Dr. Ashok Agarwal Victoria Hindu Temple Hinduism Dr. Ashok Agarwal Victoria Hindu Temple 4/24/2017

Outline Introduction Hinduism and humanity Respect for Earth Science and religion Hinduism in the community Recent changes 4/24/2017

Introduction What are the four aims? What is “Om” and its importance? What is meditation, bhakti, sadhana or devotion? What is yoga? 4/24/2017

What are the four aims? Hindus organize their lives around certain activities or "purusharthas." These are called the "four aims of Hinduism.“ Dharma: righteousness in their religious life Artha: success in their economic life; material prosperity Kama: gratification of the senses; pleasure; sensual, sexual, and mental  enjoyment Moksha: Liberation from "samsara,"   4/24/2017

What is “Om” and its importance? "Om" is a holy word often spoken during the practice of any Hindu rites. Represents the trinity of three supreme Gods Brahma – the creator Vishnu – the preserver Shiva – the destroyer Reincarnations of Lord Vishnu Lord Rama (Ramayana) Lord Krishna (Mahabharata and the Gita) Gita narrates the meaning of life, karma, moksha, atma, and parmatma Man is mortal…the soul is immortal! 4/24/2017

What is meditation, bhakti, sadhana or devotion? It is essentially a language of love This alone can give us the bliss of God-realization Sadhana serves to attract the devotee’s attention to the Lord This makes the devotee free from sorrow and suffering, and reveals Himself (God) before the devotee 4/24/2017

What is yoga? Method of keeping us in control of our body, mind and actions One must master these four types of yoga Jnana yoga – the path of knowledge Bhakti yoga – the path of devotion Karma yoga – the path of action Raja yoga – the path based on control of one’s actions and thoughts Having learnt these, the body can be detached from the soul. Achieve union with the supreme self or God. 4/24/2017

10 Common Hinduism Questions Why does Hinduism have so many Gods? Hindus all believe in one Supreme God who created many Gods, highly advanced spiritual beings, to be His helpers Do Hindus believe in reincarnation? Yes, we believe the soul (without body) is immortal and takes birth again and again. What is Karma? Karma is the universal principal of cause and effect. Both good and bad karma not only decide our fate (sorrow and happiness) in the present life, but also in future life. 4/24/2017

10 Common Hinduism Questions Why do Hindus worship the cow? By honoring this gentle animal, who gives more than she takes, we honor the creatures as well. Are Hindus idol worshipers? We worship God through the image so that we can commune with Him and receive His blessings. Are Hindus forbidden to eat meat? Hindus teach vegetarianism as a way of life to not hurt living creatures. Do Hindus have a Bible? Our “Bible” is called the Veda which means “wisdom” and which reveals the word of God. 4/24/2017

10 Common Hinduism Questions Why do many Hindus wear a dot near the middle of their forehead? It represents a divine sight and shows that one is a Hindu. Are the Gods of Hinduism really married? It is true that God is often depicted with a spouse in traditional stories, a symbol of love between husband and wife. What about caste and untouchability? Caste is the hereditary division of Indian society based on occupation (priests, warriors, business people, and workers). The lowest caste, untouchables, suffer from discrimination. It is now illegal in India. 4/24/2017

Hinduism and Humanity Code of Conduct Nonviolence (ahimsa) Truthfulness Patience Compassion Honesty Purity Giving Faith in God 4/24/2017

Hinduism and Humanity According to Mahatma Gandhi, love, sacrifice and truthfulness leads to comfort and pleasure in everyday life. Gandhi’s use of nonviolence was a strong weapon in achieving India’s independence Pluralism Hinduism promotes not only tolerance and respect for differences in belief and religion, but also acceptance of those paths as legitimate 4/24/2017

Respect for Earth Hinduism teaches us the need to care for the Earth and all its beings by not killing animals and plants Hindus worship mountains, oceans and the planets as God, to give respect for both earthly and heavenly things Vegetarianism has been advocated for many centuries. According to reincarnation all souls upon death are reborn in another body. Hence there is no difference between an animal soul and a human soul. We should respect every soul. 4/24/2017

Science and Religion Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. Albert Einstein The roiling mystery of the world can be analyzed with concepts (this is science), or it can be experienced free of concepts (this is mysticism). Sam Harris Scientific discoveries often take years to uncover the truth. Spiritual leaders spend years, before finally achieving enlightenment. 4/24/2017

Science and Religion God Religion 4/24/2017

Science and Religion Science and spirituality are the two different ways of seeking answers to life's questions Technology and religion are to make living and dying more comfortable Hinduism + Science sometimes agree and sometimes don’t Hindus believe that the body dies, but the soul never dies; science disagrees. Hindu astrology accurately maps the positions of heavenly bodies 4/24/2017

Hinduism in the Community Community temple brings together people to share ideas and knowledge Most Hindu knowledge is transferred by word of mouth at community gatherings Children learn through cultural games, crafts and stories Priest presents insight into various religious beliefs and practices Prayers and devotional songs are sung In Victoria we have the Victoria Hindu Temple We meet every week on Saturday evenings and provide dinner after prayer Everyone is welcome 4/24/2017

Recent Changes Traditional Hinduism Modern Hinduism Derives origins from Aryans Basic ideas are from the Vedas Modern Hinduism Hinduism has no notion of conversion (born Hindu) Preserve existing beliefs and ideologies Self-defensive, self-assertive, and even aggressive More worldwide acceptance of Hindu ideologies Spread of yoga, nonviolence and vegetarianism Organizations such as ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), and Ramakrishna Mission 4/24/2017

Final Thoughts Hinduism is a whole and complete view of life, characterized by wide tolerance and deep humanity. It is a religion of love, goodness, kindness, and sacrifice. It welcomes all religions. “Giving rather than taking in life” should be our motto to bring peace and harmony in this modern world. 4/24/2017

Prayer O mighty God! we are yours Bless us always so we may do good, and never do bad, So we may die happily !!   Whenever there is a rise in crimes, take care of us; Even when others do bad, we do good; We should never have feelings of revenge; All our efforts should be towards love, So there is no hatred around us !! Darkness is spreading around us, man is confused and without goal; Our "hope of happiness" is dying; But only your light can remove darkness and illuminate our life !! We are truly yours !! 4/24/2017