Ask the Hindu

Great Debates
1

Awhile ago, I was asked to start an “Ask the Hindu” thread by, I can’t remember whom. I was a little reluctant to, because I don’t consider myself an expert in Hinduism by any means.

However, in this thread in the BBQPit:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=204499

I took exception to the title, for reasons I explained in the thread. To this, I was met with the usual “quit your whining” statements. However, a few posters saw fit to make bigoted, ignorant statements about Hinduism.

Rather than start a flame war with them in that thread, I’ve decided to open this thread, so that any misconceptions about Hinduism can be cleared up.

Once again, I’m not an expert on either Hinduism or Indian history. As such, it may take me time to come up with the proper response to a question, since I may have to do some research on it. Furthermore, I’ve just started to learn Sanskrit, so my knowledge of the original sacred texts is through translations, so you may have to take some quotes with a grain of salt.

Also, I’m busy with work, so it may take some time for a response for that reason.

Anyway, ask away.

2

All right, I’ll start…

I’ve heard that Hinduism is not actually a religion, per se, because Hindus do not believe in dieties (at least, not in the same sense that other religions such as Christianity, Judaism, etc., believe in deities).

Can you clarify (and/or debunk) this for me?

Barry

3

My friend has been dating an Indian Hindu for several years. This has caused all kinds of drama with her family (They are high up in her temple, and the boyfriend is not only not Hindu- he’s not Indian!). So Hinduism has been on the minds of my social group and I have a lot of questions.

What is the deal with different sects? How do they regard each other? My friends sect believes in a fairly recent (mid-1800s) incarnation of God on Earth, and I think the only god they believe in is Krishna. Does this ring a bell? Is it considered just another sect, or something wacky along the lines of Johovas Witnesses? I also have some friends that live in a New-Agey pseduo-Hindu retreat with a rich cult-style leader. However, there are some Indians that show up to the services. How is this regarded?

What is Hinduism’s relation to other religions? From visiting my friend’s temple, I gather that it is okay to try to get Hindu people to follow Hindu practicies, but it is specifically forbidden to try to convert non-Hindus. I also gather that being Hindu is considered lucky, because you have a chance at Nirvana. But if you arn’t Hindu, it’s no big deal because you’ll eventually be reborn as Hindu. Is this correct?

Are the Hindu gods considered historic physical creatures that walked the Earth a la Jesus, or are they more metaphorical, along the lines of how Wiccans see their gods? Would a devout Hindu be a creationist?

Thanks!

4

Well I’ll start with an easy one. Is the cast system still practiced in Hinduism and if so, to what extent? Is found only in certain countries or areas? Or has it departed ‘present day Hinduism?’

5

Also…

I understand that to Hindus, cows are “sacred” in some sense. Could you explain if this is true and, if so, in what sense cows are considered sacred? Does it only apply to certain breeds of cows, or to all cattle? What about cows living in other parts of the world? What does Hinduism teach about non-believers who slaughter cows for food and clothing?

Barry

6

I have a question, how come Indian chicks never date me?

I find them really attractive, but they’ll never date a white guy. Where can I find Indian women to get to know?

This is semi-serious, semi frustration :frowning:

I grew up around Hindu Indians…but I didn’t learn a lot about them. I even hung out at the temple once or twice and went to Garba once too. Fun as hell, great people… but I can never get a date with a woman of Indian descent :frowning:

7

Working along with a theme in the first two questions: What is it that real Hindus believe regarding the numerous entities generally termed “gods” in speaking of Hinduism in English: Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, etc. How do they relate to Hinduism’s understanding of the Ultimate (Brahman, IIRC)? To what extent are they regarded as “real persons” as opposed to philosophical concepts, or the reverse?

8

I think this characterization more correctly applies to Buddhism (at least the Theravada(?) branch practiced in Sri Lanka).

Hindus can be classified as both montheistic and polytheistic at the same time. The traditional view is that there is one God, and that God takes on many forms in order to instruct people on the nature of Dharma (the right way of living) and because the infinite nature of God is difficult for humans to comprehend.

