Need for Eternal Dharma based Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism to Come Together and Worship in Unison

 

 

Need for Eternal Dharma based Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism to Come Together and Worship in Unison

(Compilation for a Discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville. TN, USA, S2020)

 ETERNAL RELIGION CALLED SANATANA DHARMA

“Sanatana Dharma is the Hindu religion only because the Hindu nation has kept it, because in this Peninsula it grew up in the seclusion of the sea and the Himalayas, because in this sacred and ancient land it was given as a charge to the Aryan race to preserve through the ages. But it is not circumscribed by the confines of a single country, it does not belong peculiarly and forever to a bounded part of the world. That which we call the Hindu religion is really the eternal religion, because it is the universal religion which embraces all others. If a religion is not universal, it cannot be eternal. A narrow religion, a sectarian religion, an exclusive religion can live only for a limited time.

The religious culture which now goes by the name of Hinduism..... gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up no single narrow path or gate of salvation ; it was less a creed or cult than a continuously enlarging tradition of the Godward endeavor of the human spirit. An immense many-sided and many-staged provision for a spiritual self-building and self-finding, it had some right to speak of itself by the only name it knew, the eternal religion, Sanatana Dharma”-- says Aurobindo

The words Hindu and Hinduism were coined by the Greeks who came with Alexander the Great in 350 BC and referred to the inhabitants of the Sindh river valley. The Supreme Court of India has categorically stated that Hinduism is a way of life and not a religion, told that one needs a guru to gain true spiritual knowledge, and advised respect and obedience for the guru. However, at no stage in any scripture, does it suggest blind faith or total surrender.

Geographically conceived collective term Hinduism by Greeks for a large group of Svadharma practicing groups, was popularized and propagated by British Rulers in India as pagan groups clubbing with Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs for their own political advantage and propagation of Christianity. Even before their arrival people following different philosophies of their chosen leaders identified themselves as Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs. I wonder why they did not start Sankara Religion,   Buddha Religion Madhva religion etc., but decided to remain as philosophic groups under Hinduism to which Hindus later added more philosophic groups. I also wonder why they did not start Israel Religion, Arab Religion, and Italian Religion etc., based on Geographical name while thinking of Hindus! Today only the heterogeneous Dharma groups called mata in Sanskrit are recognized as exclusive geographic Hinduism in the world by all!

“Hinduism is a religion more of experience than of doctrine. It prefers to say to its followers, ‘This is the nature of Truth, and these are the means by which that Truth may be realized. Here are the traditions which have withstood time and proved most effective. Now you may test them in your own life, prove them to yourself. And we will help as we can.’ Hinduism will never say, ‘You must do or believe thusly or be condemned.” says Sadguru Sivaya Subhramaniyaswami

“HINDUISM is a relentless pursuit after truth and if today it has become moribund, inactive, irresponsible to growth it is because we are fatigued; and as soon as the fatigue is over, Hinduism will burst forth upon the World with a brilliance perhaps unknown before. Of course, therefore, Hinduism is the most tolerant of all religions. Its creed is all religions. Its creed is all embracing”, says Mahatma Gandhi.

 Sanatana dharma, in Hinduism, term used to denote the “eternal” or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste or sect. Different texts give different lists of the duties, but in general Sanatana dharma consists of virtues such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, purity, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and ascetics.   Sanatana dharma is contrasted with svadharma, one’s “own duty” or the particular duties enjoined upon an individual according to his or her class or caste and stage of life. The potential for conflict between the two types of dharma (e.g., between the particular duties of a warrior and the general injunction to practice non-injury) is addressed in Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā, where it is said that in such cases svadharma must prevail.

The term has also more recently been used by Hindu leaders, reformers, and nationalists to refer to Hinduism as a unified world religion. Sanatana dharma has thus become a synonym for the “eternal” truth and teachings of Hinduism, the latter conceived of as not only transcendent of history and unchanging but also as indivisible and ultimately nonsectarian --Encyclopedia Britannica

“Do your duty the best of your ability without worrying about the results. Perceive that GOD is present equally in all beings and treat all beings equally. The four goals of human life are: doing one’s duty, earning wealth, material and sensual enjoyment with senses under control and attaining salvation. The aim of the Gita doctrine is to lead one to tranquility, happiness and equanimity. Gita prescribes no rituals. The Gita says that the world needs different religions, cults and devas to meet the vastly different needs of individuals.  Its doctrine is beyond Religions and National Boundaries” says International Gita Society.

This message of Gita has been reflected in the later Book of Revelations 7 of the Holy Bible that has been revised several times to make Christianity all exclusive and Number One Religion. Here is the reference to the descent of Sanatkumara with 144,000 people from planet Venus to save the Earth!

“The 144,000 will be descendants of Abraham! But, the 144,000 will not necessarily be members of the Jewish race. The 144,000 will come from every race of people! Furthermore, the Bible says the numberless multitude that go through the great tribulation will come from all nations, kindred, tongues and people. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and Revelation 7 affirms this! Because the numberless multitude will be multinational, the first-fruits of the same harvest (the 144,000) will be multinational. Remember, first-fruits are a sample of the coming harvest!” 

We came here to enjoy life and that is the purpose of human life. We came to see how a different kind of experience can be enjoyed by us. The secret of achieving this lies in the Gita.

The meditation-based philosophies are India’s great gift of knowledge to the world that remain at the cutting edge of science, spirituality and psychology today. While they are rising again today, it is time to bring them back into the mainstream of human inquiry, starting in India.  The Hindu Temples and various Hindu monasteries in the USA are duty-bound to promote a better understanding of the Hindu Dharma, especially among the younger generation, who must become aware of the rationale of their rich cultural heritage with a modern perspective.   The Mandirs have to play a significant role in the growth of the Hindu community in terms of its capacity to uphold the Hindu Dharma.  The growth of Hindu Dharma in America critically depends on the extent to which the Hindu children remain anchored in their timeless traditions. Ensuring this will require collective thought and action.  Educated Hindus need a demythologized and less ritualistic Hindu Dharma to blend modernity with the vision of the Vedas, Upanishads and other Hindu scriptures.   Additionally, temples need to get actively involved in establishing harmonious and respectful relations with American public in their local communities. This could be done by occasionally  closely working with Jainism  (who frequent Hindu temples) which has similar basic thoughts, inviting them to our temple festivals, helping the local charities and working actively with the Council of the World Parliament of Religions to improve inter-community relations.  Though Hindus can worship at shrines in the home, a temple also provides a focal point for the community, and an opportunity to translate their Dharma into collective practice. We all know how Jain philanthropists have   funded and raised Hindu temples all over India, equally so in USA, that stand as towering monuments of Inter-faith discipline! I do not see same gesture from Hindus in India!

“The main motto of Sanatana dharma is ‘Live and let live’. It believes in maintaining peace all over the world and wants its followers to promote the same thought and give up with hatred and enmity. Now people all over the world started believing that if there exists any form of peaceful religion then it can only be “Sanatana Dharma” says the Java princess  who recently celebrate her coronation ceremony with Hindu priests though a Buddhist to make the Hindu secularists in India realize the pureness of Sanatana Dharma and its significance.  

We have been talking on merits of Sanatana Dharma as Universal Religion that swami Vivekananda presented to World Forum of Religions at Chicago on 9/11 of 1893! Therefore let us  learn a bit more about Jainism whose philanthropists  have raised many Hindu Temples in India and often participate in  worship in Hindu temples in USA and also willing to raise a separate sanctum for Mahavir Jain in Hindu Temples and participate in joint worship with the spirit of sanghacchadvam sam vadadvam samaanamaakootih!

Hinduism is among the six official religions of Indonesia. As per the census report of 2010, an estimated total of over 4 million Hindus resides in Indonesia. The stories from Mahabharata Epic have been traced to the Indonesian islands and its link to the Hinduism during the 1st century. The whole history can be summed as origins of Hinduism in Indonesia was in the 5th century BC. Hinduism was later replaced by Buddhism, which stayed as the main religion of Sumatra and Java until it was replaced by the brutal Islam invasion in the 14th century CE. However, presently most of the population in Bali practice Hinduism as their religion.

