Hinduism_Perspective: Hinduism - Basics & FAQ

Hinduism - Basics & FAQ

Preface:
Collection of FAQs to understand basics of Hinduism - a collection of facts as shared by my friend, Shri Sai, a vivid forum contributor in Tamil 'Thuglak' magazine. Entire collection here and the following pages in several parts, due to volume of information, are fully attributed to Shri Sai. His various sources are attributed 'then and there' where relevant. Have a pleasant reading-cum-learning, readers!!
- Singai Sivas
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51. What is a human being's external and internal composition ?

As scientists analyze the objective world without, so too, the philosophers and seekers of Truth study the subjective world within. The 'rishis' (seers) discovered that the human being is composed of:

Three bodies:

a. 'Sthula-sharira' : gross physical body

b. 'Suksma-sharira' : subtle body (mind and intellect)

c. 'Karana-sharira' : casual body

Four Composite personalities:

a. Physical

b. Mental

c. Intellectual

d. Spiritual

Five sheaths, or layers (corresponding with the three bodies):

a. 'Annamaya-kosha', or food sheath: the physcial body that is born of food, is sustained by food, and return to the elements to become food again.

b. 'Pranamaya-kosha', or visit-air sheath: made up of the five 'pranas', or physiological activities (See Question 52 tomorrow).

c. 'Manomaya-kosha', or mental sheath: the mind, which is the seat of all emotions.

d. 'Vijnanamaya-kosha', or intellectual sheath: the intellect, which is the seat of discrimination and judgement.

e. 'Anandamaya-kosha', or bliss sheath: the state of dreamless deep sleep, which is the seat of blissful ignorance.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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52. Describe in detail the three bodies that make up a human being.

The gross body, or 'sthula-sharira', is:

a. Composed of the five elements, or 'pancha-mahabhutas' (space, air, fire, water, earth), which have undergone the 'panchi-karana' process. (See Question 50 sent a couple of days back)

b. Determined by the results of past actions

c. The tenement in which to experience joy ('sukha'), sorrow ('duhkha'), etc.

d. Subject to the six modifications: existence (as a fetus), birth, growth, change, decay, and death

e. The basis of relationships like son, father, mother, daughter, etc.

The subtle body, or 'suksa-sharira', is:

a. Composed of the five elements, or 'pancha-mahabhutas' (space, air, fire, water, earth), which have not undergone the 'panchi-karana' process

b. Born as and determined by the results of past actions

c. The instrument for experiencing pleasure, pain, etc.

d. Comprised of 17 aspects:

- 5 'jnana-indriyas', or sense organs of perception: ears, skin, eyes, tongue, nose (the respective aspects or powers of hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and smelling)

- 5 'karma-indriyas', or sense organs of action: tongue, hands, legs, genitals, anus (the respective functional aspects or powers of speech, grasping, locomotion, reproduction, and excretion)

- 5 'pranas': 'prana' (inhalation), 'apana' (exhalation), 'vyana' (circulation), 'udana' (the capacity to entertain new thoughts and leave the body at the time of death), 'samana' (assimilation); it should be noted that 'prana' and 'apana' are not restricted to respiratory activities alone.

- 2 inner instruments: the mind and intellect (two functions of the same equipment: see Question 53 tomorrow)

The casual body, or 'karana-sharira', is:

a. Inexplicable, beginningless, and in the form of 'avidya' (ignorance of Reality)

b. The abode of all 'vasanas'(tendencies that compel the 'jiva' to take another birth) and thus the cause for the gross and subtle bodies.

c. Unqualified in form and free from thought modifications.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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53. What is 'antah-karana', or inner equipment ?

The 'antah-karana' is the inner equipment of cognition. Its "mind-stuff" or "thought-stuff" has four facets:

1. Manas: mind (expresses as indecisiveness and agitation)

2. Buddhi: intellect (expresses as decisiveness and rational thinking)

3. Chitta: memory

4. Ahamkara: I-thought (sense of individuality, or ego)

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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54. What is the mind and what are its different aspects ?

Mind is the flow of thoughts, or 'vrittis'. The basis for all thoughts is the I-thought, or 'aham-vritti'. All thoughts other than the I-thought are known are as 'idam-vritti'. The mind states in five states:

a. Kshipta: restless and distracted, wandering from one object to another

b. Mudha: deluded, absorbed in pleasure, and blinded by passion

c. Vikshipta: restless and distracted by one object

d. Ekagra: single-pointed

e. Niruddha: controlled, with cessation of all thoughts, as in deep sleep

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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55. What are the waking, dream, and deep sleep states, and what is the state beyond time and space ?

