Greetings everyone! I'm new to the forum and was told I should submit an introduction. Truth be told, I am not sure if I will fit in here, so I will tell you a little bit about myself first.
I'm a soul in a body, struggling to satisfy the needs and wants of that body. I am successful professionally, financially, and personally, and want for nothing. Yet in spite of all of my creature comforts, I can't help but be reminded of the temporary nature of it all. It goes without saying that all of one's attachments and accomplishments will be finished at the time of the body's death. It therefore makes one wonder if there isn't a grander purpose to all of it beyond "eat, drink, be merry, and do a little charity every now and then."
I find religion fascinating because it presumes to answer that question. Whether there is an answer to that question, and whether any religion has the answer to it, I do not know. But I know that I, being fallible, do not have that answer, and that no authoritative answer is forthcoming from other fallible beings. A person subject to the human weaknesses of having limited comprehension of the world around him, the tendency to make mistakes, and the vulnerability to being mislead, etc, cannot authoritatively pontificate about truths which he or she cannot perceive. Therefore, I do not seek another man-made religion which happens to fit my biases and values (after all, said values could themselves be wrong/non-conductive to understanding any "Higher Truth" which might exist). Instead, I seek a source of knowledge that transcends the above-mentioned limitations of human authorship. I am delighted to say that my search has finally led me to the scriptures of Hinduism.
I should take a moment to define what I mean by the term "Hinduism," which is a very broad concept. This term is derived from the name of the Indus river and was used by foreigners to describe the religious culture of the indigenous people of the Indian subcontinent. It encompasses an enormous variety of customs and world-views originating over a span of several thousand years and which at least theoretically are based on (or revere) the Vedas and their supplementary literatures. Almost anything that developed on the Indian subcontinent could be characterized, and often is characterized, as "Hindu." Yet many Hindu systems of philosophy contradict each other on quite a few, significant points, and no one system can truly speak for "Hinduism," which is a sociopolitical concept that is not explicitly mentioned in the scriptures.
On the other hand, there is another term "sanAtana-dharma" which has narrower scope than "Hinduism." Mention of "sanAtana-dharma" is found in scriptures like the Mahabharata and the Puranas and is used in reference to a belief system and practices based on those same scriptures. I therefore take "sanAtana-dharma" to refer to the religion and practices based on those scriptures, and on the scriptures on which those scriptures draw authority, namely, the Vedas. Technically speaking, the terms "Hinduism" and "sanAtana-dharma" are distinct but overlapping concepts. My interest lies in understanding "sanAtana-dharma," the religion of the Vedas and the Puranas.
If you've read this far, let me reassure you that I don't intend to bore you too much longer.Suffice it to say that I have been regularly reading from traditional Hindu scriptures, and as I begin to appreciate the continuity and depth of thought that flows from the Upanishads, to the Gita, and through the Puranas, I've come to a stage in my development where I need the association of like-minded persons to discuss doubts and help me refine the understanding which I have gained so far. I'm hoping I'm in the right place... if not, feel free to just ignore me.
Sincerely,
Philosoraptor
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Originally Posted by philosoraptor
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