It is often said, Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life. Or is it a religion?
What is true?
It depends on how religion is defined. Most people probably would say that religion is:
- about believing in an invisible Supreme Being, which is the cause of our existence,
- about methods and rituals to worship it,
- about living according to its laws or will.
In this case, Hinduism is definitely a religion. In fact, it is the Mother of all religions, because the Indian Vedas had postulated already in very ancient times the existence of such a Supreme Being. They called it Brahman (from big) or Paramatma or Paramashiva or simply Tat (That) and declared that it cannot be imagined by the human mind. Nevertheless, a kind of description is given: Sat-Chit-Ananda (it means, it is Truth, Knowledge and Bliss). It is all-pervading and therefore the Essence (Latin: esse = to be) of everything, including us.
So why does the question arise whether Hinduism is a religion?
To discover this, we need to look at those religions where nobody has a doubt that these are religions. The term ‘religion’ was first used for the Catholic Church and later for Islam, too, and nobody has a doubt that these two are the main religions in today’s world.
These two religions also are about the 3 points I mentioned above. Yet there are significant differences.
The Supreme Being (called God or Allah respectively) of these 2 religions is not the essence in all, but is a separate entity which has certain personal traits. One most important trait is that it is jealous of other gods and wants the whole of humanity to worship only Him (yes, the Supreme is clearly imagined as male). Both religions give out a dire warning: those who do not accept this truth will burn eternally in hell.
How do these religions know that this is the truth? Because they claim that the Supreme Being himself has revealed this truth to one person (in the case of Christianity to Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago and in the case of Islam to Prophet Mohammed some 1400 years ago).
Here is where another definition of religion comes in. It is often said that religion is a “belief-system”. It needs blind, unverifiable belief in what the ‘founder’ of the religion has said and which is written down in a book.
Here Hinduism is clearly not a religion. Hinduism does not require blind belief. On the contrary, an open enquiry and an inner exploration into the truth, especially into the truth of one’s own being, is necessary to discover the divine Essence in oneself; to discover that Atman (one’s own consciousness) is indeed Brahman, as the Vedas proclaim.
So is Hinduism not a religion?
Let’s look at the word meaning of religion. Religare (Latin) means to bind. Bind to whom or to what?
Does it mean to bind to the Supreme Being or does it mean to bind to the doctrine?
If we look at history, the Church (for which the term religion was first used) was very adamant that those followers which it had gained through (often forced) baptism must never leave the Church. Christianity had strict blasphemy laws with terrible punishment, like Islam even has today. So, it can be safely assumed that religion meant to bind its followers to the doctrine of the respective religion. The followers must ‘religiously’ stick to the doctrine.
If it would have meant to be bound to the Supreme Being, then surely Christianity or Islam should not have any objection if the Supreme is called by another name, for example Shiva, and the process of being bound to Him ‘Yoga’.
So strictly speaking, Hinduism is not a religion.
But it is also not just a way of life. It has many rules how to live life in an ideal way.
So one could say, Hinduism is an ideal way of life which is helpful in realising one’s ONENESS with the Supreme Being.
This ideal way of life is not based on a dogmatic belief system, but on experiential wisdom.
9 Comments
Beautifully explained.
The cultural aspects of Hinduism are a way of life just like any other culture because they are a part of and influence day to day life. Relegion is depth, it means knowledge and beauty. Relegion is an independent thing and a fact of existence, that there is depth and knowledge in everything. There is spirit and soul of everything. Religion is soul. Religion is love. So one has to ask, is there religion in this thing with intention and in action? Like for example, Islam and Christianity discourages questioning and individual and collective exploration into the depths of truth. So they are non-religious. Similarly one has to ask, does the cultural of Indian subcontinent encourages exploration and delving into the depths? Is there love in it? Then one might call it or not call it a religion.
As far as I can see I find Hindus don’t reflect and don’t introspect and are told unconditional devotion without questioning. So I have understood Hindus as being rich in faith and devotion but lacking religion. The observation is supported by facts. We see Hindu society falling apart and loosing influence, power and relevance and declining. This is because of lack of religion. Relegion is vitality crystallized in timelessness. Hindu is crumbling and getting destroyed because of this lack of religion which comes from introspection, reflection and compassion.
I also don’t like this ‘ism’ suffix. Even ‘Hinduism’ as a term, for it a Persian denotation of geographical identity tied to Indian sub continent which has been later given a realigious meaning by swarms of Muslim Invader and later interiorised by so called Hindus. Using these terms is playing into enemy hands who is always inimical to you and wants to see you suffer. Hindus always denoted themselves by clan, vocation and region and later by jati, Varna and region when it gradually became hereditary about two thousand years ago. Dharma is not an ‘ism’. Dharma is a fact of existence which ancient Indians noted and studied, and which modern people fail to realise, which is why they suffer. You see, all ism is ideology, it is always meant for hatred and exploitation, generally cultural hatred and economic exploitation. Education is the birthplace of all ‘ism’ and also sustains it. So for example, Christianism, Islamism, Post Christian Westernism, all are meant to be hateful and exploitative. Is Hinduism also hateful and exploitative? That depends how one takes it and how one makes it. Hindus and Hinduism are not an exception to the human processes and tendencies that leads to cultivation and growth of all ‘isms’, Varna system for example. On the other hand, the cultural elements and practices, which fundamentally includes violence and sensuality is very much prevalent and inherent in western people and middle eastern people, which is why that have been the most exploitative and brutal to their fellow men and women and on the contrary India and Indians have always been ascetic and peaceful. So yes, it is never Hinduism, but Dharma, the more appropriate and ancient term.
very well written Maria.
Dangerous thought when you say … it’s not a religion. Must never say that because you will lose constitutional or legal protection in US or UK & many nations.
Dangerous if you say not a religion. YoU lose legal & constitutional protection in US & UK & many nations.
Sanatan Dharm is human science. One can understand this as he/she like to understand it. One can try to understand Atama through this, or see cosmology, humanity, mathematics, physics, chemistry, demonic many more.
Whereas other religions are demonic by characteristics. Demon desires all humans pray or ask Dua to him only or his followers eliminate such humans. Demon always projects himself as pious, honest, brave and irreplaceable.
Essence of all religions is exactly same because ultimate truth is exactly same. However human ego manipulates it causing difference.
C
https://www.quora.com/What-is-God-and-who-am-I/answer/Sridhar1
https://www.quora.com/What-are-unknown-and-ignored-facts-about-Vedic-wisdom-or-Hinduism-or-Sanatana-Dharma/answer/Sridhar1
you need to define the ‘essence’. if it was belief in a higher power and worshipping it, the essence would be the same. then why do certain religions insist that all must convert to them to be saved? that means, the essence of Islam is to believe in what Mohammed said about that higher power, and the essence of Christianity is to believe in what Jesus said. so the essence is not the same. the other religions anyway won’t agree with you.