Our three states of experience are known as 'avastha-traya':

1. The waking state (jagrat)

2. The dream state (svapna)

3. The deep sleep state (sushupti)

Transcending these three is the state of God-conciousness called 'Turiya', one's real nature of inherent divinity. The fourth state is the permanent state of bliss, whereas the former three are temporary states of modification.

Jagrat-avastha, or waking state: When the 'jiva', or individual self, through his 14 instruments (five sense organs of action, five sense organs of perception, and four facets of the 'antah-karana') preceives the gross objects in their respective fields and interacts with them, the 'jiva' is in the waking state.

Svapna-avastha, or dream state: The world of experience projected by the mind, as a result of impressions gathered conciously or unconciously in the waking sate, is 'svapna', or the dream state.

Sushupti-avastha, or deep sleep state: This is the state of blissful ignorance. When all instruments cease activity and there is total absence of differentiated knowledge, when even the mind does not function, when Conciousness remains without the duality of subject and object, then the 'jiva' is said to be in the 'sushupti', or deep sleep state.

Example using the BMI chart (see Question 56 tomorrow): The BMI and PFT are totally withdrawn from all OET, but since 'avidya' (ignorance, in the form of 'vasanas') has not been lifted, there is no awareness of pure Conciousness (Om).

Turiya: 'Turiya' is the state of pure Consciousness, where the body, mind, intellect, sense of individuality, objects, emotions, and thoughts do not exist; where 'avidya'; is transcended; and where one's true nature as 'Brahman' reveals.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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56. What is the BMI Chart ?

B M I

P F T

O E T

Swami Chinmayananda developed the BMI Chart to simplify the concepts of 'Advaita Vedanta' and describe the relationships amon the absolute Reality, the individual self, and the relative world.

The absolute Reality (Om) expresses as the individual self ('jiva' or PFT) because of the force of accumulated 'vasanas' (V). The Self (Om), through the instruments of body, mind, and intellect (BMI), as if takes on the roles of perceiver, feeler, and thinker (PFT), and interacts with the world of objects, emotions and thoughts (OET). When the individual transcends all 'vasanas', he realizes his true Self. For further study, see 'Self-Unfoldment' by Swami Chinmayanda.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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57. Who is 'jiva', who is 'Ishvara', and what is the relationship between the two ?

'Jiva' is defined as 'avidya-upadhih san atma jiva iti uchyate', "The 'Atman', as is conditioned by the limitation known as ignorance, is called 'jiva'". It is this individual 'jiva' that goes in search of happiness with its 'vasanas' from life to life, body to body.

'Ishvara' is defined as 'maya-upadhih san ishvara iti uchyate', "Awareness, as if conditioned by 'maya', is called 'Ishvara." 'Ishvara' is another term for God, used with reference to the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the universe.

1. Jiva: limited in knowledge, power and pervasiveness; bound and controlled by 'maya'

2. Ishvara: infinite and unlimited in knowledge, power and pervasiveness; wielder and controller of 'maya'

It is important to note that both, 'jiva' and 'Ishavara', are, in essence, 'Brahman' alone. They are described differently only with respect to their associated conditionings.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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58. What is Maya ?

'Sarva Upanishad' describes 'maya' as that power which is beginningless and contains within it the seeds to create the entire universe. It is neither real (because it has no power or independent existence seperate from 'Brahman'), nor unreal (because it is apparently perceived and experienced in this world through its expression of 'avarana' [veiling, nonapprehension] and 'vikshepa' [agitiation, misapprehension]). For further study, see 'Tattva Bodha'.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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59. If the Jiva is bound by Maya, yet is responsible for the choices that determine his destiny, how much of his life is fate and how much of it is free will ?

Both fate (destiny) and free will are equally at play in our lives at any given time, in past, present, or future. The cycle can be described as follows: Our past actions (free will) determine what we face in the present; this is our self-made destiny. How we face our situations in the present is our free will and this again determines the fate of our future. Basically, we create a blueprint of our future based on our actions in the present.

It is important to note that we ourselves qualify and limit our free will by the 'vasanas' we cultivate through our actions and habits. There is no point in trying to determine the ratio of free will and destiny at play in any situation. What is needed is to break the cycle by exhausting or transcending all current 'vasanas' without creating any new ones.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE

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60. If the Jiva is the maker of his own destiny, is there any value in praying to Ishvara ?

Yes. Prayers full of intense devotion and faith do work, for they invoke the divine power present in each of us. Prayers are not answered based on God's whims and fancies or biases and prejudices. Devotees invoke 'Ishvara's' grace or power through their sincerity, self-effort, faith, and devotion.

Source - Hindu Culture Series - Hinduism (FAQ - The Means and The Goal), Chinmaya Mission

DONE