Question Answer about Faith in Hinduism - Faith Project of a US Student
What is a favorite scripture quote, passage or story? How has it made an impact in your life?
1.Answer..
" Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti."... The Rig-Veda.
"The truth ( God ) is one that exists alone, Sages ( learned people ) call it by various names." God, Ishvara, Krishna, Yahweh, Allah, Wahe-Guru etc, they all are the names that different people use to describe the same single God.
" yo maam pashyati sarvatra sarvam cha mayi pashyati tasyaaham na pranashyaami sa cha me na pranashyati " - Sri Bhagavad Gita, chapter.6-30.
" He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, never gets separated from Me ( by time, space or anything intervening) nor do I get separated from him".
Ek Noor Se Sab Jag Upja Kaun Bhale Ko Mande--Guru Nanak Dev (Guruvani)
"The world originated from a single source (Light), then who is brighter (superior) and Who is dim (low)?"
The above three messages were written in different time-frames, ranging to 7500 BC to 1539 AD, but their net meaning is the same.
Religion- It is difficult to define religion. Iranian saint and philosopher Bahá’u’lláh, of famous Lotus Temple in New Delhi and other places, once said. “The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men”. However, it is not simple. There are many wrong concepts about what the religion is?. Religion is a way of life , value-system ( human behaviour from birth to death) at a given time-frame of a community. It does vary from time to time, depending upon the place, people, time, environment, situation etc. In Hindu mythology, there were no Gods, No temples in 'Satya Yug' .Now we have. On day to day basis-We have various type of religions, existing at the same time in our life viz. one s' religion ( duties and responsibilities) towards to his / her father, mother, brother, sister, ancestors, society, country...etc. Similarly Hinduism is also a way of life. It has been codified to make it more practical and useful to its followers. Followers of Hinduism never fought a religious-war to conquer other lands/ people like Jihad, but won hearts ( for examples: Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka, China, Japan, other Far-Eastern countries, without a single war) (For your quarries you may contact/ discuss on phone).
Hinduism is extremely universal, unifying, all accompanying, composite, eternal and hence more catholic, liberal, tolerant, and elastic. This is the wonderful feature of Hinduism. A foreigner (visiting India) is struck with astonishment when he hears about the many and diverse sects and creeds of Hinduism --all co-existing and prospering simultaneously. It includes various schools of Vedanta; Vaishnavism, Saivism, Saktism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, etc. But these varieties are really an ornament to Hinduism. They are certainly not its defects. There are various types of minds and temperaments. So there should be various faiths also, including no faith. This is but natural. This is the cardinal tenet of Hinduism. There is room in Hinduism for all types of souls- from the highest to the lowest and prescribes spiritual food for everybody, according to his qualification and stage of growth - for their further growth and evolution. The Upanishads declare that all the paths lead to the same goal, just as cows of variegated colours yield the same white milk. Lord Krishna says in the Srimad Bhagwat Gita: "Howsoever men approach Me, even so do I welcome them, for the path men take from every side is Mine." All diversities are organized and united in the body of Hinduism.
Question: How has it made an impact in your life?
Answer:- The above faith made me more perfect , practical, peaceful, modest, accommodating, calm from in- side, understanding, all compassion and impetus to serve those who are not that lucky...culminating to founding me our Trust.." APPL-Trust " (http//: appltrust.Org.),which organizes various small but useful acts for the needy people.
2.What is your place of worship? What do you like best about this place?
Answer : Mostly I worship at my place, in a room--either in a 'Puja Room' or even in my bed-room, both in the morning and evening. Occasionally and on special occasions-like in the family somebody's birth-day, anniversary, festivals etc. go to a nearby temple. I also visit and go to pilgrimages at revered places in the country of all faiths....Hindu Temple, Sikh-Gurudwara, Jain Temple etc. and out of India--like Pashupatinath Shiva Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal ; Kailask Mountain -Mansarovar Lake, Tibet (China) ; Sleeping Buddha Temple, Bangkok, Thailand ; Mosques in UAE/Dubai ; Catholic Cathedral of cologne, Germany etc..
3.How did you come to be a believer in your faith tradition? Were you born into it or did you have a conversion experience? Please Explain.
Answer : I am a Hindu, by birth. Both of my parents and grand-parents were by born-Hindu & religious, hence, generous, philanthropist and a leader. I never felt the need of conversion--as the gist of all faiths are the same.
4 .What do you feel us God’s vocation of calling for you? How did God communicate this to you, or how did you know this was your vocation?
Answer: My God is very generous to me. I feel I am God-gifted. He had given me more than that I could have asked for... Born on this beautiful planet Earth, in an old and spiritual country like India with a good ancestry; a good family--loving and caring wife, smart , brilliant and loving children and grand-children..aiming to catch the sky ; a good health ; lot of well meaning acquaintances, friends and relatives, a team of faithful & obedient helpers/maids to make daily-life easy, need based resources sufficient to live a honest, fulfilling and comfortable life ; name and fame in our locality...people do care, love, respect and involve us and like to visit us / meet repeatedly for help / advice. I love my family, my people, my country and generally like to meet new people / care all living being on this earth.
In my daily- prayers the God hears me. I communicate with him in meditations. On my each meals I remember him and offer my thanks for what very kindly he has provided to me for the meal. I remember my God on all failings and seek his advice for the next attempt and offer the credits/ thanks for each successes. Life is so meaningful and pleasant, what more you can ask for ?
5.What is your favorite way to pray? How do you best connect with God?
Answer: My God and me both are simple. I do not believe in large rituals & paraphernalia. I just concentrate on him , call on him and start communicating , as if I am talking with my friends . I do believe that he listen me always and on priority.
6.At any point in your life did you doubt your faith? How did you overcome it?
Answer: Yes. In Indian way of thinking the God has another facet called 'Maya'--a haze. As there are fogs in winter-nights on the road and we are not able to see vividly and clearly the road, similarly in our daily life 'Maya' plays its tricks. It is the God's way of testing the devotee.
7.At what point in your life have you felt your faith was at its strongest? Please Explain.
Answer: When in peril and confusion, I still have faith. I pray, beg, coax, solicit the mercy / guidance of the God. His ways are different and un - predictable. When he wants to help you, he has his own ways...you would understand it when the good is already done. I experienced it many time, in many ways.
8.How do you feel you live out your faith in your everyday life?
Answer: I am positive , patient, enduring and hopeful even in difficult times.
9.What is your favorite religious holy day, festival, or celebration? Why is this your favorite?
Answer: In Hinduism--almost every month has a long list of holy-days. Big days in a year are Holi, Sri Ram Navami (Birth anniversary of Lord Ram), Sri Krishna Janamasthami (Birth anniversary of Lord Krishna), Dushehra and Diwali. Every 6th and 12th years there are Ardha (half) and Maha Kumbh bathing-ceremonies, where hundreds of millions of devotees gather at a single site on the bank of holy river Ganges and other a few rivers for religious-ceremonies.
10.What is your idea of eternal life / the afterlife?
Answer: Life is eternal. Birth is not only a biological phenomenon, but has a bigger meaning. The God creates ways and means and make us an instrument of getting his things done in a silent and positive ways. Once the desired role is over, the spirit is called back ( we call it : death) for another role in a different body in a different situation and times.
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