The Hindu way of living

One of the definitions that gets thrown around for Hindu Religion is that it is a 'way of life'.  I have wondered many a times what exactly that means, because there is considerable variation in the way life is lived by the many Hindus. Some are very ritualistic and some are not. Some believe in holy places, holy cows, God men or God women  etc. and some are vehemently opposed to these . Some Hindus can recite from memory the voluminous scriptures while the majority seem to  have not even read a few lines of the same texts. What then is common in the way of living that could be classified as 'Hindu way of living'? Here are some thoughts.

To start with let's look at what could be a definition of 'way of living'. The closest definition I could come up with was that 'way of living' is a consistent pattern of behavior and attitude exhibited in life by a group of people who share a common set of beliefs and value systems. Fair enough?

In the last blog post, 'Who is a Hindu and what it means to be one', I had tried to examine the belief system of Hindu religion. Now, the question remaining to me was, what exactly is the value system of Hindu Religion?

As we all know, any value system must comprise a set of guiding principles and virtues as well as a set of injunctions on what to do and what not to do. Here is a quick summary of what I found these to be from the Hindu Religion perspective.

The Guiding Principles

The guiding principles are like the North star. They set us on the right direction and one would try to align with them as much as possible. However, an absolute determination of one's position with respect to them turns out to be a futile exercise. Here are three guiding principles that are prominent in Hindu Religion.

Non-violence (Ahimsa): Ahimsa is a commitment to not cause intentional harm or injury, especially with the motive of making personal gain or having pleasure. However, it does not mean cowing away when need arises to fight injustice or protect oneself or one's own. Resorting to violence is considered only as a last resort and also is expected to be done with a clear conscience and control (not mindless violence).

Truth (Satyam) : Satyam is the commitment to maintaining truthfulness in words, deeds and thoughts. This is founded on the Upanishad saying 'satyameva jayate na anritam' (Truth alone becomes victorious, not falsehood) that also happens to be Republic of India's motto on the national emblem.

Ethical Living (Dharma): The meaning of Dharma is broader than ethics because in addition to maintaining ethical standards, it also implies performing one's expected duty to the family, society and the world. The intent of Dharma is to live a life that supports the preservation of goodness and harmony.

The Virtues

Virtues are qualities of character one would consciously develop but demonstrate unconsciously. Virtues offer only one thing in return, they simply make us a better human being. Here are few of the virtues that are most important to the Hindu.

Humility (amaanitvam & adambitvam): Boisterousness and arrogance stem from two kinds of wrong understanding. One, that accomplishments or possessions are the sole result of own abilities and effort. Two, that one's power, social status, abilities, family connections etc. are permanent and always supportive.  True humility, not the pretentious kind, is completely free of such misunderstandings. It is based on a sense of equality with other human beings, genuine gratitude to others and the belief that God's grace has a role to play.

Forbearance (Kshaanti): As we all know, life is not perfect or fair. There will be times when things do not go our way and there will be situations that provoke us to stray from the guiding principles and shun virtues. Forbearance is the virtue that helps us to tide over such difficult times and stay true to our goals.

Straight forwardness (Aaarjavam):  Conceit is an attractive strategy for those who relish opportunistic, short term gains. However, the price we pay for the gains made through conceit is the complexity and insecurity created within our minds and the resulting absence of inner peace. Simplicity in thinking is the hallmark of a person who  has purified himself internally. Maintaining straight forwardness in thinking and actions goes a long way in helping one to experience inner peace and tranquility.

Compassion (Daya):  Compassion and empathy emanating from the feeling of oneness with fellow beings alone is free of selfishness. The acts of charity that follow such compassion offer the greatest relief to those who suffer.

The Injunctions

Injunctions are call to action, either in terms of doing or avoiding. Here is an example from the Taitiriya Upanishad:

'satyam vada dharmam chara matru devo bhavah pitru devo bhava aachaarya devo bhava aditi devo bhavah'

'Speak the truth, live ethically, be worshipful of your mother, father, teacher and the guests'

While there are many injunctions that are distributed all over the Hindu scriptures, the following five, called as Pancha Maha Yagnas, arppear to be comprehensive and are considered as 'must do' for a Hindu.

Offerings to God (Daiva Yagna) : An offering to God could be a two minute silent prayer at home or worship at a temple or a ritualistic fire sacrifice. The value of Daiva Yagna is not as much in the elaborateness or pompousness of the rituals as the consistency and continuity of remembrance of God during a day's activity. A great master like Adi Sankara had achieved a state of mind where he could easily declare 'yad yad karma karomi tat tat akhilam sambho thavaaraadanam' , meaning 'O Sambho, every single action of mine is done as an offering to you'.

Offerings to parents and ancestors (Pitru Yagna): It is a Hindu custom to remember one's ancestors on the New Moon day and the days of solstice. However,  any action that shows respect, gratitude and reverence to those who had been here before us is a Pitru Yagna. In its least but not insignificant form, Pitru Yagna is reflected in the respect accorded to the elders of society.

Offerings to Society (Manushya Yagna): Acts of common good, sharing, charity as well as selfless social endeavors fall into the category of Manushya Yagna.  Human race would never have been what it is today but for the willingness of many to perform this voluntarily.

Offerings to Beings (Bhuta Yagna): The awareness that humans are not the only ones who need to be cared for was entrenched in the Indian thinking process a long time ago. Caring for nature and its beings are equally important to the Hindu as offerings to God. This has also been expressed in many parts of India as worship of animals and trees.

Offerings to Knowledge (Brahma Yagna): Commitment to gaining knowledge, spiritual or material, is expected to be a daily practice in a Hindu's life. The importance education has in India is probably a result of this practice that was well ingrained into the Indian culture. Even those masters of Hind Religion who have gained mastery over the scriptural texts make it a point to spend some time every day to educate themselves as well as share their knowledge.

What is not a Hindu way of life?

If the above are the components of a Hindu way of living, what is not a Hindu way of living? Here is a description of that from Bhagawad Gita:

'kaamam asritya dushpooram  dhambamaana madaanvitaa

mohaat grihitva asat grahaan pravarthanthe asuchi vrataa' (B.G Chapter 16 Sloka 10)

"Counting on insatiable desires (to motivate), influenced by boisterousness, vanity and arrogance, hankering for the impermanent in delusion, acts a person who is committed to the unwholesome'

I am sure  this sounds familiar as we see it all around us in society (and occasionally in the mirror too!) . Be aware that unwholesome acts are not part of Hindu way of living!