Are Vedantists Hindus?

[Guest guest]

I am a Western Vedantist. I have never called or thought of myself as

Hindu. I don't mean for the distinction to sound too esoteric. To me

the word " Hindu " in English connotes a vast array of Hindu sects, none

of which I wish to be included in. Not out of contempt or disregard,

but mainly cultural upbringing and lack of exposure. In fact, I believe

many early Ramakrishna Mission Swami's to the West have seen their

mission as bringing the particular Vivekananda message to Westerners.

It is true now there is a large dispora of Indian people in the West

and that therefore all varieties of Hindu philosophies and sects are

now emerging here, often with only Indian-born devotees. That seems

like an entirely different ball game than the Vedanta I found haven in.

I have known Indian immigrants in the West who have confided in me that

they were better able to practice Vedanta as they met it in the West

than at home in India. Apparently even for some Indians they can have

unpleasant associations with Hinduism as they knew it in their

upbringing amidst Indian culture. That is definitely true for many

Christians too who find Vedanta a safe spiritual refuge from some

alienating experiences found in some types of Christian practice. In my

view the early Swami's saw the wisdom of focus on the needs and

approaches most relevant to Westerners. Therefore, I have been most

comfortable calling myself Vedantist. In fact, it a proud term to me.

 

Hopefully one thing that the Ramakrishna movement will eventually iron

out as time passes is how much of Vedanta is to be Indian culture and

unnecessary for Westerners and what is universal. Are Hanuman and

Genesha helpful to Western seekers initially, for example? I found

them a barrier and totally alien to my culture--still do, but that does

not interfere with my seeking and practice. Another example, I love

Indian music of all sorts but that is with many years of learning to

appreciate it. Western Vedanta is evolving its own musical expression

as time is passing. In itself, although Indian culture is rich and

wonderful, Western Vedantists do not necessarily have to become Indians

to be Vedantists. We may not take up sitars and tablas. Not to be

facetious, but I am told that the first thing some Hindu converts to

Christianity used to do in India was to go out and buy a western suit

and eat a hamburger! Likewise in the US we we have had many barefoot,

red-headed American girls dressed in saffron saris here [from Terre

Haute, Indiana no less,] who are vegetarian followers of Krishna. Has

Hindu diet and dress, music, and stylized behavior or custom anything

intrinsically necessary to universal truth really? It is all humorous

and hopefully harmless. Of course their Christian mothers are quite

alarmed at their sons and daughters! Personally, I have mixed feelings

about Puja and flower offerings. It is a quandary. How shall Westerners

practice our concepts in culturally meaningful ways without

awkwardness? May we keep our shoes on? Our climates and cities are not

barefoot friendly. Do you see my point, dear friends? I have also heard

all the discussions and explanations of higher concepts of caste, but

that too is not something I find helpful to modern circumstances or

even much of a mental interest to my experiences of life. Yet we now

have personals internet services in the USA with people seeking mates

of their caste. That alone makes me prefer to call myself Vedantist,

not Hindu, God bless each to their own ideas.

 

The West will make of Vedanta what it chooses even as India will take

up what it chooses of Western values, technologies and philosophical

thought and make it Indian. And as we can see in history, Vedanta has

found a new garden to grow in in the West that will produce it own

cultural milieu that we now can not predict. After all, Christianity

initially was a tiny sect in Judaism of " Jesus Jews " until it married

the Roman Empire. India and the West are rapidly exchanging gifts and

tomorrow will be a different world I am sure for both.

 

Just my thoughts expressed hopefully with deep affection and respect

for my Indian sisters and brothers.

Tomikin

[Guest guest]

Hello Thomas,

Yours was a very interesting mail. I have a few thoughts regarding this.

 

I have always believed that Hinduism was never envisioned with any boundary in

perspective. It was envisioned as a path for every iota that existed. I find it

surprising that many perceive a difference in the way Vedanta/Hinduism is

practiced in the West and the East.

 

I sincerely feel that any school of thought was designed as much for the truth

seeking individual as for the ignorant. If there are people who can derive

solace and peace by imagining a form to their concept of Divinity, so be it. I

am sure you agree with me that the end result of peace is more important than

these trivials.

 

Just like a pi or a delta or a theta in mathematics, ganesha and Hanuman were

imagined as symbols for particular set of virtues in Hindu religion. Just like

it is foolish to equate a bundle of symbols to mathematics itself, itis foolish

to equate a set of forms to Hinduism and Vedanta. Having said that, I cannot

think of any mathematician who could despise the importance of these symbols and

so also it is vital that practitioners of any religion understand and respect

the value of symbols.

Religions have long designed practices that seem blind on the first look. If

someone just cares to look at them carefully they are just actions which

indicate the highest Vedanta. I guess with time people everywhere have tried to

follow as much as they understood about practices and int he process we have

forgotten what their true intent was. I am sure it is the same with every

religion. This fact was thought about carefully by our ancestors who designed

the practices.Owing to their forethought, we have most of practices intact

albeit with forgotten meanings. Atleast for the true seeker these practices will

guide him of the Ultimate Vedanta.

 

Speaking about Western Hindus, Iam sure most of them would agree with me that

they never really thought about their religious practices back in India. In

India religion and spirituality was more a matter of habit rather than a

thoughtful process. It is only when they are alienated form the motherland that

they are forced to think about what they are doing since, resources for

religious practices are scarse.

Iam convinced that if people 'practised' Hinduism in India they would find it as

easy and peaceful, if not more , as in the West.

 

Having said all this, I think the right approach is to stop analysing why this

happens and just seek the Ultimate Bliss. Why worry how things are in India or

Isreal? Why worry how people think in the West or the East, why worry whether it

is easy or tough to practice Vedanta or any school of thought? Let us just

practice Vedanta as we know it. After all as I said earlier, the most important

thing is to attain Peace rather than analyse why.

 

 

regards

 

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Chetan Yadati

#229, North Duncan, Apt 6

Master's Student

Phone: 405-533-2468

Department of Industrial Engineering and Management

Oklahoma State University

Stillwater

OK-74075