Youtube link - Modern day sages promote Hinduism.

Sephiroth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2z1zdOsVEg

This is just one Youtube link out of a few where modern day rishis and sages, who devoted their lives toward Hinduism, Vedanta and Bhavagad Gita give their sermons for people to listen and judge for themselves (the values of Hinduism). The amazing feature in these links are that many of these sermons were done in IIT Kanpur (one of India's top IT Institute).

Recommended :

- Bhavagad Gita For Students - by Swami Sarvapriyanandaraj
- Practical applications of Bhavagad Gita in Daily Life.
- Science and Religion - Converging or Diverging? - by Swami Atmapriyananda.

These are interesting study materials for those who do not know Hinduism (particularly the Geetha) and wishes to learn more.

Sephiroth

Something I found from Facebook this morning. I like it and sharing it.

Why do we appreciate the teachings of the Vedas?


We appreciate the teachings of the Vedas because they inspire us to rise and go beyond the body-consciousness.

The Rig Veda inspires us to make the world great and perfect.

The Sama Veda inspires us to become one with the divine Melody and cosmic Rhythm.

The Yajur Veda tells us,
"May our lives be successful through self-sacrifice.
May our life-breath thrive through self-sacrifice."

The Atharva Veda inspires us to go forward along the path of continuous progress.
It tells us that Brihaspati, Guru of the cosmic gods,
is leading and guiding us."

Sephiroth

I have noticed something this morning. IF one were to sit down and carefully evaluate most of the religions in the World, ONLY Hinduism seems to have reached its target (of Spiritual Purpose).

Muslims claims that Islam is teaching of Peace and about God - but majority of terrorists are Muslims, daydreaming of 72 virgins if they commit suicide. I kept asking Muslims here for a SINGLE example of a good Muslim, and they FAILED to produce it. Therefore, we can say Islam failed in its target (of Spiritualism) - with assumption that it was the target to begin with.

Christians claims that Christianity is the sole religion which Mankind should follow (and that others are false). And yet, in christianity, there are dozens of sects which have rules which contradicts one another (like Mormon allows marriage of more than one). It doesn't make sense that a god which created the Universe and Earth, have to come down as a human being to die so Christians can eat pork, drink wine and have sex with same and opposite sex. Christianity simply defies Logic and Rationality and therefore, we can say it too failed to reach its target (of Spiritual purpose) - assuming that it is the target to begin with.

Then we have Buddhism - which split into two (Mahayana and Thervada Buddhism) and later into a third part (Zen). Mahayana is filled with Atheist belief which rejects even the concept of Soul. I remember asking a simple question in Buddhist column here - "IF nothing survives death, then what is the use of (trying to) achieve Nirwana?". To this day, I have not received any answers from anyone who claims to be Buddhists.

Also, we have seen many Buddhists who overlook atrocities done the fellow men in their own society - like Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka refused to do anything while Tamil people suffer at hands of their own government. In Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, Buddhist monks have entered political fray and even commit suicide by fire. So I find it odd that Buddhist monks in one side refused to do anything while another group willing to commit suicide. I have yet to see anything bad from Zen Buddhism, so I will not say anything. Same goes for Judaism.

ONLY Hinduism seems to produce continuously sages and saints to this day. Many of them not only famous in their own country (India) but also managed to reshape the World and its understanding of Hinduism like Swamy Vivekanda and Swamy Prabhupada.

vikramavardhana

The term Hinduism leads people to confusion...
Sanatan Dharm is more accurate...

Hinduism is a term which frames all kind of philosophies, concepts, cultural traits, religions etc from south asian region.

Say if there is animism or shamanism practiced by any ethnicity in Indian subcontinent, then it is still in the fold of this term, Hinduism.  

It's like Chinese religions, there are taoism, shamanism, animism, folk religions. Folk religions does not mean that it is equal to taoism. But taoism is a chinese religion, sparked in chinese region, and practiced by chinese people. While not all chinese are taoists.

Good luck

Vikram

vikramavardhana

I think this thread should be continued with religious discussion, sharings and lectures... We don't need many threads but understanding the religion is important.

