Hinduism / Elisabeth Vincent

What is the human condition?

The human condition according to Hinduists is that we are all stuck in Samsara. This cycle of reincarnated illusions manifests itself as a life full of constant craving. They also hold the belief that we are trapped in something they call maya, which interprets to “illusion”. A person can be trapped in maya and not understand that everything is an illusion. They believe that everyone has lived an infinite number of lives, and that the current state of human condition that you and I are in is a direct result of a previous action, whether in another lifetime or in the recent past. This belief that every action has a cause that was a result of a previous action, etc. is referred to as Karma. Hinduists believe that we keep repeating this cycle of reincarnation until we successfully follow a Yoga path and realize that everyone is a part of God (Brahman) and reach a state of Atman. In short, we are locked into Maya, driven by Karma, and live in Samsara.

What is the solution to this condition?

The solution to infinitely reincarnating as various objects, animals, and human forms is to reach what the Hinduists refer to as Atman. This state of fully grasping sat, chit, and ananda. Sat is a state of pure being, chit is a state of pure consciousness, and ananda is a state of pure bliss. Once you have realized that you are a part of God, and you realize that Atman is equivalent to Brahman, then you achieve a realization of pure self. The solution to breaking out of maya is to realize that you are in a state of constant illusion, that nothing is real, and then you are in the state of play -- Lila. Following one of the four Yogas is a necessity. These are Bhakti (devoting everything a person does to God), Karma (service-oriented), Raja (primarily monks and meditative nuns), and Jhana (scholarly knowledge).

How do we move from problem to solution?

There are three Gods that the Hinduists believe help to move a person from the problem of Samsara to the solution of Atman. Underneath the Godhead of Brahman, there are three Gods. Brahma is the creator, or the one who represents and gives rise to birth. Vishnu is seen as the preserver, or a representation of life. Shiva is the destroyer, and represents death. This is not a negative connotation, as Shiva is often worshipped because he destroys the ego. To move from problem to solution, a person chooses the Yoga that is most appealing to them and follows it until he or she achieves Atman. To break out of Maya, one must realize that everything is an illusion. Once this is realized, a person is in Lila -- a state of constant playtime.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

Without completely devoting to Hinduism, the best way to live the solution in our own lives is to try and live lightheartedly. This will help reaching Lila. We should also be aware that all of our actions vould very well result in consequences later on, and try to do the best in every situation possible.

I appreciate the fact that Hinduism is so forgiving, and sees the universe as completely fair and just. The facet of Hinduism that I will most employ is the belief in Karma.

What is the human condition?

The human condition according to Hinduists is that we are all stuck in Samsara. This cycle of reincarnated illusions manifests itself as a life full of constant craving. They also hold the belief that we are trapped in something they call maya, which interprets to “illusion”. A person can be trapped in maya and not understand that everything is an illusion. They believe that everyone has lived an infinite number of lives, and that the current state of human condition that you and I are in is a direct result of a previous action, whether in another lifetime or in the recent past. This belief that every action has a cause that was a result of a previous action, etc. is referred to as Karma. Hinduists believe that we keep repeating this cycle of reincarnation until we successfully follow a Yoga path and realize that everyone is a part of God (Brahman) and reach a state of Atman. In short, we are locked into Maya, driven by Karma, and live in Samsara.

What is the solution to this condition?

The solution to infinitely reincarnating as various objects, animals, and human forms is to reach what the Hinduists refer to as Atman. This state of fully grasping sat, chit, and ananda. Sat is a state of pure being, chit is a state of pure consciousness, and ananda is a state of pure bliss. Once you have realized that you are a part of God, and you realize that Atman is equivalent to Brahman, then you achieve a realization of pure self. The solution to breaking out of maya is to realize that you are in a state of constant illusion, that nothing is real, and then you are in the state of play -- Lila. Following one of the four Yogas is a necessity. These are Bhakti (devoting everything a person does to God), Karma (service-oriented), Raja (primarily monks and meditative nuns), and Jhana (scholarly knowledge).

How do we move from problem to solution?

There are three Gods that the Hinduists believe help to move a person from the problem of Samsara to the solution of Atman. Underneath the Godhead of Brahman, there are three Gods. Brahma is the creator, or the one who represents and gives rise to birth. Vishnu is seen as the preserver, or a representation of life. Shiva is the destroyer, and represents death. This is not a negative connotation, as Shiva is often worshipped because he destroys the ego. To move from problem to solution, a person chooses the Yoga that is most appealing to them and follows it until he or she achieves Atman. To break out of Maya, one must realize that everything is an illusion. Once this is realized, a person is in Lila -- a state of constant playtime.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

Without completely devoting to Hinduism, the best way to live the solution in our own lives is to try and live lightheartedly. This will help reaching Lila. We should also be aware that all of our actions vould very well result in consequences later on, and try to do the best in every situation possible.

I appreciate the fact that Hinduism is so forgiving, and sees the universe as completely fair and just. The facet of Hinduism that I will most employ is the belief in Karma.

Hinduism/ Shari Scott

Hinduism is a religion that focuses on the individual internal consciousness. Everyone’s problem is that we do not know what we want. We live life wanting the next best thing instead of stopping and realizing we have everything we need or find that the spiritual is the only thing that will fill this void. I agree with the problem. Humans have this innate need and want for something more than just basic needs and entertainment. Everything we think we desire never fills that void for long.
The cause for this problem is karma. The universe has knows if you are doing right by others or wrong and if you are good you will be reborn into something higher like a human or if you are bad you will be something lower like a bug. My question is how could you be a bad or good bug? Also, you are measured on intention. One, who knows and who can know your intention if there is a God that you are apart of are you judging yourself? If your intention is for yourself and not for God that is bad, but if you are enlightened you realize everything is God and you are God so why is serving yourself wrong if serving God is just serving yourself?
The solution and prescription is to be enlightened and realize you are apart of the deity that is everything. Waking up to this whole new consciousness can be obtained by the 4 yogas, Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, and Raja. According to your karma, your personality will be different and you will be inclined to do one of the yogas better than the other.
Honestly, I find this interesting. I understand the draw and why people would want to believe that there is no heaven and no hell and all the judgment needed for all wrong doing is just worked out in however many lives you have. Hinduism is not for me. I cannot wrap my mind around no meaning. If you do something wrong that’s ok. If you feel lonely, you are connected to everything. I do not want to be connected. I do not want to be in an eternal bliss. I want a God who loves me. Not acceptance from the universe. I want a God who looks at me and unconditionally loves me. I do not see a point of caring if I am a deity. I do not want to be God.

Hinduism/ Angela Hooper

What is the human condition?

It is my understanding that those who practice Hinduism believe that we are all God, Brahman, in different forms. We do not realize our life here on earth is maya, or an illusion, that we are all Brahman in a dream state and we must simply wake up from the dream state and realize that we are not human but we are actually God. Until we wake up from this dream state we will continue to live this cycle of life, which is actually a dream, of learning from our mistakes or learning from good behavior to try and reach the point that we become conscious of our godliness. The process of learning from our mistakes is the form of Karma which I understand makes the universe Just because all of our actions generate good or bad Karma that decides what our future reincarnated life will be like. Depending on our good or bad Karma decides what form we will be reincarnated into after each life cycle, this continues until we reach the godlike state of mind.