“In the dim past what we call Hinduism today was prevalent all over the world. Archaeological studies reveal the existence of relics of our Vedic religion in many countries. All historic, archeological and Upanishad information confirms that there is no question of certain things being taken from Bharat and introduced into another country. In the beginning the Vedic Religion was prevalent all over the world. Later, over the centuries, it must have gone through a process of change and taken different forms. These forms came to be called the original religions of these various lands which in the subsequent period, historical times, came under Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Christianity or Islam as the case may be” writes Jagadguru Chandrasekharendra Saraswati in his book on Dharma.  

An expiation ritual “Kamokarsheet Manyurakaarsheet” atoning for sins of Sanatana Dharma has been adapted by Jainism as “Paryushan” Ritual and as   “Yom Kippur” in Judaism as atonement annual rituals. Whatever religion we may practice, in our daily life, we commit many sins knowingly or unknowingly. According to the law of Karma, every action we commit has an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore its realization and corrective action becomes necessary for all human beings! This is the wisdom of Vedas!

 

Swami Chidananda of Paramartha Niketan, Rishikesh says:   “Now is the time for us to take up a new global prayer, a new mantra, and a new song. Let its words be that of unity, may its harmony be that of all voices together. Let its crescendo be lasting peace. Today, the music begins, this is the music that the world needs today.” Let us live in peace but not in Pieces.

 

DHARMA BASED JAIN RELIGION

Jainism is not a religion of coming down. In Jainism it is we who must go up. We only have to help ourselves. In Jainism we have to become God. That is the only thing. In Jainism, godliness is said to be the inherent quality of every   soul. This quality, however, is subdued by the soul's association with karmic matter. All souls who have achieved the natural state of infinite bliss, infinite knowledge (kevala jnana), infinite power and infinite perception are regarded as God in Jainism. Jainism rejects the idea of a creator deity responsible for the manifestation, creation, or maintenance of this universe. According to Jain doctrine, the universe and its constituents (soul, matter, space, time, and principles of motion) have always existed. All the constituents and actions are governed by universal natural laws and perfect soul, an immaterial entity cannot create or affect a material entity like the   Universe.

From the essential perspective, the soul of every living organism is perfect in every way, is independent of any actions of the organism, and is considered God or to have godliness. But the epithet of God is given to the soul in whom its properties manifest in accordance with its inherent nature. There are countably infinite souls in the universe.

According to Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra (a major Jain text):  

आप्तेनो च्छिनदोषेण सर्वज्ञेनागमेशिना। भवितव्यं नियोगेन नान्यथा ह्याप्तता भवेत्।।५।

In the nature of things the true God should be free from the faults and weaknesses of the lower nature; [he should be] the knower of all things and the revealer of dharma; in no other way can divinity be constituted.

क्षुत्पिपासाजराजरातक्ड जन्मान्तकभयस्मयाः। न रागद्वेषमोहाश्च यस्याप्तः स प्रकीर्त्यते ।।६।।

He alone who is free from hunger, thirst, senility, disease, birth, death, fear, pride, attachment, aversion, infatuation, worry, conceit, hatred, uneasiness, sweat, sleep and surprise is called a God.

Godliness

In Jainism, godliness is said to be the inherent quality of every soul (or every living organism) characterizing infinite bliss, infinite power, Kevala Jnana (pure infinite knowledge),  infinite perception, and perfect manifestations of (countably) infinite other attributes. There are two possible views after this point. One is to look at the soul from the perspective of the soul itself. This entails explanations of the properties of the soul, its exact structure, composition and nature, the nature of various states that arise from it and their source attributes as is done in the deep and arcane texts of Samayasāra, Niyamasara and Pravachanasara. Another view is to consider things apart from the soul and its relationships with the soul. According to this view, the qualities of a soul are subdued due to karmas of the soul. Karmas are the fundamental particles of nature in Jainism. One who achieves this state of soul through right belief, right knowledge and right conduct can be termed a god. This perfection of soul is called Kevalin. A god thus becomes a liberated soul – liberated of miseries, cycles of rebirth, world, karmas and finally liberated of body as well. This is called Nirvana or Moksha.

Jainism does not teach the dependency on any Supreme Being for enlightenment. The Tirthankara is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, but the struggle for enlightenment is one's own. Moral rewards and sufferings are not the work of a divine being, but a result of an innate moral order in the cosmos; a self-regulating mechanism whereby the individual reaps the fruits of his own actions through the workings of the karmas.

Jains believe that to attain enlightenment and ultimately liberation from all karmic bonding, one must practice the ethical principles not only in thought, but also in words (speech) and action. Such a practice through lifelong work towards oneself is regarded as observing the Mahavrata ("Great Vows").

Gods can be thus categorized into embodied gods also known as arihantas and non-embodied formless gods who are called Siddhas. Jainism considers the  devīs and devas to be souls who dwell in heavens owing to meritorious deeds in their past lives. These souls are in heavens for a fixed lifespan and even they have to undergo reincarnation as humans to achieve moksha.

Thus, there are infinite gods in Jainism, all equivalent, liberated, and infinite in the manifestation of all attributes. The Self and karmas are separate substances in Jainism, the former living and the latter non-living. The attainment of enlightenment and the one who exists in such a state, then those who have achieved such a state can be termed gods. Therefore, beings (Arihant) who've attained omniscience (kevala jnana) are worshipped as gods. The quality of godliness is one and the same in all of them. Jainism is sometimes regarded as a trans-theistic religion, though it can be atheistic or polytheistic based on the way one defines "God".

Pancha Parameshthi--Five supreme beings

 In Jainism, the Pañca-Parameṣṭhi (Sanskrit for "five supreme beings") are a fivefold hierarchy of religious authorities worthy of veneration. The five supreme beings are:

Arihant; Siddha; Acharya (Head of the monastic order); Upadhyaya ("Preceptor of less advanced ascetics");   and Muni or Jain monks

ARIHANT

 A human being who conquers all inner passions and possesses infinite right knowledge (Kevala Jnana) is revered as an arihant in Jainism. They are also called Jinas (conquerors) or Kevalin (omniscient beings). An arihant is a soul who has destroyed all passions, is totally unattached and without any desire and hence is able to destroy the four ghātiyā karmas and attain kevala jñāna, or omniscience. Such a soul still has a body and four aghātiyā karmas. Arihantas, at the end of their human life-span, destroy all remaining aghātiyā karmas and attain Siddhahood. There are two kinds of kevalin or arihant:

• Sāmānya Kevalin–Ordinary victors, who are concerned with their own salvation.
• Tirthankara Kevalin–Twenty-four human spiritual guides (teaching gods), who show the true path to salvation.

 SIDDHAS
Although the siddhas (the liberated beings) are formless and without a body, this is how the Jain temples often depict them.

Ultimately all arihantas become siddhas, or liberated souls, at the time of their nirvana. A siddha is a soul who is permanently liberated from the transmigratory cycle of birth and death. Such a soul, having realized its true self, is free from all the Karmas and embodiment. They are formless and dwell in Siddhashila (the realm of the liberated beings) at the apex of the universe in infinite bliss, infinite perception, infinite knowledge and infinite energy.

The Acharanga Sutra 1.197 describes siddhas in this way:

The liberated soul is not long nor small nor round nor triangular nor quadrangular nor circular; it is not black nor blue nor red nor green nor white; neither of good nor bad smell; not bitter nor pungent nor astringent nor sweet; neither rough nor soft; neither heavy nor light; neither cold nor hot; neither harsh nor smooth; it is without body, without resurrection, without contact (of matter), it is not feminine nor masculine nor neuter. The siddha perceives and knows all, yet is beyond comparison. Its essence is without form; there is no condition of the unconditioned. It is not sound, not color, not smell, not taste, not touch or anything of that kind.   

Siddha-hood is the ultimate goal of all souls. There are infinite souls who have become siddhas and infinite more who will attain this state of liberation. According to Jainism, Godhood is not a monopoly of some omnipotent and powerful being(s). All souls, with right perception, knowledge and conduct can achieve self-realization and attain this state. Once achieving this state of infinite bliss and having destroyed all desires, the soul is not concerned with worldly matters and does not interfere in the working of the universe, as any activity or desire to interfere will once again result in influx of karmas and thus loss of liberation.

About Gods and Goddesses

Jains pray to these passionless Gods not for any favors or rewards but rather pray to the qualities of the God with the objective of destroying the karmas and achieving the Godhood. This is best understood by the term vandetadgunalabhdhaye – i.e. "we pray to the attributes of such Gods to acquire such attributes"   

 Idol of Padmāvatī devī, śāsanadevī of Lord Parshvanatha at Walkeshwar Temple. She is one of the most popular demi-goddess amongst the Jains. According to Digambar Terapanth, worship of such deities is considered as mithyātva or wrong belief. However, in the Bispanthi Digambar tradition and the Shwetambar tradition, Padmavati is a popular Jain goddess.

