Chapter 5: Principal Hindu Doctrines

Although there are numerous doctrines in Hindu scriptures, the major doctrines of the Hindu religious tradition can be represented by the letters of the words HINDU DHARMA as explained below:

Harmony of Religions	Doctrine of Karma
Ishvara (God)	Human Life, the Goal of
Non-Violence (Ahimsã)	Ãtman, the Divinity of
Dharma	Religious Discipline
Unity of Existence	Moksha (liberation)
	Avatãra, the Doctrine of

Harmony of Religions

Hindu sages declare that there is no one religion that teaches an exclusive road to salvation. All genuine spiritual paths are valid and all great religions are like the branches of a tree - the tree of religion. The Bhagavad Gîtã declares, "In whatever way they [human beings] love Me (God), in the same way they find My love. Various are the ways for them, but in the end they all come to Me." (BG 4.11)

Practical significance: This doctrine lays foundation for the Hindu ideal of universal harmony. The Hindu attitude of religious acceptance is Hindu Dharma's greatest gift to mankind.

Ishvara (God)

There is but one Supreme Being, Who is absolute existence, absolute knowledge, and absolute bliss (sat-chid-ãnanda). He is both immanent and transcendent, and both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. There is no duality of God and the world, but only unity. God can be worshipped and prayed in the form of a chosen deity (Ishta Devatã) in the temples and in home shrines.

Practical Significance: Being a God-loving religion and not a God-fearing one, Hindu Dharma relies upon self-knowledge through yoga and meditation rather than on dogma or blind faith.

Non-Violence (Ahimsã)

Ahimsã means non-violence (in thought, word and deed), non-injury, or non-killing. Hindu Dharma teaches that all forms of life are different manifestations of Brahman. We must therefore not be indifferent to the sufferings of any of God's creatures.

Practical Significance: This doctrine creates love for humans between themselves as well as with other forms of life, and encourages the protection of our environment. "That mode of living which is founded upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in case of actual necessity) upon a minimum of such harm, is the highest morality." (Mahãbhãrata Shãntiparva 262.5-6)

The Doctrine of Dharma

The thought of dharma generates deep confidence in the Hindu mind in cosmic justice. This is reflected in the often-quoted maxims: "The righteous side will have the victory." "Truth only prevails, not falsehood." "Dharma kills if it is killed; dharma protects if it is protected." "The entire world rests on dharma."

Dharma is the law that maintains the cosmic order as well as the individual and social order. Dharma sustains human life in harmony with nature. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity with the law that sustains the universe. Dharma is of four kinds: universal dharma (rita), human dharma (ashram dharma), social dharma (varana dharma), and individual dharma (svadharma). All four dharmas together are called sanãtana dharma, the orginal name of Hindu religion (see page 7).

Universal dharma includes the natural laws associated with the physical phenomenon of the universe, such as the laws of matter, science, and planetary motions. Human dharma means the human actions which maintain the individual, social, and environmental order. Social dharma is exemplified in human actions associated with professional, social, community and national duties and responsibilities. Individual dharma consists of individual actions associated with one's individual duties and responsibilities.

The Hindu doctrine of dharma states that right action must be performed for the sake of righteousness, and good must be done for the sake of goodness, without any expectation of receiving something in return. The question arises as to what is right? Hindu scriptures include the following guidance that should be used to determine what is right under given circumstances:

• Individual actions (svadharma) which are based upon truth, ahimsã, and moral values are considered righteous actions.
• Political, social, and community-related activities, which are based upon unselfishness, truth, ahimsã, and moral and ethical values are defined as right actions.
• Actions that arise as a consequence of one's stage of life (ash-ram dharma) are considered good. The dharma of a student is to acquire knowledge and skills, whereas the dharma of a householder is to raise the family, and that of a retiree is to advise and guide the younger generations.
• Actions that are associated with one's profession (varna dhar-ma) are considered right actions. The duty of a soldier may be to take the life of an enemy, whereas the duty of a doctor is to save the life, including that of an enemy.
• Actions which ensure adherence to the laws of the land are righteous actions. If the laws are unjust, they must be changed through democratic means and non-violence.
• In the event of a conflict between individual and social dharma, the social dharma takes precedence. "He who understands his duty to society truly lives. All others shall be counted among the dead," declares Tirukural, a Hindu scripture.
• "What you desire for yourself, you should desire for others. What you do not like others to do to you, you should not do to others." (Mahãbhãrata, Shãntiparva, 258)

Practical Significance: Dharma provides a rational approach to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil. Duties and responsibilities are emphasized more than rights and privileges.

Unity of Existence

Science has revealed that what we call matter is essentially energy. Hindu sages have declared that the cosmic energy is a manifestation of the Universal Spirit (Brahman). The entire universe is a play between Brahman, or the cosmic consciousness, and the cosmic energy. Brahman has become all things and beings of the world. Thus we are all interconnected in subtle ways.