This confuses me a little bit because Hindus pray to Krishna or to whatever form of God they desire but it tells us that we ourselves are actually God so what is the use of any form of Godhead to pray to? Why not just pray to ourselves, which brings to mind another question that since we are all Brahman and we live this life completely for ourselves then we are fully self reliant and all the hardships we go through our only support for ourselves is in fact, ourselves? So how is it that our weak and unconscious selves, not knowing our godliness, are able to lift ourselves up out of a bad state. If the god head is suppose to be perfect, all knowing, all sufficient then how are we as god able to live imperfect lives?

What is the solution to this condition?

The solution to the condition of being unconscious of our Brahman state is to generate good karma which will allow you to be reborn into a better dream state

How do we move from problem to solution?

To move from the problem to solution is to realize that you are in fact living a dream. You reach Moksha-liberation. There is the pattern of SAT- being, existing and then CHIT- you gain consciousness of your existence then ANANDA- which is the state of bliss after realizing your state and Moksha-liberation is the end result.

How best to live the solution in our own lives.

The Hindus have said that he best way to reach the Moksha state is to practice what they call the 4 yogas which are; Bhakti, Karma, Jnana, and Raja. Each yoga is a stage or a level of consciousness that will lead you to Moksha. By mastering each yoga you will gain you godlike perspective. Jnana yoga is the level of study, where you study the belief, your state of being, all there is to know about the godlike state and what it means etc. Raja yoga is to then meditate, to focus your entire being upon what you have studied and know, creating a more conscious or spiritual level of knowing. Karma is the activity that you will then live out because you know what is right and have created a spiritual understanding of what you should do. And Bhakti yoga is the full devotion of body, mind, and life to God. Which apparently is ourselves? Therefore devoting ourselves, to ourselves?

Hinduism/Travis Batista

What is the human condition?
Hinduism views the human condition on an individual basis but still part of a greater being. On the large scale, each person is part of the divine creator known as Brahman. Brahman is made up of three main traits. These traits are characterized through different gods: Brahma is the creator aspect; Vishnu is the preserver; Shiva is the destroyer. The divine creator went to sleep and is dreaming the world which we are living in today. Everything in this world is part of this dream.
The individual aspect works with how the individual works in this created world. The individual goes through this creation through its interactions with the world known as karma. Karma is everything. It is everything from a personality, to reaction, to a person’s vices. Karma is a force that works through many lifetimes to bring individuals to enlightenment. This enlightenment comes when the individual realizes he/she is an Atman. That is to say the individual realized their own divine nature. It takes an innumerable amount of lifetimes to reach this point of enlightenment. Each life collects karma that brings the circumstances for the next lifetime that will help the individual one day reach his/her Atman.

What is the solution to this condition?
There are 4 basic avenues which an individual can take to reach the understanding of being fully god-realized. These avenues are known as Yogas or yokes.

1. Bhakti Yoga is a life that is devoted to worship. Every action is a work for god.
2. Karma Yoga is a life that is spent in service. This service are often rituals that help an individual get closer to god.
3. Jnana Yoga is a life spent studying. It looking at Hinduism and the divine through an intellectual lens.
4. Raja Yoga is a life spent working toward the divine through meditation.

All of the Yogas are used to reach the point of Atman. Hinduism allows for personalities to choose which avenue will lend best for reaching the divine. One usually comes easier for an individual, but all can be used to becoming fully god-realized.

How do we move from problem to solution?
We move from lifetime to lifetime learning lessons. Each lifetime teaches the the individual something he/she needed to learn from past lifetimes. There is no end in sight. Every individual will eventually get to the point of Atman. The individual must perform their dharma(duty) for each lifetime. This will effect their karma, and eventually leads them to Atman.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?
The best way to live the solution is to follow the yogas. Hinduism say that as humans we have certain drives. The lowest drive is pleasure. Eventually we will lose need for pleasure and move our way to success. The cycle continues until we reach a point were we want to deal with our spirituality. This is when we enlist the Yogas. As we work toward the divine, we will work through our karma and eventually become fully god-realized.

Personal Response
I have done my best to see Hinduism through unbiased lens, but it is not possible to completely step out of my own views. As a Christian, I saw many similarities with Hinduism. The spiritual realm is more concrete than the world we see will out eyes. It is a religion that places a value on each individual. Its ultimate resolution is oneness with the divine. Those who reach the state of Atman have dealt with the base condition of humanity. This is very similar to those who live righteously in Christianity.
I did find a few similarities, but there were many things that I found hard to understand. For instance, the creation and cyclical movement of time does not process for me. The logic of reincarnation does not fit in my paradigm. The karma aspect of Hinduism makes sense, “reaping what you sow” to put it in more familiar terms, but ultimately any cycle was broken for me on the cross.

Hinduism/ Erica Price

What is the human condition?

In Hinduism, the human condition is that each human being makes up God. In this religion everything works out and every person is a part of the greater being. The physical body is just a facilitator for our spirit and our spirit is eternal and is constantly moving on and going to different lives. The sprit moves on based on good and bad karma.

How do we move from problem to solution?

In order to move from problem to solutions the human beings use the four types of yogas in order to reach inner peace. The four yogas are Karma, Raja, Bhakti, and Jhana. Through these four yogas, all positive, one can connect to the superior being. Through Atman one can reach Brahman. Brahman is the superior being. The cycle is a circle with a timeline placed on it. The cycle is one big circle that is continuous and on the circle are the many lives that a sprit goes through.

What is the best solution to this condition?

The best solution to the condition is to achieve the utmost position. The highest position to achieve is Atman. In order to be one and on the same level as Brahman one must come to terms with Atman. In order to achieve Atman a person must achieve inner peace. Inner peace can be achieved through the four yogas and learning how to balance them all. Karma is at the basis of the solution to this condition. Karma is the theory that if you do good things good things will happen in return. At the other end of the spectrum is if you do bad things you will be punished for them. A person moves on to a better life if they had good karma in the previous life. It’s a chain; good karma and balance of the four yogas allows for Atman to be achieved and through Atman comes Brahman.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

The best way to live the solution in our own lives is to learn balance between the four yogas in order to achieve Atman. One needs to practice Karma in order to move through the cycle and progress in ones life. Once one is able to achieve good karma and balance the yogas one achieves Atman, which allows for a person to reach the level of Brahman. Overlal the best solution is to practice inner peace and to practice good karma. Through both of these one is able to move on to bigger and better things.

Personally the thing I find appealing about Hinduism is that it is a win-win situation. A person is constantly moving up and can achieve Atman. Unlike Christianity there is no Hell and people do not believe that they will be sent to a fiery place if they do not accept. IN Hinduism, the people are able to progress and are constantly moving up unless one keeps practicing bad karma. Hinduism is also appealing because the people and God are not separate. The people are directly affiliated with God and are always connected to him.

