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Thread: Hindus attitude towards samsara

  1. #1

    Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Greetings everyone,

    To be frank, i have no clue of true Hinduism and most of my view regarding Hinduism are from Buddhist's sutta. Will like to begin with clearing up as much misconception that i have on Hinduism.

    I'm interested to know how Hindus perceive Samsara. Is the existence a good or bad thing? Why Hindus recognized and worship the Creator if this existence means suffering?

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    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Quote Originally Posted by devaraja View Post
    Greetings everyone,

    To be frank, i have no clue of true Hinduism and most of my view regarding Hinduism are from Buddhist's sutta. Will like to begin with clearing up as much misconception that i have on Hinduism.

    I'm interested to know how Hindus perceive Samsara. Is the existence a good or bad thing? Why Hindus recognized and worship the Creator if this existence means suffering?
    Vannakkam: Frankly, I don't quite understand the question. We perceive samsara as the reincarnation cycle, not much else. Course I'm probably wrong.

    Aum Namasivaya

  3. #3

    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Quote Originally Posted by devaraja View Post
    Greetings everyone,

    To be frank, i have no clue of true Hinduism and most of my view regarding Hinduism are from Buddhist's sutta. Will like to begin with clearing up as much misconception that i have on Hinduism.

    I'm interested to know how Hindus perceive Samsara. Is the existence a good or bad thing? Why Hindus recognized and worship the Creator if this existence means suffering?
    Personally I think existence is a good thing, and enjoying what it brings is fine. Joy and suffering is something we can influence ourself by our acts (path of Dharma). We are here because we long to be here, it would be ungrateful to reject it. We are no longer reborn when we have fulfilled our desires and consumed the results of our acts (Karma).

    I do not think Hinduism lays the same weight on existence being suffering as Buddhism. Also accepting the idea of rebirth puts one in a totally different time frame. Salvation becomes a long term goal, improving ones conditions by working on ones character seems a more sensible direct goal in life to me.

    I think that the biggest difference between Hinduism and other religions is that in Hinduism people do attain enlightenment in life. Perfect happiness in this world is possible in Hinduism. Most religions are more pessimistic about that. Getting out of here is their prime directive. Personally I think it is because of the support of the Devas that Hindus are more optimistic. Devas help and guide us in life. They are not so remote as the monotheistic God. They fill people with joy even if circumstances are less than one would want.

    I speak for my self, some monotheist Hindu sects have their fair share of Moksha seekers that want out at the first opportunity and even see that as a duty. Personally I think this desire is self-defeating as suffering is caused by strong desires and those (often negative) desires will only bind you here. I am in no hurry to leave, but enjoy existence as a great journey, that will ultimately end, like a river flows into the ocean. After all we are witnessing nothing less then Gods own manifestation in and all around us.

    I think being able able to control our fate is one of the great things of Hinduism. It makes accepting suffering much easier when one realizes it is ultimately self-made. Thus It also gives a clear direction in life, the path of Dharma, which again takes away lots of uncertainties. Knowing how to Live right, feeling connected, and knowing death is not the end, makes both life and death acceptable and helps free the mind.
    Last edited by Avyaydya; 05 November 2013 at 09:11 PM.

  4. #4

    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    Vannakkam: Frankly, I don't quite understand the question. We perceive samsara as the reincarnation cycle, not much else. Course I'm probably wrong.

    Aum Namasivaya
    Taking a brief look from wikihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B...ra_in_Hinduism, i don’t see the nature of samsara in Hinduism being much different from Buddhism. The cause of suffering being ignorant.

    However, Buddhism evades topics such as the origin and purpose of life and only focus on teaching the cessation of suffering whereas Hinduism on the other hand explains almost everything about life.

    In this case, i would like to know how Hindus relate their experience with the purpose of life. If the purpose of existence is to experience life then attain moksha, does it looks like life itself is a game?

  5. #5

    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Thanks for taking your time answering my question.
    Quote Originally Posted by Avyaydya View Post
    We are here because we long to be here, it would be ungrateful to reject it. We are no longer reborn when we have fulfilled our desires and consumed the results of our acts (Karma).
    Desire is cause by ignorant and leads to suffering, i don't see what is the point of being grateful to it.