Jain cosmology offers an elaborate description of heavenly beings (devas), but these beings are neither viewed as creators nor are they immortal; they are subject to suffering and change like all other living beings, and must eventually die.  Jainism describes existence of śāsanadevatās and śāsanadevīs, the attendants of a Tirthankara, who create the samavasarana or the divine preaching assembly of a Tirthankara. Such heavenly beings are classified as:-

• Bhavanapatis – Devas dwelling in abodes
• Vyantaras – Intermediary devas
• Jyotiṣkas – Luminaries
• Vaimānikas – Astral devas

The souls on account of accumulation of meritorious karmas reincarnate in heavens as devas. Although their life span is quite long, after their merit karmas are exhausted, they once again have to reincarnate back into the realms of humans, animals or hells depending on their karmas. As these devas themselves are not liberated, they have attachments and passions and hence not worthy of worship. These heavenly beings (devas above) tainted with attachment and passion; having women and weapons by their side, favor some and disfavor some; such heavenly beings (devas) should not be worshipped by those who desire emancipation. Worship of such devas is considered as mithyatva or wrong belief leading to bondage of karmas.

Jain scriptures reject God as the creator of the universe. Further, it asserts that no god is responsible or causal for actions in the life of any living organism. Ācārya Hemacandra in the 12th century put forth the Jain view of the universe in the Yogaśāstra says: This universe is not created nor sustained by anyone; It is self-sustaining, without any base or support

Authors of English-language tend to retain the term "deva" or describe these beings as "deities", "gods" and "goddesses."  Hindus also build temples and worship some enlightened souls like Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Chaitanya, Azhwars, Nayanmars, Swami Narayan, Andal, Saibaba  etc., as Gods in sanctums built for them.

The word Tīrthaṅkara signifies the founder of a tirtha which means a fordable passage across a sea. The Tirthankara show the "fordable path" across the sea of interminable births and deaths. Jain philosophy divides the wheel of time in two halves, Utsarpiṇī or ascending time cycle and avasarpiṇī, the descending time cycle. Exactly 24 Tirthankara are said to grace each half of the cosmic time cycle. Rishabhanatha was the first Tirthankara and Mahavira was the last Tirthankara of avasarpiṇī.

Tirthankara revive the fourfold order of Shraman, Shramani, Śrāvaka, and Śrāvika called sangha. Tirthankara can be called teaching gods who teach the Jain philosophy. However it would be a mistake to regard the tirthankara as gods analogous to the gods of the Hindu pantheon despite the superficial resemblances between Jain and Hindu ways of worship. Tirthankara, being liberated, are beyond any kind of transactions with the rest of the universe. They are not the beings who exercise any sort of creative activity or who have the capacity or ability to intervene in answers to prayers.

Tirthankara-nama-karma is a special type of karma, bondage of which raises a soul to the supreme status of a Tirthankara.

I often wonder  why Mahavir Vardhamana’s sanctum is built in Hindu temples in USA in Temples like Albany and Huntsville and worshiped with Shodashopachara puja erected by Jains who are principle donors. Ideal would have been to erect  sanctum for Rishbha Deva (Adinatha)  who is also considered as an Avatar of Vishnu like Buddhadeva and father of all Titrthankaras!

We need both vertical as well as horizontal integration of all Dharma based religions of the East that once sprang from The Eternal Tradition called Sanatana Dharma which Swami Vivekananda placed before the World Religious Forum at Chicago more than a century ago as “Vedanta, Religion of the Future for the World” to live in peace but not in pieces.

“I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal." --Vivekananda spoke on 9/11 of 1893 at Parliament of Religions.

 There are around 150000 Jains and around 50 Jain centers in USA. This will rapidly go down with Inter-faith marriages, more than in Hindu Americans because of their small number. Some of them are migrants from countries other than India too and are not strictly orthodox as Jains from India!  No doubt JAINA In USA is trying very hard to   keep its Exclusivity and Pride, motivated by recent trends in India to get their piece of cake as minority religion, having a goal to catch the eyes of Washington like some Sikhs!   But as we see growing number of American Spiritual thinkers are more inclined towards Hinduism than Jainism looking at several convert Spiritual Gurus and also the support from Celebrities and Scientists. Jains would be wiser to adopt all Dharma based inclusive policy than exclusive policy with their declining small numbers!

 

CAN HINDUISM & BUDDHISM UNITE--THAILAND SHOWS THE WAY

It looks as though Buddhism has been more serious about this fusion of Dharma based beliefs than Jainism.  We have been talking about these two Religions often and therefore need no elaborate explanation. Moreover Buddha is univocally accepted as An Avatar of Vishnu and not Rishabha.

Jayadeva’s great poem Gita-Govinda that articulates the wide-spread of Vaishnhava-ideology in Bengal includes historical Buddha and not the Puranic Bauddha. The Buddha as a cult-hero was a human being who was deified at first honored and later worshiped.

Like the Jains, the Buddhists also have a notion of 24 Buddhas who were responsible for the spread and stability of mankind, before Gotama appeared as the twenty-fifth. The last seven have been remembered and honored--Vipassi, Sikhi, Vessabhoo, Konaagamna, Kassapa and Gotama. The Mahayana accounts mention even 54 Buddhas. This 25^th Buddha was absorbed in the more orthodox and conventional pantheon as a ninth incarnation of Vishnu.

While the Buddha is usually depicted as an ascetic of the Saakhya clan (Saakhya-muni) the Tantrik cults have greatly influenced the Buddha iconography, especially in Tibet.  Several forms of the Buddha unknown to the Hindu scriptures have found expression under the influence. As we know Rishabha as Adinatha started the Jain Dharma which grew leaps and bounds unorganized by other Teerthankaras but got consolidated by the 24^th Teerthankara Mahaveera Vardhamana to be recognized as Jainism. This Jainism is trying to keep its identity separate from Hinduism and do not want to conflate with large group of Hindus who are Non-Vegetarians whose numbers are considerable.  In recent times they are further trying to isolate as Vegans while Hindu Americans have amicably raised sanctums for Mahavir Vardhamana in Multi-traditional Hindu Temples  based on the historic unity of Hindus and Jains in the past who both believe in iconic worship unlike Sikhism that also sprang from Sanatana Dharma that goes more with Aryasamaj!

Hinduism is about understanding Brahma, existence, from within the Atman, which roughly means "self" or "soul," whereas Buddhism is about finding the Anatman — "not soul" or "not self." In Hinduism, attaining the highest life is a process of removing the bodily distractions from life, allowing one to eventually understand the Brahma nature within. In Buddhism, one follows a disciplined life to move through and understand that nothing in oneself is "me," such that one dispels the very illusion of existence. In so doing, one realizes Nirvana.

In Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's words, "Buddhism, in its origin at least, is an offshoot of Hinduism."

Surprisingly fusion of Dharma-based Hinduism and Buddhism has been taking place off the shores of India   slowly and steadily since long! Thailand   leads the other Buddhist countries.  Without going deep into the subject let us focus on its most popular “Tripave Trivembave” festival and Royal Crowning Ceremony.

An annual Festival called "trivambave - tripave" is being celebrated by Thais. Does the name sound familiar to your South Indian ears? It is a Tamil Word. Here are some clues. This festival is held between December 14 to January 12 for 15 days by Brahmin priests during Tamil Marghazhi Month,  chanting verses in praise of Hindu gods. 

Bangkok could be the only place in the world where our Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai is recited during the month of Marghazhi by Thai Brahmin Priests. These Thai Brahmins are descendants of Tamil Brahmins from Rameshwaram, Srivilliputtur and other parts of South India who were brought to this land as early as the 2nd century. To understand the presence of Brahmins in Thailand you need to know a bit of a history of Thailand.

Some of you would know that the area comprising the present Thailand, Cambodia and Burma was once ruled by Khemers till 13th century. Historians believe that the Khemers were either our Pallava Kings or Leaders of local tribes who were made Kings by Pallavas.  Khemer Kings, being Hindus, practiced either Vaishnavism or Shaivism. The King who built Angkorwat, Surya varman, was a Vaishnavite and it was built as a Vishnu Temple. The Khemer Kings adopted a concept called "Devaraja Cult" which means that the King is an incarnation of Vishnu or Shiva. They built temples for Vishnu and Shiva and consecrated statues representing themselves as Gods and promoted themselves as the undisputed leaders of their subjects.