Yugas: The Tide of Time   

Don't look at him, just listen to his ideas

vikramavardhana

Vilva Leaves (Daun Majapahit) and Lord Shiva

vikramavardhana

I would like to suggest Vivekacudamani as a reading for both fellow Hindus and Buddhist friends

vikramavardhana

Theory of Karma by Shri Heerabhai... I'm not sure about English translation for non-Indian Hindus. We have Gujarati and Kannada translations too. I would also advise fellow Hindus to frequently refer to Shri Kanchi matham especially the teachings of Jagad Guru, Shri Chandrashekar Saraswati. He's a patriotic Hindu anyway

Sephiroth

vikramavardhana posted on 8-6-2014 01:06 AM
Theory of Karma by Shri Heerabhai... I'm not sure about English translation for non-Indian Hindu ...

Karma is NOT a theory. Karma is the Law. Do you know the difference between Theory and Law?

If one is saying something is a theory, he is stating that that something is probable (of happening or occuring) but there is no way of proving it for certain. That is why they are calling it theory. But a Law means it is certain - that something occurs and observable.

Can Karma be observed in real time? IT CAN.
For example - the Bamiyan statues which the Talibans destroyed back in 1997. Before that, Afghanistan have been invaded by various race - Alexander the Great, Muslims, Christians and Soviet Union and yet the country have never felt to any one forces completely and in some places in Afghanistan, there was peace. But after the Statue was destroyed, it took USA only 8 months to invade and capture Afghanistan and to this day, there have been no peace in Afghanistan. That is Karma.

Gravity is not called Theory of Gravity because everyone knows if you jump off a building, you will fall due to gravity even so no one can see or measure it. That is why it is called Laws of Gravity. Same way is with Karma. People MUST understand that if they commit evil actions, they will get the rewards of their actions in this life, same way a criminal will be punished by the Common Laws if he commits crime.

So I find this title of the book offensive.

vikramavardhana

Sephiroth posted on 8-6-2014 12:37 AM
Karma is NOT a theory. Karma is the Law. Do you know the difference between Theory and Law?

If  ...

Noted... Thank you for the correction.
Very much appreciated
Law is the suitable meaning for the title
The Sanskrit title is correct but the translation is not so much appropriate.
I guess it is the matter of translation for the word "Siddhant" there since this term is quite technical.
I agree that Karma is not a theory but an accepted view in most of our philosophical traditions since we've got this from valid shastras, logic and appropriate pramanas especially from the Gita (universal)
I guess, it could be translated as "doctrine" or far better, the "principles".

vikramavardhana

Theory is bounded by the Time (kaala) and Space (aakash). It is still based on general principles and providing explanatory framework. I don't think that it is offensive since we are open-minded toward epistemological process... That is why, we have pramanas differently to non-Hindus such as Christians, Jews or most Strictly bounded by Sharia Muslims

In modern academic field for e.g social sciences or political science, a great deal of theories being employed to frame the phenomenon in the societies and around the world. They're still based on the general epistemology while for Hindus, we too have our own epistemological framework. We recognize seven ways of observing the world around us excluding modern Buddhist friends who use a mostly unified way to perceive the world (including the karma). That is our difference with the others for e.g Christians or general Muslims

Sephiroth

by vikramavardhana  

I don't think that it is offensive since we are open-minded toward epistemological process...

It has nothing to do about US (hindus) being open-minded or anything. It is offensive because we (hindus) have to bend backward just to please Christians and Muslims (as well as atheists). IF the writer were to label the book as "Laws of karma" (as it should have been called), he could risk upsetting :

1. Christians - because it could say that Jesus's sacrifice were not able to cleanse anyone's sins.

2. Muslims - They could be upset cause they are praying 5 times a day to some invisible Arabic god and pretend that this god will cleanse them off their sins.

3. Atheists - cause they will not accept Karma as a universal Law because they cannot measure it, quantify it or that it could support their animalistic lifestyles.

Basically, Laws of Karma is considered offensive by these three groups (for the right reasons) and it is those reasons which is why the book is called "Theory of Karma".

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