| Specifications |
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Publisher: CENTRAL CHINMAYA MISSION TRUST |
| Language: English | |
| Pages: 111 | |
| Cover: Paperback | |
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8.3"X 5.3 |
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Weight 211 gm |
| Edition: 2011 | |
| ISBN: 1880687380 | |
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IDI563 |
| Delivery and Return Policies |
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Ships in 1-3 days |
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Returns and Exchanges accepted within 7 days |
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Free Delivery |
Chinmaya Mission I pleased to release Hinduism: Frequently Asked Questions as a part of The Hindu Culture Series. This book is based on Chinmaya Mission's earlier publication, our Heritage by R. S. Nathan (Swami Nityananda).
To help young students of Indian culture gain a better understanding of the glory of Sanatana Dharma, more commonly referred to today as Hinduism, in July 1967, Chinmaya Mission published a tri-monthly series of book lets entitled Our Heritage. Eventually, select topics and ten booklets, with most of the questions and answers authored by R. S. Nathan and a few compiled from various sources, were published as one volume.
His Holiness Swami Chinmayananda, the founder and head of Chinmaya Mission, impressed with the acclaimed publication, sent out 500 copies to Mission workers, devotees, and patrons in India and abroad. Though the series was mainly intended for Chinmaya Bala Vihar and Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (Chinmaya Mission's children's and youth wings, respectively), adults also found the information useful.
The information in this new reference text is vast, but by no means comprehensive. Suggested reading for further study has been included in some instances. Complementary works from Chinmaya Publications include Hindu Culture: An Introduction, The Holy Geeta, Meditation & Life, Self-Unfoldment, Tattva Bodha and In Indian Culture Why Do We.
We thank Rupali Gupta, Rudite Emir, Swami Advayananda, and the Chinmaya International Foundation for their time and effort in bringing out this new publication.
Back of the Book
Hindu culture is founded upon the sacred scriptures of the Vedas, which are revered even today, for they contain revelations of eternal Truth and embody the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Hindu people. The Vedas are the legacy of the rishis, or subjective scientists, who touched a deep cord within, far beyond the physical, mental, and intellectual layers, which allowed them to see all life as interconnected. They saw the One manifested throughout the universe, making everything sacred to them. When life is honored and belief in holiness of all life is fostered, one cannot help but acquire a deep sense of reverence for life. Hindu culture evolved out of this vision.
This book provides concise and precise answers to basic questions about Hinduism, unfolding the foundation upon which Hindu culture rests.
| Preface | xv | |
| CHINMAYA MISSION | xvi | |
| PART ONE: FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS | 19 | |
| 1 | What is the aim of the Hindu religion? | |
| 2 | What is Hindu concept of God | |
| 3 | Why is the Hindu religion called Sanatana Dharma and who founded it? | |
| 4 | Explain in detail the meaning of the word dharma | |
| 5 | What are some fundamental doctrines of Hinduism | |
| 6 | Why does Hinduism say that the human being is , in essence, divine (Atman)? | |
| 7 | What are the two doctrines of karma and reincarnation, and why do Hindus believe in them? | |
| 8 | What determines whether an act is a merit (punya) or a sin (papa)? | |
| 9 | What is Hindu concept of heaven and hell? | |
| 10 | What are the goals of human life according to Hindu ethics? | |
| 11 | What are the four ashramas, or stages, of an individual's life? | |
| 12 | What is meant by "caste" in Hinduism? | |
| 13 | What is the spiritual significance of joining one's palms in namaskara or namaste | |
| 14 | What is the spiritual significance of the marks on the forehead of bindi, Tilak, and tripundra | |
| PART TWO: SCRIPTURES | 23 | |
| 15 | Describe the two main categories of Hindu scriptures: shruti and smriti. | |
| 16 | What does veda mean? | |
| 17 | How many Vedas are there, what do they deal with, and what sections do they consist of? | |
| 18 | What are the Upa-Vedas, how many are there, and what do they deal with? | |
| 19 | What are the Vedangas? | |
| 20 | What are the schools of Hindu philosophy? | |
| 21 | What does Vedanta mean? | |
| 22 | Does Vedantic philosophy include different schools of thought? If so, what are they? | |
| 23 | How do we reconcile the different schools of philosophy and different approaches to the Truth? | |
| 24 | What are the three main scriptural sources for a Vedantin? | |
| 25 | What are the Upanishads? | |
| 26 | How many Upanishads are there? | |
| 27 | What are the great declarations, or Mahavakyas, and where are they found in the Vedas? | |
| 28 | What are Sutras? | |
| 29 | What are the Brahma Sutras | |
| 30 | What is Shrimad Bhagavad Gita | |
| 31 | What are the Puranas and how many are there? | |
| 32 | What are the two major historical epics in Hinduism? | |
| 33 | What is Shrimad Bhagavatam? | |
| 34 | What is Yoga Vasishtha? | |
| 35 | What are the Dharma Shastras, how many are there, and who wrote them? | |