Hinduism/Andrew Yousef

According to the Hindu faith, the present state of the human condition is Samsara, where humans are so preoccupied with materialistic things that they have no clue what they really want out of life and this cyclical pattern keeps repeating over and over again. Most people in this condition experience Maya, in which they live in an illusion and can’t comprehend that it is all just an act. In this condition a man does not really know what he wants, nor can he become filled with the material things the world has to offer. So long as that person does not realize that it is an illusion, he remains in that condition for as many lifetimes it may take until he becomes aware of this reality.

The Hindus claim that a person must reach Moksha, or liberation, in order to move on from that state of illusion. When a person reaches the realization of that reality, he will become god-realized. A person who becomes god-realized is a person who has finally come to believe that he is god, or Brahman. It is not that he suddenly became god, but in fact he has been god the whole time but did not know it. After becoming god-realized a person can finally have pure being, pure consciousness, and pure bliss, or Sat, Chit, Ananda.

To move from the problem to solution a person must practice yoga. The four different yogas, Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, and Raja, are the pathways for man to help him move from the self to the Self. According to Huston Smith, each person can choose a yoga which best fits his personality in order to let him reach the Self. A person who likes to use logic may choose to practice Jnana yoga, another who wants to be proactively involved in his religion may choose Karma yoga. The ultimate goal of yoga is to essentially help man let go of the self and become acquainted with the Self.

To live the solution in our own lives is to first realize that we are the product of Karma. The condition in which each person is at is the product of his actions over the many lifetimes he has had before. If a person lived a good life in the past, his condition will be better in the life to come, but if that person did not live a good life and did bad things, the just universe will set his consequences in his next life. The present life is a mere reflection of past lives. A person must do all that he can in order to reach a higher ranking in the next life. Once a person has become god-realized he has fulfilled the goal of his life. For some this may only take a couple of lifetimes but for others it may take many thousand lifetimes in order to reach the ultimate goal of man—to become god-realized.

Reflecting on these philosophical religious ideas, I see that Hinduism is probably one of the most appealing religions to man. The idea that there is always another chance to make up for one’s mistakes, that there is no such thing as sin, and that everybody is essentially god—these are the things people are looking for in a religion. No one likes to be called a sinner and everyone wants to be god. At the end everybody wins. As great as this may sound, there is a question that remains unanswered. If I am god, how would I not know it? Wouldn’t not knowing who I am violate the very meaning of ‘god’ and negate one of the main attributes of god—knowledge?

Hinduism / Nataly Morales

What is the human condition?

In Hinduism, the human condition is that our flesh form is, well, simply that--a form in which Atman decided to present itself here on earth. The body in which you and I are in right now may be just one of thousands that have walked this earth. The human body is only a being that reincarnated as such because of karma that had built up throughout many lifetimes. It is the dharma (duty) of the reincarnated body and soul to accept the built up karma and live in the human condition and be the best human being possible. Hopefully, one day in one of the lifetimes we may live, whether that be as a sheep, tree or human being, we can achieve a state of complete understanding of our connection to Atman and everything around us. That’s the ultimate goal, if you will, of Atman in human condition--to wake up and realize that, we are all one, without one the other doesn’t exist. God is you, me, the trees, the dirt, the infinite space. So, in a way, perhaps the human form or human condition is actually a barrier or obstacle. Perhaps it isn’t such a good thing to be human because our minds, temptations and materialistic/selfish tendencies keep us from reaching moksha.

How do we move from problem to solution?

The best way to move from the problem of dying and reincarnating after many lifetimes is to avidly practice at least one of the four yogas. The beautiful and reassuring aspect, in my opinion, about Hinduism is that it can fit any person’s life at any stage of his or her life. Therefore, perhaps one yoga suits someone better than another person. The way I understand it, after hearing the lectures over Hinduism, is that it doesn’t matter what yoga a person chooses as long as they devote themselves to that yoga once they found which one speaks to them more. It could be that Bhakti yoga fulfills you as a human being more than Karma yoga. It could also be that Jnana yoga helps you reach moksha better than Raja yoga. Whatever the case may be, I do personally believe that in order to be the best human being possible while given the chance, a person should choose at least one. And perhaps a person chooses as young as 10-years-old to meditate to get moksha and they continually do it until they pass, but they come back yet again. Does that mean that they didn’t do it right? Maybe. It could be that their heart and mind weren’t fully open and they didn’t fully wake up, and I would say that maybe that had something to do with the yoga they decided to practice.

What is the best solution to this condition?

Ultimately, the best solution to the condition would be to reach moksha, an absolute state of being liberated from our human condition. Once a person realizes that their is no earthly possession that can satisfy our desires and that there is absolutely no wall or special, mystical, divine attribute that separates us from Atman, because we are in fact Atman, then, that person can leave this earth and never have to return as a reincarnated anything.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

I think that being someone that is so new to the Hinduism theology, the best way I know how to live the solution right now is to be as loving and aware of my karma as I possibly can be. I think that if this life is meant to be my last one or even if it’s meant to be my 100th and I’m supposed to live 1,000 more, I can still practice a yoga. I can still be kind to my fellow humans, animals, environment and even myself--basically, I should be kind to Atman. That sounds like the best solution I can come up with for now in this stage of this life.

Hinduism/Ashlyn Chadd

What is the human condition?

For Hindus, the human condition is living a life full of righteousness. Hindus believe in reincarnation and that karma can follow you from lifetime to lifetime so they always try to do good in order to have good things happen to them in their current and future lives. During their life, most Hindus try to acheive Atman, which, in most basic terms, is the realization that everyone and everything is a manifestation of God. It is believed that once a person acheives Atman, they are no longer reincarnated into a physical body but instead they become in a state of constant bliss. So, obviously, they all aim to acheive the state of constant bliss.

What is the solution to this condition? How do we move from problem to solution?

There are four yogas that Hindus use to help them get closer to acheiving Atman: Bhakti, Raja, Jnana, and Karma. Each one uses a different way to help try and find eternal bliss. Different people choose different yogas to focus on in order to figure out which one suites the individual best. Some people also practice all of the yogas but choose to focus on one more than the other. it is all about which one the individual is the most comfortable with. Once the person figures out which works best for them, they tend to practice that one(or more) yogas everyday. They believe that by doing so, you are learning to connect more to Brama. In a way, you could say that the yogas help a person to see the world without any lines separating things. It's like all the people and animals and objects are interwined together to form Brama. Atman makes the lines disappear and connects everything and the yogas are the ways to try acheive that.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

For those who wish to acheive Atman, they can practice their chosen yoga(s) daily in order to help them connect to Brama. However, some Hindus might like their current life and not want to achieve Atman because they want more lifetimes and if that's the case then keep going on with your daily lives and every now and then throw in a slightly bad activity and you'll be all good.

