Is Hinduism the eldest of Islam and Christianity and budism?

[Contarini]

I can’t believe i was part of such arcane proceedings.

Why not. Why is “arcane” even a relevant category?

By the way, thanks for your description. I have mistakenly been telling my students that puja (as opposed to the Vedic sacrifices) is bloodless.

Edwin

 

[codebilly]

You mentioned Hinduism lacking a notion of a “decisive, sovereign divine intervention”. That would be true, if Hinduism were pantheistic. Since Hinduism is not pantheistic, and instead is panentheistic, God intruding into the world thus becomes a recognized activity.

Sri Krishna is seen by His devotees as the “fullest” divine Incarnation-Avatar of all time. Other Avatars, like Rama, did not demonstrate such “fullness”, or give such a full Revelation.

And Sri Ramakrishna described his birth as an intentional intervention from the Divine.

A very strong theme in realization of the “hindu” sages is the notion of Nama Rupa. This concept extends into Buddhism as well.

it means “Nama - Name Rupa -Form” ie. Name and Form

God manifests Himself to us in Name and Form.

Hinduism has millions (or so they say) names for God. It must be that the sages realized these names upon God revealing Himself in the form.

I can attest this must be the case because even Moses realized God’s manifestation with form and name. Also, considering the many El and Ya names for God, and their meanings in the OT, the Nama Rupa principle applies to Judeo Christian revelation.

Here is a fact! There is no Hindu God named:

God Saves, or The Lord is Salvation or The Lord the Saves.

THere is no Hindu God named JESUS!

… and THAT is why Jesus is the SAVIOR of the World!

For all theists in need of a Savior, for all sinners who hope only to be saved, … For them the can call on the HOLY NAME OF JESUS

His Nama is Salvation and His Rupa is all His manifestations in His Divine Lila.

Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ, whose Name could not be even named or known prior to His stepping into time to Save us!

 

[SedesDomi]

It depends on what we mean by “Hinduism.” Much of classic Hinduism was probably a response to the challenge of Buddhism and the other Sramana groups (such as the Jains). But I know of no evidence that the sramana tradition is older than the Vedic/Brahmin tradition. That seems extremely unlikely–the sramana movements look like ascetic, reformist reactions to Brahmin religion (what we normally call “Hinduism,” although as I said much of what we think of as typically Hindu belief and practice came later).

Edwin

For evidence of Jainism and sramanism in general, being at least as old as the Vedas, if not older, see this. (Lord Mahavira and His Times, Kailash C. Jain, p. 8.)

Of course, such evidence is not conclusive, but it is interesting.

 

[firstmode]

Here you go, I found the ancient origins of Hinduism:

Deuteronomy 32:15-18

15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked;
you grew fat, stout, and sleek;
then he forsook God who made him
and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods;
with abominations they provoked him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons that were no gods,
to gods they had never known,
to new gods that had come recently,
whom your fathers had never dreaded.
18 You were unmindful of the Rock that bore [1] you,
and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

 

[SedesDomi]

That was not the kind of divine intervention I was saying that Hindus denied. Ramakrishna didn’t claim to be founding Hinduism but only to be one more guru proclaiming an eternal truth.

He claimed to be more than “one more guru”. The average guru is not a re-appearance of Krishna Himself.

I agree that most Hindus don’t see God making simply one human appearance for all time (though many devotees of Shiva believe that Shiva never appears in human form, at any time). But Hindus don’t believe that all gurus are made equal. Most gurus are human-born who struggle for spiritual growth. But every so often, Krishna Himself takes human form as a Guru. I would call that “decisively periodic”.

 

[SedesDomi]

Here you go, I found the ancient origins of Hinduism:
17 They sacrificed to demons that were no gods,
to gods they had never known,
to new gods that had come recently,

That sounds like a universal human experience, rather than Hinduism specifically. Humans have been ‘sacrificing’ to ‘idols’ ever since Cain murdered Abel. Abraham criticized such sacrifice, as did Krishna, the Buddha, and other teachers of the Indian traditions.

 

[Eucharisted]

Not in the sense of positing more than one ultimate Being. Only in the sense that they say that this ultimate Reality is known under many forms. Based purely on natural reason, there is nothing wrong with this that I can see. But as Christians we believe that God has revealed Himself uniquely and finally in Jesus.

Edwin

Nope. Hindus believe in three gods. You only need to believe in more than one god to be polytheist. So Hindus are polytheists.

 

[SedesDomi]

God Saves, or The Lord is Salvation or The Lord the Saves.

THere is no Hindu God named JESUS!

What would be the Sanskrit for “save”?

 

[SedesDomi]

Nope. Hindus believe in three gods. You only need to believe in more than one god to be polytheist. So Hindus are polytheists.

You’re beginning to sound like some Muslims who claim Christians are tritheists.

 

[pjk123]

Hinduism is a very underestimated religion.this religion is very Old the teachings and the scholarly works on their Holybook Bhagavad Gita,Upanishads can not be neglected.I agrees ,As a Christian/Catholic we cannot accept that.

unlike Abrahamic Religions ,Hinduism,Buddhism,Jainism shows tolerance to other religions.that is the main reason for the millions of death of poor Hindus in Bharath(India) under the hand of SwashBucklers Persian nomadic war mongers.

