"Stupid" Questions about Hinduism

Posted By Paul Ciszek (pciszek@nyx.net)
Tue, 18 Feb 97 22:22:28 MST

The various textbooks I have read in high school and college classes
were not terribly consistant regarding Hindu beliefs. One implied that
Brahma had the status of "supreme being" (my terminology, not theirs)
distinct from the many other gods. A later textbook implied the same
thing about Vishnu, and in a later section, Shiva. So, I have some
"stupid questions" about the basics of Hinduism:

1) Are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva considered three aspects of a single
entity? Many western scholars like to draw parallels between these
three and the Christian trinity, but I am asking if there is any
basis in actual Hinduism for making this comparison.

2) Does Hinduism make the distinction between "supreme being" and the
various other gods? Again, some western scholars seem to think so
but I want to know what Hindus have to say on this.

For the purposes of this discussion, "supreme being" can be taken to
mean "uncaused cause", not created by any other agency, existing prior
to and independent from the rest of the universe, etc.

Paul Ciszek "When the press is free and every man
able to read, all is safe."
pciszek at nyx dot net --Thomas Jefferson

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