The Brahmins came with the Kshathriya Kings to promote Hinduism. The Pallava Kings brought them to act as court advisors to the kingdom as was the practice in Mainland India. The Brahmins were also required to perform a ritual called "Varathyasyoma" to convert a foreigner into a Kshathriya King whenever a local is made the King.

 

The Kings sometimes married in the Brahmin families and when a king was childless, they adopted a boy from the Brahmin family. The Brahmins, thus, performed their role of advisor, minister and priest to the Royal family in addition to practicing Hindu rituals and practices.

 

The Khemer kingdom, after 1300 years of glorious rule by the Hindu kings, fell to the Thais in 1282 when Jayavarman, the last Khemer King, was defeated by the Thai invasion that formed the First Thai Kingdom -- Sukhothai. The creation of a Buddhist Thai Kingdom should have ended Hinduism practiced by the Khemers.  Surprisingly it did not!

 

The practice of Devaraja Cult did not die with the Khemers. Why?
The Thais, even though Buddhists, continued the Devaraja cult for two reasons. Since they took over a land of Khemers, they did not want to change the practices of the land and be alienated from the locals. Secondly, the Devaraja cult suited their intentions of assuming supremacy as it gave them instant recognition among people. So the Thai kings also continued the Devaraja cult and as a consequence extended patronage to the Indian Brahmins and projected themselves as Incarnations of Hindu Gods in addition to practicing Buddhism. (That explains why the Royal family in Thailand practices Hindu Rituals and practices even during the present times.)

Let us leave the Kings for a moment and continue with our study of Brahmins. The Brahmins, in the Buddhist Thailand, thus thrived as priests of the Royal family and performed rituals like Coronation ceremonies, Upanayanams for the Royal family. They also performed Housewarming ceremonies, Ploughing Ceremony, Upanayanams for the common people and continued practicing Hindu rituals and ceremonies. One such Brahmin ceremony of reciting Thiruppavai verses is "Trivambhave, thripave" which is continued to be recited even in this 21st century.

 

Many of you may not have visited a place in Bangkok like me that houses three Hindu deities-- Ganesh, Shiva and Vishnu. It is not a temple patronized by the Indians like Dev Mandhir and Mariamman Temple. It is a Thai temple. It is called Devasthan --(Boat Prahm ) and is situated opposite the Dev Mandir,  right behind the Giant Swing. Incidentally Dev Mandir itself was the venue of a very big Hindu ritual of "Oonjalaattam" for Shiva that was stopped due to the occurrence of accidents. The word Boat Prahm means "Sanctuary of Brahmins".

This is the place where the Thiruppavai Thiruvempavai festival takes place for 15 days and all the Brahmins in Thailand come and stay in the temple for 15 days. The Brahmins who came from India married local women and as centuries went by, lost their Indian identity. They speak Thai and appear like an improved version of their frail looking brothers back home. They are clothed in white robes in stark contrast to the Buddhist Monks. They wear the sacred thread too (Poonool).

 

The ceremony they perform at the Boat Prahm is very similar to the poojas at our Hindu temples with Deeparadhanai, blowing of the conch shells (sangu) and "neivedhyam". At the end of the pooja they recite the Thiruppavai. The Thiruppavai script is written in Grantha with parallel Thai script. As they do not know the meaning of the verses the pronunciation is completely different. As you know, the Thiruppavai ends with the word "embavaai" in each song and only that word could be understood. The rest of the text is recited with total disregard to punctuation marks and sounds different. Words are irrelevant in matters of faith and it is a memorable experience watching these Thai Brahmin Priests reciting the Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai.

The Kanchi Acharya had spoken in high regard of this practice of reciting Thiruppavai in a Buddhist country like Thailand in Mayavaram's Dhakshinamurthy Mutt in 1952. He has even commented that "even though we in Tamil Nadu recite Thiruvembhavai, we do not perform it as a festival but a Buddhist country thousands of miles away does it". On the request of the Kanchi Acharya, a team of Tamil Scholars, came to Thailand and studied the scripts of Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai that are being recited in Bangkok temples and have recorded the fact that they are in Grantha. Kanchi Acharya's speech is referred in Padma Subramaniyam's book about the influence of Indian Bharatha naatiyam in Thai classical dance.

 

It might also surprise you that the Brahmin Priests recite "Thiruvaasagam" during the coronation ceremony of the King.  Till the last century Trivembhave Triphave was a national festival of Thailand along with the Swinging Ceremony at the Giant Swing. Nowadays only a few Thais witness the pooja and recital performed by ten to twenty Thai Brahmins. The numbers have comedown but the spirit has not died and it is a heart-warming scene of a small group of Thai Brahmins carrying on with their Hindu traditions. A tradition that played a great role in shaping up the religious and philosophical base of this country.

 

Coronation of the Thai monarch

 The Coronation of the Thai monarch is a ceremony in which the King of Thailand is formally consecrated by anointment and crowning.  The coronation rites are a blend of Hindu and Buddhist traditions dating back several centuries. The rites include the purification bath of the king, the anointing of the king (based on the ancient ritual of Abhiseka), the crowning of the king, and the investiture of the royal regalia, the royal utensils, and the royal weapons of sovereignty.   The most recent coronation was held on 4 May 2019 for King Vajiralongkorn. The Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella over the throne inside the Amarin Winitchai throne hall, Grand Palace  is an ancient symbol of kingship dating back to ancient India.

The earliest forms of coronation in Southeast Asia were derived from those of ancient India. The present Thai coronation ceremony is a blend of Hindu and Buddhist traditions, which were transferred to the Initial states of Thailand from three different sources: the Hindu civil actions of Srivijaya from the 8th to 12th centuries; the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the mid-14th century; and the Mon Buddhist Thaton Kingdom from the 3rd century BC to the 11th century.

One day before the actual inscription ceremony, a benediction is performed by several Buddhist monks in the main chapel of the Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  Usually starting around the same time, but separately, is the ancient Hindu ritual called the homa or sacrifices to fire.   The ritual is performed by the royal court's Chief Brahmin   who is also the High Priest of Shiva, and his followers, the court Brahmin.   The images of the three Hindu deities (the Trimurti) are placed on three altars. Before them is placed a copper stove inscribed with the appropriate yantra, and nine basins of water each containing a small silver coin. After the usual purification rites, the citing of the yantra of worship to the eight directions and to the deities on the altar, the Brahmin will, with great ceremony, dip the leaves of certain trees, such as the Aegle marmelos, that were esteemed in ancient times for their supposed medicinal and purifying values, into the water. The leaves are offered to the king during the imminent service of benediction. The king will then brush himself on the head and hair to symbolize purification and give them back to the Chief Brahmin, who will then ceremonially burn each of the leaves.  

Before the coronation day, a service of benediction   will take place.  A senior monk will then read out a proclamation signaling the start of the coronation ceremonies. The entire assemblage of monks, following the recitation of the Five Precepts, will chant the Paritta Suttas and lay a protective thread around the buildings to ward off evil spirits. The service concludes with the monks leaving the palace. They will return for the coronation service the next day. Before the end of the day the king will also send offerings of flowers to the Hindu deities in the Brahman temple, to the sacred white royal nine-tiered umbrellas, and to the images of the guardian spirits of the capital city at the city shrine.  On the same day the covered tablets of the royal seal, titles and horoscope are officially transferred from the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to the Phaisan Thaksin hall.

 The first coronation rite is the purification bath of the king. After performing a brief prayer (repeating the Five Precepts), and receiving a blessing from the assembled monks inside the hall, at the auspicious time the Chief Brahmin will invite the king to take a ceremonial bath. The king will change into a white robe, symbolic of purity (similar to a monk's Kasaya). Prior to taking the bath, the king will pause at an altar erected in the courtyard to light candles and make offerings to Hindu deities.

The water used in this ceremony is collected from the five principal rivers of the kingdom: the Chao Phraya, the Pa Sak, the Mae Klong (or Rachaburi), the Phetchaburi, and the Bang Pakong. This mirrors the five ancient Indian rivers, the Ganges, the Mahi, the Yamuna, the Sarayu, and the Achiravati. Also included is water from the four ancient ponds of Suphanburi and consecrated water from important Buddhist temples around the kingdom.