| 36 | Who is Manu and what is a manvantara, or the Hindu calculation of time? | |
| 37 | Is there any special significance to the number 18 in the Hindu scriptures? | |
| PART THREE: MANTRAS AND WORSHIP | 51 | |
| 38 | What does Om mean? | |
| 39 | What is a mantra? | |
| 40 | What is the Gayatri Mantra? | |
| 41 | Do Hindus worship idols or images? | |
| 42 | Can one worship God without the use of images? | |
| 43 | Do Hindus worship cows and the natural elements? | |
| 44 | Who make up the Hindu Trinity? | |
| 45 | What is meant by avatara, or "incarnation of God?" | |
| 46 | Are all avataras alike, or is there a difference between one avatara and another? | |
| 47 | What are the avataras of Lord Vishnu? | |
| PART FOUR: THE MEANS AND THE GOAL | 59 | |
| 48 | What are the three dispositions (gunas) of Nature? | |
| 49 | What are the five subtle elements, or tan-matras? | |
| 50 | What is panchi-karana, or the grossification process of the five elements? | |
| 51 | What is a human being's external and internal composition? | |
| 52 | Describe in detail the three bodies that make up a human being | |
| 53 | What is the antah-karana, or inner equipment? | |
| 54 | What is the mind and what are its different aspects? | |
| 55 | What are the waking, dream, and deep sleep states, and what is the state beyond time and space? | |
| 56 | What is the BMI Chart? | |
| 57 | Who is the jiva, who is Ishvara, and what is the relationship between the two | |
| 58 | What is maya? | |
| 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? | |
| 60 | If the jiva is the maker of his own destiny, is there any value in praying to Ishvara? | |
| 61 | What is Brahman? | |
| 62 | What additional terms, Other than Atman and Brahman, are used to indicate a human being's true nature? | |
| 63 | What is spiritual liberation? | |
| 64 | What causes an individual to consider himself bound? | |
| 65 | How can the knowledge of the Self be imparted if the Self is not an object? | |
| 66 | What is the difference between self-hypnotism and Self-Realization? | |
| 67 | What are three direct means of knowledge for Self-realization? | |
| 68 | What is meditation | |
| 69 | How many kinds of votaries are there among those who seek God? | |
| 70 | Who is a Yogi? | |
| 71 | What are the prescribed paths to reach the stage of a yogi? | |
| 72 | Who is a guru? | |
| 73 | Who is a disciple? | |
| 74 | What are the qualifications of a spiritual seeker? | |
| PART FIVE: WHY RELIGION? | 79 | |
| 75 | Why does religion seem to appeal only to the minority? | |
| 76 | What is meant by the statement "Hinduism is tolerant"? | |
| 77 | What is the relationship between science and religion? | |
| 78 | How do we discover why God created this world? | |
| 79 | How does Vedanta help a person achieve happiness? | |
| PART SIX: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA | 83 | |
| 80 | Is the influence of religion on the masses declining? If not, how can we account for corruption and other such pointers to widespread deterioration in ethical and moral values? | |
| 81 | The traditional charge against Hinduism is that it is fatalistic and that it inhibits progress by making people slaves to the belief in the inevitability of whatever is to happen. How far is this true? What is the basis of such an accusation, which is being advanced even today by well-meaning and highly educated people? | |
| 82 | It is said that the greatest strength of Hinduism is its breadth of outlook and that this is also its greatest weakness, in that there are very few common prescribed religious observances obligatory for all, as in other religions. Is it necessary and possible to outline certain basic, minimum observance for all Hindus? | |
| 83 | Will the fundamental values of Hinduism be in any way affected by the eradication of casteism, toward which a concerted effort is being made now, on all levels? If Harijans, who constitute a sizable population among Hindus, are made to feel that their religion exposes them to ridicule, how are they to love that religion? In other words, how can all sections of Hindus be made to take ;equal interest in, and have the same sense of belonging to, their religion? | |
| 84 | Hinduism has always renewed or revitalized itself according to the needs of the times. In today's context, are any corrective measures called for? If so, who will bring them about, and how can they be brought about and made acceptable to the masses? | |
| 85 | Are fasting and such other dietary regulations necessary for leading a spiritual life? Is a guru essential for one to enter the spiritual path and attain the goal? | |
| 86 | Will mantras lose their sanctity if they are not in Sanskrit? There are various samskaras prescribed in Hinduism from birth to death. Many of these samskaras are not being observed today. Should they not be revived? | |
| 87 | What is the role of rituals in religion? Are they to be discouraged? | |
| 88 | What is your view regarding proselytization? If you were convinced that Hinduism has a great role to play in the world, would you consider adopting proselytization? | |
| 89 | Are changes visible in Hinduism's doctrines and in the modes of individual and collective worship as a result of contact with the West? | |
| APPENDIX | 95 | |
| Vedas | ||
| Upa-Vedas | ||
| Darshanas: Schools of Philosophy | ||
| Shabda Shastras | ||
| Arts and Sciences | ||
| Pramanas: Means of Knowledge | ||
| 108 Principle Upanishads | ||
| Sanskrit Pronunciation Guide |
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