An account of the different religions deliberately confounded by the
followers
of the 6 `astika' schools of Brahmanism under
`Sanatana Dharma'. Also, showing that these are Separate Religions.
The Different Hindu Religions
Chapter 2
Myth of One Hindu Religion Exploded
by
Hadwa Dom
2.1 Monotheism, Polytheism and Pantheism
`Hinduism' as a term is such a confused jumble of different religions
that there does not even exist a standard concept of God. It is sometimes
incorrectly asserted that Hinduism is polytheism, but that is not correct.
Pure Vaishnavism is monotheist, as are pure Shaktism and Shaivism.
Atheism in the form of Sankhya Vedanta is also a part of Hinduism;
indeed, this is one of the 6 astika (orthodox) schools of Brahmanism.
Thus, Swami Dharma Anand Theertha has written :
"Frankly speaking, it is not possible to say definitely who is a Hindu and
what is Hinduism. These questions have been considered again and again by
eminent scholars, and so far no satisfactory answer has been given.
Hinduism has within itself all types of religions such as theism,
atheism,
polytheism, Adwitism, Dwaitism, Saivism, Vaishnavism, and so forth.
(emphasis added). It contains nature worship, ancestor worship, animal
worship, idol worship, demon worship, symbol worship, self worship, and
the highest god worship. Its conflicting philosophies will confound any
ordinary person. From barbarious practices and dark superstitions, up to
the most mystic rites and sublime philosophies, there is place for all
gradations and varieties in Hinduism. Similarly, among the Hindu
population are found half barbarian wild tribes, and depressed classes and
untouchables, along with small numbers of cultured, gentle natures and
highly evolved souls."
-- [ Tirtha ] [ cf also Fame ]
This book shall later on prove that `Hinduism' includes the 6 orthodox
schools of Brahmanism, as well as anti-Vedic religions such as Shaivism
(followed by Sudras), Tantrism, Shaktism, Buddhism and Jainism. Indeed,
`Hinduism' is actually Brahmanism, and the other faiths have been
mistakenly classified as `Hinduism' due to Brahminist-Vaishnava
propaganda.
Thus, `Hinduism' includes atheism, pantheim, monotheism and all forms of
religion :
"Hinduism is not a religion established by a single person. It is a growth
of ideas, rituals and beliefs so comprehensive as to include
anything
between atheism and pantheism. (emphasis added). Having grown out of
the
practices and speculations of various communities that were admitted into
the Hindu fold at different times, Hinduism, as it stands at present, has
very few set of dogmas. A formal recognition of the Vedas as revealed
wisdom is all that is required for a Hindu to be known as such. But the
latitude permitted in interpreting the Vedas is so wide that the atheistic
Sankhya philosophy of Kapila and the polytheism of the Puranas are both
recognized as Orthodox."
-- [ Thomas, p.21 ][ cf also Fame ]
In the words of
S.V. Kelkar, "There is in fact no system of doctrines, no teacher,
or
school of teaching, no single god that is accepted by all the
Hindus." [ ERE 6:712 ]
Hence, it is a natural conclusion `Hinduism' is not one religion, but a
collection of several distinct
religions. There are several distinct religions that are
wrongly confounded under the name Hinduism (a more detailed list follows
below) -
-
Brahmanism (6 schools considered `astik')
- Vedanta
- Vaishnavism
- Smarta Pantheism
- Samkhya
- Yoga
- Mimamsa
- Vaiseshika
- Nyaya
- Sudra Shaivism
- Dravidian Shaivism
- Chandalla (Dalit & Adivasi) Shaivism
- Kolarian Shaivism
Sramanic Religions
Rajput Solar Religion
Tibetic Tantric Religions
It is often asserted that " Nevertheless, it is possible to discern among
the myriad forms of Hinduism several common characteristics of belief in
practice. Authority of the Veda and the Brahman class ... Doctrine of
atman-brahman .. Ahimsa or non-injury .. Doctrines of transmigration and
karma .. Concepts of istadevata and Trimurti .. Ashramas: the 4 stages of
life " [ EB.20 `Hinduism' 519-520 ]. These are all false statements, as
shall be shown later on. There is not one single theological doctrine in
common.
2.2 Indian, or Hindu Religions
The relative importance of the various religions of India is summarised
by the Manorama Yearbook, 1997 thus : " As for Hindus, almost all of
thm (99%) are in Asia. 70 % Vaishnavites, 25 % Shaivites, 2 % neo-Hindus."
[ Mano.334 ]. The other `nastikas' comprising Jains, Tantriks,
Shaktas, etc. comprised, after centuries of persecution, hence merely 3 %
of the population. The
following table shows the relative importance of the `Hindu' religions,
with the approximate percentage of `Hindus' following those
faiths given :
Religion |
% |
Region |
Vaisnavism |
70 % |
Aryavarta |
Saivism |
25 % |
Dravidia |
Shaktism |
< 1 % |
Bengal |
Tantrism |
< 1 % |
Bengal |
Saura |
< 1 % |
Rajastan |
Jainism |
0.5 % |
Aryavarta |
Buddhism |
1 % |
Magadha |
Total |
100 % |
India |
Table: Indian Religions and Importance
The following is an accurate list of Indian religions often wrongly
confounded
under the term `Hinduism'. The colloquial English term is first in bold
letters, with the technically correct English term in round
brackets, followed by the colloquial Sanskrit terminology in italics in
triangular brackets, and
the technically correst Sanskrit term in square brackets at the
end.