Anointing

The royal anointing ceremony begins after the king is changed into his regal vestments.   King is led by royal pundits and Brahmins in a specific order.  The king will first sit facing the east, the pundit in charge over that direction will advance and after paying homage (by the act of prostrating in front of the king) will address him in Pali. The king then turns to the southeast, where the same Pali and Thai language dialogues will be repeated with changes to the name of the direction and of the corresponding celestial guardian of that direction. The eight guardians of the directions are derived from the traditional Buddhist idea of Hindu mythology, including the four heavenly kings: Dhṛtarāṣṭra (east), Virūḍhaka (south), Virūpākṣa (west) and Vaiśravaṇa (north), also known as Kubera; and the four subsidiary beings: Bhuta (southeast), Deva (southwest), Nāga (northwest) and Yaksha (northeast).

The Chief Brahmin will then approach the king and hand him the great royal nine-tiered white umbrella, the symbol of a consecrated king. The king will accept it and hand it over to a royal page. A mantra is then invoked by the Brahmin, to fanfare and music. The king will then rise from the throne and proceed to the crowning.  The king in his regal vestments, wearing the Great Crown of Victory, makes his way from the residence behind and sits on the Phuttan Kanchanasinghat throne’   The audience is made up of members of the royal family, government ministers, members of the legislation.

From the temple the king travels by state palanquin to the Dusit Maha Prasat throne hall. Here the king will light candles and make a short homage in memory of his royal ancestors. The urns containing the relics of past kings and queens are displayed on a throne. This is the final public ceremony of the day.

Though Thailand is currently a Theravada nation, Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism dominated for a long time. Because of its Hindu past, Thailand has no issues in venerating the Hindu deities. Shrines to Brahma, Indra and Ganesha are found all over Thailand.

Brahma, Ganesha, Indra, etc and their respective Shaktis are viewed as bodhisattvas in Buddhism. This is also true in Tibetan Buddhism, as well as in Japanese Buddhism. They are all considered world protectors, and high level bodhisattvas.

Brahma for instance is seen as one of the great world protectors but not considered the essence and creator of the entire world. He is one of the oldest beings that still lives in our world system, because he was one of the first to karmic descent into it.

INDONESIA’S FUSION OF RELIGIONS THOUGH ISLAMIC

Hinduism is one among the six official religions of Indonesia. As per the census report of 2010, an estimated total of over 4 million Hindus resides in Indonesia. The stories from Mahabharata Epic have been traced to the Indonesian islands and its link to the Hinduism during the 1st century. The whole history can be summed as origins of Hinduism in Indonesia was in the 5th century BC. Hinduism was later replaced by Buddhism, which stayed as the main religion of Sumatra and Java until it was replaced by the brutal Islam invasion in the 14th century CE. However, presently most of the population in Bali practice Hinduism as their religion.

Hindus and Hinduism may be a victim in its own country India, but earns a huge and humble respect in various parts of the world be it the Soviet Union, Germany, Ireland, Indonesia or various other countries. The growing popularity and the way people have started embracing Hinduism has one simple reason and that’s because Hinduism is not just a religion it’s a way of life.

Hinduism offers no compulsion that one needs to stick to, if the follower is a bodybuilder then the god is Hanuman, if the follower is studious then god is MA Sarasvati, so on and so forth.

Kanjeng Raden Ayu Mahindra Kooswidyanthi Paramasi the Princess of Java, Indonesia   is very well known for her love towards music; she is a well-versed pianist and a composer of high quality. The Princess of Java Indonesia went through a ritual named Sudhi Wadani on 17th July 2017, at the Pura Luhur Catur Kanda Pat Sari of Bali. This ritual is done to embrace Hinduism and it’s the first step. This event is a major minority religion boost as many others are returning to the fold of Hinduism, attracted by its philosophy. Sudhi Wadani ritual of the Princess was done by a group of Hindu priests.  The ceremony of Sudhi Wadani started with the purification ritual followed by the chanting of the second stanza of Puja Narayana mantra (Tri Sandhya) the longest was the chanting of the sacred Gayatri Mantra. At the end, various other Hindu rituals were followed.

After the completion of the ritual, the Princess of Java, Kanjeng Mahendrani, became a Hindu on 17th of July 2017. The Princess of Java has also announced that she will build an ashram (pasraman) in Bali. The ashram will boast a various blend of Javanese, Bali, and Nusantara culture. After the Sudhi Wadani ritual, the Princess was seen smiling gracefully ear to ear. The Princess was delighted to witness that the Balinese people have come to see the ritual of her embracing Hinduism. She was deeply touched by the warmth and the greetings offered by the people. “I have not adopted a new religion but I have rejoined back to my religion again. I used to frequently visit Hindu temples to offer pooja and pray there, before I could accept Hindu religion” she said. 

In the veins of every Indonesian flows the blood of Indian ancestors, and the culture that they possess is steeped through and through with Indian influences. Two thousand years ago, people from Bharat came to Jawadvipa and Suvarnadvipa in the spirit of brotherly love. They gave the initiatives to establish powerful Kingdoms such as those of Sri Vijaya, Mataram and Majapahit. Indonesians learnt to worship the very Gods that Indians now worship still and   fashioned a culture that even today is largely identical with that of India.  Later they turned to Islam; but that religion too was brought by people coming from both sides of the Indus River.

Various synthetic Hindu-Buddhist teachings have existed through history. In Southeast Asia, the Saivite and Buddhist traditions overlapped significantly particularly in Indonesia and Cambodia. The most advanced syncretism eventually appeared in Java, as a universal religion regarding both Shiva and Buddha as incarnations of the same being.

Especially in Central and East Java, the two religions did not only coexist peacefully, but also merged. Over the centuries, the meeting and unifying of the teachings of both religions progressively occurred until merging into a unique syncretic religion called Shiva-Buddha.

By observing both Buddhist and Saivite scriptures, appears an evolution of philosophical thought where these two religions eventually merged into the highly sophisticated Shiva-Buddha religion. The Kakawin Sutasoma and the Kakawin Arjunawijaya express very clearly that Shiva and Buddha are one, with no ambiguities.

“It is mentioned that two of His embodiments are the glorious Buddha and Shiva, which are said to be split in two, thus the Buddha Truth and the Truth of Shiva are one, there is no ambiguous truth’’. — Kakawin Sutasoma

Unity of Buddhism and Shaivism

• Both are meditation traditions devised to help us transcend karma and rebirth and realize the truth of consciousness.

• They see the suffering and impermanence inherent in all birth — animal, human or Godly — and seek to alleviate it through developing a higher awareness.

• Both emphasize the need to dissolve the ego, the sense of me and mine, and return to the original reality that is not limited by the separate self.

• Both traditions emphasize enlightenment or inner illumination to be realized through meditation.

Both systems recognize dharma, the principle of truth or natural law, as the basic law of the universe we must come to understand.

• Buddhism defines itself as Buddha Dharma or the dharma of the enlightened ones, which is seen as a tradition transcending time or place. Yoga defines itself as part of the Hindu tradition called Sanatana Dharma, the universal or eternal dharma, which is not defined according to any particular teacher or tradition.

• Both systems share the same basic ethical values, like nonviolence, truthfulness, nonattachment and non-stealing. The vows that Buddhist monks take and those that monks and sadhus take in the yoga tradition are the same, as are those of the Jains.

Ultimately the goal is the same, that of self-realization and liberation of bondage of the physical expression, called Nirvana in Buddhism and Moksha in Hinduism.

Buddhism and Hinduism were never mutually exclusive. There is little contradiction, and it is easy to consider oneself a believer of both if one wants!

Buddhism is indeed an offshoot of Hinduism which rejected the rituals and deities, because Siddhartha began his journey at a time when there was a growing backlash against Brahmanism (what later has developed into modern Buddhism). Shaivism and Tantric Buddhism are almost inseparable at the core. Shavite (Hindu) Tantrism fused with Vajrayana, esoteric Buddhist   Religion.

 

MIGRANT’S HAVEN AMERICA WHERE ALL RELIGIONS CAN LIVE IN PEACE  

America too Celebrates Liberty icon! Three Major Hindu Temples opened as millions honored Freedom at the Unveiling of a Restored Lady Liberty in 1986, celebrating 100 years of the installation of Statue of Liberty. She has welcomed millions to the New World, among them hundreds of thousands of American Hindus, who joined in week-long festivities that were emotionally moving, visually stunning and universally meaningful.

