Yesterday, one of my team members at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) noticed a rather curious omission on Wikipedia\u2019s \u201cInterfaith dialog\u201d page. \u00a0All the major religions have a section on the page, except for Hinduism! \u00a0Of course, the beauty of Wikipedia is that someone from HAF can (and will) edit the page with appropriate content for Hinduism, but the irony of the omission was not lost on us.<\/p>\n
Pluralism is at the core of Hindu philosophy. \u00a0This expansive idea that there may exist more than one path, more than one way, more than one journey to the Divine is the resounding message of Hinduism. \u00a0There is an acceptance that people are inherently different, and the path that may suit me, may not suit you.<\/p>\n
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna talks to Arjun about the different yogas, or different paths to attain union with the Divine: karma yoga (the yoga of action), jnana yoga (the yoga of knowledge), bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion), and dhyana yoga (the yoga of meditation). \u00a0These yogas actually work in tandem, but each individual, based on her disposition, is inclined towards one yoga over the others. \u00a0But ultimately, all of these paths, if practiced to their highest ideals, lead to union with the Divine.<\/p>\n
Moreover, there are no saved people in Hinduism, just as there are no condemned people. \u00a0A person\u2019s karma is what matters. \u00a0One of my favorite lines from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, is Lord Krishna\u2019s retort to the common lament of having a \u201cbad\u201d day. \u00a0\u201cThere are no good days or bad days,\u201d he says. \u201cThere is only good karma and bad karma.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hindu teachings ask, \u201cAre one\u2019s thoughts and actions in accordance with dharma? \u00a0Do her actions benefit or hurt society? \u00a0What are the intentions behind each action? \u00a0Are they selfless or selfish?\u201d \u00a0It does not ask if a person is Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, or Christian. \u00a0These questions are universally applicable, as is much of Hindu philosophy. \u00a0It is why so many people of all faiths (and no faith) have continue to find great solace and wisdom in the Gita.<\/p>\n
Hindu prayers, for example, are a call for goodness, happiness, and peace for all beings. \u00a0They do not distinguish between Hindus and non-Hindus nor between people and other life forms. \u00a0One of the more popular Hindu shlokas, often heard in yoga studios, says, \u201cLoka samasta sukhino bhavantu,\u201d or \u201cMay all beings everywhere be happy, healthy, and free.\u201d \u00a0Along the same lines, many Hindu prayers end with the repetition of the word Shanti, or peace, three times. \u00a0There are a number of explanations as to why it is repeated thrice, but one of the most widely understood is that the first Shanti is a prayer for peace for all beings on this planet, the second is peace for the universe, and the third is peace for the celestial plane.<\/p>\n
Finally, Hinduism itself is collection of spiritual dialog and debate, and it fully embraces competing philosophies. \u00a0For example, the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu thought is non-dualistic. \u00a0It believes that the atman, or soul, residing within each living being is the same as Brahman, or the Supreme Consciousness\/Divine. \u00a0Thus, the goal of the individual is to understand and realize this unity. \u00a0A competing Hindu school of thought is Dvaita, or a dualistic approach, whereby the individual\u2019s soul is distinct from, but dependent upon, the Supreme Being. \u00a0Atheists also have a home in Hinduism.<\/p>\n
Hinduism\u2019s pluralistic core not only allows for, but encourages debate, dialog, and discussion as part of one\u2019s spiritual growth, and therein lies its beauty, strength, and longevity. \u00a0Hinduism is an interfaith party in and of itself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yesterday, one of my team members at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) noticed a rather curious omission on Wikipedia\u2019s \u201cInterfaith dialog\u201d page. \u00a0All the major religions have a section on the page, except for Hinduism! \u00a0Of course, the beauty of Wikipedia is that someone from HAF can (and will) edit the page with appropriate content…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":390,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hinduism-101"],"yoast_head":"\n