- Brahmanism
( Brahmanism, `Hinduism' )
< Brahmana Dharma >
[ astika brahmana dharma , sanatana dharma ]
- Vedanta
- Sri-Vaishnavism
< "Sri-Vaishnava sampradaaya" >
[ Vishisht Advaita Vedanta ]
- Tengalai (Southern; Tamil)
- Vengalai (Northern; Sanskrit)
- Madhva Vaishnavism
< "Maadhva sampradaaya" >
[ Dvaita Vedanta ]
- Bengali Vaishnavism
< "Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaaya" >
[ Bheda-bheda Vedanta ]
- Mahapurushiya Sect Assam
- ISKCON (International Society for Krishan Consciousness)
- West Indian or Gujarati Vaishnavism
< "Vallabha sampradaaya" >
[ Shuddh Advaita ]
- Smartism
( Smarta Pantheism )
< Smaarta sampradaaya >
[ Advaita Vedanta ]
- Yoga
- Mimamsa ( Vedist Ritualism )
- Samkhya ( Brahmanic Analytical Atheism )
- Nyaya ( Logical Theism )
- Vaisheshika ( Atomic Naturalism )
- Sudra Religion
( Shaivism )
< Shaiva Dharma >
[ Shaiva Dharma ]
- Dravidian Shaivism Proper
- Old Dravidian Shaivism ( Adishaivism )
[ adisaivar ]
- Tamil Shaivism
< Shaiva Siddhanta >
[ saiva siddhanta dharma ]
- Kannada Shaivism
< Lingayat Shaivism >
[ virasaiva dharma ]
- Chandalla Shaivism (Dalits & Adivasis)
- Gond Religion
- Bhil Religion
- Kol Shaivism
( Kolarian Religions )
< kol shaivar >
- Munda Religion
- Santal Religion
- Kaul Shaktism
- Others
- Sramanism
( Sramanic Heterodoxies )
< nastika sramana dharam >
- Buddhism [ bauddhas ]
- Jainism
[ jainas ]
- Carvaks or Materialists [ carvakas ]
- Shaktism
[ shaktas ]
- Right-Handed ( "Daskhinachari")
- Left-Handed (" Bamachari" )
- Kowls or Extreme Shaktas : cf. Kolarian Religion
- Rajput Religion
( Rajput Solar Religion )
< Saura Dharma >
- Tantrism
( Tibetic Tantric Religions )
< Tantra >
- Bon or Old Tibetan Religion
- Kashmir Shaivism
- Lamaism
Shankaracharya the Smarta
According to Smarta propaganda, Shankaracharya reinstated `Hinduism' as
the common religion in Bharat after supposedly defeating the Buddhists in
`brilliant
debates'. However, this is another false `Hindu Unity' myth of the
Brahmin Nazis :
- Shankaracharya was a Smarta [ srv.FAQ ], and he campaigned against
the Shaivites as well as Buddhists. His opposition to the Kappalikas (a
sect
of Dravidian Shaivites) is swept under the carpet to create an illusion of
Hindu unity and subvert Sudra Religion.
Prior to Nannaya the Carvak and Kappalika schools were prevalent in
Andhra-desha. Kumarila Bhatta (7 centry AD) and Sankaracharya (788-820)
preached against these and tried to revive the Brahmanic Vedic dharma [
Red.625 ].
The attempts by Nannaya and his patron-king Narendra (1022-63) to revive
the Vedic dharma recieved a setback due to the backlash of Virashavism
[ Red.625 ], which utterly vanquished the Vaishnava fanatics.
- Severe persecution of Buddhism had already diminished that religion
to near non-existence long before Shankaracharya (see chapter 4). Thus,
the
Sunga
King of Magadha offered 100 coins for the head of a Buddhists monk, and
Ashoka himself killed 18000 Jains.
- Smartas are virtually confined to Kerala. If Shankaracharya was so
successful, why did his Smarta doctrines not spread beyond that state ?
Even in Tamil Nadu
it is said that a Smarta is merely a stepping-stone for Dravidian converts
from Shaivism to Aryan Vaishnavism. Noted anthropologist Thurston has
written about this `conversion':
" About the Vadama Smartha Tamil Brahmins, there is the following saying:
"Vadamam muththi
Vaishnavam", ie. "a Vadama ripens into a Vaishnava"
-- [ Thurs i.334 ]
Yet, despite all the efforts of Shankaracharya, the main religion of
Vaishnavism was not attacked by him. Why ? Because his Smarta movement was
merely meant to subvert the Buddhist and Sudroid religions.
- The figures quoted above show that the Smartas form less than 1 % of
the population, with Vaishnavas forming 70 %. Sankara only converted 1 %
of the Indian population to his doctrines !
Ramaite and Krishnaite Vaishnavas
The Ramaite and Krishnaite sects of Vaishnavites are also at loggerheads.
The
Krishnaites are not that intolerant of Shiva, but the Ramaites allow no
mention of his name. The Krishnaites also generally allow worship of
Radha, which is condemned by the Ramaites. It hence follows that
sectarianism is rampant within astika Vaishnava Brahmanism.
Shaktism
The Indus Valley peoples practiced two religions : the
Dravidian Religion (`Shaivism') and the Mother-Goddess Cult.
The latter was mainly of Mediterranean origin (cf. the Cretan
snake-goddess), whilst some influence of
Mon-Khmer peoples can also be traced.
It is hence evident that Hinduism consists of different religions. The
fallacious concept of `One Hindu Religion' is entirely baseless and
arises from ulterior motives desiring to suppress non-Vaishnava faiths.
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