At Ellis Island, New York Harbor, all the world idolizes Lady Liberty, the deity of liberty, the goddess of freedom. With a seven-pointed crown signifying the earth's seven continents, golden torch held aloft, she rivals the colossus of India's standing Mahavira  and China's sitting Buddha sculptures. The Statue of Liberty is America's idol. And July 4th of 1986 was her Mahakumbha- Abhishekam, a refurbishing of copper and steel, a recharging of spirit with parades, sailing flotillas, speeches and a supernovae of laser lights and fireworks.

Hindus shared a unique view of the events. First of all, there was a certain pleasant irony in seeing the whole American public unabashedly idolizing a statue. Never mind that this goddess offers liberty and traditional Murthis bespeak liberation; one is prerequisite for the other. Secondly, the very freedoms Liberty stands for-including the freedom of religion-have allowed Hinduism to become an important and swiftly growing facet of the U.S. melting pot. More than ever, it is clear that the world's oldest religion called Sanatana Dharma will be part of the future American landscape.

While America celebrated independence and the liberties enshrined in the Bill of Rights, a historic and picture-perfect expression of American religious freedom unfolded in two suburbs of Chicago, Illinois and Livermore, California-- Not one, but three lovely Hindu temples: the Sri Rama Hindu Temple in Lemont, Illinois (June 27 - July 6), the Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Swami Temple in Aurora, Illinois June 15 - June 22) and the Livermore Shiva/Vishnu Hindu Temple (July 9 - July 13). May liberty and liberation enlighten the world!

The Statue of Liberty stands in Upper New York Bay, a universal symbol of freedom. She is the Mother of Exiles, greeting millions of immigrants and embodying hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life in America. She stirs the desire for freedom in people all over the world. She represents the United States itself and is dearer than our lives! To Hindu Americans she is Devi Swatantra Mata reminding of Bharat Mata of India that stirred the  whole Nation while  fighting for Independence and Democracy!

“We will not forget that Liberty has here made her home; nor shall her chosen altar be neglected."--President Grover Cleveland. 

The essence of Sanatana dharma, regardless of our religious traditions, is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the whole world is one family. To me Interfaith means entering into the common faith of our one humanity. 

Samaani vaa aakootih samaana hridayaani vah / Samaanam astu vo mano yathaa vah susahaasati //= (X-191-4)

United be our purpose, harmonious be our feelings and collected be our mind, in the same way as all the various aspects of the universe exist in togetherness, wholeness.

Wisdom lies in all Dharma based religions joining together and follow the Vedic dictum “Sanghacchadvam samvadadam…” and “Tamaso maa jyotirgamaya…” with which all rishis sat together and prayed to the unknown from which Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were carved out as philosophic thoughts aimed at universal peace that later the followers compartmentalized as exclusive religions.  Are we not living together today in Hinduism with different philosophies of Advaita, Visishtadvaita and Dvaita?

Southeast Asiatic Countries have shown as discussed above how they live in peace and harmony together whether they are a Buddhist Country or Islamic Country focusing their thoughts on their origin of Sanatana Dharma.  If this is made possible by all  American HindusindusHindus,  Abrahamic religions in USA who have their origin in GOD (The Holy Spirit) and Abraham will regret their separation, and join together giving up  conversion, intimidation, senseless brutal killings, violations, hatred and  abuses and join the crowd of those who believe in “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—The Whole World is One Family!”

But there is one difficulty! These three religions are born out of hatred and violence though are not based on wide difference in philosophies or concept of God and worship!  Such religions cannot live in peace and as Brothers they fight! That is why the New Testament quotes Jesus as saying that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". Abrahamic religious followers are today rich and materially prosperous, exclusive and dominance-minded unlike Dharma based Religious followers. May be they have to learn  from Dharma based Religious Unity,  if it is achieved by their split groups  in USA, lead by SBNR and “Awesome Without Allah” Groups  whose numbers are growing rapidly. But the initiative has to come from American Hindus who can lead such groups with no direction, because of their strong background of Sanatana Dharma and Vedic culture!  If one Malala can change the Pakistan Nation’s attitude towards women in Pakistan and one Reema Abbasi can change the mood of Pakistan to willingly restore the ransacked ancient temples by her powerful journalism, stating: “Lack of harmony impacts everyone, including the people in India and Pakistan”, a minority group of highly educated  Hindu Americans can certainly lead the country spiritually and worship together  to live in peace but not in pieces! A powerful pen and will is mightier than the sword of brutality!

“Mother”  says Wise alone should rule the world! “When I say that the “wise” should govern the world, I am not taking a political point of view but a spiritual one. The various forms of government can stay as they are; that is only of secondary importance. But whatever the social status of the men in power, they should receive their inspiration from those who have realized the Truth and have no other will than that of the Supreme.”--Mother

 

 ANNEXURE

 The following link is intended for Hindu Spiritual Care Providers (commonly referred to as Hindu Chaplains) who are invited to attend formal Interreligious or Interfaith Dialogues, and for organizers of such events. This document will be a treatment of Dharmic perspectives on such Dialogue, but, as common with oral traditions such as ours, it is not intended to be static - it will evolve as more people share their opinions on the content

 Dharmic Guidelines for Interreligious Dialogue 

 

 

North American Hindu Chaplains Association (NAHCA)

 

[Dharmic Guidelines for Interreligious dialogue:]

 namaḥ sabhābhyaḥ sabhāpatibhyaś ca || Yajurveda Taittirīya Saṁhitā 4.5.3

“Honor to the assemblies for discussion and to those who facilitate them.”]

 

Abstract

The following is intended for Hindu Spiritual Care Providers (commonly referred to as Hindu Chaplains) who are invited to attend formal Interreligious or Interfaith Dialogues, and for organizers of such events. This document will be a treatment of Dharmic perspectives on such Dialogue, but, as common with oral traditions such as ours, it is not intended to be static - it will evolve as more people share their opinions on the content.

Definitions

In the western world, interreligious dialogue presumes dialogue between members of different religions and interfaith dialogue presumes dialogue between members of different faiths. However, in the Dharmic context, these terms were never considered representative, as our identities were not formed in these ways. The closest equivalent is vidvad-goṣṭhī/saṃsad/sabhā - a meeting, sitting, or assembly of experts, or, paṇḍitapariṣat - a conference of wise people. In so far as such meetings would discuss or debate matters pertaining to traditions, the words used are āgama - (that which has been passed on from teachers to students=) tradition, mata - system of thought, prasthāna -system/movement, darśana - philosophy. Therefore, although a member of a Dharmic tradition may attend an Interreligious/Interfaith Dialogue, they would be open to the participation of any wise member of a spiritual tradition, philosophical system, or religion, and they would be afforded equal respect.

 

Background

From the foregoing, one might presume that interreligious dialogue refers simply to the discussions that happen between representatives of different religions - and for those of the Dharmic traditions at least, this would be true. However, according to the Archdiocese of Chicago for example, dialogue is of different types:

Ecumenical: with other Christian sects/denominations

Interfaith: with other Abrahamic Religions (termed faith as they have faith in acommon canon and deity)

Interreligious: with non-Abrahamic Religions

 

Moreover, with the Second Vatican Council and the Papal Encyclical Nostra Aetate of1965, Catholics were urged to realize with regard to “Hinduism and Buddhism” that, “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.(4)

 

The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve

and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.”

Since then, through the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1964) and numerous organizations that arose from the additional funding dedicated to this cause by the Church, together with non-Catholic groups such as the North American Interfaith Network (1990) that fostered similar gatherings, interreligious dialogues grew across North America.

However, there was clarification called for, as this did not sit well with Abrahamic doctrine that there was only one true path. The Catholic response came from Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Missio published in 1990: Inter-religious dialogue is a part of the Church's evangelizing mission.

 

Understood as a method and means of mutual knowledge and enrichment, dialogue is not in opposition to the mission ad gentes; indeed, it has special links with that mission and is one of its expressions. This mission, in fact, is addressed to those who do not know Christ and his Gospel, and who belong for the most part to other religions. In Christ, God calls all peoples to himself and the wishes to share with them the fullness of his revelation and love… ...Although the Church gladly acknowledges whatever is true and holy in the religious traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam as a reflection of that truth which enlightens all people, this does not lessen her duty and resolve to proclaim without fail Jesus Christ who is 'the way, and the truth and the life.'...The fact that the followers of other religions can receive God's grace and be saved by Christ apart from the ordinary means which he has established does not thereby cancel the call to faith and baptism which God wills for all people.

