Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 31

In many respects, Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious thought, values, and beliefs without the benefit of a single founder like Abraham, Jesus, or Muhammad. It also does not have an organizational hierarchy, such as that of the Catholic Church. Among the Hindus, one may find magic, nature worship, animal veneration, and an unlimited number of deities. This view of a vast number of deities makes Hindus among the most religious people in the world because they find the divine in everything. Rituals are important for showing that God is in everything, and ritual significance can be found in everyday activities such as the lighting of incense, bathing, eating, and marriage ceremonies.

The Upanishads. The literature associated with the development of Hinduism can be found in the Upanishads. The word upanishad actually means instruction. Written in Sanskrit between 800 and 400 B.C., they represent the most sacred of all spiritual teachings and "instructions" found in Hinduism. There are more than a hundred Upanishads; however, it is the Bhagavad Gita that is the most influential. One of the many things they teach strikes at the very core of Hinduism. It is that God is an exalted, inspiring, and sublime force within us. Because God is within us, say the Hindus, we can rise above our mortal limitations.

A Complete Way of Life. As is the case with so many religions, Hinduism invades every part of existence. Hinduism is more a culture than a creed (confession). It forms the basis of a social system. In this sense Hinduism is not merely a religion. It encompasses an entire civilization and a way of life, whose roots date back prior to 3000 B.C.

Another Reality.Hinduism is based on the fundamental assumption that the material world, the one we can touch and see, is not the only reality. Instead, they hold that there are other realities that reveal the true nature of life, the mind, and the spirit. According to Hinduism, what we see as reality is the merest illusion, a game, or a dream. Hence, Hindus are not satisfied with what they see or hear: "Him the eye does not see, nor the tongue express, nor the mind grasp."

This notion of other realities stems from the Hindu belief of deliverance from the misleading appearances and experiences of the physical world. Hindus believe that finding satisfaction in the material and physical world might gratify us for many lifetimes, but eventually the satisfaction will "wear out." To experience Nirvana, or liberation, one needs to discover the spiritual existence found outside traditional concepts of reality. In short, Hindus are certain that there are mental and spiritual realms of unshakable reality that guarantee eternal satisfaction once one discovers them; therefore, Hindus spend much of their lives in search of these realms.

Important Teachings. Several Hindu concepts specifically relate to world view and individual values and behavior. Hindu philosophy begins with the premise that the ultimate cause of suffering is people's ignorance of their true nature, the Self, which is omnipotent, omnipresent, perfect, and eternal. To help one discover "the Self," Hinduism offers its followers some specific recommendations. Non-Hindus can gain insight into this world view by looking at these historical guidelines:

First, intellect is subordinate to intuition. Truth does not come to the individual; it already resides within each of us. The same point is made in the Bhagavad Gita: "Meditation excels knowledge."

Second, dogma is subordinate to experience. One cannot be told about God; one must experience God.

Third, outward expression is secondary to inward realization. Communication with God cannot take place through outward expression; it must occur through internal realization of the nature of God.

Fourth, the world is an illusion because nothing is permanent. All of nature, including humankind, is in an unending cycle of birth, death, and rebirth or reincarnation.