About The Book
Understanding Hinduism provides a coherent, easy to read, and engaging introduction to the philosophical and experiential aspects of Hinduism. It presents essential concepts, addresses common questions, offers practical guidance for Yoga and Vedanta practitioners, and shares personal reflections that enhance the understanding of its teachings. It is a valuable resource for Hindus and those exploring interfaith perspectives.
What does being a Hindu mean? What do Hindus believe in? Are Hindus polytheists who believe in idols? Hinduism is little understood today, even though Hindus have contributed immensely to the spiritual, intellectual, scientific and human endeavors of the world for centuries. Swami Vivekananda's address at Parliament of the World's Religions on 11 September 1893 was a landmark event that evoked curiosity for the wisdom of the East. In the following century, several great teachers brought the wisdom of the Hindu scriptures to seekers. But this wisdom is still not widely accessible. This concise book by Dr. D. C. Rao distills years of study and teaching in the Chinmaya Mission, and accurately presents Hinduism to all those who might be interested in learning about it. I commend this effort and invoke the grace and blessings of the great lineage of our Gurus for this noble work. Swami Dheerananda, Chinmaya Mission, Washington Regional Center. Clear and concise, yet comprehensive - Understanding Hinduism by Dr. D. C. Rao is a perfect introduction to Hinduism for those unfamiliar, but remarkably can also deepen the understanding for those already familiar. This product of decades of study and introspection, and labor of love, has been integral to the Hindu American Foundation's National Hinduism 101 initiative. Suhag Shukla, Executive Director, Hindu American Foundation
About The Author
D. C. Rao retired early from an illustrious career at the World Bank to devote himself for the past 30 years to the study, practice and teaching of Yoga and Vedanta. He studied with Swami Rama and his disciples at the Himalayan Institute of Yoga, USA; and from Swami Chinmayananda and his disciples at the Chinmaya Mission. He has taught Vedanta for many years at the Chinmaya Mission and continues to guide seekers in the practice of Vedanta and Yoga. He was President of the Inter Faith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC), active in interfaith dialogues, and lectured on Hinduism at schools and colleges. He worked closely with IFC and the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) to reform how Hinduism is taught in schools in the USA, including architecting IFC's publications on strengthening Teaching About Religion, and HAF's Hinduism 101 and the Dharma Ambassador Programs.
Preface
Hinduism's core philosophy is that the entire creation emerged from, rests in, and will dissolve into the One Source of all Being and that, by experiencing the connection with the Source, anyone can be free of sorrow. This experience is extremely subtle and beyond the reach of our mind and senses. Realising this truth requires a direct, intuitive personal experience the result of spiritual practice unique to the needs of each individual. Therefore, Hinduism offers a very wide range of practices to choose from and the individual spiritual aspirant is guided by a spiritual master, a Guru. Once this core structure is understood, it becomes clear that contemporary accounts of Hinduism that present the religion merely as a catalogue of beliefs with a bewildering array of practices are misleading. And those who study Hinduism only through its texts or by observing external practices will likely miss its essential integrity and be distracted by the details of its numerous philosophical doctrines and spiritual practices. Instead, a more open-minded study with teachers in the tradition will reveal that Hinduism has an inspiringly coherent vision; and the variety of practices bring seekers of diverse temperaments to the same goal, each in their own way. Accessing this core reveals Hinduism's stunning simplicity. The barriers posed by Hinduism's apparent complexity are compounded when Hinduism is seen through the lens of other organised religions. There are many ways in which Hinduism differs on features that are familiar to practitioners of other religions: Most religions have a single scripture that defines their belief systems; Hinduism's teachings are to be found in a range of scriptures with varying levels of authority. Most religions have a founder and narratives about the religion are built around the life of the founding prophet. Hinduism's teachings are composed by a number of anonymous sages a very long time ago and have been modified to suit changing times over millennia. Most religions conceive of God as a person, a remote Father figure who is separate from the world. Hinduism conceives of God as Pure Consciousness that is present in us, in every other human everywhere, at all times being, in the whole of creation. In Hinduism, the One God, all-knowing and all-powerful, is worshipped in many forms, giving rise to the misconception that Hinduism is polytheistic. Most religions define the reward for spiritual practice as enjoying eternal life in Heaven. The ultimate goal in Hinduism is mokşa, liberation, which is defined quite differently. Most religions define a doctrine that must be accepted by all adherents. Hindu scriptures emphasise direct personal experience of a transcendental truth rather than adherence to a single doctrine. Most religions have lists of commandments that govern personal ethics and social responsibility. Hinduism's ethical foundation is Dharma, a nuanced set of contextual guidelines for behaviour that vary according to a person's temperament, stage of life and role in society rather than a set of rigid rules.
Vedas (1216)
Upanishads (508)
Puranas (634)
Ramayana (758)
Mahabharata (372)
Dharmasastras (167)
Goddess (518)
Bhakti (251)
Saints (1552)
Gods (1309)
Shiva (391)
Journal (181)
Fiction (62)
Vedanta (382)
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