Whilst understandable from the point of view of the religion wherein they were thus conceived, these motivations, understandings and goals of interreligious dialogue as stated are divergent to those conceived of in the Dharmic traditions. The North American Hindu Chaplains Association (NAHCA) has therefore deemed that the collation of information from within the Dharmic Traditions will assist with openness and clarity with regards to our motivations when engaging in interreligious dialogue.

 

Theory

In the Dharmic traditions, theoretical and experiential knowledge is a central concern. It is through such wisdom that one attains the cessation of sufferings: tad vātmatattvaṁ prasamīkṣya dehī ekaḥ kṛtārtho bhavate vītaśokaḥ (Śvetāśvataropaniṣad 2.14) - “The person who has intuited the nature of the self becomes one who has attained the goal of transcending suffering.” Understanding the nature of the self leads to the cessation of the cycles of suffering and dissatisfaction; on this point the Dharmas are unanimous. What the Self is, however, is subject to deliberations: ekaṁ sad viprā bahudhā vadanti (Ṛgveda 1.164.46) - “The wise speak of the one existent principle in many ways.” Humans are given to discussions, which often devolves into disagreements. It is, perhaps, for this reason that the Ṛgveda closes with:

saṃ gacchadhvaṃ saṃ vadadhvaṃ saṃ vo manāṃsi jānatām | devā bhāgaṃ yathā pūrve saṃjānānā upāsate || samāno mantraḥ samitiḥ samānī samānam manaḥ saha cittam eṣām samānam mantram ... || samānī va ākūtiḥ samānā hṛdayāni vaḥ | samānam astu vo mano yathā vaḥ susahāsati || (Ṛgveda 10.191.2-4)

“Come together, discuss together, together, let your thoughts agree - Just as the illumined beings of long ago, coming to an agreement together, humbly approached their shares of the blessings.

Common to them all was the advice, the assembly was of equals. Their thoughts and perception were similar…

Common is your purpose, let your hearts be of common goals, Let your thoughts be similarly focused, so that all may be well for you together.”

 

The Veda is not proposing that one relinquish one’s perspective: but simply points out that if the goal is common, then it can be attained using various different means from different points of view so long as the hearts of the people are intent on a similar outcome.

 

For the Dharmic peoples, the goal is singular: the cessation of the cycles of suffering and dissatisfaction. God may be equated with such a cessation (theist traditions), but not necessarily (non-theist traditions). Given the foregoing, one may imagine that disagreements were common. And, that would be right. However, it did not end with people engaging in fisticuffs - verbal or physical. Instead, people would be encouraged to live out their truths whilst centering harmonious living with those they disagreed with (cf. Jayanta Bhaṭṭa’s Āgamaḍambara).

Developing on from the Vedas were the six schools of philosophy (Ṣaḍ Darśana), amongst which the School of Logic (Nyāya) entertained the most robust discussions of epistemology and the means of cognition (pramāṇa). Based on the Ṛgvedic verses, they discerned that knowledge about that which is unknown was acquired through the consensus of experts, which is likewise crystallized through discussion. As such, their deep deliberations on discussions - who should enter into discussions, what their motivations should be, what are the best methods, what should be avoided, etc. - serve as the basis for the discussions not only in the Ṣaḍ Darśanas, but also amongst the Śaiva, Śākta, Vaiṣṇava, and Smārta Spiritual Traditions, and even the Buddhist, Jain, and other non-Vedic Dharmic traditions.

Our view is that, with sufficient contextualization, the guidelines developed in the Dharmic traditions will be able to serve those willing to enter into interreligious dialogue.

This is because we view all indigenous spiritual traditions, philosophies, and    religions as being valid expressions of the search, and all the followers thereof different members of the one human family. Universal betterment or wellbeing, therefore, is as much in others best interests as our own, and dialogue is an expedient towards it.

 

The Dharmic Purpose

Persons engaging in dialogue should identify what purpose their meeting will serve - Kumārila Bhaṭṭa states in his Ślokavārttikā - prayojanam anuddiśya na... pravartate: “do not proceed without establishing a purpose.” The purpose of interreligious dialogue as understood by a specific group has been discussed above. So, what is the purpose underlying the entry into such dialogue by members of the Dharmic Traditions?

 

The overall purpose of the Dharmic Traditions is mokṣa: the attainment of freedom from suffering & dissatisfaction born of confusion and nescience. Whilst this is an individual spiritual pursuit, in the contexts of a discussion, it is expanded to include all individuals.

This is known as sarva-bhūta-hita, “the wellbeing of all.” This wellbeing is the common purpose referred to at the conclusion of the Ṛgveda (su-saha-asati) noted above. Removal of confusion and promoting understanding, whilst centering maitra and karuṇā (loving friendship and compassion) are the focal points of discussion.

 

A Blissful Experience

The Bhagavadgītā speaks to members of the devout theist Dharmic traditions in this passage:

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam |

kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca || (Bhagavadgītā 10.9)

Those who are conscious of Me and have devoted their lives to My service derive perpetual contentment and enjoyment from discussing Me and enlightening one another.

What could be more heartwarming than learning how a member of another theist Dharmic tradition or religion goes about their relationship with God?  Seeing the humanity and the connection of the person with the Lord should engender a deep sense of kinship and understanding that could be viewed as a supplemental common good, should the members of the dialogue all be theists.

Who Should Engage in Dialogue?

In so far as the removal of confusion (mainly derived from objective knowledge) and promotion of understanding (usually framed within subjective experience) have primacy for Dharmic entrants into dialogue, the framework of Nyāya philosophy is useful. It is proposed therein that aside from the authority of spiritual teachings (vaidika-śabdapramāṇa), there is popular consensus (laukika-śabda-pramāṇa). Caution is given - people have limited perception as our human senses are prone to error and we are not omniscient. So in the absence of empirical data, the consensus of learned people, specialists in the area under discussion, should be sought: āpta-vacana, “the testimony of the learned consensus.”

Traditionally, an āpta is: āptāḥ khalu sākṣātkṛtadharmāṇaḥ idaṃ hātavyam idam asya hānihetur idam asyādhigantavyam idam asyādhigamahetuḥ iti bhūtāny anukampante (Vātsyāyana’s Nyāyasūtrabhāṣya, 2.1.68) - “Āptas have direct experience of things, knowing what should be avoided and why, and what should be sought after and why, due to their compassion for all living beings.” In other words, an āpta is a learned, trusted, and open-hearted source of information.

Per one of the Vedānta traditions, āptas are further described by Puruṣottam ācārya in his Vedāntaratnamañjūṣā as: bhramādi-hetu-buddhi-māndyādi-catuṣṭayāpramāṇyakāraṇa-śūnyatve sati yathārthavaktṛtvam āptavākyam … śrutimūlakatvena tatsāpekṣatvāc chruti-smṛti-vyākhyātārā āptas tadvākyaṁ pramāṇam ubhayamūlakatvenobhaya-sāpekṣatvāt |

 

“Testimony from someone deemed an āpta is only trustworthy if that person’s ability to explain things as they are is without any of the causes of unreliability such as insufficient knowledge, mistake, cheating or other hidden agenda, and illusion. The testimony from such a person can be a valid means to cognition

if it is derived from the spiritual teachings, the commentaries, the discussions about them, and the recollected consensuses in so far as they are all rooted in the spiritual teachings.”(Vedāntaratnamañjūṣā, commentary on Vedāntakāmadhenu 4).

 

We find parallels in the Theistic teachings of the Bhagavadgītā, in its description of the ideal seekers, contained throughout. For example, adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥkaruṇa eva ca | nirmamo nirahaṅkāra sama-duḥkha-sukha kṣamī || (Bhagavadgītā 12.13) “One who is not jealous of others, but is a friend to all living beings with true compassion, who is not biased or egotistical, who is equipoised in joy or sorrow, always forgiving.” Above all, an āpta is also one who embodies the compassion of a teacher whilst speaking, and the humility of a student whilst listening.

Summary

From the above, the following can be distilled:

1. For practitioners of Dharmic traditions, both Interreligious and Interfaith Dialogue refers to an equitable dialogue between members of different philosophical orientations, spiritual traditions or religions.

2. Dialogue should be entered into with the view of the betterment of all regardless of their traditions, species, race, caste, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, etc.