Practical Significance: This doctrine encourages universal brotherhood, reverence for all forms of life, and respect for our environment. There is no racial, cultural or religious superiority. There are differences on the surface, but deep down there is perfect unity, as All is in One and One is in all.

Doctrine of Karma (see Chapter 6)

The Four Ends of Human Life

The four ends of human life are dharma, artha, kãma, and moksha. Dharma is the first human goal and forms the foundation for the pursuit of the other three goals. Dharmic actions are those individual, social, political, and professional actions which are based upon the four virtues - truth, ahimsã, morality and ethics. Artha means to earn wealth in accordance with dharma. Kãma is to satisfy one's mental and intellectual desires in accordance with dharma. Moksha denotes spiritual perfection, which is attained automatically when one leads a life that is dedicated to dharma.

Every child born on this earth is required to repay three debts in his (or her) lifetime. These three debts are akin to the three mortgages on one's life. The first debt is to God and the repayment requires regular prayers and worship, and selfless service to all of God's creatures.

The second debt is to the sages and saints, who have revealed truths in scriptures. The repayment of this debt arises from service to the needy, handicapped, sick and poor, and less fortunate. The third debt is to one's ancestors, parents and teachers. The repayment of this debt means raising one's family in accordance with the moral and ethical principles of dharma. To help an individual repay the above three debts, Hindu sages have organized life into four stages: studentship (Brahmachãrya Ãshrama), householder stage (Grhastha Ãshrama), retirement (Vãnaprastha Ãshrama), and renunciation (Sannyãsa Ãshrama).

During studentship one must acquire knowledge and skills necessary to perform duties and responsibilities in adult life, i.e. the householder stage. Retirement means a life of spirituality and gradual withdrawal from active life, to pass on skills to the next generation and begin devoting time to meditation and contemplation. Renunciation is the last stage of life in which one devotes full-time to meditation and contemplation on one's own self.

Practical Significance: The concept of the four ends and three debts generates awareness of one's duties and responsibilities, provides moral and ethical direction to life, encourages family values, and helps one to organize life for individual accomplishments. The Hindu concept of the four stages (ãshramas) of life provides a road map for life's journey from the first stage of learning to the final stage where the Divinity alone is the focus and support.

The Divinity of Ãtman (soul)

Each human being, regardless of religion, geographic region, color, or creed is in reality Ãtman clothed in a physical body. An individual is not born a sinner, but becomes a victim of mãyã (cosmic ignorance). Just as darkness quickly disappears upon the appearance of light, an individual's delusion vanishes when he gains self-knowledge.

Practical Significance: This doctrine eliminates fear of God, encourages divine love, promotes freedom of thought, and removes fear and guilt which are psychological barriers to human growth.

Religious Discipline

Hindus believe that wisdom is not an exclusive possession of any particular race or religion. Since a laborer requires a different kind of religion than a scholar, Hindu Dharma allows an individual to select a religious discipline in accordance with one's own religious yearning and spiritual competence. Hindu Dharma recommends the guidance of a spiritually awakened master (guru) for attaining perfection in life. If a devotee on the spiritual path is likened to a traveler, then the guru is the traveler's guide who provides the road map and other helpful information needed to reach the destination successfully.

Practical Significance: This doctrine minimizes religious manipulation and control and provides everyone with absolute freedom of thought in religious matters. One is free to question any belief and practice until one is convinced of the truth behind it.

Moksha

The ultimate goal of Hindu religious life is to attain spiritual freedom (moksha, i.e. freedom from the cycle of birth and death in the phenomenal world), or union with God. Moksha is the birth right of every individual and is automatically attained when one leads a life dedicated to dharma, artha, and kãma. Moksha is akin to the top of a three-step ladder, and after taking the three steps of dharma, artha, and kãma, one will automatically reach the top.

Practical Significance: This doctrine encourages individual effort and understanding for attaining perfection in life. Each soul evolves toward union with God by his own effort. No savior can achieve this for him. There is no supernatural power that randomly determines our destinies. We are the makers of our own destinies. Self-effort and Divine grace together lead to spiritual perfection.

The Doctrine of Avatãra (Incarnation)

Hindus believe that God incarnates Himself on earth (avatãra) to uphold righteousness, whenever there is a loss of virtue. The Bhagavad Gîtã thus declares, "Whenever there is a decline of righteousness and predominance of unrighteousness, I (God) embody Myself. For the protection of the good and for the destruction of the evil-doers and for the re-establishment of righteousness, I am born from age to age." (Bhagavad Gîtã 4.6-4.7)

Practical Significance: This doctrine encourages righteousness and fosters hope for mankind, since divine intervention eventually destroys evil and restores balance in the world.