    Quote Originally Posted by Avyaydya View Post
    I do not think Hinduism lays the same weight on existence being suffering as Buddhism.
    I don't doubt this and like to hear more.


    Quote Originally Posted by Avyaydya View Post
    I speak for my self, some monotheist Hindu sects have their fair share of Moksha seekers that want out at the first opportunity and even see that as a duty. Personally I think this desire is self-defeating as suffering is caused by strong desires and those (often negative) desires will only bind you here. I am in no hurry to leave, but enjoy existence as a great journey, that will ultimately end, like a river flows into the ocean. After all we are witnessing nothing less then Gods own manifestation in and all around us.
    Well, this seems like a positive view.

    Quote Originally Posted by Avyaydya View Post
    I think being able able to control our fate is one of the great things of Hinduism. It makes accepting suffering much easier when one realizes it is ultimately self-made. Thus It also gives a clear direction in life, the path of Dharma, which again takes away lots of uncertainties. Knowing how to Live right, feeling connected, and knowing death is not the end, makes both life and death acceptable and helps free the mind.
    The problem here is the true path is hard to realize as we can see the world always have different ways of salvation, there are many people who didn't come across the dharma and were led astray by XYZ religions and philosophy which bare the consequence of anything from unwilling to unfavorable states of reincarnation or rebirth.

    My point is if the right condition isn't present for one to realize the dharma, one might continue with the nature of ignorance and stuck in the wheel of samsara.
    In short, Samsara is a dangerous place and i will like to hear more about any stronger reasons why one needs to be grateful to this existence.

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    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Quote Originally Posted by devaraja View Post
    I'm interested to know how Hindus perceive Samsara. Is the existence a good or bad thing? Why Hindus recognized and worship the Creator if this existence means suffering?
    Samsara is good inasmuch it is the means for moksha. Hinduism, Buddhism and other Dharmic faiths have in common the belief that each sentient being had beginningless Karma from the past. The manifestation of that Karma in the present is samsara (or the 5 skandhas as in Buddhist belief).

    Samsara being an effect of a creator God shares some aspects of the creator. The creator is endowed with infinite blissful attributes (according to theistic Hinduism) and the creation partakes these partially.

    The effect cannot be completely different from the cause. If otherwise, we would see ice flakes coming out of a burning stove.

    Yet, the effect cannot be completely same as the cause. If otherwise, there would be no difference between cause and effect.

    In fact, one teleological argument/argument from complexity for the existence of an intelligence provided in Hindu scripture is the following - samsara in itself is infinitely complex and intricate so as to provide innumerable sentient beings the opportunity to work out karma. Such staggering means to work out past karma and attain moksha cannot but be under the guidance of a divinity.

  7. #7

    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    Quote Originally Posted by wundermonk View Post
    Samsara is good inasmuch it is the means for moksha. Hinduism, Buddhism and other Dharmic faiths have in common the belief that each sentient being had beginningless Karma from the past. The manifestation of that Karma in the present is samsara (or the 5 skandhas as in Buddhist belief).

    Samsara being an effect of a creator God shares some aspects of the creator. The creator is endowed with infinite blissful attributes (according to theistic Hinduism) and the creation partakes these partially.

    The effect cannot be completely different from the cause. If otherwise, we would see ice flakes coming out of a burning stove.

    Yet, the effect cannot be completely same as the cause. If otherwise, there would be no difference between cause and effect.

    In fact, one teleological argument/argument from complexity for the existence of an intelligence provided in Hindu scripture is the following - samsara in itself is infinitely complex and intricate so as to provide innumerable sentient beings the opportunity to work out karma. Such staggering means to work out past karma and attain moksha cannot but be under the guidance of a divinity.
    Thank you for explaining. I think i need to understand more about the relation between Creator and Creation first, will post a new thread on this.

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    Re: Hindus attitude towards samsara

    namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by devaraja View Post
    The problem here is the true path is hard to realize as we can see the world always have different ways of salvation,
    This word 'salvation' is alien to sanatana dharma.
    satay

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