The Tolerance of Hinduism - 2
In the early part of their conversation, Lord Krishna said:
“Our physical bodies are perishable, but the embodied soul is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable; therefore fight, O Arjuna! Neither he who thinks this soul a killer nor he who thinks it is killed, know the truth; it neither kills, nor is it killed.
For anyone born death is certain, and for the dead birth is certain, therefore, you have no reason to grieve over the inevitable.”
As their conversation continued, Krishna explained to Arjuna the concepts of dharma (sacred duty), karma (action), atman (soul), the gunas (nature-born qualities), prakriti (nature), bhakti (devotion) and the cycle of birth and death. Towards the latter half of their dialogue, Krishna said to Arjuna:
“One who is free of egoism and whose understanding is not tainted, even if he slays these men, he does not kill and is not bound by his actions.
Your resolve is useless if a feeling of egoism makes you think, “I shall not fight”; your nature will compel you to fight.
Arjuna, one should not abandon action he is born to, even though it is flawed; all actions have some flaw, just as fire is clouded by smoke.
One’s righteous duty not perfectly done is better than another’s perfectly done; by performing action inherent to one’s own nature, one avoids sin.”
In the end, Krishna was able to convince the warrior to fight, ending with the Pandavas defeating the evil forces of the Kauravas, thus upholding righteousness.
Herman, having listened attentively to what the sage explained, seemed a bit unclear about some of it, as he politely asked Sudama if this Supreme Soul he had mentioned earlier and the human soul are the same. In reply, Sudama said no, that if this were so, people might want to worship or pray to their own soul. The sage said that in the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas it was only God who determined who would live and who would die, not the human soul. In emphasizing this, he pointed out that Lord Krishna, in trying to convince the warrior to fight, said that He had already killed the enemy and Arjuna is just His tool to destroy them.
Upon hearing this, Herman asked the sage, “How could the warrior Arjuna perform his sacred duty without committing the sin of having to kill men who were notoriously evil?” The sage replied that doing one’s duty without any desire for reward or success should be the motive behind such an act. He added that performing acts of goodness with the sole motive of going to heaven would not liberate one from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth or bring one in unity with God. The sage said that one must relinquish their desire and surrender all actions to God with sincere love and devotion. Herman, still not too clear about other matters relating to Hinduism, left the sage somewhat surprised when he asked him if the ritual he performed each week was the only form of worship Hindus practiced. Replying no, Sudama indicated that to gain some knowledge about Hinduism he must understand the question, “What is a Hindu?” Herman was very pleased when he heard this for it was the very question he had once asked Sunita. Sudama said that in one of the simplest of terms, a Hindu is one who believes in the doctrine of Reincarnation and in Dharma (sacred duty), and who follows any of the four major spiritual paths: Bhakti Yoga (the path of love and devotion), Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action), Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), Raja Yoga (the path of selfdiscipline). The sage said that all of these teachings are an integral part of what is known as Sanatan Dharma (eternal truths), which in the course of time has been called Hinduism.
Having said this, Sudama began to explain the meaning of each of these teachings. He first spoke of Reincarnation, saying that after the death of one’s physical body, one’s soul (atman) enters a new human body in a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The sage mentioned that in the sacred teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna said:
“The soul is not born, nor does it die, for weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot drench it and it does not wither.
Just as a man casts off old clothes to put on new ones, so too the embodied Self discards its worn-out body to enter new ones.”
The sage said to Herman that the embodied Self, also referred to as the soul is a spark of the Almighty that dwells within all beings and sustains them in life. The soul is the inner divinity of a mortal being, and it is an inconceivable part of Brahman that is not sinful or corrupt. Sudama then pointed out that the soul should not be confused with the egotistic, or personality self which is perishable, and where one habitually values things only in reference to one’s personal interest. He said that when we strive to control our desires or turbulent minds through quiet contemplation, it is our egotistic self that we are seeking to improve. The sage mentioned that Lord Krishna said:
“One should uplift oneself by one’s own will, not lower oneself, for the self is one’s own friend and one’s worst enemy.”