I liked learning about Hinduism. I liked the fact that it was so open and understanding to people of all beliefs and can pretty much work for anyone. However, I was very confused by their idea of reincarnation and the fact that people can be reincarnated as animals. It makes me come up with a million questions. Such as, is a person's spirit transfered from one body to another the moment life leaves the body? If so, why does the population of people and animals keep increasing and decreasing? Also, what about when a person dies and then they are brought back by a doctor or emt? If a person's spirit isn't immediately transfered to another body, then where does their spirit go, and how long does it take to reach its new body? I can understand why people believe in Hinduism, however, I just think that it leaves me with more questions than with answers.

Hinduism/ Arbor Barrow

Imagine for a moment that you are in a room. There are mirrors lining the walls around you and all you see is yourself. All you see are your wants, your needs, and your desires. There is nothing truly wrong with that, but can you move on? Can you break free from the hollow room of mirrors and see beyond the reflections of yourself? Can you see how the scope of your life is not confined to the image in the mirror?

As I understand it, Hinduism’s vision of the human condition is just that: we are essentially stuck in an illusionary world. The four yogas, Karma, Jnana, Raja, and Bhakti, are the tools that we have to use the break free from the mirrors and see that there is more our lives and by extension more to eternity than a two-dimensional image of ourselves. A mirror is just that: a mirror. It can only reflect what it sees, it cannot delve deeper and see the depths of human emotion or beauty any more than naked eye can see the stars in the daytime. And most importantly of all: it can’t see the Atman, or true self, the self that is part of Brahma.

Breaking free of the Samsara cycle, the cycle of karma dragging you to higher and lower levels of existence, is not easy. Because you have to realize three important things, Sat, Chit, and Ananda: pure being, pure consciousness and pure bliss. Once you have attained these three things only then can you realize Moksha and through that Atman. In Hinduism, to do this the right way you have to have a Guru, someone on your same path in life, whatever it may be, who can lead and guide you on your way to enlightenment.

For Hinduism there are many highways and byways to the same spiritual destination. Just as there are dozens of roads that lead into a city, there are dozens of roads that lead to full realization of the Self. Whether you take the path of love through Bhakti, the path of action through Karma, the path of study through Jnana, or the path of meditation through Raja, each leads to the true liberation of the mind and the Self and finding God. Each is a viable solution to breaking free of the enclosed world of mirrors. Hinduism also understands the nature of being human, in that, we are all different. Our corporeal lives will take us different places, but our spiritual selves walk side-by-side if not hand-in-hand.

In order to fully realize Moksha we must find our variety of yoga. I feel that personally I can take a lot from both Karma and Jnana. My path to my own form of spiritualism, even though I consider myself an atheist and a secular humanist, is through giving unselfishly to others and discovering all there is to know about the world around me. So when it comes to finding your own form of spiritualism you have to find what speaks to you most, whether it be through the self-discipline of meditation or the through the songs of praise heard at least every day in places of worship across the United States it is a good feeling to know that it will lead us all to the same realization of Atman.

I appreciate that Hinduism caters to the many shapes and forms that human lives come in. Because I know for a fact that the path I have chosen in this life is not the same as my brother or either of my parents and if I had to walk in their path I would not feel like I am fulfilling my own potential. I think that the idea that the answers we seek in life are already here and we just have to wake up and realize it is brilliant. We tend to be too focused on ourselves, our worries instead of the concerns of the world at hand and that makes us selfish. I feel that in general all humans do need to realize the world outside of the room of mirrors, because I feel that the idea that all things are connected is the truest thing that we have.

Hinduism/Christy Robinson

What is the human condition?

The human condition in life is to have what one wants in life. Hinduism believe that there are four basic wants in life; pleasure, worldly success, responsible discharge of duty, and liberation. While on this journey of life, Hindu’s believe there are four stages of life; student, household, retirement, and sannyasin. As long as one is happy and truly know what they want then one should focus all their time and energy in maturing and trying to cleanse one’s self so their infinite center can be fully displayed. Hindu’s will spend a life time of trying to achieve their ultimate goal – Atman.

What is the solution to this condition?

The solution to the human condition can be found in one of the four yoga’s; karma, bhakti, jnana, and raja. Through devotion and practicing the yoga that best suits your life, one hopes to achieve joy- liberation (mosksha) in life. Through long terms of practice and meditation can one person be enlightened to Karma of their life and the person will strive and work to be the more selfless or devoted depending on the enlightenment. Obtaining Bhakti comes with actions or deeds of ones life to be able to sustain from immoral benefits but to show their submission to their god. With the Bhakti and Karma leads to the Jnana the wisdom of your god and with it comes another divine enlightenment from more meditation and practice of the Hindu religious beliefs. Even though there are the four yoga’s only through life with all four co-existing and practiced in ones life will raja have a divine and positive effect on the soul of the person. Allowing them to transcend into the next life or being that Karma and the god of their beliefs grants them to become.

How do we move from Problem to Solution?

The four Yoga’s: Karma, Bhakti, Jnana, Raja grants the person to be able to show their enlightenment to the gods of their choosing and be able to serve, live, love, and breathe the life they deem worthy to their gods believing in turn the gods will grant them with a continual bliss life and be able to be reincarnated or transform into a being of higher value or spiritual-ness then the human form. These are the goals or Atman each Hindu’s desire to achieve in the life time they live and will strive to achieve at all costs like all others who believe in higher beings.

How best to live the Solution in our own lives?

Being Christian, karma or the golden rule has the same respect meaning treating others as I would like to be treated. To be holy, is to be set apart from the world and its attitude. Not to give into the temptations or pleasures of the world. Growing in any religion is similar in the sense seeking the truth and not being able to comprehend the magnitude of the god or Idols we worship, but yet to still be like them and be a divine spiritual being.

Hinduism - Rebekah Pewitt

Hinduism presents the human condition as a continuous cycle. This cycle entraps our inner-self. Rather than finding identity in our bodies or personalities; the Hindu faith suggests that each person has what is called an Atman, what most religions consider to be the soul. This inner-self is trapped in a constant cycle of life and rebirth until it awakens to the ultimate reality, Brahman.

The solution to this condition of entrapment is what the Hindus call Moksha, or liberation. The ultimate goal is to reach an eternity awakened to and a part of Brahman. Life then becomes a quest to achieve Moksha, which is composed of three parts: Sat - Eternal being or existence, Chit - eternal and omniscient consciousness, and Ananda - eternal bliss.

Karma is driving force behind this cycle. Before we are born our lives are predisposed to certain amounts of good and bad karma; all of which is determined by the activities in one’s past life. A person is reborn into a new life after death if they do not achieve liberation in this one. Thus making the personality or character of a person and even the things that happen to them a result of the karma from their past life. So until all karma is burned off and the Atman of one’s self is fully realized the rebirth will continue.

There are four practices devoted to the Brahman that allows a person to reach Moksha. These are called the four yogas: Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Raja yoga and Jnana yoga. Bhakti yoga is dedicated to connecting to god through devotion and love. Karma yoga dedicates one to god through activities and service. Raja yoga allows oneself to find god through psychophysical exercises. And lastly Jnana yoga is devoted to finding god through wisdom and knowledge.

