ABSOLUTISTIC HINDUISM

Of all religions, Hinduism is probably one of the most democratic. Among Hindus, there can be a great deal of difference in what they believe and how they practice their religion. Instead of fighting each other over these discrepancies, they tolerate one another most of the time. This openness toward religion traditionally extends to foreign concepts, and the history of Hinduism shows an ability to assimilate the same. The exception here is the antagonistic relationship with Islam, in part stemming from all those years of Muslim rule over India. In addition, many modern day Hindus resent the way their government treats the Muslim minority. There is the perception that the latter enjoys too many rights and privileges at the expense of the Hindu majority.

Among the major currents of religious Hinduism is the one bearing the name “absolutistic.” It rests on the premise that one’s identity is that of ultimate reality, an Absolute, God. Translated to Christian terms, for example, it would say that God as Universal Soul divided Ertself* into a whole host of souls. You are one of those souls. I am one of those souls. Supposedly, we do not realize this because we are too busy with our lives. The maya or magic of the world distracts us, and keeps us from knowing who we really are. Instead of identifying ourselves with the all-encompassing-permanent-supreme reality, we only see the temporary form of the human self.

Through meditation, we can achieve the realization that we are God, so they say. The practice of considering the question “Who am I?” repeatedly is supposed to help. Afterwards, instead of our minds functioning as they normally do—one thought after another in a continuous chain—we can reach a state that leaves our minds free of thought altogether. With practice, we can stop the train of thought in its tracks. That accomplished, our experience is one of full awareness, a blissful state that allegedly confirms God and we are one.

Back in the 80’s, when I was engrossed in my search for God, I tried transcendental meditation. With practice, I believe to have reached that state of “no thought.” It was different. It was nice. It was time consuming. After a while, I discontinued the practice. The way I figured it, you cannot tell from that state of consciousness alone whether or not your ultimate identity is that of God. Even if it were true that we are ultimately God, why did God create the world? What is the purpose of being born to this world, if all we are going to do is neglect it? Spending much time thinking about the alleged state of being we were in before being born, defeats the whole purpose of coming here.

By all accounts, Ramana Maharshi, one of the main leaders of this practice spent his whole life in meditation after having a mystical experience as a teenager. He renounced all worldly concerns and went to a hill “to find himself,” so goes the expression. That is definitely not my idea of a good life. I rather become a full participant in the affairs of my world. To have the potential to experience the whole range of human emotions in community with others is better than being alone, even when in search of ecstasy.

*Ertself: When referring to God, I do not use "Himself" or "Herself." "Ertself" is a class-neutral and gender-neutral article. See Ercian Testament - Part Two, chapter 9, "Erc, Ellael, and I."