Sudama indicated that to better oneself, one should seek to control the mind through the path of knowledge and self-discipline, so as to destroy the egotistic self that is one’s own enemy in the form of desire.
The sage, emphasizing some of what was mentioned in the scriptures, went on to say that contacts with matter cause us to feel pleasure and pain, heat and cold, hence it is our physical body which feels pain, but not the soul. Sudama said that as a Hindu, he and his followers had absolutely no interest in hell, nor believed that they would be tortured by God and His angels, since his faith taught that nothing could harm or destroy the soul. He claimed that the merit of one's actions on Earth determines how a “silent justice” is served after the death of one’s physical body. Herman interrupted the sage by asking how justice is given when people who
performed wicked deeds in their previous life cannot remember their past wrong doings. The sage said to Herman that one cannot remember their past life because our world could become chaotic if people were to accuse one another of the wrong they had done in their previous life. Sudama then indicated to Herman that his understanding of what he termed the “silent justice” is based on his assessment of what Lord Krishna said:
“One’s inner being is set in nature, enjoying the qualities born of nature. Attachment to the qualities is the cause of births in the wombs of good and evil.”
Sudama explained that people have certain natureborn qualities (gunas) which have their origins in nature (prakriti). These qualities are referred to as sattva, rajas and tamas. People with the inherent qualities of being compassionate, humble, patient, honest, charitable and nonviolent are referred to as sattva (goodness). Those with the inherent qualities of being lazy, arrogant, violent and dishonest are referred to as tamas (dark inertia). The qualities of greed or
craving for the fruits of one’s actions are inherent to people referred to as rajas (passion or desire). The sage said that the ideal thing for the rajas and tamas to do was to strive beyond the stage of sattva, and seek union with the divine Self within.
Sudama believed that with reincarnation, people are given a series of chances through the cycle of birth and death to improve themselves. He pointed out that by striving to uphold righteousness, and performing good deeds without seeking the fruits of our actions, one could liberate oneself from the cycle of birth and death.
Herman, after paying close attention to what the sage said, asked if a person’s current status in life - being either rich or poor, healthy or sick - was determined by the accumulation of their good or bad deeds in their past life. Sudama replied no and said that in terms of one’s conduct, a beggar or a disabled person could have more noble qualities than one who is rich or seems to be saintly. The sage told Herman that to get a better understanding of Karma and the consequences of one’s actions, he had to reflect on people’s inherent qualities (gunas), and the need for them to elevate themselves morally.
The sage said that his Karma (action) in this present life would determine what his nature-born qualities would be in the next. He said that he was not perfect, but by doing his utmost to live a righteous life, he was hopeful that in his next life he would be reborn in a home of righteous or peaceful people, so that he could continue to strive for the liberation of his soul. Sudama said that his desire was to free himself from the cycle of birth and death, so that his soul could merge with
Brahman, the Supreme Soul, to dwell in the pure calmness of infinity.
Having listened attentively to what Sudama said, Herman interrupted him once more by asking, with reference to the current population on Earth, why it was that there were more births than deaths? Sudama replied that no one knew what was the human population on Earth or any other planet millions of years ago, and the answer to this question was a matter of what one believed in. He said that his belief in reincarnation was strengthened by the words of Lord Krishna:
“O Arjuna, I know all that existed before, I know all things that exist, I know all yet to come, but no one knows Me.
You and I have passed through many births, I remember them all, but you do not, Arjuna.”
Herman, pondered over this as well as what the sage had said about Brahman (God) being immeasurable and allpervading. He made the sage think deeply when he asked, “What are your views on creation?” Sudama, after pausing to think, replied that there was no need for one to spend a great deal of time speculating on how the universe was created, for Brahman (God) is ageless, unborn and undying.
In the early part of their conversation, Lord Krishna said:
“Our physical bodies are perishable, but the embodied soul is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable; therefore fight, O Arjuna! Neither he who thinks this soul a killer nor he who thinks it is killed, know the truth; it neither kills, nor is it killed.