Hinduism is a win-win concept. You literally can’t lose in this system, and honestly I have a hard time coming to terms with something so...well, for lack of a better word, happy. When summing up the chapter, Smith says, “It is no accident that the only art form India failed to produce was tragedy.” In no way do I believe that I have had numerous past lives that are influencing me now. Life happens; and in this finite time we have on earth both good and bad things happen. Tragedy is real and plays a huge role in our everyday lives. So why should I go through hundreds or even thousands of lifetimes experiencing pleasure and pain only to exist in a universe that just “is.” Call me crazy but I need a little more meaning or substance to my life.

The Hindu faith gives an amazing outlook on life and honestly I wish the western culture we live in would adopt some of its aspects. However, in a society that is already so self driven I can do without a religion that puts me on the same plane as god. The Atman is connected to everything which in return connects to god, but I want my god to be supreme over all, not existing as all.

Hinduism - Hank Pruett

What is the human condition?
The human condition pertaining to Hinduism is very comforting. We are all part of the infinite concept that is god. Unlike in other religions we are not in any sense flawed. Each of us is just on the path to realizing that we are not separate from all things like we are so inclined to think. Hinduism is trying to destroy the ego that seems to be a natural occurrence in all men. Our bodies are just vessels for the spirit and the joy and pain we experience in our lives does not matter in attaining a higher consciousness. Things of this nature are just the product of our karmic activity.

How do we move from problem to solution?
Our goal as humans, who are part of Brahman, is to reflect on our selves by using the four yogas. Jhana which is knowledge, Bhakti which is love, Raja which is self-control, and Karma which is service. Through this reflection we are to find inner peace in knowing that we are one with everything. This will elevate our consciousness and bring us closer to the state of Atman, which is total bliss. In essence, you are trying to remove your ego which lets you connect to all other things. This idea of all other things. This is Brahman.


What is the best solution to this condition?
The solution to this condition is to achieve Atman. This can be done through constant practice of the four yogas, either singularly or in combination with each other, whatever is the best path for you individually. The idea is to do whatever it takes to make yourself realize Atman so you can be one with brahman. This is also done through the constant paying of your karmic debt. With the trials you face in everyday life, which you have incurred through previous actions, you are given the choice to act in a way that releases you from previous karmic debt.


How best to live the solution in our own lives?
The only thing one can really do is to try and realize Atman. For some this takes constant meditation and or others its just a matter of working it out or yourself. Realize that everything is God and that in this you are god and so are also connected to everything. The goal is to act through love and not fear and to not buy into the illusion that is caused by the ego, but to "play" with the condition of life and to not allow the negative to control how you feel.

From a personal perspective I find the philosophy behind Hinduism almost perfect. Assuming that you believe that such things are possible, Hinduism offers the individual a way to peace by not changing who they are but changing what they think they are. God is not separate from anything and in this we can find peace in knowing that we are also not separate from anything either.

Hinduism-Aronne McCoy

In Hinduism we're born into a state of illusion or Maya. Our world, and everything in it, appear to be separately real, and perhaps more real, than the Brahman inherent in all things. Our souls or jivas come from God because everything does (which is the only explantation one will get), and the core of us is Atman (God). We start out in the bodies of the simplest creatures of Earth and through a karmic system of reincarnation we graduate to more complex animals until we eventually reach the human body. Everything that happens in life is a result of the karma from the previous life. Joy, misery, sadness and anger are all reflections of past actions and desires of our jivas. One's karma determines the condition of their current life. Which reminds me of Newton in his third law of motion; "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Karma allows us to live in a universe which is wholly just. In a world where many bad people do many bad things, this can be a person's only comfort. There are 4 stages the jivas go through. At first the desire is for sensual pleasure. After a personalized amount of time the desire for solely pleasure wanes and the desire for social conquests begins. When that desire wanes the desire for something more deeply satisfying sets in, which is the duty stage. As Huston Smith puts it in World's Religions, the duty stage is "total dedication of one's life to one's community." Finally the only satisfaction left is Moksha, the "Eternal and Infinite" or liberation from Maya. Although the achievement of this final stage takes a different amount of time for different people, eventually everyone will end up here. When we ask questions such as "Why are there so many versions of 'reality' seen by people" or "Why do we feel separate from God when Atman is our core?" Hinduism answers, "The world is lila, or God's play." Smith uses the analogy of children playing hide and seek. "They put themselves in situations from which they must escape. Why do they do so when they could free themselves by simply withdrawing from the game? The only answer that can be given is that the game is it's own reward. So too, must it be with the world."

On this path to the Divine, Hinduism says we struggle with three limitations. The first falls into three subgroups, physical pain, thwarted desire, and ennui. The second is ignorance and the third is restricted being. Of the first, physical pain will end as our spirit is reborn into a new body, in the next life. Thwarted desire and ennui are both consequences of the ego, which can be quieted as we grow spiritually. Ignorance too will be left in the same manner. As for the third, restricted being means that we are unable to fathom all that our minds hold. Hinduism purports that our minds are infinite in being, awareness, and joy. Smith explains, "We are like kings who, falling victim to amnesia, wander our kingdoms in tatters not knowing who we really are...We are like a lover who, in his dream, searches the whole wide world in despair for his beloved, oblivious of the fact that she is laying at his side throughout."

To help us overcome these limitations or obstacles are the four paths. Yoga, a word which has connotations of uniting, contains physical exercises but it's purpose is union with God. Hinduism stresses the importance of recognizing the different spiritual personalities and so has detailed the principal types and their corresponding yogas in four categories. Bhakti, Karma, Raja, and Jñana.

Bhakti yoga, or heart yoga, is the most popular of the four. It is the yoga of love and devotion and it's aim is "to direct toward God the love that lies at the base of every heart." Karma yoga, or work yoga is the way to God through work. For people who prefer to be actively engaged in a task karma yoga shows the way to work in such a manner that takes you to God instead of away from him. Raja yoga, or royal yoga is the way to God through psychophysical experiments or "willed introversion." Meditation is used to still the "drunken crazed monkey with St. Vitus' Dance who has just been stung by a wasp" that is the mind and delve to that very inner core that is Atman.

So, to sum up, Man is both a creation of God and an emanation of God. The human condition is that of a manifestation of a God that is all things. Pain, suffering, heartache are all conditions part of human life, as are joy, love, and pleasure. The solution of this condition is to wake up, realize that the Atman is the true essence of ourselves and return to being Of God (achieve Sat Chit Ananda.) In order to do this we practice one of the four paths of yoga.

Personally, Hinduism is one of my favorite religions. I love the whole "many paths, one summit" friendliness towards each other and other religions. There are a couple religions in particular that come to mind that could use a good dose of "Bigotry Is Not Cool." I also love the destroyer god, Shiva. I've lost so many loved ones and Shiva, along with the Om Nama Shivaya chant, helps me remember to let go of the ephemeral and focus on embracing the Eternal. This has been a great comfort to me.