God also visits the Earth periodically in human form. These avatars are also deities and may be worshipped in their own right. Rama and Krishna are human incarnations of Vishnu.

The trinity, or the big gods, are Brahma (the creator of the universe), Vishnu (the preserver of the universe), and Shiva (the destroyer of the universe). Most people worship forms of Vishnu or Shiva, very few worship Brahma.

9

What is the basic moral code that observant Hindus are expected to follow?

Is it written down and codified (a al the Bible?)

How does Hindu morality differ from Judeo/Christian morality?

10

It sounds to me like your friend is a Hare Krishna. This is a branch of Hinduism that was revived in the 16th Century by Guru Caitanya Mahaprabu who is regarded by the Hare Krishnas as an incarnation of Krishna in the form of His own devotee. The Hare Krishnas believe that by chanting the name of Krishna and offering rituals towards Krishna, one can achieve salvation. Currently, ISKCON, or the International Society of Krishna Consciousness is what generally people view as Hare Krishnas. Unlike most branches of Hinduism, ISKCON has an organizational structure. Some people would characterize ISKCON as a cult, but I am hesitant to make this statement.

There are several overlapping branches of Hinduism. Most Hindus divide themselves into Saivites (followers of Shiva) or Vaisnaivites (followers of Vishnu). However, here the distinction is not clear cut, since people will worship different gods depending on the specific circumstances. I think the analogy here might be how Catholics appeal to different Saints for different circumstances.

Another divide is between advaitism and vishishta-advaitism. In both branches, the goal is to escape the cycle of rebirth and achieve moksa or bliss (Nirvana is a Buddhist concept which can translate as “oblivion” or non-existence and is not the same as moksa). In advaitism, the world is illusion, or maya. The soul is not distinct from God, but the illusion creates a false distinction. The soul is bound to the illusion by material attachment. Once the soul is able to release itself from material attachment, it will rejoin with God.

In vishishta-advaitism, the soul is a distinct entity from God, and the world is not illusion, per-se. However, the soul is bound to the world by its material attachment which creates Karma (Karma itself is neutral. Both good stuff and bad stuff create attachment). Once the soul is able to escape the material attachment, it will live with God forever in moksa.

Hinduism makes no claim to being an exclusively correct theology, however, many Hindus would say it is the most correct. Being a non-Hindu does not, in and of itself, hinder your soul’s progress. Since Hinduism is not usually a proselytizing religion, though, a non-Hindu would have to wait to be reborn as a Hindu to be exposed to the “most correct” theology. Some branches of Hinduism to prostyletize, however, such as ISKCON.

There are Hindu creationists, since a literal reading of the Vedas or the Mahabharta would conflict with ambiogenesis. Big-bang theory is more acceptable, since God regularly creates and destroys the universe in Hindu mythology.

11

If Brahma is the creator of the universe, then why do so few people worship him?

12

From a legal perspective, the caste discrimination has been illegal in India since independence. The leaders of the Indian Congress Party were quite adamant that caste discrimination should not exist in independent India. After independence, several measures were put in place to achieve this goal, such as a quota system for traditionally discriminated castes, a ban on tenant farming and company-store type practices, etc. These remedies are supposed to be enforced down to even private clubs and businesses. Indian justice being slow, this doesn’t always work, and there has been a movement for proportional representation for traditionally discriminated castes. There are still outbreaks of caste violence, particularly in rural areas.

On a social level, I think many Hindus still tend to be caste conscious, although this has changed quite a bit since independence. Many people still marry within a caste (many people marry within subcastes or a particular community still as well). However, the idea that one cannot be a priest because of caste has largely disappeared (except for perhaps in the rural areas). Prior to independence, also, Dalits used to be called untouchables. Traditionally they held jobs such as funeral workers or cleaners. If their shadow fell on you you were polluted, and had to go take a bath and perform rituals. I have never seen anybody do this in my trips to India in the past 30 years, and I think most Hindus would find this notion laughable today. I don’t think many Hindus think it’s somehow evil for a person not to have an occupation that falls into traditional caste roles.

