Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Is Hinduism Created by the British?

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Nithin Sridhar
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1. It is a modern fad to allege that, there was no religion called "Hinduism" before British came.
 
2. They claim that it was British who created Hinduism by giving it a working structure & framework.

 

3. They also claim that, it was British who decided that Vedas, Gita etc must be designated as core books!
 
4. Further, it is said that, before the dawn of British, Indians were practicing only pagan superstition!


5.it is true that,name Hindu was not existing before Persians use it.Does it mean the Hinduism did not exist?

 
6. "Hindu" may be the name given by foreigners, but we Hindus called our system "Dharma".

 
7. It was called "Sanatana Dharma" because it was based on eternal principles of life & Universe.

 
8. It was also called "Arya Dharma"- Nobel Dharma because it took a person towards highest Truth.


9. Those who say that,numerous sects, traditions and cults are unrelated to each other are simply ignorant.


10. It is the principles of Dharma that Unite every kula, every sampradaya, every Darshana.


11. To the Q how do they unite? They unite by taking every person towards highest goal of Moksha.

 
12. It is in this context the Vedas claim, God/Truth is one, Paths are many.


13. But, these paths are not exclusive. They are complementary & supplementary to each other.


14. Further, some paths act as foundation steps that lead to higher paths.


15. It is for this reason Swami Vivekananda says "One travels from lower truth to higher truth".


16. And this argument that various Hindu philosophies were exclusive were shown as false in 13th century itself!!


17. Sri Vidyaranya in his famous Sarva-darśana-saṅ̇graha (A Compendium of Speculations) demonstrates how schools were not exclusive.


18. He sketches 16 Hindu philosophies in their ascending order,one leading to other & culminating in Vedanta.


19. Even if one does not agree with his conclusion, it goes on to show how they are not exclusive.

 
20. All Hindu philosophies have their own importance & pave way for evolution of an Individual towards Truth.


21. So, there was always a united cultural, spiritual tradition called "Sanatana Dharma".


22. But, this unity was unlike that of west. The unity was not in means but in the goal.


23. As the western religions consider Unity to be of both means & goal, they term Hinduism as a way of life.


24. But, Hinduism is both a way of life & a religion in the sense of that which unites.


25. Here, the Unity is not in sameness of means, but only in the goal- Moksha.


26. It may be argued that, even Moksha is defined differently in various schools.


27. True, but every philosophy is only an indirect means aimed at inducing direct Realization.


28. So, whatever be philosophy, it is aimed at taking a person to Atma-Jnana.


29. The moment one attains Direct realization, all doubts, all differences vanish!!


30. Hence,Hinduism is not creation of British,but is Eternal Dharma tht takes everyone towards highest Truth.

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