My biggest problem with Hinduism, and everyone else's too I'm sure, is the caste system. Perhaps because I am an American and grew up on the American Tail (yes, I am talking about Feivel and the near perfect animated rendering of the hope immigrants had for America as the land of opportunity where a poor man could become a very wealthy man and live The American Dream if he worked hard enough.) I can't wrap my head around being stuck in a caste, particularly one of the lower ones (or god forbid the outcastes or "untouchables"), by birth and never being allowed to work, pray, or con your way out of it. I believe that one should be judged on one's mettle and accomplishments and never by one's name or family. Karma, is also a bit of an issue for me. It's so perfect and has all the answers it sometimes feels like I'm being tricked by a very slick lawyer/con artist. I'm just a little taken aback by the ability to reason away terrible situations with "That's their karma." Ever tried telling a rape victim it was their karma? Or a child suffering through some terminal illness? Or the parents of that child? I think some times bad things happen because without them we wouldn't hold on to the great moments in life. Bad things can make food taste better, air smell sweeter, and the sun shine brighter. I think they have a purpose. I just don't think bad things always happen because we earned them. Then again maybe it's just my karma to not be at the point where I can accept Karma.

Maybe next lifetime.

Hinduism... Heather Mathis

What is the human condition? What is the solution to this condition? How do we move from problem to solution? How best to live the solution in our own lives?

In Hinduism the problem is samsara, you keep coming back until you awaken and realize that you are god, everything is god, Atman is Brahman. We keep producing karma in our past lives that we have to deal with in the present life until we finally achieve the real goal sat, chit, ananda, pure being, consciousness, and bliss. By practicing one of the four yogas, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, and Jnana you can become awakened and achieve monksha or liberation.

I really liked that Hinduism is very accepting and open to peoples personalities. You can choose your own path to enlightenment. For example if you are are more work oriented you could practice Karma yoga, or if you do better studying you could choose to practice Jnana yoga. Something else that I like is that there are no sinners in Hinduism just different people on different paths to enlightenment. So even if you are a drug addict in this life because some karma in your past life you can choose to end the addiction and in return end that karma and produce better karma. Everyone wins because eventually everyone will realize that you are god. Once a person does realize that they are god and achieved sat, chit, ananda they can play in this life because they no longer attached to the body.

Hinduism also has 4 stages of life, student, household, retirement, and sannyasin. I really like this concept when you are a student, thats all that you have to focus on. I am currently taking seven classes this semester and working a job. It would be nice if we could learn something from Hinduism and let students just focus on our education and not have to worry about working and providing while we are busy with school.

Growing up in a very Christian culture, I think for most people it is really hard to open our minds to this way of thinking. We are taught that Christianity and Jesus is the right path to heaven and that all other religions are not accurate. In one of the first classes Rabbi Rami Shapiro compared all religions to a mountain range, saying that they all might look different and have different features, but under the surface they are all from the same land mass. I think this is what I like the most about Hinduism, that it doesn't matter what god you are praying to there are no losers. We are all god, and we will all eventually realize this.

Hinduism / Christopher Hamby

What is the human condition? What is the solution to this condition? How do we move from problem to solution? How best to live the solution in our own lives?
The human condition in Hinduism is that everyone is the same. We are all god and everything we are experiencing is a part of our journey to experience moksha and ultimately, find nirvana. Throughout our lives, we experience joy, pain, happiness, sadness and fear. What you must uncover and understand is that none of this is really real. This is all part of the human condition and that our bodies are simply vessels carrying our spirit until it finally reaches that final peace. We must be liberated and realize that this is just a game. So, enjoy it while you can and play around. It is easy for someone to see life in a miserable way, to think that nothing good can come out of all of this. But that is what the experience is all about. Humans must learn that the cause of all these problems is from karma, and the only way to receive the good and feel happy is to reciprocate with good karma. It’s what people have always said, “What goes around, comes around,” again and again and again. Just do good actions and when it comes back around to you, it’ll be good as well. Once you have discovered the problems and have finally found the solution, or moksha, you may then just enjoy your life in the human body you have now. Once you finally die, you are free. Unless, of course, you do something wrong right before you die and it’s time to take another step down. But let’s hope that doesn’t happen!

Personal Reflection
To be honest, before this class, I truly had no idea what Hinduism was all about. I knew it was a religion practiced by a large body of people out in the far-east, or somewhere, and that’s all. After spending only a few classes discussing it, and reading Huston Smith’s text on the religious tradition, I realized my concept of Hinduism is quite distorted.
The most fascinating aspects of Hinduism, that I have learned so far, are the practice of yoga, including the four different paths of yoga leading to nirvana, or moksha. Before this class, yoga was simply a form of exercise that focused on stretching and bending different parts of the human body. That is no longer the case. Each form of yoga is unique to each individual, where one kind of yoga may suit one person, may not suit the next person. Learning this, I wanted to understand and decide for myself which yoga would be best for me. Raja yoga, or as Huston Smith puts it, “the way to God through psychophysical experiments,” interested me the most. I have spent the majority of my life as what I would call a secularist, or really someone who has always leaned toward science over faith. I’m not saying I do not believe in anything at all, I just simply don’t really know what to believe and because of this, I just accept what I understand. Raja yoga and its methods of proving the existence of God immediately interested me. Its ways of physically becoming into contact with the infinite through different forms of meditation and breathing exercises is very fascinating and I knew I would have to give it a try.
During one of your lectures, we discussed Pranayama, and the “breath of fire.” Intrigued by this, I went home later that evening and decided to practice this breathing technique myself. I started out by simply taking deep breathes, inhaling through one nostril and then exhaling through the other. I did this for about twenty minutes, and then began rapidly inhaling and exhaling as fast as possible, then took one last deep breath and slowly exhaled. It is difficult to describe the sensation, most people at least have an idea of what it feels like when you over-oxygenize your brain. But this was more than that. I felt very calm, relaxed and at peace with everything happening. I then remained in the position I was in, and stayed that way for about another ten minutes. There really isn’t any way to explain what I experienced. You just have to try it for yourself.
I know that this is only the first religion that we have tackled, so far, but Hinduism really interests me and I plan on furthering my understanding of its tradition. I really enjoy that it is more focused on the individual and the freedom it allows each person. There is no heaven or hell, no one text to live by and no sinning! I think some people might hear that and think that is crazy or absurd, but it is not. It makes sense. Hinduism isn’t about unconditional faith toward one deity and one way of life and one school of thought. It allows people to bring everything together, as long as you understand the big picture. Hinduism is truly more of a lifestyle than it is what a lot of people would consider religion, and that is what I like about it. Now, I just need to make sure I do good karma and hopefully, not return as a tree stump or something.

Hinduism/Ricki Uselton

What is the human condition?

The human condition for hindusm is to find that life isn’t about the world we are living here on earth but instead the power that is inside you. The world is not what we are trying to worry about but instead it is to worry about your future in other lives and how to keep a good karma. We are not here to focus on ourselves daily chores or tasks, but instead here just to get to the next place and find peace within ourselves while worshiping the creator of all, Brahman. We are to try and find our true selves in the Ataman, who is within us, by using many tactics and self discipline.

