I might convert...

I was reading about it in this big book of religions my Grandma had on her bookshelf, and I've been thinking that it might just be the best religion for me.

Can someone teach me some... how you say... "scripture"? Is that what it's called?
Some stories might help too. I want to know as much as I can.

Blessed be.

 

Hi - I'd say that it's not a question of converting in the sense of ceasing to believe in whatever religion you were brought up in. I assume Christianity? Anyway, it's more about expanding your outlook, knowledge and so on. Most Hindus would regard Jesus as an avatar - in Hinduism one who descends from a higher plane to bring light, love and grace down here to us.

There are a lot of introductory books on Hinduism around. I'd suggest reading 'Autobiography of a Yogi' by Parhamhansa Yogananda, a great Indian yogi and master who came to the west back in the 30's. This book is universally aclaimed by all who read it as a great introduction to Hinduism and yoga.
Also, a good traslation of the Bhagavad Gita - this is probably the most widely read and respected text of Hinduism. I recommend the translation by Isherwood/Prabhavananda as it is very well done and easy to understand.

You can always ask any specific questions you have on here.

love & peace.

 

Hey hey sarah! Are we talking about Hinduism? I remember havin' a conversation with you a while back about converting to that. Expanding ones horizons is a wonderful idea. I have officially become a taoist myself. After readin' over the other choices their philosophy seems to suit me best. Best of luck hun.

 

Yes, I was brought up in a Christian home all my life. Really? Wow, that's wonderful!

Wow, I'll check those out. Hopefully they'll have them in the school library.

Bliss.

 

I found a copy of the Bhagavad Gita online. It's pretty interesting so far about the battle.

 

No point religion hopping. You'll only be jumping from superficial understanding of one to another to another. Go deeper where you already are.

 

Hare Krishna!

Thanks Bhaskar for your perfect advice to young Sarah. Thanks to BBB as well for his right guidance to Sarah.

Dear Sarah, it is one lord Jesus who has become all other lords bearing other names in other religions. Please do not have any doubt about this. There is absolutely nothing wrong in reading and learning more from different sources about God's endless revealations and divine games but conversion is meaningless and totally unnecessary. If you cannot love and have faith in Jesus then I am sorry to say that it will be a futile exercise to attain whatever you are trying for. Try and love Jesus not only inside the Church but everywhere in every conceivable thing/being, good or bad. Dear, Lord Jesus alone is more than what we all need because He only has/had become everything else. It is His Maya or divine illusion that we tend to think otherwise and go to places looking for our answers and peace. Love Him and give it time with patience, you will surely one day wake up into a different world of peace, serenity, love-for-all and compassion.

It is wonderful to know that you have started reading the Gita. I would strongly suggest, while reading you try to be Arjuna and let Krishna be Jesus for you. If you do not understand, try and read again and see how His grace will work upon your sincere efforts and you will get the true meaning.

Take care and keep well. With lots of love and prayers,

Kumar.

 

Jesus is far from the only way to happiness in ones life, spiritual and or physical man. I live a perfectly happy life and I am an adherent to Tao, not to mention the fact that you can't really say that Jesus is the essence of all gods and all religions. he is really a fairly new concept, one which was produced by the Essenes to fit their philosophy. All religions have some truth in them just as all religions have their lies. The goal of a true spiritualist should not be to convert someone to their belief but to guide them upon the Path through non religious aid.

 

There you go with that Essene theory, which is pure speculation. But if Taoism works for you, I won't argue. I think a fifteen year old on these sites is as vulnerable to religious predators as she is to pedophiles. My advice to Sarah the Walrus is: keep an open mind, but be very cautious of people who tell you they have the answers. As always, watch out for strangers, especially if they seem really nice!

 

Hare Krishna!

From Indy Hippy.....

Jesus is far from the only way to happiness in ones life, spiritual and or physical man. I live a perfectly happy life and I am an adherent to Tao, not to mention the fact that you can't really say that Jesus is the essence of all gods and all religions. he is really a fairly new concept, one which was produced by the Essenes to fit their philosophy.



Dear,

Thanks for your sweet post. It is wonderful to know that you are living a perfectly happy life adhereing to Tao. But then why raise the comparison ? My point was just that, you do not need to change paths. Taoism or any other 'ism is good enough to make our lfe happy, beautiful and significant. We do not need to convert. We should have love and faith and practices of the good teachings of our Seers in our own lives. That is all that is required. Hopping makes us tired, confused and frustrated in the long run and eventuality becomes a big 'zero' of an insignificant life.

Your Signature, " The Journey Is The Reward" from the Taoist saying, says it all. Let the journey on the path of our quest be on, more of the Reward is yet to come for you and us as well.

With lots of love,

Kumar.

 

I am sorry if I came across insulting, it was not my intention. I simply do not approve of the use of any deities name in trying to explain things of the spiritual nature. Untill the day we die not one of us will truly know which path was right. I personally see that the use of a name for the unknowable thus strives to make it knowable and as such causes it to lose its power.

