Hinduism
is recognized in the
Baha?i Faith
as one of nine known religions.
[1]
Krishna
is included in the succession of
Manifestations of God
.
References in the Baha?i writings
[
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]
Baha?u'llah
was familiar with Hinduism, which is clear from a
tablet
to
Mirza Abu'l-Fa?l
, the English translation of which is included in the volume
Tabernacle of Unity
. In this tablet Baha?u'llah answered questions about
Hinduism
and
Zoroastrianism
by
Maneckji Limji Hataria
. The subjects include
comparative religion
, and constitute, while much remains implicit, a dialogue of Baha?u'llah with Hinduism and the other religions discussed, giving an understanding of what Baha'u'llah meant with the
unity of the world religions
.
[2]
In another tablet (published in
Gleanings
, section LXXXVII) Baha?u'llah discussed the absence of records about history before Adam. Here he refers to the
Jug-Basisht
which is the Persian translation of the
Yoga Vasistha
, a
syncretic
philosophic text.
[2]
The translation was done during the
Mughal Dynasty
in the sixteenth century A.D. and became popular in Persia among intellectuals with
Indo-Persian interests
since then.
[3]
In the
Story of Bhusunda
, a chapter of the
Yoga Vasistha
, a very old sage, Bhusunda, recalls a succession of epochs in the earth's history, as described in
Hindu cosmology
.
Juan Cole
states that this means that in
dating Creation
, Baha?u'llah promotes the theory of a long chronology over a short one.
[2]
In a letter written on behalf of
Shoghi Effendi
, published in the
Dawn of a New Day
, p. 198
, it is stated that:
"As regards your study of the Hindu religion. The origins of this and many other religions that abound in India are not quite known to us, and even the Orientalists and the students of religions are not in complete accord about the results of their investigations in that field. The Baha'i writings also do not refer specifically to any of these forms of religion current in India. So, the Guardian feels it impossible to give you any definite and detailed information on that subject. He would urge you, however, to carry on your studies in that field, although its immensity is well-nigh bewildering, with the view of bringing the Message to the Hindus...."
Teachings
[
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]
In Hinduism,
Brahman
is believed to be the Absolute Reality. Followers of
Vedanta
see Brahman as an impersonal reality, of which each soul (
?tman
) is a part. The theistic traditions of Hinduism, which include
Vaishnavism
and
Shaivism
, consider Brahman as a
personal God
, whom they call
Bhagwan
or
Ishvara
(Lord).
[4]
According to the Baha?i teachings, these differing views are all valid and represent different points of view looking at the Absolute Reality.
[5]
Avatars and Manifestations of God
[
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]
Both Hinduism and the Baha?i Faith teach that God manifests himself at different times and places. These messengers are termed
Avatars
in Hinduism and
Manifestations of God
in the Baha?i teachings.
[6]
However the difference is that Hinduism teaches that Avatars are God himself in human form and are thus divine while Baha?i teachings stress that the Manifestations of God are not God but his representatives.
[
citation needed
]
Deities and images
[
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]
In Hinduism many
deities
, depicted in images and
murti
(statues), are worshipped. Many Hindus believe that all these deities represent different aspects of the one God, Brahman. The Baha?i teachings state that in this day, when mankind is reaching the state of maturity, images are not needed anymore to form an idea of God.
[7]
Ethical and moral teachings
[
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]
There are many similarities in the ethical and moral teachings of Hinduism and the Baha?i Faith. These include subject as contemplation, detachment, faith, love, non-violence, purity, respect for parents, righteousness, self-control, right speech, not stealing, truth, virtue, work as worship.
[8]
Adaptation of Baha?i teachings to Hindu context
[
edit
]
The speedy growth of the
Indian Baha?i community
since the 1960s was influenced by adapting the
Baha?i teachings
for presentation in a clearly
Hindu
context familiar to the people of the countryside - using principles and language familiar to them:
[9]
[10]
- emphasizing the figures of
Buddha
and
Krishna
as past
Manifestations of God
or
Avatars
;
- references to Hindu scriptures such as the
Bhagavad Gita
;
- the substitution of
Sanskrit
-based terminology for
Arabic
and
Persian
where possible (i.e., Bhagavan Baha for Baha?u'llah), and the incorporation in both song (
bhajan
)
[11]
and literature of Hindu holy places, hero-figures and poetic images;
- Hindi translations of Baha'i scriptures and prayers that appeared during this period which are so heavily Sanskritized as to make it difficult to recognize their non-Hindu antecedents.
See also
[
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]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Buck, Christopher (1986).
A Unique Eschatological Interface: Baha'u'llah and Cross-Cultural Messianism
, published in:
In Iran: Studies in Babi and Baha'i History vol. 3
, ed.
Peter Smith
, pp. 157-179. Kalimat Press, Los Angeles.
- ^
a
b
c
Cole, Juan R. I.
Baha'u'llah on Hinduism and Zoroastrianism: The Tablet to Mirza Abu'l-Fa?l Concerning the Questions of Manakji Limji Hataria
.
- ^
Cole, Juan R.I.
"Iranian Culture and South Asia, 1500-1900". in:
Keddie, Nikki
(ed.). (2002).
Iran and the Surrounding World: Interactions in Culture and Cultural Politics
. pp. 22-23
- ^
Momen 1990
, pp. ix
- ^
Momen 1990
, pp. 1?5
- ^
Momen 1990
, pp. 5?9
- ^
Momen 1990
, pp. 11?12
- ^
Momen 1990
, pp. 13?21
- ^
Smith, Peter
(2000).
"Indian religions"
.
A concise encyclopedia of the Baha?i Faith
. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 195.
ISBN
1-85168-184-1
.
- ^
Garlington, William.
The Baha'i Faith in India: A Developmental Stage Approach
, Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies, No. 2 (June, 1997).
- ^
Garlington, William.
The Baha'i Bhajans: An example of the Baha'i Use of Hindu Symbols
, Occasional Papers in Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1 (January, 1998).
References
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Khursheed, Anjam (1997).
The Hindu Concept of God: Unity in Diversity
, in Singapore Baha?i Studies Review, vol. 2, pp. 3?49.
- Merchant, A.K. (2005).
The Concept of Atman (Human Soul) in Vedic & Baha?i Scriptures
.
- Buck, Christopher (1980).
The Mystery of the Sworded Warrior in Hindu Apocalypse: Was Kalki Visnuyas Baha?u'llah?
.
- Gandhimohan, M.V. (2000).
Mahatma Gandhi and the Baha?is
. New Delhi, India: Baha?i Publishing Trust.
ISBN
81-86953-82-5
.
- Munje, Dr. H.M. (1997).
The Reincarnation Mystery Revealed
. New Delhi, India: Baha?i Publishing Trust.
ISBN
81-86953-02-7
.
- Sarwal, Anil (1996).
Miracles in Religion
. Baha?i Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India.
- Sarwal, Anil (2001).
Sri Aurobindo Movement and the Baha?i Faith
.
- Sours, Michael (2000). "Hindu and Buddhist Scripture in Baha?i Scripture".
Without Syllable or Sound: The World's Sacred Scriptures in the Baha?i Faith
. Los Angeles, United States: Kalimat Press.
ISBN
1-890688-06-1
.
- Terry, Peter (1992, 2015)
Rabindranath Tagore: Some Encounters with Baha?is
.
External links
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