How do we move from problem to solution?

To find our inner peace, we can use the four yogas Yogas are named after yoke which means to put together. By using these four yogas: Jhana (knowledge), Bhakti (love), Raja (self-control), Karma (service), we can find out which one fits our specific wants, and what makes us feel the most comfortable. Each of these yogas are here to help meditate on the one true self. Some people have to decided and find out which works for them, and once they do they can come closer to finding that inner peace by devoting practice every day solely to that one yoga.

What is the best solution to this condition?

You must practice and devote yourself to these yogas every day, so that your karma may stay well so that you may achieve a state of bliss--Atman. By achieving this bliss we have achieved moksha, which in means is liberation. When we reach this we have sat, chit, ananda (pure being, pure consciousness, and a pure self).

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

While everyone has a different way to fulfill their daily duties of yogas so that they may be devoted to learning and acting out these yogas so they may continue on day to day feeling truly fulfilled in many ways. Once we come to this realization that there is an inner peace, and we find our true self, Atman, we must keep up doing the yogas,and working through the stages in life that were properly set out for us. By going through the stages of life, and being devoted to our yogas, you will have great karma for the next life. They believe that your actions are reflected in your past and future lives, and our time spent on earth is not to worry about problems, but maintaining your devotion to keeping your karma going strong throughout life so you will be higher up in your future life.

I really enjoyed learning about this religion and feel that any sort of religion can learn from this. I believe the four yogas are great aspects that anyone can add into their day. By studying your belief, using love, being active in your faith, and serving others we can learn to be better people. I really feel that people can take these and learn from them, like the hindu have, and maybe we will find our own inner self.

Hinduism/Emma Egli

What is the human condition?

Followers of Hinduism are encouraged to seek pleasures and worldly success, but to do so intelligently. Suppressing these urges would stray away from our human nature. But the fact remains that none of these can truly fulfill our insatiable appetites - thus lending to our forever-looming human condition. No matter how much wealth, fame and power we obtain, none of these things can bring us true happiness. If we are to spend the rest our lives seeking these banal desires, we will never become aware of our spiritual reality. We will forever be prisoners to the sorrows inherent in this world unless we become aware of our total selves and realize that the things we seek most – infinite being, infinite knowledge and infinite bliss – are things we already posses.

What is the solution to this condition?

In order to release ourselves from the finitude that restricts us from the limitless being, consciousness, and bliss our hearts desire, we must follow the four paths to God. Our infinite power lies deep within, and following one of the four yogas can unlock it. All of the yogas – Bhakti, Raja, Jnana and Karma – use different approaches, yet they all lead to the same ultimate goal. The yogas are designed to unite the human spirit with the God that lies concealed. We must follow these paths and only then can we obtain liberation (moksha).

How do we move from problem to solution?

In order to move away from the sorrows and desires of this human world, we must come to the creator God, Brahman, and remain in touch. The four yogas can help us obtain just that. Jnana is the way to God through knowledge. Bhakti is the way to God through love. Karma is the way to God through work. And finally, Raja is the way to God through psychophysical exercises. Each of these yogas have distinct instructions, but which path you choose to start on depends on the kind of person you are, lending to an almost “customized” spiritual route.

How best to live the solution in our own lives?

I really like that Hinduism encourages a “pursuit of happiness” sort of lifestyle. Let’s face it; we are all born with pleasure-reactors. It’s what makes us human. To seek pleasure and to want success in life is completely natural, as long as it is done so honestly and with a pure heart. But to realize that ultimately, there is more to this life, more to ourselves, more than these trivial wants and desires, is truly remarkable. Transcending beyond our human selves and tapping into this duct of infinite knowledge and bliss does seem like quite the monumental zenith. But when I think about how hard it would be to realize that this material world really doesn’t matter - that there really is no world at all - and you really just need to let go of it all, it seems almost impossible and somewhat terrifying. But the paths you can take to reach this ultimate "enlightenment" if you so choose to seem very personable and virtuous. I like the idea that all the paths lead to God eventually and each have characteristics that hold admirable applicability. While I'm not necessarily interested in practicing Hinduism myself, there are definitely aspects of it that I truly do respect and could definitely apply to my own life. Like Krishna says to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, "strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world; by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life." This is definitely something that everyone, regardless of religious background, should consider and strive towards.

Hinduism/Madeline Burford

What is the human condition? In Hinduism, it seems like the human condition is more than just this life that we are presently living and the afterlife, but the human condition touches all aspects of life through karma. Ultimately, the human condition is moving towards the ultimate goal of Atman, or the innermost essence of the individual. Hinduism seems to have a very optimistic outlook of the human condition in that there are infinite mulligans, infinite redos until one finally becomes enlightened to the essence of the soul and removes themselves from their earthly self.

What is the solution to this condition & How do we move from problem to solution? These questions seem very similar in regards to Hinduism so I will answer them together. The solution or goal is to remove yourself of your ego, to become enlightened in order to become Atman where you are in a state of bliss. A truly enlightened person connects to all humanity and is liberated from the self so that they can best love others and Brama. The solution to the human condition comes through devotion to Brama (the Creator) and through discipline and dedication to the four yogis. There are four different yogis, and, depending on which Hindu you are talking to, these yogis can either be done sequentially, or individually based on each person’s personality. The first yoga is karma where one engages the body into the spirit and the actions you commit can either create positive karma or negative karma in the universe. The cool thing about this yoga is that Hindus believe that the universe is just, that it is sin free and punishment free. This is different from my background in Christianity, where there is no blessing or sin, there is simply a universe that will not let you get away with anything, good or bad. This yoga is all about service to god in every moment of your life. This I really enjoyed because I can connect this back to my faith, where we are called to live our lives as an act of worship, that our actions reflect our faith and our love for our Creator. The next yoga is Jnana where we gain logical understanding through schooling so that our mind can process and connect to god. Then there is Dhyana yoga where one practices the mediation of the heart to connect the heart back to god. Finally, there is Bhakti yoga which attempts to change the motivation of the individual to realize why you are doing all of this. In Hinduism, we move from the problem to solution by the yogas and through any part of religion, for religion is simply what reconnects you to God.

How best to live the solution in our own lives? According to Hinduism, the best way to live this solution is to be accountable in attaining liberation from the self. Accountability is found by asking oneself to step back and assess existence, assess motivations, and assess how you are connecting back to the creator. While I can appreciate the ideas of Hinduism, I enjoyed seeing how different it is from Chrisitanity. Yet, they complement each other so well. We both strive to reconnect with God, through mediation, prayer, action, and motivations. We both try to make sure that our actions reflect God, not ourselves. So the best way to live this solution is to find a way to reconnect yourself with your Creator in devotion and discipline.

