Hindunet: The Hindu Universe: Scripture and Religion

Namaste Durgadas,

Religion was originally a personal matter of correct “selection” or “perception” of Truth. Over time, however, the various selections made by some inspired members of different cultural groups have become “set in stone” for those groups, and subsequently their particular cultural version of “religion” or Dharma has been presented more dogmatically.

The Vedas were originally passed by learned Brahmanas from generation to generation only by direct speech and were never actually written down, and this process has been continuous over millennia.

At some point, the written code of Brahmi (and later Sanskrit) was established, and the Vedas were fixed in writing for the very first time.

The production of actual scripture (the written word as opposed to the spoken word) is perhaps the main reason for the historical change in the perceived nature of religion (from wise choice to veritable bondage) which has tended to occur in all the established faiths.

The major scriptures of each religion do contain the distilled essence of thousands of years of combined philosophical (truth seeking) activity, and it is not wise to just throw that remarkable spiritual heritage away.

Islam is the only major religion that was absolutely fixed in writing from its very inception, and most Judeo-Christian sects rely entirely on texts that were fairly rapidly fixed ~ and dogmatism is one of their hallmarks.

The Bible became fixed in Latin translation, and then re-fixed in English translation, and thence into every language on earth; but this has all happened in the absence of any living Guru, since the Prophet who presented the original words (in Aramaic) was executed (or at least disappeared) and his devotees declared that there can never be another teacher who is actually one with God.

For Hindus, however, the purity of an eternal and yet living Word of God is available in the mantras and shlokas transmitted and explained by wise Gurus; and there remains the possibility of fine-tuning the Vidya (without altering its essence) for individual circumstances.

It is the long experience and deep consideration of a wise Guru that makes his/her advice valuable (indeed priceless), and it is foolish to throw away that knowledge and insight for the sole reason of personal pride.

The revealed scripture, the wise teacher’s transmission, and the aspirant’s own heart, must all three be brought together as the essential components of a true Religion. And indeed that is exactly what one finds in traditional Sanatana Dharma.

If all scripture was destroyed, and the influence that all of that scripture has had on human thinking were to be removed, then I wonder how long it would actually take for most humans to even come up with the idea of monotheism, let alone consistently effective methods for realizing unity with that one God.

The key to the reconciliation of Shaiva vs Vaishnava and Advaita vs Dvaita (and even Guru vs Guru) is truly found in Lord Krishna and the Bhagavadgita.

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Sarabhanga Giri ~ Ayamatma Brahma

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