Now, more on the caste system:

Traditionally, there are 4 castes. The Brahmans (priests and teachers), the Kshatriyas (kings, warriors), the Vaisyas (merchants and tradesmen) and the Sudras (menial labor). Then there are the “untouchables” who are outside the caste system and did “dirty” work such as funeral work, etc.

The definition for the caste system can be found in the Rig Veda, specifically the following verse in which a “cosmic man” is sacrificed and from his parts come all of creation.

It’s not clear that this is meant to be strict definition or hereditary, but it is clear that by the time of the Mahabharta, the caste system has become entrenched in India as well as heriditary. However, in the Mahabharta, there are several stories and verses which denounce the caste system. Therfore, it cannot be said that the caste system is an integral part of Hindu doctrine in theory, although in practice it certainly was until independence.

Further, the advaitic branch, which I mentioned earlier, does not hold to a caste system, and there are several other branches of Hinduism which do not have a caste system as well.

The caste system in its traditional form appears to have been codified by priest named Manu in his book Dharma Shastra, during the first millenium BC. Personally, I think this is a vile book, and it seems inordinately preoccupied with economics, dictating who can have what job, which castes can own property, etc.

Curiously, I’ve noticed some Indian Christians to think of themselves in caste terms.

13

Most Hindus consider cows to be sacred. In general, Hindus are supposed to avoid causing unnecessary harm to animal life, since animals have souls, and since the slaughter of animals is prohibited in the later Hindu texts. Cows in particular are considered sacred because they give milk. This applies to all cows everywhere.

From a yogic explanation, certain foods are supposed to interfere with the meditational process. This includes meat as well as onions and garlic. Since meditation is one way to achieve salvation, those seeking to use yoga or meditation should avoid eating any meat, and in particular beef.

Hindu law does not explicitly apply to non-Hindus, but non-Hindus still accumulate Karma. It is perhaps worse for a Hindu to slaughter cows, but a non-Hindu who slaughters cows is still creating material attachment to the universe.

There is also a mythological explanation for this as well, which I will adress in a later post.

14

I’m pretty sure she’s not a Hare Krishna. I believe her temple goes by “Shri Swaminarayan” or sometimes “BAPS” (I may be wrong about what these words refer to). Her temple rituals seemed pretty standard- no chanting or non-Indian people or wandering around downtown with bells like the Hare Krishnas around here are wont to do.

It’s not a big deal, I’m just curious as to how her beliefs fit in with the rest of Hinduism.

15

Take a bath. A good Hindu bathes every morning. :slight_smile:

As I stated earlier, many Hindus, because of social tradition, tend to marry within their communities. Personally, I’ve found that it’s easier for me to date a Hindu because they understand what I have to deal with regarding my religion, culture, and family.

16

My knowledge of Hinduim comes mainly through Joseph Campbell( Power Of Myth, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, etc).

Have you read any of his stuff? If so what’s your opinion of it?

What’s the general feeling on Hindu images in western pop culture(Gwen Stefani’s bindi, Dharma&Greg, Ganesha paperweights etc)?

17

I’ve somewhat addressed this in a previous post, but I’ll add to my thoughts here.

A Hindu is supposed to act according to Dharma, which may be thought of as “the right way” or living or the “honorable” way of living.

The stories from the complex mythology serve as parables to illustrate the nature of Dharma. So, when a particular situation arises, one might choose to act the way Krishna acted in the same situation.

The other purpose the mythology serves is to illustrate Hindu concepts. The sacred texts are mostly written in Sanskrit (although not always), and since Sanskrit is a complex language, the mythological stories serve as a bridge between the people and the sacred texts. While there is no prohibition against anyone learning either Sanskrit or the sacred texts, under traditional caste rules, such learning would have been prohibited to lower castes and Dalits. Furthermore, because the texts are complex, traditionally, one is supposed to take instruction from a guru (teacher) in order to learn them. This is really a lifelong occupation, so the mythological stories are kind of the Reader’s Digest version of the sacred texts.

To some Hindus, the gods serve as abstract concepts, while to others, they are very real entities, who are part of God’s creation.