Hinduism/Richel Albright

What is the human condition? In Hinduism this could really allow for several answers that could be right. Mostly, I believe, it is comprised of two things, allowing you to have what you want and your karma. I think the most exciting thing I took away from this religion is that “you cannot lose,” which to me in religion would be incentive to ultimately do my best and know one day I will achieve the ultimate goal, which for a Hindu is Atman. In the book Smith discusses that if we are taking Hinduism as a whole the main idea is “you can have what you want.” But the posing question is, what do you truly want? While the book discusses four things, which are more human wants than spiritual. This is where I believe the four yogis come in hand; you can find the one that suits you and achieve that spiritual goal. Which, ideally, seems as if it is the same thing, Atman. Secondly, I move to karma theory because I believe when discussing the human condition karma theory makes perfect sense. The behavior of your human condition affects your karma. If you have good karma it will continue to motivate you to do good, but if it is bad karma then eventually, whether in present or future life, you will pay for the bad. But your good karma brings you closer to enlightenment – Atman. What is the best solution to this condition? This is simple, with the practice and devotion to ones yoga of choice – Bhakti, Jnana, Karma and Raja, with each yoga there is a different way about practicing it. Like previously mentioned, everyone feels a draw or has a certain personality that is better suited for each type of yoga. I personally related best with karma and believe in the simple belief that if you do good, you will be rewarded and if you do bad it will be corrected in some way shape or form. Once again, while all four practices are different, they all want to achieve the same goal – Atman. How do we move from problem to solution? I think this question is very similar with the second, by practicing your chosen yoga. Much like in Christianity we are taught that once we “accept” Jesus Christ we must continue to practice “his” works because without the works and devotion to God we do not form a more solid relationship with him. So with Hindus they would practice their yogis, good deeds for karmas, devotion for bhaktis and so on. How best to live the solution in our own lives? I believe the solution to this question is very much dependent upon each person. Some people who practice faith, whether Hindu, Christian or any other, are very devoted and strict about their path to God or Atman or whomever they worship. While others struggle along their journey, I know I have had my doubts, questions and struggles as a Christian. But there are certain things about my faith that make me want to work harder, but it is also refreshing to hear the practices of others and the way they achieve Atman. As I mentioned before, what I loved most learning about Hinduism is that no matter what, in the end, you win. Which is something everyone no matter who they are or what they practice can find solace in.

Hinduism/Clacey Farley

Hinduism approaches the issue of the human condition esoterically. It sees people as individuals who need to live this life according to their terms. Instead of committing to one god for everyone, believers, and people in general, follow their own path, and whichever god, be it Hindu or not, fits them best. The human condition is ever-changing as well. Life is seen as taking place in stages; student, household, retirement and sannyasin, and Hindus do their best to respect the order of the stages and strive to fill position of life. To be the best student and learn as much as possible, to Take care of the household, have the babies, provide for them, retire and learn about oneself, then finally teach the new generation of students as much as you have learned through life. Hinduism also stresses the importance of karma in everyday life, doing good and acting well because it is the appropriate way to live, failing to live so would end in one returning in a lesser form. Because of this, I think, Hinduism holds that the human is intrinsically good, while maintaining that people are individuals with the will to act in good or bad ways. But in order to be human one would have to perform well in a previous life, which sets humans up to excel in this life as a human

In this life as a human one sets out to resolve the human condition, to find the solution. This solution is enlightenment and hindus strive for it because it brings on moksha, or liberation. The idea and realization that this little “self” is inconsequential. The big “Self” is the solution to the human condition. To take a problem as it arises, step back from it and ask yourself is this really important to my big “Self,” or am I getting too caught up in the menial issue the little “self” hits as big road blocks. Once a Hindu appreciates that hidden consciousness of a greater side of themselves, it is easy for them to understand their connection to the world, and see that this life does not matter, but it is sure fun to play around in it. I really like the lungs-oxygen-tree lesson, in which one needs oxygen to breath, but seeing humans do not make oxygen we as humans are reliant on the trees to make it, therefore we are as connected to those trees as we are to our lungs.

Moving from the human to enlightened human is accomplished through one of the four yogas, whichever one, or a combination of many, that fits each certain individual. There is Karma yoga, the yoga of doing good acts for all as much as possible for the exaltation of ones god. Bhakti yoga is one of love and devotion to all things for your god. Raja yoga is the path of meditation through which one transcends this mortal body and appreciates life closes to their god, on an ethereal plane. Jnana yoga is the yoga of wisdom, learn as much as you can for the god of your choice.

In my own life, I think the best way to live out the solution to life, attaining liberation, is to take steps back. Ask “is this really important?” “Should I really be mad now?” Or even further “who is mad right now?” allowing ourselves to feel pain, anger, sadness, cold, love, hate, heat, or passion, but also removing ourselves to fully understand the emotion without the bias of of little “self’s” brain.

Hinduism/Caleb Hoey

The human condition is a red herring in Hinduism. Hinduism proposes the idea that we are all part of one reality where all worldly matters are insignificant relative to the universe as an infinite entity. The more you focus on your human condition, the farther you get from the goal of Hinduism. However, Hinduism does acknowledge humanity as a step towards the infinite, and it gives much advice on how to manage humanity in terms of our emotions, our mind, our actions and so on. While we are in this lifetime, Hinduism teaches us that we can progress towards union with the Atman through discipline in thought and action. Four yogas offer paths through love, knowledge, action and study of the mind. Karma is a principle that explains the happenings of the material world; a caste system explains the hegemony of society; the stages of our life are mapped out for us to follow, and some even go so far as to arrange marriages to ensure we continue towards the ultimate goal. Yet these are all just pages in the owner’s manual to the vehicle that is our human body. All of this is not needed once we discard our worldly body and become released from our “self” and re-join our “Self”, attaining satchitananda. The way to solve the human condition is to realize that it’s only one cycle of an infinite circle of creation, preservation and destruction. All of the meditative practices, scriptures and teachings are eventually focused on this one idea. By tuning ourselves to the frequency of the one, true reality (aum), all worldly matters are drowned out. Hinduism offers its teachings as a way to go from problem to solution, yet it stresses the notion that all problems and all solutions are temporary, and that Atman is the only solution you should ever need. The best way to carry out this solution in our daily lives is to renounce this daily life, any previous ones, and any following ones, and to only focus on the one life that we are all living together and have been forever. The insignificance of this world can only be seen when shown next to the infinite universe as a whole. We all share some of these basic Hindu ideas to a certain extent, voiced through expressions such as “it’s not the end of the world” or “shit happens”. We all are able to gain and maintain some perspective, but we frequently let the eyes of our ego distort our perception. Hinduism can draw many parallels with social sciences like psychology, where both present ideas of different levels of consciousness and the positive effects of discipline on the mind and body. I feel like to define Hinduism in religious terms doesn’t give the whole picture. Hinduism is such that if you start following it like a religion, you almost miss the point. It’s not about worship or prayer, but a deeper realization that can’t be communicated but experienced. We can all find God/Atman/Nirvana or any spiritual goal within ourselves because we are made from it and it is made of us. This is where Hinduism suggests we find it, just like most other religions, generally speaking. The finite world we perceive is nothing compared to the infinite reality inside and outside of us, and Hinduism wants to help us connect those two realities and help us flow with the natural energy of the universe.