Posted by Varun Aggarwal on May 06, 1998 at 10:26:58:
In Reply to: Couple of questions posted by Ambrish Sharma on May 04, 1998 at 00:11:39:
1. What truly is the caste system? Is it based on one's
spiritual nature or on one's occupation?
1. This question has variable answers. Actually everyone shares a different point of view. Even the religious books share different point of view. But modern philosphers totally discard it. Gita says that it was created for good but led to bad results. If you want I will give further clarifications.
2. How can one support rebirth? Do we move up and down
based on our karmas(if you do bad you might be born as a dog
in the next life,etc) or do we stay in the same group.
How can we be punished for our past life for which we
don't have a single memory and if god is all loving why
does he/she/it punish us?
2. According to the hindu theory every one has to go through thousands of births before he gets the human form. Then the person has to do 'nishkarm karm' to attain salvation or he keeps on rotating through the cycle of though being a human but paying for bad & getting for good. If you don't have its memory then also truth will express itself. If God is all loving then also he will not compromise with his principles & with the truth .Love being a subset of emotions & truth being of logic can't be intermingled. It is quiet illogical to say that if I kill someone & forget it I won't be punished.
3. The theory of rebirth, how can it account for the
rise and fall of human population, if the number of
souls is constant how come world population is increasing?
3. The very same question I raised but I brother cleared it by help of logic. See, you have to take in account all living beings & not only humans. May be total amount of living being always remain same.
4. How is the Arya-Samaj better than other schools of
thought in Hinduism for one thing they don't believe in
supersitions as much?
4. Arya Samaj was better as it aimed at reviving the good points of hinduism. Please explain your question I can not understand it.
5. Is there any mention in the texts such as Gita that
what would happen to one who doesn't convert/follow hinduism
like Christians and Muslims describe?
5. As I have not read full Gita I can't comment specifically. But other scriptures quote "one's faith is his own". You just need to be truthful to yourself. Scriptures allow person to even not believe in God, still right path will lead to salvation.So may be muslim or christian the karma matters not the religion.
6. If Brahman is unity and we are all part of it, the main
principle of Hinduism, then where does all this material
over rituals, rakshasas, Devs, havans, puja and other things
find place in the Vedas; I thought hinduism was more of
philosophy rather than day to day rituals.
6. There are two bhaktidharas in hinduism -Sagun(a) , Nirgun(b). Sagun bhaktidhara believes in forms of God & but b believes in universal formless God. Both these look contradicting. But are not as Gita & Tulsidaas says that the formless God attained forms & took births as to raise the interest towards him. So that people know that he is 'the' truth & almighty. Havans , puja etc for the time they are being conducted keeps your mind concentrated over God. That's the utilization. Another reason is to not to take anything for granted so in awe do pujas. Whatever the person has he devotes a bit may be its money, time, good voice or his own life. The money devoted is not wasted as it provides employment to the one who makes the maalaa, the priest etc.
I would really appreciate your answers. Also what does
the name Ambrish and the name Abhijeet mean?
I am sorry I can't find these words in my dictionary .