The secular,democratic government has now decided to give pensions to ustads teaching in Madrasas-the terrorism(koran).​

Goa,West Coast from Kanyakumari to Bombay ,Christian aggression(say portugese) was done although somewhat peacefully.St.Francis Xaviour has done a big Work there.Current Latin Catholics of West Coast are converted by St.Francis and other Missionaries…Hindus never complained .their own brothers are slaughtered under the hands of foreign religions.Now - But Things are changing,especially Hindu Tolerance is taken for a ride by Islam,Pentecostal/Protestent Cults(by bribing -money to the poor class,these people converts to christianity).while Syrian Christians are natives who don’t have problems with Hindus for 1000’s of years peacefully co-existing.
Please read this post:
danielpipes.org/comments/49870​

Gita DOES says about “PrajaPati”(King of the World) and some christians interprets that as about jesus Christ.
Bhavishya Purana says about Islam - being a cult of demon from arabia Workshipping Pagan Moon God(Allah may be Shiva) leaded by “Meha Madha” or a Asura(demonic -mohammad) and the cult is refered as “Mlecha”(uncivilized,barbaric).

According to Bhavishya purana
Mahamada (Incarnation of Tripurasura the demon) = Dharmadushika (Polluter of righteousness)
Religion founded by Mahamada = Paisachyadharama (demoniac religion)

bhavishyapuran.blogspot.com/2007/07/bhavishya-purana-prediction-of.html

Trinity or NOT- but Hindus ,majority are Advaita(Single God but with various “forms”-also they believes in thejus of God in Idols) Philosophy followers.
Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwara is the equivalent to father-son-Holy Spirit .

 

[Contarini]

Nope. Hindus believe in three gods.

They do not believe that these are distinct beings in any ultimate sense.

You sound like a Muslim talking about Christianity.

Edwin

P.S. LOL! I wrote that last line before reading SedesDomi’s post!

 

[swariffin]

I never realy considerd hinduism.
Only Christian denominations and Islam.

It seems Hinduism is older then I thought, and I see no reason to remain ignorant of it.

Dose hindu religion have any fruits to show for itself, such as resurections…miracle healings…etc…etc?

Historically yes. Hinduism is older than Buddhism, than Christianily, and most certainly Islam. I don’t know whether Hinduism is older than Judaism.

 

[Eucharisted]

You’re beginning to sound like some Muslims who claim Christians are tritheists.

That would be the case if Christians believed in three gods. But we don’t. We believe in one God. Hindus believe in three gods, and whether or not they are different is beside the point: it is three gods, and that is polytheism.

I wrote this reply to a Muslim accusation that Christians are polytheists like Buddhists and Hindus:

Wow. Comparing the Holy Trinity to the trinities of Buddhism and Hinduism? That just goes to show Islam has no idea what it’s talking about. But it can be easily explained:

Christians believe in God, and three Persons in God.
Buddhists believe in Buddha, and three Bodies of Buddha
Hindus believe in three gods: Brahma, Visnu, and Shiva.

The belief that the three Persons in God are three personalities, modes, or bodies of God is actually a heresy. So the Holy Trinity is not like the Buddhist trinity.

The belief that the three Persons in God are three different gods is also a heresy. So the Holy Trinity is neither like the Hindu trinity.

Excuse the uncharitable nature of my post. I was a bit angry when I made the post

 

[SedesDomi]

That would be the case if Christians believed in three gods. But we don’t. We believe in one God. Hindus believe in three gods, and whether or not they are different is beside the point…

Actually, it’s directly related to the point.

 

[Eucharisted]

Actually, it’s directly related to the point.

Not at all. They are three forms of one Reality, and each one is a deity. That is three gods, and that is unlike the Holy Trinity, as I explained in my post above.

 

[SedesDomi]

Not at all. They are three forms of one Reality, and each one is a deity. That is three gods, and that is unlike the Holy Trinity, as I explained in my post above.

What Hindu scripture talks about these “three gods”?

The Tirumantiram says this, pointing to the idea that the Lord is One, even if manifesting as Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva:

The Lord He is: Hari [Vishnu], Brahma and Rudra [also called Shiva]. He is the Seed of the corporeal world. Distant and near is He. He is sugar-cane-sweet ambrosia divine. Thus He stands, close to jiva.
– Tirumantiram 2365.

Since Vishnu, Brahma, and Rudra are not called “gods” (or “devas”), it wouldn’t make sense to call this tri-deva-ism. So I’m curious as the scriptural support you have for calling them “gods”.

 

[Eucharisted]

What Hindu scripture talks about these “three gods”?

The Tirumantiram says this, pointing to the idea that the Lord is One, even if manifesting as Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva:

Since Vishnu, Brahma, and Rudra are not called “gods” (or “devas”), it wouldn’t make sense to call this tri-deva-ism. So I’m curious as the scriptural support you have for calling them “gods”.

Wikipedia is my scripture, and it don’t lie

 

[SedesDomi]

Wikipedia is my scripture, and it don’t lie

Yes, well, the Fount of Truth. Can’t argue with that.

 

[Matariel]

They do not believe that these are distinct beings in any ultimate sense.

You sound like a Muslim talking about Christianity.

Edwin

P.S. LOL! I wrote that last line before reading SedesDomi’s post!

Actually, Hinduism can be seen as polytheistic, tri-henotheistic, or panentheistic, depending on your emphasis. Altogether, panentheistic is the most apt description, though on a practical level, it can be polytheistic.

 

[S_J_Thaikattil]

Since the dates of the founding of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are well known, one can say with certainty that Hinduism is older than all these three religions. Jainism was also established around the same time as Buddhism. Islam was founded in 622 AD with the flight of Mohammad to Medina, although Mohammad’s first revelation in Mecca came in 610 AD, when he was aged 40. So Buddhism is at least four centuries older than Christianity and a millennium older than Islam. Hinduism is considerably older than all three of them.

Hence the real question should have been if Hinduism is older than Judaism, since the date of founding of both these religions cannot be accurately determined.

A brief history of Buddhism: Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha born c. 430 BC

historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab77