namaste
Can anyone suggest a brief introduction to Hindu philosophy and practice? An internet article would be ideal.
praṇām
namaste
Can anyone suggest a brief introduction to Hindu philosophy and practice? An internet article would be ideal.
praṇām
Vannakkam: It's a complex topic. I'd recommend the book, "What is Hinduism?" by Himalayan Academy. It's free on-line as a download.
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/readlearn/basics
Aum Namasivaya
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Hinduism does not mean being Indian. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Jews all live in India. It has nothing to do with the color of one’s skin, nor the origin of one’s birth. Charvaka was as much a Hindu as was Ramanuja or Shankara. Every spectrum of thought and opinion has been accommodated with respect under the bannerhead of Hinduism. According to the Tantra Sara, “Who abhors violence and division in every form, who always practices harmonious behavior, who is a lover of Wisdom, who respects all teachers of Wisdom, who practices one-pointed meditation, such a one may be said to be a Hindu.”
The Sanatana Dharma defines eight forms of behavior called “achara” which are appropriate for spiritual life:
- Vaishnavachara which means find our inspiration.
- Vedikachara which means learn about that which we love.
- Shaivachara which means practice that which we learn about.
- Vamachara which means, “Beloved Behavior,” perform every action in life efficiently.
- Dakshinachara which means, “Preferred Path,” reduce our necessity to perform worldly actions.
- Siddhantachara which means make our behavior correspond to the activities spoken of in the scriptures. These are primarily seven
- Puja (Worship)
- Path (Recitation)
- Homa (Sacred Fire Ceremony)
- Sangeet (Singing)
- Nrit (Dancing)
- Pravachan (an explanation of the meanings and applications, how to integrate these various activities into our lives)
- Arpana (offering)
- Yogachara means “Behavior of Union”.
- Kulachara means “Behavior of Excellence,” whether sitting still in meditation or actively pursuing some objective, the attitude toward life remains the same in every circumstance.
Sanatana Dharma (The Eternal Ideal of Perfection) teaches us that peace, truth, light and bliss are all within us and that the essential ingredient to connecting to these divine qualities is attention, attention to whatever task is at hand. This discriminating attention allows for the chance to look at ourselves and our action before we act or react to the circumstances around us. Evaluating our actions and acting purposefully allows us to focus on the central purpose of our existence, to know and realize that we are divine beings. This absorbed attention can then bloom into meditation and at its pinnacle in Samadhi (the experience of Oneness).
The practice of concentrating attention is called meditation. The student new to the practice of meditation begins to understand that concentrating the attention is an all-inclusive process of daily living. Loving, being respectful, worshiping, serving, and paying attention increase the efficiency of our lives.
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All information above can be sourced back to:
http://www.shreemaa.org/
Hope this Helps,
Much Love to You!
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