Published by Om. Only the perfected soul understands Om, it is truth; it is the strongest, highest symbol of being. All of Hindu life is devoted to discovering and knowing this truth, to become one with its eternal being. The ideas and practices of Hinduism are different from anything many people, especially in the western world have ever known, but just like any other religion their practices and beliefs are everything to those who chose to devote themselves to them.
Hinduism is the main religion of India, but the term is more of an “umbrella” term than anything. There are uncountable various ways to practice and devote oneself to Hinduism, each and every person could have a different way of reaching the same end. But although there are countless ways to devote oneself, there is one goal that is constant throughout Hinduism; to know Om, by reaching moksa. When a person achieves spiritual freedom by perfecting their spirit, by practicing the ways of Hinduism, they have reached their goal.
Hindus believe that it will take many lifetimes for a person to achieve spiritual perfection. They believe that the spirit is everlasting, and whatever happens to the physical being, the spirit will remain in existence. Every bit of their belief system is based on reincarnation, because no person can attain moksa in one lifetime. There are guidelines for attaining moksa, and it takes complete dedication. The 4 ends and 4 stages of life are the guidelines that Hindu philosophies and beliefs are based on; they are the guidelines for attaining moksa.
The 4 ends of life are moksa, kama, artha, and dharma. Each of these ends is present in everyone’s life; the perfected soul has attained a balance of each. Moksa is the spiritual end of life. A person must develop his soul and discover himself to have a successful journey in life. Kama is the emotional end of life. Someone must be in touch with their feelings and desires, otherwise they will be under constant strain. Artha is the material end of life. The successful man is enriched by money and material things in life. And dharma is the ethical end of life. It is necessary to live a righteous life, with rules for guidance. Each of these ends is of equal importance, and the perfected person has achieved a balance.
The 4 stages of life are the student, the householder, the forestdweller and the monk. Each person will pass through every stage if they are to obtain spiritual perfection. In the student stage a person gains the toolsthat are necessary for life. They learn about the 4 ends, and they receive the guidelines for living a successful life. In the householder stage a person begins to live by the rules and ways they learned in the student stage. They develop social skills, often take the role of a nurturer, and otherwise begin the journey toward perfection. The forestdweller stage is for inquiry and meditation. It is the time when a person is learning to become a monk, after they have gained the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively pursue perfection. In the monk stage a person has obtained spiritual perfection. They live only by their own rules, and no longer need the 4 ends to succeed. This is the goal of every Hindu.
Hindu people lead a very introspective, spiritual life. A focus on philosophy is one of the main things that characterize a Hindu; they are very concerned with ideas rather than things. This focus guides their life, in fact, in some of the most prominent Hindu literature people are asking questions to everyday things, and the Gods come to them and guide them on their quest to find moksa. Hindu people on a whole are very concerned with how ideas guide their life; they are a very philosophical people.
The way through which Hindus practice introspection is yoga. Yoga helps people achieve inner peace and calm in a world of chaos, it allows for freedom of the mind. Yoga is simply meditation through practicing mental states and physical postures. This is important to the Hindu people because it allows them to achieve something that could never be achieved in ordinary life, without this practice of meditation. As the book, The Ways of Religion states, “periods of solitude are necessary, but one need not renounce the world forever in order to practice yoga”. Just like most everything else in Hindu life, a balance must be attained for the practice to be effective.
The beliefs and practices of Hinduism are very different from western views and ways of thinking. There are many things about Hinduism that I will certainly never really understand, but the whole religion holds a certain richness and beauty that is quite intriguing. But unlike many western religions that I know of, Hinduism is not just a religion, it is a way of life. Someone cannot believe the things that Hindus believe without completely and wholly being a Hindu. It is difficult to imagine someone being all those things instead of just believing in them, but in the Hindu way of life, that’s just the way it is. They don’t just know their beliefs, they are their beliefs.