18

This is a complex question. Hindus are supposed to live according to Dharma (the right or honorable way of living). However, Dharma is really an individualized concept, since one’s Dharma depends on one’s previous births and the circumstances of this birth.

Because of the parable-like nature of most of the Hindu texts, one has to basically infer what is the right way from the meanings of these parables. There is a lengthy speech that Krisna gives about the nature of Dharma in the Baghavad Gita.

I can give you some generalized guidelines that I think most Hindus subscribe to, but for a particular issue, we’ll have to address those on an issue by issue basis.

  1. Hindus are not supposed to unnecessarily harm animals, especially cows.

  2. Hindus are supposed to become closer to God, either through rituals, meditation and/or yoga.

  3. Hindus should never kill another human, except under very specific circumstances (as in battle).

  4. Hindus should venerate their elders, teachers, and parents.

  5. Hindus should either marry and have children or become sanyaasi. Sanyaasi is a state whereby one leaves all material attachments and posessions and concentrates solely on God through study, yoga, and meditation.

Unlike the Bible, there are not explicit prohibitions on many activities. These have to be inferred from the stories and from cultural mores.

19

I’ll give you the mythological explanation (this also includes the mythological explanation for the prohibition on eating cows):

The sage Brighu wished to discourse with the gods about the nature of the Vedas. First he went to see Brahma. Brahma, however was preoccupied with his consort Saraswati and ignored Brighu. Enraged, Brighu cursed Brahma that he would never be worshipped by anyone.

Next, Brighu went to see Shiva. Shiva was preoccupied with his consort Parvati and ignored Brighu. Again enraged, Brighu cursed Shiva that he would never be worshipped in his true form. [This is why Shiva is usally worshipped in the form of a siva-linga, which is a mound shape on top of a circular base]

Finally, Brighu went to see Vishnu. Vishnu was preoccupied with his consort Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Having been thoroughly exasperated, Brighu kicked Vishnu in the chest.

When Brighu kicked Vishnu, an eye which could destroy the world opened on Brighu’s foot (owing to its contact with Vishnu’s chest). Realizing this, Vishnu bade Brighu to sit down and massaged his feet, thus closing the eye.

However, Lakshmi’s home is Vishnu’s heart. She was incensed that Vishnu did not punish Brighu appropriately, so she left the heavens. Since Lakshmi is what is called a shakti or the power behind Vishnu, Vishnu immediately lost his power. [This is why you should never touch your foot to anyone’s chest, because that is where Lakshmi resides]

So, Vishnu fled to Earth and hid in an anthill in a farmers field. Every day, one of the cows would come to the anthill and release its milk into the anthill in order to feed Vishnu. The farmer realized that the cow was not giving milk, followed it, and saw this. The farmer, in order to punish the cow, struck the cow on it’s forehead, causing it to bleed.

Vishnu emerged from the anthill, bleeding from his forehead. Because the cow had fed Vishnu, the two had become linked, and the blow to the cow was the same as the blow to Vishnu [this is why you shouldn’t harm cows].

The universe had been thrown into chaos, and so the gods appealed to Lakshmi to return to Vishnu. Lakshmi took another form and remarried Vishnu, since when she left, that was the same as ending their previous marriage.

The two returned to heaven, and the universe was restored.

20

I haven’t read any of his stuff. I’ll have to check it out.

The use of religious iconography or words in non-religious sense will probably offend most traditional Hindus. IIRC correctly, there was a big ruckus here a little while ago about some Ganesha toilet-seat covers that were on the market.

The bindi is not religious per-se (at least not anymore). It was traditionally red, but now women will match the color of the bindi to their outfit, and a lot of women simply don’t wear it anymore. It originally signified that a woman was either ready for marriage or married. It typically was not worn by widows. Also, women in some communities did not usually wear it (typically in North India).

I don’t think many people object to non-Hindus wearing it, although my parents find it amusing when they see a guy wearing a bindi.

A bindi is distinct from other religious markings which are placed on the forehead during religious ceremonies for either men or women.

Dharma is typically a man’s name (since the god Dharma is male). Mostly, what I find irritating though is a new-agey watering down of misunderstanding of Hindu words and symbols.