For anyone born death is certain, and for the dead birth is certain, therefore, you have no reason to grieve over the inevitable.”
As their conversation continued, Krishna explained to Arjuna the concepts of dharma (sacred duty), karma (action), atman (soul), the gunas (nature-born qualities), prakriti (nature), bhakti (devotion) and the cycle of birth and death. Towards the latter half of their dialogue, Krishna said to Arjuna:
“One who is free of egoism and whose understanding is not tainted, even if he slays these men, he does not kill and is not bound by his actions.
Your resolve is useless if a feeling of egoism makes you think, “I shall not fight”; your nature will compel you to fight.
Arjuna, one should not abandon action he is born to, even though it is flawed; all actions have some flaw, just as fire is clouded by smoke.
One’s righteous duty not perfectly done is better than another’s perfectly done; by performing action inherent to one’s own nature, one avoids sin.”
In the end, Krishna was able to convince the warrior to fight, ending with the Pandavas defeating the evil forces of the Kauravas, thus upholding righteousness.
Herman, having listened attentively to what the sage explained, seemed a bit unclear about some of it, as he politely asked Sudama if this Supreme Soul he had mentioned earlier and the human soul are the same. In reply, Sudama said no, that if this were so, people might want to worship or pray to their own soul. The sage said that in the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas it was only God who determined who would live and who would die, not the human soul. In emphasizing this, he pointed out that Lord Krishna, in trying to convince the warrior to fight, said that He had already killed the enemy and Arjuna is just His tool to destroy them.
Upon hearing this, Herman asked the sage, “How could the warrior Arjuna perform his sacred duty without committing the sin of having to kill men who were notoriously evil?” The sage replied that doing one’s duty without any desire for reward or success should be the motive behind such an act. He added that performing acts of goodness with the sole motive of going to heaven would not liberate one from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth or bring one in unity with God. The sage said that one must relinquish their desire and surrender all actions to God with sincere love and devotion. Herman, still not too clear about other matters relating to Hinduism, left the sage somewhat surprised when he asked him if the ritual he performed each week was the only form of worship Hindus practiced. Replying no, Sudama indicated that to gain some knowledge about Hinduism he must understand the question, “What is a Hindu?” Herman was very pleased when he heard this for it was the very question he had once asked Sunita. Sudama said that in one of the simplest of terms, a Hindu is one who believes in the doctrine of Reincarnation and in Dharma (sacred duty), and who follows any of the four major spiritual paths: Bhakti Yoga (the path of love and devotion), Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action), Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), Raja Yoga (the path of selfdiscipline). The sage said that all of these teachings are an integral part of what is known as Sanatan Dharma (eternal truths), which in the course of time has been called Hinduism.
Having said this, Sudama began to explain the meaning of each of these teachings. He first spoke of Reincarnation, saying that after the death of one’s physical body, one’s soul (atman) enters a new human body in a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The sage mentioned that in the sacred teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna said:
“The soul is not born, nor does it die, for weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot drench it and it does not wither.
Just as a man casts off old clothes to put on new ones, so too the embodied Self discards its worn-out body to enter new ones.”
The sage said to Herman that the embodied Self, also referred to as the soul is a spark of the Almighty that dwells within all beings and sustains them in life. The soul is the inner divinity of a mortal being, and it is an inconceivable part of Brahman that is not sinful or corrupt. Sudama then pointed out that the soul should not be confused with the egotistic, or personality self which is perishable, and where one habitually values things only in reference to one’s personal interest. He said that when we strive to control our desires or turbulent minds through quiet contemplation, it is our egotistic self that we are seeking to improve. The sage mentioned that Lord Krishna said:
“One should uplift oneself by one’s own will, not lower oneself, for the self is one’s own friend and one’s worst enemy.”
Sudama indicated that to better oneself, one should seek to control the mind through the path of knowledge and self-discipline, so as to destroy the egotistic self that is one’s own enemy in the form of desire.