 

I think you misunderstood GDKumars post. He (or the rest of us) is not speaking of Jesus in the way you are accustomed to. We see Jesus as the Master, practicing the path of being totally present in the divine. It is the same way we look at Krishna, the Buddha, Lao Tsu, Mohammed and all other masters. So the idea is not to say that Christianity is the only path, but that Jesus embodies the same truth and teaching you will find in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Daoism or any other spiritual path.

If you look at Jesus's life he was perfect in his following of the Integral way.

 

Ahh I see. Well here I go hopping into something I know nothing of. I'm not used to hearing things like that used in such a way. As I said previously I appoligze if I came off as rude. Or likely just ignorant. But ignorance when used correctly leads to enlightenment as I have come to find.

 

Hare Krishna!

From Indy Hippy...

I am sorry if I came across insulting, it was not my intention. I simply do not approve of the use of any deities name in trying to explain things of the spiritual nature. Untill the day we die not one of us will truly know which path was right. I personally see that the use of a name for the unknowable thus strives to make it knowable and as such causes it to lose its power.

Dear,

There is absolutely nothing wrong in your observations, please do not feel bad. Only thing is if I think my path is right that should not emphasize that other paths are wrong. You have truly said that until the day we die not one of us will truly know which path was right. As regards using the names of the deities or seers I can only tell you that time alone will tell you that there is nothing wrong in that. I very often say that today we should not say or do anything for which tomorrow we will feel embarrassed. If Indy Hippy tells me she found a diamond mine in North-East direction giving me the Lat & Long of the position and I start heading for that direction saying to all that Indy told me, is there anything wrong? Here comes the question of love and faith. If I know your life, the paths you have travelled in the past, your austerity and truthfulness then surely I will talk about it to others and will surely set for the diamond mines that you have talked about. Respect , love and faith in a deity are for all together the deity stands for, not for the physical form alone. However, the point was there should not be any conflict of superiority or inferiority between the paths.

Time and time alone enriches our knowledge during the end-less journey.

Take care and keep well. With lots of love,

Kumar.

 

hehe, no need to convert, The main ideas in all religions overlap in that they want to give you peace, happiness and they want to pacify the mind. So, don't get bogged down with all these philosophies, the important thing is to be just happy,

 

D00d, u shud lke toly b a taois n shit, its tolly lke n stile now!11!! u can lke prtend ur al spirtual n stuff rite? bt rlly u jus did wht made u fel gud n wht wuz populr!!1!!

PROFIT!!!!

 

The thing is, and I think this is what Kumar meant, is that the name and form are not the main thing. The divine can be experienced under many different forms, all forms, no form -
If you truly experience the divine nature of Krishna, you will know it is one and the same as Jesus, Brahman, Tao - everything.

But actually, 'Tao' is also another word - Taoism another path with it's own beliefs and so on.

Anyway, followers of yoga are not generally prepared to wait until death to know the truth. Realization is sought in this life. The paths vary - all that matters is to find a path that works for you.

 

Dear.... you are still young... so take your time to understand
all the religions of the world.

Also to practice Hinduism one does not need to renounce the
faith one is born or undermine other faiths.

A good place to start would be the books
that other people have recommend in this thread
and maybe some yoga practice to go with it.. and the
company of like minded people.

All the best in your endeavours

 

An American asked my guru how she could convert to Hinduism. He told her, "The best way is to be a true Christian!"

As long as you move in the realm of thoughts and language, names and forms cannot be escaped. Which is why in Hinduism and Buddhism we have hundreds of names for the same deity. These are not just names -- these are indicators to guide a contemplative mind in the direction of truth.
Take for example, Krishna. The name comes from the sanskrit root Karsh - to attract. That which is the root of all love, all beauty, that which draws us and binds us together as one is Krishna. Krishna himself repeatedly says he is present in all (Tao is hidden yet it shines in every corner of the universe ~ Lao Tsu).
Or the name Shiva: Shiva means that which is pure, unspoiled, untouchable, auspicious. This again is a pointer to the essential truth undelying all things.

What I am trying to say is that the names and forms are full of rich symbolism, the legends and parables around them are full of practical lessons and guidance in cultivating the right attitudes for a spiritual seeker and also to provide a means to cultivate devotion towards the supreme. The mind needs all these things, because it is impossible to grasp the names and formless with the mind. And yet, the way to go beyond the mind and touch the ultimate is through the mind, purifying it, making it subtler, more keen and clear utnil it vanishes altogether.


So the names and forms have a very very important place. Even Taoism, the figure of the Master Lao Tsu, whose actual historical existence is debatable, is a symbol of the ideal that we aspire to. We feel deep love and devotion to him, reverence for his teachings and we strive earnestly to reflect his own divine qualities in our personality.

The name and the form are a very very powerful tool in training the mind to transcend, indeed it is nearly impossible to do so without that support.

 

I also disagree with the idea that we need to wait until death to know the truth. Every religion and every master tells us that the truth is available in the present, here and now. We speak of the divine as all pervading, ominpresent and omniscient. Why then must we wait for death in order to see that which is already here?
Know everything in this moment and you will know the Eternal Dao ~ Dao De Ching