3. The person that engages in dialogue should be replete in knowledge of the tradition they are invited to represent, and be able to delineate which view is their personal opinion or experience vs. that which is the learned consensus of their tradition.

4. Ideally, they should also be aware of the various positions of the experts in the tradition to be able to present a more nuanced picture of an issue, should it be required.

5. In view of clearing confusion, they should also know the major topics of another tradition in order to provide examples that are relevant and within the other’s frame of reference, without operating on presumption. This should be obtained by perusing the learned consensus of the other discussants’ traditions, and not by operating on presumptions based on world religions classes, the media, etc.

6. The person should endeavor to inculcate the qualities of the āptas in their daily lives. Centering compassion, loving friendship, and kindness are the essential tenets of our Dharmic traditions which are not contingent upon any criteria save their existence.

7. An important requirement of Dharmic notions of dialogue is that they are seeking the common good, and as such, the person who enters it should not have hidden agendas. Stroking the false ego, or fame, money, and power should not be in the minds of people deemed āpta.

8. With this in mind, it is important that āptas are able to recognize anāptas - those who are opposite to the above in intention or character, and be able to center compassion in such situations. This may manifest simply in patient listening, as actual learning only takes place where the humanity of the other is validated. Friendship that is born of a transparent wish for the best of that person in accordance with their tradition can be a solid course of action.

 

Decolonization of Presumptions

It will not have gone unnoticed that the non-Buddhist/Jain/Sikh Dharmic traditions are composed of many spiritual traditions: some non-theist and some theist. When interreligious dialogues are organized, they generally are looking for a representative of the world religion called Hinduism, even if the wording centers individual perspectives.

Hinduism as a concept arose comparatively recently - in the late 1800s - during a time in  which Indians (everyone resident in South Asia were known as Hindoo/Hindu/Indian to the colonial powers unless they actively lobbied for a different affiliation) were viewed to have one “heathen religion.” Religion presupposes an institutionalized system of belief.

 

This colonial misconception has continued to thrive both in “Hindu” sources as well as Colonial/Orientalist sources. Unfortunately, both are presently the dominant presumption in North America, as postcolonial methods have not been applied to the most popular source texts - with repercussions visible not only in the educational sphere,  but also in the judicial, political, social, and even economic spheres.

 

Hinduism is as imprecise a term as “Abrahamism” would be to describe the religion followed by a member of the Seventh Day Adventists. It behooves an interlocutor from the Dharmic traditions in such dialogues to be able to correctly situate their perspective once they have arrived on Hinduism ticket.

For quick reference - the ancient monotheist (specifically panentheist) spiritual traditions of Śaiva, Śākta and Vaiṣṇava Dharmas, the monist tradition of Smārta Dharma, the numerous orthopraxy Dharmas such as those followed by the Hor Hopon, Khasis, Garos, Bodos, etc., with all their denominations and regional/localized traditions cannot be confused with Hinduism. Hinduism, with its birth in the 1800s, is a neo-Vedāntic movement that sought to synthesize spirituality with religion and politics in order to answer the British Protestant notion of legitimate religion. It has many adherents due to this, but it does not represent all of the Dharmic spiritual traditions.

 

Religion vs. Spiritual Tradition

The spiritual questions - who am I, why am I here, etc. - were answered by many early thinkers in the Dharmas. Their teachings became spiritual traditions in so far as they were discussed, debated, updated, and refined to suit every individual in their respective contexts. They did not prescribe any blanket beliefs, but held space for discussion, debate, and contextualizing. These traditions thus support seekers, and discourage untested belief.

 

Religions, on the other hand, answer these spiritual questions in a manner predicated upon, usually, a revealed text/prophet. Membership of these religions includes confirming or stating one’s belief in the religion. For more on the distinction in professional care settings, see page 5 of The Impact of Professional Spiritual Care.

 

This is an important distinction to bear in mind, especially for colonized traditions such as the Dharmas. It is imperative that the dangers of a single narrative are clear for a Dharmic discussant, something which historian Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie draws attention to.

Hinduism does not have the ancient Dharmic traditions as sects or denominations - it is a unique tradition which parallels the Abrahamic religions. As such, it is one among the various Dharmic traditions. It is incumbent upon a Dharmic discussant to decide how much of this information is pertinent to a discussion. Where organizers are seeking a “Hindu” view on a topic, one would have to orient the participants to this fact in general terms before situating their own perspectives from which they will be talking. Where organizers are seeking to hear about individual experiences or perspectives, then this may be a moot point.

 

Dialogue Recommendations*

Per the Nyāyamañjari’s author Jayanta Bhaṭṭa, the discussion should always have afacilitator that has demonstrated experience in dealing with complex matters. If not an area specialist, they should be adept in plural epistemological management and conversation facilitation.

In an ideal situation, the dialogue should fall within the category of vāda - a discussion among equals wherein one seeks to explain their hypothesis or viewpoint utilizing relevant examples or studies/learned consensus to demonstrate the veracity or applicability of their position. Interreligious dialogues should therefore avoid the qualities of a vitaṇḍā (wrangling debate) or jalpa (bad debate - quarrel). These are characterized by selfish motives, usage of illogical statements, ad hominem attacks, hidden motives, etc. Ensuring this is left to the facilitator.

 

In a nyāya-informed discussion, there are a few general guidelines. There should be an introduction, managed time for each discussant to speak, time for responses, and time for the discussants to reply to those responses. The facilitator should arrange for a summary to be stated at the end, to which all members of the dialogue should verify is reflective of their positions, and then the facilitator may choose to end with their observations or next steps. All of this should be conducted with kindness, openness, honesty, and compassion, especially when controversial topics are discussed. Such brave spaces are very easy to talk about, but require much management in order to be successful. It is also essential to the task of the pluralist nature of the Dharmic dialogue that there is co-creation of the theme, participant lists, etc.

 

Should it be of help, each discussant should receive, in advance, a statement from the facilitator about the guidelines to be used in the discussion, and in the case where the discussants are new to each other, it might be useful to request each member to signal their acceptance of these terms by signing them, though, discussants who are invited should be freely able to decline the invitation without any negative presuppositions.

 

In Conclusion

It is hoped that the foregoing will enable discussants who are members of the Dharmic traditions to enter interreligious dialogues, to contribute positively to the goal of the common good. Should you have any queries, do not hesitate to contact NAHCA  info@hinduchaplains.org.

 

Further Reading:

Theory:

Cāndogya Upaniṣad

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Bhagavadgītā

Vātsyāyana, Nyāyasūtrabhāṣya

Puruṣottama, Vedāntaratnamañjūṣā

Aṇṇambhaṭṭa, Tarkasaṅgraha

Jayantabhaṭṭa, Nyāyamañjarī

Applied:

Cāndogya Upaniṣad 4 (Yājñavalkya)

Jayantabhaṭṭa, Āgamaḍambara

 

*Example Flow of an interreligious dialogue meeting:

 Setting of a well-researched, inclusive, and equitable theme.

 Selection of a facilitator with requisite expertise.

 Communication of theme, expectations, and invitations.

 Ensuring that invited participants agree to a code of ethics, for example, the

NAHCA Code of Ethics.

 1 hour minimum for the dialogue:

The facilitator creates an inclusive space and reminds participants of the Code of Ethics, and guidelines for participation in the dialogue.

 

Guidelines include duration of remarks, ensuring that remarks are stated in a clear, nyāya logical manner (hypothesis, example, counter-points, connection, and conclusion), that questions are reserved for the appropriate time and are framed in a respectful manner.

 

The first round of remarks should be preceded and followed by a short mind-fulness practice to allow for reflection.

 

The facilitator can then steward the discussion that follows:

 Facilitator can watch for language that is not inclusive or narrows open discussion

 Facilitator can ensure equitable distribution of time (note that equitable centers the margins and that some speakers who need more time to describe more difficult concepts, i.e. not mainstream can be allowed more time)

 

The facilitator concludes the discussion by summarizing the salient points and setting out future opportunities (or next steps)

 

Prepared by Dr. Preeta Banerjee, Hindu Advisor for Tufts University & Dr. Brahmachari   Sharan, Director for Dharmic Life at Georgetown University for NAHCA (North American Hindu Chaplains Association), 23rd December 2020.

 

Acknowledgments:

We thank the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) for their support of this work through the”Racial Equity & Interfaith Cooperation Award” that is part of the  “We Are Each Other’s Campaign”, setting out future opportunities (or next steps).