CERTAIN UNUSUAL FEATURES OF HINDUISMHinduism has certin unusual features:(1) Hinduism is not a religion in the sense that it teaches only one idea about reality and one path to God.Hinduism is not the religion in the sense 'only true religion'.Hinduism is a federation of faiths; not in the sense of a number of religions controlled by a central authority-in fact Hinduism has no pope or primate-but in the sense of a growing organism integrated by a central urge which is liberation-mindedness or yearning to see God and know reality. (2) Hinduism is not a historical religion in the sense christianity and Islam are but it has created history down millennia. (3) Hinduism has no particular founder but it is one of the most well founded religions of the world, which continues to renew itself in the process of time, while remaining absolutely firm in its root, which is the knowledge of reality. (4) Hinduism has never been an aggressive religion but has withstood invasion by aggressive faiths. Christianity came to India with the apostle Thomas. Islam came to India in the 7th century. Evangelists of these two religions have done everything conceivable to destroy the faith of the Hindus, while thriving on Hindu hospitality, while being denounced by other religions, Hinduism never faultered in its faith that God has spoken to man throught the mouths of the different prophets and that there is truth in every religion. (V) Hinduism is not an organised religion in the sense Catholicism is, but has been the matrix various organisations which have lasted for centuries. (VI)For many centuries, by and large, Hinduism has not been a missionary religion, but Hindu religious ideas are some of the most widely travelled ideas of the world and have influenced the various spiritual cultures of man, root and branch. (VII) Another unusual feature of Hinduism is its extraordinary capacity to confound the people. If this is a fault of Hinduism, it is the outcome of its incomparable complexities. It takes more than scholarship to have a true insight into Hinduism. To one who has that 'more', Hinduism reveals out of its seeming mass of complexities, the magnificence and profundity of its system of thought, its symphony and its sweetness. (VIII) Hinduism is not a only a view of life, it is also a way of life. It is a theory of relaity,and a practical code of conduct. It includes various ideals, beliefs, emotions, and activities, integrated by a central purpose, the attainment of illumination. (IX)Nothing concerning life is outside the pale of Hinduism. It is through life in all its variety that illumination has to be reached. Hence, how could anything concerning life be excluded from religion? Hinduism, therefore, comprises various scriptures, modes of worship, theologies, philosophies, cults, codes of ethics, law, sociology, values, and spiritual disciplines.
HINDU'S CONCEPT OF RELIGIONThe Hindu conception of religion has a character of its own . The word the Hindu uses for religion is dharma. Ordinarily in the West, the word religion means 'a system of faith and worship; belief in the tenets of church; and Performance certain rituals prescribed by it '.The word dharma means the essential nature that upholds a thing as an entity. Now, what is the essential nature of man? According to the Hindu view, the power to become divine is the essential nature of man. Whatever helps the realization of this potentiality, therefore, is considered to be dharma.Realization of ultimate reality has been called the ultimate end of religion; but the beginning of religion has been said to be the proper care of one's own body.Beginning from one's body, continuing through the relationships with the members of the family,society,country and world, life in all its functional, aspirational and inspirational varieties has found detailed direction in Hindu religion. In the Shanthiparva(109.10-13) of the Mahabharata, Bhishma gives a definition of religion, the pragmatism of which is suprisingly modern in its accent. He says: "Dharma was declared for the advancement and growth of all creatures. Therefore, what brings forth advancement and growth is Dharma". Dharma was declared in order to prevent creatures from injuring one another. Therefore, dharma is that which prevents injury to creatures. "Dharma is also so called because it maintains all creatures.In fact, all creatures are kept up by dharma. Therefore, dharma is what is capable of upholding all creatures. "Some say that dharma is the injuction of the vedas. Others donot agree to this. I would not blame them that say so. Everything, again, has not been said in the vedas" This advancement, growth, prevention from injury, and maintenance, are to be understood in the ultimate object of human life, is the central urge of Hindu religion, so much so, that even such subjects as grammar and eugenics have been correlated to man's search for reality. The believing Hindu's sense of practicality is based on his conception of reality, which embraces the sacred and the secular, this life and lives to come, time and timeless, phenominal and transcendental. The Hindu believes in turning everything- his eating, drinking, working,sleeping-to religious account. He likes even to breathe, bathe, and procreate religiously . In the brihadaranyaka upanishad there is chapter on religious procreation. Now, when this chapter read out of context and not with reference to the panoramic Hindu view of life, one is apt to completle misunderstand the Hindu attitude in this regard the Hindu not only aspires to live religiously but also to die religiously. The Hindu considers the moment of his death the most important moment of his life, for on how and with what thought he dies will depend his next life and his future spiritual evolution. The Hindu's terms of reference are so vast, and he is so fantastic in his aspiration to live his life according to those terms of reference,that to the earth-bound man he looks somewhat queer. But when it is seen that the Hindu is constantly striving-maybe quite often failing-to rise from the pleasant to the good, from the temporal to the eternal, from the personal to the impersonal, he no longer appears to be so queer. Courtesy: From VEDANTA FOR EAST AND WEST, London September-October 1961
---VIVEKANANDA
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