Vannakkam TTA: If time permits, I also use my personal example as illustration. It goes something like this.
Within what we call Hinduism there are four main sects, or groups, and many other minor variations, or mixes of these four. They are Vaishnava, Smarta, Saiva, and Shakta, and then all of those in various combination or not at all. The sect I belong to is Saiva. Within Saiva there are 6 main schools. Then I list them, if I can remember. My particular one is Saiva Siddhanta. Within Saiva siddhanta there are two main schools. Mine is called monistic Saiva Siddhanta, or the Nandinatha Sampradaya.
By this time the listeners are either bored, or they do have some idea of the vastness. Sometimes I will give two answers to the same question, by: What do you want, my opinion of what Hindus generally believe, or my lineages answer to that question.
The other night my wife and I did what I call courtesy visits to two temples outside my tradition. We just walked in and prayed at the altars, and sat and meditated for a moment in each. One was a North Indian 'everything is here' temple and the other was the local ISKCON temple. Its nice to keep loosely in touch with the other traditions. After all, we are all Hindus.
Aum namasivaya
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