The sage, emphasizing some of what was mentioned in the scriptures, went on to say that contacts with matter cause us to feel pleasure and pain, heat and cold, hence it is our physical body which feels pain, but not the soul. Sudama said that as a Hindu, he and his followers had absolutely no interest in hell, nor believed that they would be tortured by God and His angels, since his faith taught that nothing could harm or destroy the soul. He claimed that the merit of one's actions on Earth determines how a “silent justice” is served after the death of one’s physical body. Herman interrupted the sage by asking how justice is given when people who
performed wicked deeds in their previous life cannot remember their past wrong doings. The sage said to Herman that one cannot remember their past life because our world could become chaotic if people were to accuse one another of the wrong they had done in their previous life. Sudama then indicated to Herman that his understanding of what he termed the “silent justice” is based on his assessment of what Lord Krishna said:
“One’s inner being is set in nature, enjoying the qualities born of nature. Attachment to the qualities is the cause of births in the wombs of good and evil.”
Sudama explained that people have certain natureborn qualities (gunas) which have their origins in nature (prakriti). These qualities are referred to as sattva, rajas and tamas. People with the inherent qualities of being compassionate, humble, patient, honest, charitable and nonviolent are referred to as sattva (goodness). Those with the inherent qualities of being lazy, arrogant, violent and dishonest are referred to as tamas (dark inertia). The qualities of greed or
craving for the fruits of one’s actions are inherent to people referred to as rajas (passion or desire). The sage said that the ideal thing for the rajas and tamas to do was to strive beyond the stage of sattva, and seek union with the divine Self within.
Sudama believed that with reincarnation, people are given a series of chances through the cycle of birth and death to improve themselves. He pointed out that by striving to uphold righteousness, and performing good deeds without seeking the fruits of our actions, one could liberate oneself from the cycle of birth and death.
Herman, after paying close attention to what the sage said, asked if a person’s current status in life - being either rich or poor, healthy or sick - was determined by the accumulation of their good or bad deeds in their past life. Sudama replied no and said that in terms of one’s conduct, a beggar or a disabled person could have more noble qualities than one who is rich or seems to be saintly. The sage told Herman that to get a better understanding of Karma and the consequences of one’s actions, he had to reflect on people’s inherent qualities (gunas), and the need for them to elevate themselves morally.
The sage said that his Karma (action) in this present life would determine what his nature-born qualities would be in the next. He said that he was not perfect, but by doing his utmost to live a righteous life, he was hopeful that in his next life he would be reborn in a home of righteous or peaceful people, so that he could continue to strive for the liberation of his soul. Sudama said that his desire was to free himself from the cycle of birth and death, so that his soul could merge with
Brahman, the Supreme Soul, to dwell in the pure calmness of infinity.
Having listened attentively to what Sudama said, Herman interrupted him once more by asking, with reference to the current population on Earth, why it was that there were more births than deaths? Sudama replied that no one knew what was the human population on Earth or any other planet millions of years ago, and the answer to this question was a matter of what one believed in. He said that his belief in reincarnation was strengthened by the words of Lord Krishna:
“O Arjuna, I know all that existed before, I know all things that exist, I know all yet to come, but no one knows Me.
You and I have passed through many births, I remember them all, but you do not, Arjuna.”
Herman, pondered over this as well as what the sage had said about Brahman (God) being immeasurable and allpervading. He made the sage think deeply when he asked, “What are your views on creation?” Sudama, after pausing to think, replied that there was no need for one to spend a great deal of time speculating on how the universe was created, for Brahman (God) is ageless, unborn and undying.
He said that for Herman to gather some insight about the Divine mystery of what appeared to be cycles of creation or the cyclical nature of the universe, he should reflect on what Lord Krishna said:
O Arjuna, in Brahma’s (Creator) cosmic abode, all worlds are subject to the incessant cycle of birth and death, but one who attains Me do not take birth again.
Those who know that a day of Brahma lasts a thousand eons, and night ends in a thousand eons, they understand day and night.
At the coming of Brahma’s day, all living beings come out from the unmanifest state, and at night they all vanish into the unmanifest state.
