moksha an atman (a spirit) no longer identifies itself with a person, but that it is now Brahman in every way. The followers of dualistic (Dvaita) schools identify themselves as parts of Brahman.

In Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism, the concept of moksha is akin to that of Buddhism's nirvana, and also Christianity's doctrine of salvation. But Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity differ on fundamental beliefs on heaven, hell and reincarnation. From the Hindu and Buddhist perspectives, heaven and hell are only temporary. There is not any concept of a permanent hell. Permanent heaven or bliss on the other hand is "Moksha".

However, that ultimate goal of life, referred to as moksha, nirvana or samadhi, is understood in several different ways: as the realization of one's union with God; as the realization of one's eternal relationship with God; realization of the unity of all existence, and more. The unifying idea is that soul-and-jiva-realization liberates one from samsara and thus ends the cycle of rebirth.

Hinduism is diverse, and its concepts of God and freedom (moksha) are many and complex and depends on the particular traditions and philosophies that use the concepts.

Samsara, the world with its rounds of births and deaths, provides temporary delights, whereas transcending the world of samsara and thereby gain moksha is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace as Cosmic Spirit - Brahman/Paramatman.

As the All, Brahman (ultimate Reality, eternal Verity, etc.,) shows off as the universe, and is also thought to be the "hidden substance" of all beings that emanate from itself somehow. Dualistic schools (see Dvaita and Bhakti) understand Brahman as a Supreme Being who possesses personality. When God is viewed as the supreme personal being, God is called Ishvara ("The Lord"), Bhagavan ("The Auspicious One" or Parameshwara ("The Supreme Lord". However interpretations of Ishvara vary. Advaita identifies Brahman and Ishvara as one, while in most of the traditions of Vaishnavism he is Vishnu, God, and the text of Vaishnava scriptures identify this Being as Krishna.

In Hinduism God is further understood as existence-consciousness-bliss, which in Sanskrit is Sat-Chit-Ananda). It is one God-concept. Sat-Tat-Aum and Brahman ("All-God") are others. Yet another Hindu trinity is that of Sat-Tat-Aum. [Compare]

Hindusim and the Church

The Vatican's declaration Nostra Aetate officially established inter-religious dialogue between Catholics, Buddhists, Hindus and others. [◦Nostra Aetate]

There are some surface similarities in Christian and Hindu theology, for example that that both religions have their trinities. The Holy Trinity of Christianity - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is sometimes seen as roughly analogous to a trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – and to Sat-Tat-Aum too. Well, there are three in each group. There is a Parabrahma, the Supreme Brahman, to reckon with if God gets involved.

MORE IS TO COME.