World Religions in a Nutshell (15 page)

Tragically, this belief in karma has great social implications. Because people are considered responsible for their current lot in life, it’s believed that those who are suffering or less fortunate are just getting what they deserve based on their karma. Their present suffering helps them to atone for the evil they committed in their previous life. For this reason, charity is almost unheard of.

Scriptures

There is no single source of authority, but Hinduism’s vast collection of sacred text includes the following:

^■
Vedas:
These four “books of knowledge” are considered the most authoritative. Compiled over about 1,000 years,
with no known author, they are a collection of hymns to the various Hindu gods.

^■
Upanishads:
The
Upanishads
discuss the idea that behind all gods is the one ultimate reality, Brahman.

^■
Ramayana
and Mahabharata:
These two epics in Hindu
literature tell of the mythical incarnations of Vishnu. The
Mahabharata
(“great epic of India”) is an approximately 100,000-verse poem, the most famous part of which is the
Bhagavad Gita
. The
Bhagavad Gita
is the most popular of all Hindu texts, and explains how to reach Nirvana.

^■
Puranas:
These contain myths, lore, and legends of the Hindu gods.

Who Is God?

In one sense Hinduism is monotheistic, in that it recognizes one supreme deity known as Brahman, or ultimate reality. Brahman is the universe and all it contains; in other words, God is everything and everything is God, a belief known as pantheism. That “everything” includes us: as part of Brahman, that means we are also God. Hinduism has no concept of a personal, knowable God, who is separate from His creation. Brahman alone is all that exists.

In another sense Hinduism is polytheistic, with the worship of multiple deities—though they are all considered manifestations of the one ultimate reality. Brahman is personalized as three separate entities: Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). Most Hindus also worship Krishna and Rama, two of Vishnu’s ten incarnations, or
avatars
. In addition, forces of nature, animals, and humans can all be deified, giving Hindus a pantheon of 330 million gods and goddesses to worship.

Who Is Jesus?

Hindus are happy to consider Jesus to be one of the many
avatars
, or incarnations, of the impersonal Brahman. But they do not accept Him as the
only
incarnation of God. In no sense is He the unique Son of God, part of the Triune Godhead of the Bible.

Heaven and Hell

Hinduism does not teach a literal Heaven and Hell. The closest they come to the concept of Hell is the suffering endured through numerous lifetimes on earth. The closest thing to Heaven would be to lose their individual identify and be absorbed into the universal oneness.

Sin and Salvation

Hinduism has no concept of sin against a holy God; instead, it teaches that man’s greatest problem is his ignorance that he
is
God. In Hindu belief, since Brahman is all that exists, everything else is ultimately an illusion, or
maya
.
Our material world, our physical bodies, and our personal existence are all illusions. In essence, then, our ignorance is equivalent to the “Fall” of man: We have forgotten that we are part of Brahman, and have attached ourselves to the desires of the individual self. It is these desires and their consequences that bring suffering, and that subject us to the law of karma.

Though there is no concept of “salvation,” the goal of Hindus is to remove the karmic debt and end the cycle of rebirths.

By overcoming the ignorance of their divinity and detaching from self, the individual can be released from personal existence and disappear into the impersonal Brahman. This “liberation” from the wheel of life is called
moksha
.
Freed from their physical, personal existence, individuals also become free from all pain and suffering, and become like a drop in the ocean of Brahman.

There are three paths to achieve this liberation:

^■
The Way of Works:
Liberation can be obtained through social and religious obligations.

^■
The Way of Devotion:
This is the most popular way, and includes acts of worship to any of the numerous gods (
avatars
). Whether in the home or in a temple, worship is primarily done individually rather than as a congregation. Most Hindus worship daily through offerings, rituals, and prayers.

^■
The Way of Knowledge:
This way attempts to reach a higher consciousness until one finally realizes his identity with Brahman. This is achieved through study of philosophical writings, yoga, and deep meditation.

How to Reach a Hindu

Once again, here is another religion that is based on good works. As far as the Hindu is concerned, there is no God who warns of Judgment Day, no Heaven, nor is there a Hell.
So the same principle of using the Law to bring the knowledge of sin applies to Hindus.

Witnessing to a Hindu

You:
Hi. How are you doing? My name is [your name here].

Ravish:
Very well, thank you, sir. I’m Ravish.

You:
Good to meet you, Ravish. What does your name mean?

Ravish:
It means “sun ray” or “beam of light.”

You:
Interesting. I have a question for you, Ravish. What do you think happens after someone dies?

Ravish:
I believe in reincarnation. We come back as something else.

You:
You mean another person?

Ravish:
Yes. Or an animal. It depends on how you live your life. If you are a good person, you come back as something good.

You:
So, who’s in charge of giving out the new bodies?

Ravish:
It has to do with karma. If you do good things, it will come back to you in this life or the next. Things like compassion, love, non-violence, truth, and forgiveness are divine characteristics that will accumulate good karma. Lust,
anger, greed, arrogance, pride, and hypocrisy are negative characteristics.

You:
Do you believe in Heaven?

Ravish:
No. Not really. Not a physical place.

You:
What do you think you did in your last life to merit coming back in this one as a man?

Ravish:
I don’t know.