Opposing Worldviews: Hinduism in Brief
Worldviews: An Undeniable Framework for One’s Identity for being Human.
“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do well, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.” Robert E. Lee.
Lee, an influential member of the American military staff in the 19th century, advises people to adopt a correct perspective on life and the world. The quotation was merely a new exposition of the concept people already had deposited about God, Supreme Being, self, the universe, life and death, etc. Nevertheless, people might not have been aware of those presuppositions in terms of what we call “Worldview,” although they already had that notion in their mind in the developmental process of seeking some understanding of his/her own significance as an independent human being.
These pieces of information strongly suggest that everyone has his/her own worldview, and people can disagree on it. Billions of people around the world have certain presuppositions that are more or less consistent but not precise about the world they live in. And those presuppositions are the driving mechanism for conventional human behaviors in everyday life activities. Basically, worldview is working as a skeletal structure of cognitive postulations to show the reality of life. At the same time, it provides the meaning and purpose of life. Here, I am going to lay ground for a Christian worldview by presenting three different worldviews from three major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, respectively.
Hindu Worldview: What is Reality?
Hinduism encompasses a multitude of deities and religious philosophies. The creation story of the universe and man varies from one sect of Hinduism to another. However, these patterns have developed over time and are intertwined with each other in relation to the teachings. These patterns can be sorted out. The first one is henotheism. Webster’s dictionary explains it this way. It is the “belief in or worship of one god without denying the existence of others.” The idea of henotheism is from the ancient Vedas and later Vaishnavism and Shaivism. They agree that many gods exist, but one is more important than the rest. Second, the Upanishads and later Vedanta came up with another perspective that considers the impersonal transcendent being to be the Ultimate Reality. It is known as pantheism. Third one is dualism, which acknowledges two ultimate realities from the standpoint of the Samkhya and the Yoga darshana of Patanjali.[1]
According to Shatapatha Brahmana (6.1.1), the universe began to exist out of non-existence. It is the byproduct of the unconscious emanation of a divine Brahman. Upanishads also claim that Brahman is the ultimate reality. One of the hymns from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad goes like this:
As the spider comes out with its thread, or as small sparks come forth from fire, thus do all senses, all worlds, all Devas, all beings come forth from that Self The Upanishad (the true name and doctrine) of that Self is ‘the True of the True.’ Verily the senses are the true, and he is the true of the true. [2]
By this explanation, Brahman is the ultimate cause for the existence of all physical and moral realms in the universe. However, this perspective clarifies the paradoxical nature of ultimate reality, as an impersonal being cannot possess desires.
Who are we?
Human souls have no beginning. It is eternal. It is known as Atman which refers to the “non-material self, which never changes. It is distinct from both the mind and the external body. This real self is beyond the temporary designations we normally ascribe to ourselves in terms of race, gender, species, and nationality.” [3] The human soul is the blueprint for an impersonal being, Brahman. Therefore, the soul existed in the universe before man began to exist. This means that the body serves as a temporary cage for the soul to rest during one lifespan until it reincarnates. In other words, the soul is entrapped in temporal bodies.
The universe is simply an unreal illusion (Maya), because “the only true reality is Brahman.” [4] The universe is temporal and exists for a specific period of time. It is the mass of matter that is being created and destroyed over time. The whole notion of creation of the universe is an illusionary act of the Supreme Being. They believe that there are three spheres within this universe: (a) the heavenly cosmos (b) the earthly realm and (c) the lower world.[5]Despite the description of these three realms in the universe, Hinduism lacks a single, straightforward account of creation.
What is the Problem?
In this illusionary temporal universe, human beings are basically the puppets who are bound to act forcefully by certain laws. The universe is an ocean, full of pain and suffering. Humankind is not free from karmic law. Whatever you do in this life, you will get paid for that action in the next life. The indestructible soul transmigrates from one life to another in the life cycle. It knows its destiny and never misses it at all. The goal is to free the soul from rebirths and Samsara and unite it with the universe’s “Oneness.” [6] There is not a distinctive way to break the chain of the karmic law and its cycle. Acharya Daya Prakash explains that “Just as the calf of a cow would identify its mother out of a thousand other cows, so also the karma would never miss the right person to whom it may belong.” [7] In other words, a man is predetermined to act a certain way and must fulfill the karma he is supposed to.
The Solution
Since man is bound to his Karma, he is solely responsible for his salvation. Four possible ways to liberate the soul from the bondage of karmic laws have been major practices throughout history. One may escape from the endless birth cycle of life, death, and rebirth by choosing one of the four ways they are obliged [8]. The knowledge of Way (Gyana Marga), the way of devotion (Bhakti Marga), the way of yoga (Raja Marga), and the way of action or deed (Karma Marga) are the paths that lead them to Oneness.
