the speaking tree - Getting Along With Followers Of Diverse Faiths
Vanamali
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The main message of Hinduism is that of satya and ahimsa truth and nonviolence. If you look on everything as divine, you can never hurt or harm anything, either in Nature or in the human being. Thus, the Hindu has never wanted to `conquer' or control anything except his own mind. India has never invaded any country in the last ten thousand years of its history. This is the best accolade that can be given to this culture and one that shows its uniqueness.Traditional Hinduism has always been the most tolerant, patient and welcoming of all religions. It has never persecuted others merely because they had a different theological belief. Hinduism has always sought to live side-by-side peacefully with the followers of other religions, whether they were the indigenous religions of Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism or the foreign religions of Christianity and Islam.
Hindu India has been the sole nation on earth where the Jewish community has never been persecuted even though they have been living here for more than two thousand years. Similarly, Zoroastrian refugees escaping the destruction of the Persian civilisation at the hands of Islamic conquerors were warmly welcomed in India more than a thousand years ago. The Zoroastrian community (now known as the Parsis) has thrived and lived amicably with their Hindu neighbours in peace and mutual respect. Recently when China overran Tibet, India was the only country that gave asylum to the Dalai Lama and allowed the Tibetans to come and settle down on Indian soil without hindrance, with freedom to practice their own religion Buddhism.
The mistake that is now being made by modern Hindus, especially those living abroad, is to confuse the long-held Hindu tradition of tolerating other religions, with the notion that Hinduism encourages us to believe that all religions are exactly the same. The leap from toler ance of other faiths to a belief that all religions are equal is not a leap that is grounded in logic. Nor is it grounded in the history, literature or philosophy of the Hindu tradition itself.
Hinduism is its own uniquely independent religious tradition, different and distinct from any other religion on earth. This distinction has been asserted by all our great saints who used to have debates with the protagonists of non-Hindu traditions like Buddhism, Jainism and Charvakins (atheists). The sages of Hinduism met all philosophical challenges and succeeded in defeating their philosophical opponents in open assemblies.
Adi Shankarachrya, founder of Advaita Vedanta, went all over the peninsula, defeat ing all his learned opponents in open debate. This was known as his `digvijaya', or `conquest of all directions'. Indeed, Shankara is attributed as being partial ly responsible for the decline of Buddhism in India, due to his great ability to debate by which he totally annihilated his opponents' arguments and proved the superiority of vedantic doctrines.
Madhvacharya, founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta, is similarly seen as being responsible for the sharp decline of Jainism in south India due to his acute intelligence and great debating skills in defence of the Vaidika Dharma (Vedic Dharma).
All pre-modern Hindu sages and philosophers recognised and celebrated the singularly unique vision that Hinduism has to offer the world. They clearly distinguished between Hindu and non-Hindu religions, and they defended Hinduism to the utmost of their formidable intellectual and spiritual abilities. They did so unapologetically, professionally and courageously. The Hindu worldwide makes sense and will survive only if we celebrate Hinduism's uniqueness today. (From `The Science of the Rishis' by Vanamali.) Post your comments at speakingtree.in
Hindu India has been the sole nation on earth where the Jewish community has never been persecuted even though they have been living here for more than two thousand years. Similarly, Zoroastrian refugees escaping the destruction of the Persian civilisation at the hands of Islamic conquerors were warmly welcomed in India more than a thousand years ago. The Zoroastrian community (now known as the Parsis) has thrived and lived amicably with their Hindu neighbours in peace and mutual respect. Recently when China overran Tibet, India was the only country that gave asylum to the Dalai Lama and allowed the Tibetans to come and settle down on Indian soil without hindrance, with freedom to practice their own religion Buddhism.
The mistake that is now being made by modern Hindus, especially those living abroad, is to confuse the long-held Hindu tradition of tolerating other religions, with the notion that Hinduism encourages us to believe that all religions are exactly the same. The leap from toler ance of other faiths to a belief that all religions are equal is not a leap that is grounded in logic. Nor is it grounded in the history, literature or philosophy of the Hindu tradition itself.
Hinduism is its own uniquely independent religious tradition, different and distinct from any other religion on earth. This distinction has been asserted by all our great saints who used to have debates with the protagonists of non-Hindu traditions like Buddhism, Jainism and Charvakins (atheists). The sages of Hinduism met all philosophical challenges and succeeded in defeating their philosophical opponents in open assemblies.
Adi Shankarachrya, founder of Advaita Vedanta, went all over the peninsula, defeat ing all his learned opponents in open debate. This was known as his `digvijaya', or `conquest of all directions'. Indeed, Shankara is attributed as being partial ly responsible for the decline of Buddhism in India, due to his great ability to debate by which he totally annihilated his opponents' arguments and proved the superiority of vedantic doctrines.
Madhvacharya, founder of the Dvaita school of Vedanta, is similarly seen as being responsible for the sharp decline of Jainism in south India due to his acute intelligence and great debating skills in defence of the Vaidika Dharma (Vedic Dharma).
All pre-modern Hindu sages and philosophers recognised and celebrated the singularly unique vision that Hinduism has to offer the world. They clearly distinguished between Hindu and non-Hindu religions, and they defended Hinduism to the utmost of their formidable intellectual and spiritual abilities. They did so unapologetically, professionally and courageously. The Hindu worldwide makes sense and will survive only if we celebrate Hinduism's uniqueness today. (From `The Science of the Rishis' by Vanamali.) Post your comments at speakingtree.in