Yet there is another unmanifest state that is eternal and higher, and does not perish when all beings perish.
It is called the eternal unmanifest, which is said to be the ultimate goal. Those who attain it do not return, this is My supreme realm.
After listening to what the sage mentioned about creation, Herman made him think deeply again when he asked, “Can someone be reborn in a lower form of life such as a bird or animal?” The sage, somewhat surprised, replied no. He then said that people who promote such beliefs do not fully comprehend the teaching of the scriptures, and unable to explain certain things, they come up with beliefs or interpretations of their own. The sage said that even a few lines from the scriptures with a simple meaning could be made into a long philosophical story by many who are not satisfied with the little that was said. He claimed that speculation is good, but when people speculate to the point where it becomes too difficult for themselves or others to understand, then it is fruitless. The idea of one being reborn in a lower form of life was an attempt by some religious men to tell of a serious consequence for doing wrong. The idea of driving fear into people’s minds is also present in other faiths which tell frightening stories about hell. Sudama said that rebirth could only occur in a human form, since human beings are the only species of its kind that is blessed with the capacity to reason and attain high levels of knowledge, and it is only in a human form that they could perform their righteous duty to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death.
Sudama next began to talk about Dharma (sacred duty). He started by saying that dharma is the perpetual work of God which sustains all of creation. In earthly affairs dharma pertains to one’s duty to uphold righteousness, the law, religion, customs, and the harmony of things. The sage said that dharma is also about sustaining fairness, and following what one’s conscience tells them is right and meaningful. By practicing dharma one could live in unity and peace with others. Sudama told Herman that the way to gather some insight about dharma was to think about his own duty. He said to Herman that he was happy to hear from Sunita about the good works he had done as a medical doctor, and was also happy that Herman had never sought any reward for his actions. The mere fact that Herman cared for his patients showed that dharma resided in his heart, for dharma is the righteousness within us that makes us want to perform acts of goodness.
Next, Sudama began to talk about the four spiritual paths commencing with Karma Yoga (discipline of action) which pertains to the law of cause and effect. The sage said that this ancient philosophy emphasizes the performance of selfless actions where good deeds lead to the liberation of one’s soul (atman) from the cycle of birth and death while unrighteous acts prevent it from being liberated. Sudama said that all beings are driven to perform action by their nature-born qualities and each person is held accountable for their own evil deeds. He said that no one could exist without performing action, for even to sustain our own bodies we have to perform
action. To gather some insight about the necessity of action even at the highest level, think about what Lord Krishna said:
If I did not perform action these worlds would perish; I would create confusion, and all living entities would be destroyed.
Sudama then went on to say that when acts of devotion, sacrifice and charity are performed one should not seek the fruits of their actions. He pointed out that Lord Krishna said:
“You have the privilege to work, but never to the fruits of action; never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor be attached to inaction.” In short, the good things we do in life should be done with pureness of the heart, and one should not crave a reward for doing good. Having explained Karma Yoga in brief, the sage spoke of another spiritual path called Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge. He indicated that through meditation one seeks to develop balanced judgment and sustain righteous thoughts amid their determined effort to realize that the soul is the true Self. Many who practiced this type of yoga seek to control their desires, and to slowly disengage themselves from earthly attachments. Because the mind harbors evil desires, knowledge gets obscured, thus ruining one’s judgment to know the true Self. Spiritual knowledge means humbleness, honesty, patience, non-violence, self-discipline, and showing respect for one’s parents and teachers.
Following this, the sage began to talk about Bhakti Yoga, saying that this is the path of love and devotion, meaning the various ways people show or express their love for God. Sudama said that this type of yoga teaches us to serve the Lord with affection, and to be truthful, humble, tolerant and respectful. He pointed out that for some people who find some of the philosophical teachings of Hinduism too difficult to comprehend, this path is simple. Sudama said that whenever he
got together with his followers to worship God, it was pleasing to see many devotees chant the name of the Lord and to listen to him tell stories about the goodness of God.
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