Hindu Philosophy & Teachings: A Timeless Guide to Living
Temple, rituals, mantras and festivals are some of the closest images with which we think of Hinduism. However, Hinduism at heart is a great, inward-focused philosophy— one that shows us how to live a worthy life rather than what to believe. Constrastively, Hinduism is, in a way more holistic lifestyle that has been forming for thousands of years and that teaches us a lot about oneself, the cosmos and our place in it.
>A Philosophy That Focuses On The Asking, Not The Acceptance Withoutquestion, Of Beliefs<<
A basic part of Hindu philosophy is continued urging to reflect on life. >>Whereas no strict guidelines were offered, the sages challenged us with thought provoking, at times, challenging questions of the type: Who am I? Why am I here? How do we learn to distinguish the underlying fabric of reality?<<
Works such as the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras discuss these questions, by substituting highly complex solutions with a journey to find self in seekers. Room for debate, different opinions, and peculiar understanding — rare in other faiths.
Core Teachings: Dharma, Karma, and Moksha
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Dharma: That’s what directs you – your given role, your duty, your true being. It’s not one-size-fits-all. Each person’s dharma may differ because he or she may be at a different stage in his or her life and thus different from others. Dharma entices us to do what we believe is right on a personal, societal and individual purpose level.
Karma: Even though karma might appear to be a one-to-one cause and affect system, its true meaning goes far beneath what is accepted in the Hindu understanding. It is not just a matter of getting consequences or rewards – it is about your responsibility for what you do, and about spiritual growth. Our every thought and deed makes the path, which in the one hand defines how we live at present, and in the other – what we can expect in the future.
Moksha: The ultimate goal is to then break out of thiycle of rebirth and death, which is samsara. It’s not about running away from life itself but defeating the deceiving forces (maya), which hold us in cages. Moksha means the process of getting to know the true truth: in which case the inner essence of the self (atman) was to be united with the divine essence (Brahman).
The Bhakti path invites us into speaking love and fidelity for the divine in all the ways.
Karma Yoga – the path of service to others without any expectations made through action.
Jnana Yoga – the path that will take you to enlightenment by means of understanding everything.
Raja Yoga – developing calmness pursuing meditative activities and constant self-restraint.
You are free to go down one or another path, whichever feels most resonant with you. You can play around with different paths, mix them up, or modify your way as your spiritual search does.
A Living, Breathing Philosophy
What is encouraging about Hinduism is how time- and open-minded its teachings really are. Note though that these are ancient teachings which despite the pace and never-ceasing change of modern times, still matter. They remind us to pause. To reflect. To descend past the exterior to discover that which lies deeper — something deeply within us — carved around us.
Regardless of what you believe, opening Gita or just sitting in a silence with a mantra could be very grounding. Hinduism would like for you to experience and not just believe.
In the end, what Hindu philosophy presents does not have the answers — it is the journey of seeking. reply
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